10 Things To Know About Your Eames Chair Jen & Mark's Creative Family Home (Image credit: David Telford) So you bought an Eames chair because it was cool. It's okay—so did I. But now when people come over and say, "I like your chair, where did you get that?" it'd be nice to tell them a little more than, "It's from a designer." Here are 10 fun facts about your chair that you can throw around at the next cocktail party, because, you know, knowing stuff is also pretty darn cool, too. Charles' Cozy, Family-Inspired Chicago Condo (Image credit: Kristan Lieb) 1. The very first Eames chair was designed by Charles Eames and was made of stamped steel. But steel, with a necessary neoprene coating to add warmth, was far too expensive to mass produce. Ultimately they were made of Zenaloy, a plastic resin reinforced with fiberglass. 2. The chair’s original colors were greige, elephant hide grey, and parchment. The colors were chosen mostly by designer Ray Eames, Charles' wife, and soon she'd added seafoam green, yellow, and red to the mix.

Thank goodness they now come in 14 different colors, including "kelly green," "red orange," and "aqua sky." 3. Charles was never happy with the coloring of the fiberglass. Even though the "vintage" patina is sought-after today, Charles was always hoping for a solid, uniform, matte finish coating to his chairs. Rare model #132 chair designed in 1948 by Donald Knorr for Knoll from 1st Dibs (Image credit: 1st Dibs) 4. The Eames chair was made for a competition... and it didn't even win. The competition was the International Competition for Low-Cost Furniture Design, held in 1948, which would culminate in an exhibition at MoMA. The prize pool was $50,000, and the winner? Don Knorr's Side Chair (above). Eames Chairs of Zenaloy 1951 Order Form (Image credit: Michael Brucker on Flickr)One of the selling points of the molded armchair was its adaptability—two different tops, with or without arms, could be attached to a variety of bases. The codes refer to these various combinations, and common codes include SAX (H-shaped metal base, standard armchair), DAX (X-shaped base, dining armchair), DSR (Eiffel Tower-shaped base, side chair), DSW (wooden dowel legs, side chair), and RAR (rocking armchair).

Alex's Tribute To Her Travels (Image credit: Lindsay Tella) 6. A vintage rocker is a rare find indeed. The Eames fiberglass rocker ceased production in 1968; however, the company continued to give them as gifts to pregnant employees until 1984. 7. A dollhouse version of the chair was designed but never produced. In 1959, the Eames designed a toy-sized version of their own house, complete with miniatures of all their designs to that date, but this dollhouse never went into production. 8. Production of the fiberglass originals ceased in 1989 for environmental reasons. The material's chemistry and their lack of recyclability led Herman Miller and Ray Eames to cease production on the armchairs. After exploring alternate materials, they began making the chairs again in recyclable polypropylene in 2000. In 2013, Herman Miller announced the return of fiberglass—a new, recyclable kind! Eames Tandem Sling Seating from Herman Miller (Image credit: Herman Miller)

9. Your chair has relatives at the airport. Did you know the same man who created your beloved Eames chair also worked with his co-designer/wife to design the most popular airport seating of all time? That's right, the Tandem Sling Seating, designed first for the O'Hare International Airport, is from the same creative mind that brought you your fiberglass dining room beauty.rocking chair on porch 10. Could Ray have done it better? wedding chair bows ukCharles famously said of his wife, “Anything I can do, Ray can do better.” stair chair lift for saleI wonder what she would have come up with for the International Competition for Low-Cost Furniture Design, way back in 1948. oak street beach chair rental prices

I wonder if she would’ve won?I’ve had the classic Herman Miller Eames Plastic Chair for quite some time. It’s an iconic chair in many households across the world, often purchased as a style-first piece of furniture to modernize home decor But it took a recent non-normal event for us to learn that the Eames’ true purpose isn’t necessarily style. mesh office chairs australiaI now believe the Herman Miller Eames Plastic Chair is the perfect dining room chair for young families. wooden high chair baby buntingIt’s super stylish and modern, but it’s also very easy to clean when disaster strikes. cinema chairs for sale australiaIf not for the price, I’d have six of these chairs around my dining room table.where to buy chairs in auckland

Nearly all of Herman Miller’s designs are timeless, but the Molded Plastic Chair ranks near the top of that list. Its minimal curves have been duplicated, replicated, and emulated thousands of times over, yet the true design is a pure lesson in minimalism. There are no corners or sharp edges on the Eames. cheap burlap chair coversFrom the base of the chair to the backrest, every curve flows effortlessly into the next. This makes sitting on a hard plastic chair still relatively comfortable, even for long periods of time. The Chair’s plastic isn’t perfectly smooth. It’s slightly textured, making for a matte feel and look. I like how it doesn’t give off a glare in direct sunlight, especially since it’s the all-white model. The plastic is made of 100% recyclable polypropylene, which is a change from the Molded Chairs of old. During the 1950s, the original design was made of fiberglass.

Now, thanks to new knowledge about the environmental impact of fiberglass production, Herman Miller only produces plastic chairs. The plastic is notorious for creating intense static electricity when changing positions. No matter the material I am wearing, I consistently find myself shocking the first piece of metal I touch after getting up from the Eames Chair. Although hard plastic, the backrest has good flex and lets you lean back a few inches. Leaning back and bending the plastic slightly doesn’t change the permanent shape of the classic design thankfully. The base of the Eames Molded Plastic Chair comes in two designs: the wire base and a wood dowel base. Generally you’ll see the wire base referred to as the “Eiffel” base, because it takes some design cues from that great tower in Paris. You’ll also usually see the wood dowel base in many home decor photos, as the wood dowel legs add some more color and life to the room. My wife and I opted for the Eiffel base because of price and because we felt it would fit our home’s style more appropriately.

The Eiffel base has a chrome finish and is pretty shiny in direct light. We’ve had no issues with the wire base breaking or needing to be re-welded over time. I am quite disappointed with the Eames feet, however. The feet themselves are just hard black plastic, but the felt covers on the bottom of the feet are poorly applied. One of the felt covers has almost slid right off the foot itself, which means the chair may scratch the floor if I’m not careful. The felt covers also pick up a pile of dust and hair if you don’t pull off the gunk every now and then. Like a few other Herman Miller designs, the 1950s Molded Plastic Chair still looks and feels modern today. You can pick up the chair in many (many!) different colors, satisfying any design or style you prefer. The white model can be seen in many Scandinavian-styled homes and fits in no matter the time or place. The Plastic Chair’s timeless design isn’t the reason for this review, however. In fact, I never felt a simple dining or guest chair would be a product that fit on Tools & Toys.

After seeing the Plastic Chair’s actual utility in action though, I’m convinced this chair would fit the needs of many young families. My wife and I don’t have kids, but we do have four nieces and nephews under the age of five. In the span of a week, we had all four of the munchkins running around and eating whatever we had laying on the counter. To add to the chaos, my wife made spaghetti and meat sauce for supper one evening. And our cloth dining room chairs were destined to be magnets for the meat sauce. Realizing the potential horror, we put our youngest niece on the Eames Molded Plastic Chair. As expected, she spilled some meant sauce on the seat of the chair while shoveling in some fabulous pasta. And all it took was a paper towel to wipe every bit of meat sauce off the chair. Sure, you can purchase any traditional wood or plastic chair and never have to worry about stains and spills with young kids. But I’m willing to bet those choices and designs don’t measure up to the timeless design of the Eames.

The Eames offers a timeless and childproof solution for any furniture worries you may have. Every Herman Miller product comes with a premium price, and the Eames Molded Plastic Chair really isn’t any different. The least expensive option comes in at $339, while the pictured model goes for an even $349. You can add an upholstered shell for an extra cost, or you can upgrade to the wood dowel base for an extra $110. Without a doubt, this isn’t the least expensive dining room chair option on the market. But it’s one of the least expensive Herman Miller products you can buy for your home. The Herman Miller name imbues quality — products such as the Embody chair, the Eames Lounge Chair, and the Noguchi Table are well known as some of the highest quality furniture you can purchase. That same quality is stored in the Molded Plastic Chair, ensuring the $350 price tag is well worth your consideration. Let’s be honest: Reviewing a chair isn’t standard practice around here.