Charles and Ray Eames were the archetypal design power couple, who each brought their own distinct kind of creative genius to the personal and professional partnership. When they visited NBC's daytime Home show in 1956 to debut their (now-iconic) eponymous lounge, Charles introduced themselves thusly: "Ray is a…
When the Eames debuted their now-legendary shell chair in 1950, it became the first mass-produced plastic chair in the world. This wasn't just an aesthetic icon—it was also a wonder of manufacturing and engineering. Now, Herman Miller is giving us a glimpse of how it's made.
How did iconic furniture like the Eames side chair become iconic? What about the Noguchi table, or countless other classic pieces of the modern era? The answer is through the legendary design firm Herman Miller, whose history you can see illustrated in 108 seconds in this short video.
When Ray and Charles Eames’ classic molded side chair was first produced, in 1951, it was one of the first industrially-manufactured plastic chairs on the market. The wonder of technology went on to become a much-loved classic—today, it’s enjoying a renewed popularity thanks to the popularity of Mid-Century modernism.
Herman Miller may be best known today for its high-end, technical desk chairs, like the Aeron and the Embody, but they also make iconic modern furniture designed by legends like Eames and Noguchi—classic stuff, that will look as good in 50 years as it did 50 years ago. All of it is on sale right now.
This is awesome. Herman Miller has announced that it will start making the iconic Eames Molded Chair in fiberglass... again. The fiberglass chairs were discontinued from production in 1989 and ever since then, the iconic chairs that decorate modern houses have been made with recyclable polypropylene. But now we're…
Terrible aesthetics and children's toys go hand in hand. Barbie's "Dreamhouse" is an uninspired architectural disaster, and the font used on most alphabet blocks leaves design-minded parents actually missing Comic Sans. But what's the alternative? How about a set of alphabet blocks with beautiful typography and…
Best known for their iconic lounge chair that's still in production 57 years after it was introduced, Charles and Ray Eames were actually masters of design across many fields. In 1972 Polaroid asked them to produce a promotional video for its now iconic SX-70 instant camera, and what they created was nothing short…
In celebration of the 100th anniversary of American designer Ray Eames's birth, Herman Miller has announced a limited edition Eames Wire Base Low Table (Eames LTR), which will be made available on Herman Miller's website in mid-October.
What do you do if you're IBM in the 1950s and need to market your behemoth computing machine to a conservative public? Commission a 10-minute informative short to designers Charles and Ray Eames, of course! "The Information Machine" was the result of a unique collaboration that aimed at naturalizing the computer…
In the 1950's IBM was synonymous with computers but faced a serious problem. Computers at that time were enormous, vacuum tube-driven machines—completely alien technology to the average person—and that bred a fear of them. To counter this PR nightmare, IBM turned to none other than Charles and Ray Eames.
I will bet you several internet points that you didn't know Ice Cube was an architecture student before he started rapping! Correct—the dude is a true renaissance man. Watch him geek out over The Eames House.
Doesn't this amazing sea sponge look like an Eames molded plastic chair? We can't say for sure it was the design duo's inspiration, but we do know that until it was recently rediscovered, scientists thought "Neptune's cup" was extinct.
Originally designed as inexpensive furniture after WWII, Eames Pressed Fiberglass Chairs are still made today—only now they're made of eco-friendly polypropylene. Boo. Then the original was recreated from scratch. Think of it as the impossible project for classic furniture.
Doesn't matter if I'm riding out Hurricane Irene or the latest zombiepacolypse, there's absolutely no reason for me to huddle in a cramped, dank vault like some goddamn refugee.
I'm not a furniture snob but I find myself turning into one as I keep watching this making of the Eames Lounge Chair. I'm not satisfied with a glimpse though! I want to see the whole process, from the curving of the base to setting up the ottoman, and I want to save enough money to buy one. [Vitra Project via …
Good design is the art (and science) of turning the mundane into the magnificent. Below is an assortment of meticulously designed (and, of course, awesome looking) objects for the friend whose home is a little lacking in the aesthetics department.
There's something almost Hitchcockian about this 1970s video, what with the soundtrack and odd close-ups (the clay!), but if you can get past all that until at least the plastic-molding part, I guarantee you'll be enthralled. [Make]
I've no idea how good Davone Audio's Ray speakers are, as I can't get past just how stylish they are. In a minimal, retro way, obviously. On sale next month for $6,000 a pair. [Davone via BoingBoing]
The Eames Lounge Chair is widely recognized as one of the most beautiful pieces of furniture ever designed. But as shown by this lovely photo of his "do nothing machine," Charles Eames was as much a tinkerer as a designer.
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