Ray and Charles Eames are the genius behind The Lounge Chair, one of the most iconic pieces of furniture of mid-20th century interior and probably their most famous work. The chair was designed in 1956 and is now considered a classic of modern furniture making.
Using the very best materials and expertly crafted, the Lounge Chair offers an unparalleled level of comfort. The inspiration for the design came from the traditional English club chair, echoing the black leather and dark wood veneer effect of this setting. An early iteration was also produced in a lighter coloured leather upholstery. For your own Eames Lounge Chair, visit https://www.pash-classics.com/eames-lounge-chair-and-ottoman.html
Ray and Charles Eames are now recognised as among the most influential and significant designers of 20th century America. They made important contributions to manufacturing, industrial design, furniture, photography and architecture.
Charles Eames was born in Missouri in 1907 and developed an interest in architecture and engineering from a young age. He worked in an architectural office and in 1929 married his first wife. They divorced in 1941, and Charles wanted to branch out into other areas further than architecture. He received a fellowship to the Cranbrook Academy of Art in Michigan and worked up to head of the design department.
Ray Kaiser Eames entered the world in 1912 in California. A passion for art led her to study with Hans Hoffmann in New York and then moving on to the Cranbrook Art Academy. One of her big projects was to work with the Saarinen family on designs for the Museum of Modern Art’s Organic Furniture Contest. They worked on moulding plywood into a series of complicated curves and achieved two first prizes in the competition.
It was at Cranbrook that Ray and Charles met and married in 1941. They settled in California and continued producing furniture using the moulded plywood design. During the Second World War, the Navy commissioned the couple to make stretchers, splints and glider shells.
By 1946, a company called Evans Products started to manufacture the plywood furniture and their chair design became known as the ‘chair of the century’ by architect Esther McCoy. Later the production was taken over by Herman Miller Inc in the United States and Vitra in Europe.
The couple are also renowned for the stunning home they built together in Pacific Palisades, California. In 1949, they designed and constructed their own property as part of a case study sponsored by the Arts & Architecture magazine. Their innovative use of material and clever designs attracted attention from architects and designers from all over the world. It is still considered an incredibly important post-war residence and one of the most important anywhere in the world.