Eames Molded Plastic Chair

The Eames Molded Plastic Chair perfectly embodies the famous credo of its creator: “The role of the designer is that of a very good, thoughtful host who anticipates the needs of his guests.” The chair was designed according to the credo on the principle of adaptability and offers one Variety of configurations for a variety of applications and environments.  Today, the Eames Molded Plastic Chair can be found in private homes, cafes, bars, lobbies, and offices around the world, proving that the chair is a truly versatile piece of furniture.

story

The chair was created by the design team of husband and wife Charles and Ray Eames and dates from a time when the famous duo were experimenting with new types of materials and manufacturing processes.  The chair’s prototype first stepped into the spotlight in the 1948 International Competition for Inexpensive Furniture Design, organized by the Museum of Modern Art in New York.  The seat of the prototype was made of sheet metal that was pressed into the desired shape.  Even so, the Eames continued to push the boundaries of the shell chair, leading to the introduction of the fiberglass chair seat in 1950.  Despite the relatively simple design, the environmental risks associated with fiberglass manufacture were more fully understood and the scales tipped in favor of discontinuing fiberglass tray production until a more suitable material could be found.  The chair was brought back to life in 2001 by the furniture company Herman Miller, who reintroduced the Eames Molded Plastic Chair with the seat made from environmentally friendly polypropylene.

design

The overall look of the chair is extremely appealing and stylish.  It’s very proportional and balanced, and the use of the frame base makes it look both airy and light.  Unlike fully upholstered furniture, it does not obstruct the room in which it is placed, but improves the perception of spaciousness.  Even today, almost seven decades after its presentation, the chair has neither aged nor become banal.  It still looks fresh and contemporary.  This trait of good design is particularly well illustrated by Eames Demetrios, the couple’s grandson, who once said, “The chair Charles and Ray designed is the chair that will be made tomorrow.” The chair’s simple, lovable shape fits every body and every place.  Although the chair looks like a masterpiece of modern art, it is fully functional and surprisingly comfortable.

The shell is made of polypropylene, which is 100 percent recyclable.  The high level of comfort is due to the deep seat pocket and the waterfall seat edge, which reduce the pressure on the back of the user’s thighs.  In order to achieve the absolute level of comfort, customers can order the chair with a dense foam padding that is covered with a variety of hard-wearing fabrics.  The rubber damper mounts, another item on Eames’ inventions list, are located between the shell and the base, allowing the chair to adjust to the position of the user.  The chair is available with four different bases: 4-leg base, stacking base, wire base and wooden dowel base.  In the first two options, the base is made of bent steel tubes.  The wire variant is much more sophisticated and appealing and is similar to the half-timbered structure of the Eiffel Tower.  Last but not least, the wooden dowel base, as the name suggests, consists of four wooden dowels that are tapered at both ends.  The dowels are spanned with the diagonal crossbars for additional structural strength.  The chair is available in different configurations of upholstered and wooden surfaces including: maple, white ash, ash-stained white ash and walnut.  At the customer’s request, the metal parts of the chair can be painted either white or black and can be chrome-plated.  This diverse range of options enables customers to create their own perfect chair.  This piece of furniture is a perfect combination of amazing shape and extraordinary functionality.  It still looks fresh and mesmerizing and is a great, tasteful addition to any modern interior.