A chair is much more than a seating apparatus. Most people would at least recognise that some chairs feature a better design and some are more attractive than others. Some people also understand that different chairs have different levels of quality. Some chairs are sturdy, carefully crafted and designed to last a lifetime, whereas others are made with cheaper materials as throwaway pieces. Of course there are thousands of types of different chairs that each have their own specific uses.
Some chairs are for occasional seating and may be more about how they look rather than their comfort. Other chairs, such as dining room chairs, are often more about function than style. Then there are recliners and lounge chairs which are all about being as comfortable as possible. But whatever type of chair you are looking at there are always three main categories that a chair should excel at for the most appropriate seating. These are; purpose, shape and style. One chair that seems to exceed requirements in all three areas is most certainly the Eames lounge chair.
The Eames lounge chair was created by American designer Charles Eames. He wanted to design a chair that would “resemble the warmth, familiarity and comfort of a well worn baseball mitt”. He set out upon creating a chair that would satisfy this statement. The foundations of the Eames lounge chair are layered curved plywood shells, originally coated in Brazilian rosewood veneers. These are essentially the same shape as the cushions, with the back and headrest identical in proportion, and also the seat and the Ottoman, giving the chair a balanced appearance.
The result is a truly stunning chair, rich in class and sophistication combined with a timeless contemporary styling. The Eames lounge chair became a post-war status symbol favoured by the wealthy, and is still viewed as a stunning piece of design to this day, particularly with those who appreciate modern art or style design. The chair is synonymous with the image of a psychiatrist’s office, because of its use as a prop in movies, plays and New Yorker cartoons. Of course, the Eames lounge chair isn’t so successful by being all style and no substance.
It is also one of the most functional lounge chairs that money can buy. The clever design allows for amazing comfort and can be adjusted to pretty much any position that the user would require, whether sitting at a computer desk or reclining back with a cold glass of drink. The build quality is also second-to-none. What we love about this chair is that the second you see it and feel it, you can instantly tell that this chair has been built to last. It feels solid, robust and ready to take on what life has to throw at it.
In fact, this chair ticks so many boxes that even the New York Museum of Modern Art has a collection of them as a permanent collection, making them one of the most iconic modern chair sets today. Believe it or not, the Eames lounge chair was actually first shown to the world back in 1956. Despite now being nearly six decades old, to look at it you will still be dazzled that a chair can look so good and stylish with such ease. Dare to take the weight off your feet and actually recline into one and the chances are that you won’t want to get back up! So, is a chair just a chair? Most certainly not!
