The best chair EVER made.

The Eames Lounge Chair, celebrated for its timeless design and functionality, it is (in our opinion) the best chair ever made. This chair has some interesting Michigan ties as well. In this article, we will discuss these ties back to Michigan and you’ll learn a little bit more about the origin of this iconic piece of interior design.

Charles & Ray Eames

Both Charles and Ray spent a major portion of their lives here in Michigan. Charles born in St. Louis, moved to Saint Clair, Michigan at 2 years old. Moving back to St. Louis for high school, after which Charles came back to Michigan to study at Cranbrook Academy of Art, in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan in 1938.

Birth name Bernice Alexandra Kaiser, Ray Eames was born in Sacramento, California. When her parents divorced, she moved with her mom and brother to Kingsville, Michigan eventually moving to Ortonville, Michigan. She too went to Cranbrook Academy of Art, in 1940.

This is, of course, where these two met.

Cranbrook Academy of Art

At Cranbrook Charles was focused on Architecture and Ray was focused on Design. Together, along with a few others, they started to explore what they could do with plywood. Developing a technique that would allow for the ability to mold plywood into any shape.

This would be useful during WW2 when the US Navy needed additional medical supplies for the troops. Charles and Ray Eames, with the help of medical professionals designed and supplied the US Navy with plywood leg braces. Using the technique they created at Cranbrook, these leg braces were manufactured in Grand Rapids, Michigan.

Herman Miller

Not far away from where Charles and Ray Eames were making leg braces, Herman Miller, a furniture company in Zeeland, Michigan partnered with the couple.

After the war, the United States saw incredible economic prosperity. The demand for housing and household goods with an emphasis on functionality, simplicity, affordability led to the mid-century modern design craze. The Eames Lounge Chair and Ottoman were the face of this movement.

It’s at this time when the Eames Lounge chair was catapulted into mid-century modern design folklore. Since 1956, millions of these Lounge chairs have been sold. While Charles and Ray Eames also designed multiple other forms of furnishings, it is the Eames Lounge Chair and Ottoman that gets the highest of praises.

Herman Miller still produces these today, visit their store here:

Manufacturing Hub

It should be noted that Michigan’s historic role as a manufacturing hub also played a significant part in the development of the Eames Chair. The state’s niche in manufacturing, mostly from the automotive industry, provided Charles and Ray with access to skilled craftsmen and cutting-edge production techniques they wouldn’t have had such easy access to elsewhere. This ability to leverage Michigan’s manufacturing resources contributed to the success and quality of the Eames Chair.

This is a piece of design history Michigan can take pride in. After all, it’s the best chair ever made.

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