Modern Furniture

Few designers have been more influential in shaping trends in decor that husband and wife Charles and Ray Eames, Bernice, whose innovative concepts and creations helped lay the groundwork for today’s retro modern furniture.

From the time of her marriage in 1941 until the death of Charles Eames in 1977, the couple collaborated on a variety of pioneering modernist projects, ranging from architecture and design to photography, exhibitions, and even film production. His documentary “The Power of Ten” has been selected by the Library of Congress for preservation in the National Film Registry.

Among his most famous collaborations was the Eames House, built in 1941 as part of an Art and Architecture case study of the magazine. The house, built by hand in a matter of days, using only prefabricated steel parts originally intended for industrial construction, has been recognized as one of the landmarks of modernist architecture.

But for Charles and Ray Eames were acclaimed in the fields of art and architecture, his most enduring legacy is in the design and creation of very modern furniture. His work was inspired by a design philosophy based on the combination of reality and functionality, according to Charles Eames, “Recognizing the need is the main criterion for the design.

For over 40 years, the couple worked to fill the need for furniture that was versatile, attractive and high quality, but could also be quickly and easily mass produced to be affordable for the average consumer. Many of his best known projects focused on the design of seats formed and shaped to accommodate the human body, offering comfort without cushions and upholstery.

The molded plywood Eames Chair, introduced in 1946, was one of his first creations. Its unique combination of style, comfort, functionality and became an instant hit and well thought out production process remained affordable. Many variations inspired by the Eames molded plywood chairs are still in production, and the president remains a classic retro modern furniture design.

After the introduction of molded plywood chair Eames continued the design, molded chairs, stamped aluminum and wire mesh in novel forms and experimenting with new materials as well. His goal of a chair, with the creation of a shell of molded in one piece that was comfortable, without padding or stuffing is made in the 1950s, with production of tanks with fiberglass reinforced plastic. Lightweight, versatile and affordable, the molded plastic chair has become a design standard and many variations in production today.

One of the most famous designs is the Eames Lounge Chair swivel with matching footrest. With a body of molded wood and leather cushions set in a broad-based, stable turntable, the Eames Lounge Chair has a sleek wraparound style that still offers maximum comfort. Charles Eames said he wanted the presidency to be “a refuge from the stresses of modern life” and for over half a century of this design classic has been in production.