In the early 1940s, when Charles Eames was working on MGM set designs, he would return to the small apartment where he and his wife, Ray, were experimenting with wood-molding techniques that would have profound effects on the design world.

Their discoveries led to a commission from the U.S. Navy in 1942 to develop plywood splints, stretchers, and glider shells molded under heat and pressure.

After World War II, they adapted the technology to create inexpensive, high-quality chairs that could be mass-produced. The process eliminated the extraneous wood needed to connect the seat with the back, which reduced the weight and visual profile of the chair and established a basis for modern furniture design. The chair is in the permanent collection of New York's Museum of Modern Art.

Designers Charles and Ray Eames established their long and legendary relationship with Herman Miller in 1946 with the boldly original molded plywood dining and lounge chairs. Since then, the aesthetic integrity, enduring charm, and comfort of the chairs have earned them recognition as the best of modern design. And to help celebrate the 100th anniversary of Charles Eames' birth, the chairs are now available in richly grained birch veneer, like the original. A series of new colors refreshes the palette and recalls the times when the chairs were introduced.


Distinctive Design
Sculpted form. Molding thin sheets of lightweight veneer into gently curved shapes gives the hard material a soft, inviting appearance.
Finish choices. The chairs are offered with birch veneer in eight new finish colors (red, green, orange, purple, black, light blue, white, and yellow); these stains allow the wood's natural characteristics to show through; cherry, walnut, natural ash, red-stained ash, or ebony-stained ash choices continue to be available.
Leg choice. Wood or chrome-plated steel.

A Shape That Sits Well
Natural contours. The five-ply seat and back are designed to comfortably fit the body.
Shock mounts. Made of resilient natural rubber to absorb movement.


Designer: Charles Eames Ray Eames