Want: Eames Lounge Chair

By / Life / August 13th, 2013 / 10

No living room is complete without a lounge chair – something you’ll sink into and never want to leave. The trouble is finding a chair that is both stylish and comfortable. We’ve been led to believe that comfort and style are incompatible, but that’s not the case.

What if I told you there is a lounge chair that has the perfect balance? It’s called the Eames Lounge Chair and, when it was released in 1956, it broke the mold on modern style and comfort.

Designed by the husband and wife team, Charles and Ray Eames, this chair has a molded wood frame, leather cushions and an embrace like a hug. The “shock mounts” – heavy rubber washers glued to the back rest and screwed to the lumbar support – allow the backrest and headrest to flex. The MCL leather is soft and cushy, letting you sink right in. So, you might want to make sure you’ve done all of your chores before you sit down.

The much-copied chair has become an icon of modern design. Its sleek frame is made from seven layers of molded plywood, a technique pioneered by the Eames in the ’40s. Innovative when it was first launched – lighter, more elegant and more modern than the club chairs of that generation – it has evolved; new models are available in white to match the light colours of contemporary design. Though the materials have changed slightly since the original model (the original was made with Brazilian rosewood, which has since been classified as an endangered species) Henry Miller has maintained the dedication to hand-made quality, balancing it with mass production, sustainability and durability.

A new chair costs up to $4,500 in the US or over $9,000 (USD) in Europe, but it’s well worth the investment.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

A freelance writer and editor, Lisa Hoekstra loves learning and trying new things. She can be found with her nose in a book or multiple tabs open on her browser as she researches the latest and greatest in the world of food, style and everything in between.

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