A Brief History of America’s Favorite Chair: The Eames Lounge and Ottoman

When Charles and Ray Eames debuted their Eames Lounge and Ottoman in 1956 on NBC’s Home show hosted by Arlene Francis, the actress and television personality called the design "quite a departure" from the duo’s earlier creations.

At the time of the broadcast, the Eameses already had a few successful chair designs made from molded plywood, molded plastic, and upholstered wire on the market. They had significant experience working with plywood in particular, having honed their pioneering wood-molding techniques making splints for the U.S. Army during World War II. Following the war, the husband-and-wife duo continued to experiment with the material, focusing primarily on designs that could be mass-produced and provided value for money.  

The original Eames Lounge and Ottoman, made of molded rosewood and upholstered leather with an aluminum base, was more noticeably meant for luxury—and it was priced accordingly. According to a 2022 Washington Post article, the chair and accompanying ottoman, also known as models 670 and 671, were initially sold for $310 (around $3,100 today), and now cost between $4,000 and $10,000. 

Charles said the couple wanted to create a chair with "the warm, receptive look of a well-used first baseman’s mitt"—one that would provide respite from the "strains of modern living." Ray once described it as "comfortable and un-designy."

In the nearly 70 years since Herman Miller started producing the Eames Lounge and Ottoman, the design has sustained a cult status. It was featured in a 1960s Playboy spread touting covetable modernist furniture. It’s been the subject of documentaries, books, and museum exhibits. It’s made cameos in James Bond films and TV series like Frasier. Steve Jobs and Bill Gates were photographed "brainstorming" on one of the Eames classics. 

Today, social media is full of devotional posts and dedicated Reddit pages for "Eames Enthusiasts." The design has also inspired many knockoffs; in fact, it’s been cited as one of the most counterfeited and copied furniture pieces in modern history. 

It also continues to be a symbol of material innovation: On July 23, Herman Miller released a new plant-based upholstery option for the Eames Lounge Chair and Ottoman developed by von Holzhausen. The company claims the vegan leather fabric, made primarily from bamboo, reduces the chair’s carbon footprint by "up to 35 percent," though the $6,395 price tag is still hefty.

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This article was originally published on February 4, 2015. It was updated on May 31, 2024, and July 15, 2024, to include current information.

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