Eames Lounge and Ottoman - Lounge Chair

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Designers

Charles and Ray Eames

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What's In It For You

Product Story

Own a True Icon of Modern Design

Expansive Options

Black and White

Luxurious Comfort and Support

Unparalleled Craftsmanship

Product Story

The Eames Lounge Chair and Ottoman have their origin in Charles and Ray’s investigations into molding plywood and a desire to improve upon a familiar fixture in many living rooms: the lounge chair. Citing the English club chair as inspiration, Charles said he sought to design a modern version of that chair, one that had “the warm receptive look of a well-used first baseman's mitt.” Almost immediately, the design became an icon of American design. Today, these pieces not only live in museums, but continue to offer comfort and style to interiors everywhere. A universally recognized form, the set is available in a variety of veneers, multiple leather options, and two sizes. Whatever selection you make, you can be assured of the quality and authenticity of this design.

Own a True Icon of Modern Design

When the set was introduced in 1956, there was nothing like it, and there is still nothing to equal it. The Eameses’ modern take on a 19th century club chair has not only endured for more than 50 years, it has become one of the most significant furniture designs of the 20th century—instantly recognizable and enduringly fresh.

Like all classics, the chair and ottoman get better with age, in part because of how they are made. From the innovative hardware that fastens the cushions to the shells without marring the appearance of the wood to the fact that each piece continues to be assembled by hand, the combination of craft and manufacturing consistency results in pieces that are genuinely authentic.

Expansive Options

The Eames Lounge Chair and Ottoman has become so recognizable that its configuration is a registered trademark. That form and the materials used to create it are an integral part of the experience the set delivers. Today, the chair and ottoman are available in a variety of veneers, multiple leather options, and two sizes. The same high level of quality and workmanship is guaranteed, regardless of the selection you make.

Choose contract-grade or our MCL Leather, which possesses a striking balance among softness, durability, and color-fastness. MCL Leather is a premium, semi-aniline, dyed leather with 100 percent natural full grain. Color variations and surface marks are an inherent characteristic of this material, which will acquire wrinkles and creases and develop a rich patina over time.

An oiled finish is available for walnut and santos palisander veneers. It closely matches the look and feel of the finish used on the original rosewood chair, and will need to be maintained with periodic hand oiling. You can also choose the standard, high-performance lacquered plywood shell in all four wood veneers. The lacquered finish requires nothing more than dusting.

Black and White

To provide additional choices for complementing a range of interiors, the chair and ottoman are offered in all-black and all-white versions. The all-black version features an ebony veneer shell and black MCL Leather. For the all-white version, a white ash shell complements pearl MCL Leather. The metal components of the white ash chair are finished in white to highlight the polished aluminum accents on the base.

Luxurious Comfort and Support

The comfort and support built into the Eames Lounge Chair and Ottoman help explain their enduring popularity. A dynamic blend of hand-craftsmanship and mass production techniques makes this possible.

The cushions will not flatten or clump over time. As Charles Eames described them, "The leather cushions do have built-in wrinkles to start with, but that is a clue that spells comfort to come, like the warm, receptive look of a well-used first baseman's mitt." Each hide used for the cushions possesses variations that are a natural occurrence in leather, and each will age to reveal its own unique personality.

The seat is permanently tilted to take the weight off your lower spine and distribute it properly to the back of the chair. The lower cushion piece supports your lower back, so you feel relaxed. The angle supports your chest so that you can be comfortable as you read, watch a movie, or have a conversation.

The ottoman also provides a health benefit. Most of us sit or stand all day, so blood collects in the lower extremities. Resting your feet on the ottoman helps restore normal blood circulation.

Unparalleled Craftsmanship

Like all classics, the chair and ottoman get better with age. Both are hand-assembled with great attention paid to the details. Shells are 7-ply veneers. Cushions are individually upholstered and replaceable. The back braces and bases—of both the chair and ottoman—are die-cast aluminum. The chair base has a built-in swivel mechanism. Shock mounts are resilient natural rubber. Stainless steel glides are adjustable.

Design Story

When they were conceptualizing the chair, Charles explained that the designers wanted it to have the "warm, receptive look of a well-used first baseman's mitt." As Charles and Ray’s home provided the backdrop for the couple’s gracious hosting of a famously eclectic group of friends and associates, providing "a special refuge from the strains of modern living," so too the lounge chair and ottoman were conceived to provide welcoming comfort to the body.

The Eames Lounge Chair and Ottoman debuted on national television in 1956. Charles and Ray Eames appeared on the NBC television network Home show hosted by Arlene Francis. Stardom ensued for both design and designers. Yet, as popular as the lounge chair and ottoman have become, they remain grounded in the handcrafted details that continue to distinguish this classic, authentic design.

Part of the permanent collections at New York's MoMA and the Art Institute of Chicago, the chair and ottoman have been the subject of documentary films and books; they were the sole subject of a museum show at the Museum of Arts & Design in New York. They are featured prominently in television series and stylish movie interiors. Although the word "icon" is overused, it's exactly the right word in describing the Eames Lounge Chair and Ottoman.