Lounge Chair

Charles & Ray Eames, 1956

Eames Lounge Chair & Ottoman, Eames House quer_web_fam_hero
'Why don't we make an updated version of the old English club chair?' With this comment, Charles Eames initiated the development of the Lounge Chair, a process that took several years. The design was intended to pair ultimate comfort with the highest quality in materials and craftsmanship, incorporating the combined expertise and insights Charles and Ray Eames had gained from all their past projects. The 1956 launch of the Lounge Chair set new standards: it was not only lighter, more elegant and more modern than the conventionally ponderous club chair, it was also more comfortable – not least because it was the first armchair to feature a swivel base. These characteristics led it to become one of the best known designs by Charles and Ray Eames and an iconic piece of contemporary furniture.
The Lounge Chair is available from Vitra in two sizes: with classic proportions and with new, somewhat larger dimensions. The different leathers, fabrics, wooden shells and bases can be mixed and matched at will – making it easy to find just the right Lounge Chair for every interior and every taste and fancy.
Vitra has produced the Lounge Chair by Charles and Ray Eames using the same manufacturing methods since the 1950s, but has continuously adapted the materials to reflect the latest advancements and insights. With the exception of palisander, the wood is now all sourced in Europe, the wooden shells are treated with water-based lacquers, the V-Foam cushions are recyclable, the leather is made with a tanning agent extracted from olive tree leaves, 95% of the aluminium is recycled and the covers can be removed for cleaning or replacement. However, the Lounge Chair's most significant contribution to sustainability remains its timeless design and long-lasting quality.

Unlimited combinations

Thanks to the carefully coordinated selection of materials and colours available in the Vitra Colour & Material Library, products by Vitra can be effortlessly combined to create diverse, individual collages.
Now with new veneers and unlimited combination options

6 wood surface finishes

Chestnut, natural
Chestnut exhibits prominent growth rings with an open grain that lends it a warm, inviting appearance. In the natural version, the wood has a honey-coloured tone that deepens over time into a light golden reddish-brown.
European cherry
European cherry has a golden yellow to reddish hue that darkens with age into a warm reddish brown. Its fine-pored texture and uniform grain give it a calm, elegant appearance.
Walnut, natural
Known for its subtle grain, American walnut was brought to Europe centuries ago. European black walnut differs from its American counterpart due to its slightly lighter colour with more pronounced grey tones.
Walnut, dark
Wooden shells in dark European walnut have a refined, understated elegance. Thanks to its even grain, walnut offers a more subdued alternative to palisander, which is similarly dark but more expressive in character.
Santos palisander
With its lively grain pattern, palisander was an integral part of the original design by Charles and Ray Eames and is still considered the 'classic version' today. Vitra uses santos palisander from FSC-certified forests in Bolivia.
Chestnut, black, lacquer finish
Even in the black lacquered version, chestnut veneer retains its warm, natural look and can be attractively paired with dark leather and fabric colours as well as the black base frame.
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European woods

In order to shorten supply chains and avoid the overuse of certain types of wood such as oak, Vitra is increasing the share of European woods in its product portfolio and introducing new wood varieties grown in Europe: cherry, chestnut and walnut. These new varieties are joining existing European woods in the collection, such as oak and ash. The Eames collection is the first within the Vitra portfolio to be updated with the new wood options, bringing a fresh natural aesthetic to established classics.

Information

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This product was designed by

Charles & Ray Eames

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Charles and Ray Eames are counted among the most important figures of twentieth-century design. Their work spans the fields of furniture design, filmmaking, photography and exhibition design. Vitra is the sole authorised manufacturer of Eames products for Europe and the Middle East. When you own an Eames product made by Vitra, you know it is an original.