Eames in Color

When we realized we had restored so many Eames Lounge Chairs in colors other than the traditional black, we thought it would be fun to do a collage! What do you think? In the right space, color is a fantastic option for these classic chairs, making them more of a focal point than ever.

If you could chose a color other than black, what would it be?

Reupholstered BLUE Herman Miller Eames Chair

This is something we don't see often - a gorgeous rosewood eames chair, reupholstered in royal blue leather! It's actually quite striking, and a really fun choice!

We love it when clients aren't afraid to take a chance and step out of the box, and this client certainly did. The leather is soft and supple, and the color is so rich. It will surely be a focal point in the room!

The wood was still in very good shape, so we just cleaned it up. The rosewood pattern is very subtle, which works well with the vibrancy of the leather.

What do you think? Would you ever reupholster your Eames chair in a colored leather? Let us know in the comments!

Restored Eames Lounge Chair in Red Leather

We wanted to share this recent restoration with you, because it's not often you see an Eames Lounge Chair in a leather other than Black or Brown! Our client loved her previous red leather, so we reupholstered it in new leather.

 The rosewood had a gorgeous grain, and restoration really brought out the character of the wood.

Restored & Reupholstered Eames 3473 Sofa

This is quite a before & after post! Can you believe our client bought this rare Eames 3473 sofa sight unseen? He had it delivered directly to our workshop and saw it for the first time when he brought in his fabric. Needless to say, it needed a complete overhaul. These are fun projects; we love transforming pieces from this, to this:

As mentioned, we completely restored and reupholstered the piece, as well as the metal. Our client chose a classic bright Maharam Hallingdal fabric, which is perfect.

The Eames 3473 sofa was only produced between 1964 and 1973, so there aren't many models. The frame is cast aluminum and the seat and angled back feature channel welts running horizontally. It's quite a bit different from the Eames Compact sofa, which is still in production through Herman Miller.

About a chair...

For Every Need, In Every Way, For Everyone from Herman Miller on Vimeo.
Animator Bill Porter takes us on a simple journey through the life of a boy and a girl and the chair they encounter at every turn.

Story Concept and Creative Direction: WHY hermanmiller.com/why
Animation: Bill Porter www.bpbpbp.com

Video: Finding Charles Pollock

As a design junkie, I spend quite a bit of personal time online reading blogs, following links, and getting inspiration. Clicking around on a beautiful Sunday afternoon, I came across this fascinating (short) video about Charles Pollock (by Robert Chrisco), who designed the classic Pollock Executive chair, which is still in production with Knoll.

Finding Charles Pollock from Robert Chrisco on Vimeo.

Almost all our office chairs here at Classic Design are Pollock Executive chairs, and they are probably one of the most comfortable I've ever experienced. 

We've also done our share of Pollock restorations, and not just the Executive Office chair (which was introduced in 1965). Another popular chair is the Sling Chair - also known as the Pollock Arm Chair, or 657 Sling Chair. This piece was the first he created for Knoll in the late 1950's. 

Interestingly, Charles Pollock worked with George Nelson in the early 1950's. During this time, he developed the Swag Leg Chair, which Nelson went on to produce with Herman Miller - also still in production. 

image via

We have an early barstool - a very rare piece - here in the studio. 

In 2012, 47 years after the release and success of the Executive Office chair, Charles Pollock released his final creation - the CP.1 Chair.  Another beautiful execution of design and style.

via

It's amazing to see the succession of design through the years. Charles Pollock died in 2013 at the age of 83. I hope you'll take the time (5 minutes!) to watch the video above, and let us know what you think. 

Most Popular Question: Is my Eames chair real?

One of the most frequently asked questions we get on our contact form from new clients is whether their Eames lounge chair is authentic. Or, they think it is, and we have to break the news that it is in fact not authentic.

real!

real!

We originally ran this post in 2011 - but a good refresher is always in order! Here are the essentials:

• All real Eames chairs are made in plywood, with cherry, walnut, santos palisander or rosewood veneers.
• A real Eames Lounge Chair will have a five-legged base, and the Ottoman will have four legs. The bases should be die-cast.
• The cushions for the ottoman and seat cushions for the chair should be the exact same size, and the leather should be soft.
• The armrests should be slightly curved, not flat, and should have a separate piece of leather wrapped around the edge.
• Finally, all originals do not have any visible screws or bolts, and should have natural rubber shock mounts and adjustable stainless steel glides.

NOT real!

NOT real!

Real!

If there is ever a questions about the authenticity of your chair, feel free to give us a call, or email us at info@classicdesignla.com. 

Recently Restored: Gorgeous Rosewood Eames chair

Regretfully, we do not have a 'before' picture of this Herman Miller Eames chair that we just finished restoring. If you can imagine, for a moment, a worn & torn chair & ottoman with dry, sun-faded wood panels - that would be the before.

Our client opted to use a heavy tweed fabric for the seat, back, arms and ottoman - and it's supremely comfortable.

But wait. There's more. This babe has a great backside...behold:

Those might just be the most beautiful Rosewood panels ever in the history of Eames chairs. So rich. So intense. So gorgeous. The Herman Miller Eames chairs & ottomans are no longer made with Brazilian rosewood veneer panels due to an embargo since 1992. It is a highly endangered wood, so if you have a rosewood Eames chair, hang on to it and let us bring it back to its' original splendor!

Before & After: Eames Walnut Stool

These are such fabulous pieces! Charles & Ray Eames designed three shapes of stools in 1960 for the lobby of the Time Life Building in New York City. They are lathe-turned walnut and can also be used as little side table (although there is a slight curved indentation on top, better suited for a derriere than a teacup).

Oh, and here is the after! It just needed a little time with our talented finishing team!

All three shapes are still in production and sold through Herman Miller.

Edited: we just had a reader reach out to us on the upkeep & maintenance of these, and other, pieces. We did a blog post on this, which you can find here! Thank you!

This is what happens when you DON'T bring your Eames chair to Classic Design...

Can you imagine? This is why you should only use a reputable shop with experience (like Classic Design!) to restore your beloved Eames chair. We will take care of that nasty eyesore and bring this chair back to life. Stay tuned for the after story!

There's nothing like a newly restored rosewood Eames chair...

Are we right? ;)

Classic Design on Chairish!

Have you heard of Chairish yet? It's a great marketplace for buying & selling home decor. As you may know, we periodically buy classic pieces, which are restored here, and oftentimes they stay indefinitely because the logistics of selling are difficult. Chairish makes it easier - you list, upload and they handle the transportation! We've listed some of the pieces we have on hand - click on over and browse a bit. Better yet, click on over and buy, buy, buy!

If it fits...

Yes, as a matter of fact, your Eames chair will fit in your Fiat :)

Before & After: George Nelson Executive Desk

Wow, is it the end of January already?! Happy New Year! We came back to work right after the new year and it's been nonstop since. Always a good thing, and one we are grateful for. We just finished up an amazing restoration on a George Nelson desk.

As you can see, it's has been used & loved for years, having been passed down from the original owner to his son (and now being passed down to the sons' daughter). The formica desktop is suspended over the wood base by polished steel tubes, which are also used as the legs.  I've been doing some research, and have had a hard time finding this exact desk. It looks like it might be a solicitors (lawyers) desk, due to the two extensions in the back, which allow for writing & note taking by whomever is sitting on the other side.

We completely refinished the base, polished the metal, and gave the existing formica top a facelift.

This model features five drawers in a rich mahogany, with a privacy panel that also serves as an interior  shelf.

This is such a great example of mid-century modern design, and we were so happy to have the chance to bring it back to life. We hope this piece stays in its' family and continues to be passed down for many future generations!

How to care for your Herman Miller (Eames) Lounge Chair

After you have spent the money to restore your classic Eames chair to its' original condition, you will probably want to take care it so it can provide many more years of beauty, comfort and practicality. One of the most frequent questions we receive is how to take care of the leather, wood and metal on these chairs?

Clients are always asking which leather cleaning product or wood polish is the best. Our response? NONE. That's right. Do not use any leather or wood product on your Herman Miller Lounge Chair! Think of it this way; leather is a skin. When you put make up on your skin, you clog the pores. The same goes for the wood.

Our recommendation? Take a very soft, very old tee shirt and dampen it a bit. Use this to gently wipe the topical dirt and any grease on the chair and wood. The dampness will also provide the necessary occasional humidity to keep the leather soft and supple. If you want to use some basic polish for the metal, you can, but do so sparingly.

These are such gorgeous pieces of furniture. If you own an authentic Eames chair, consider yourself lucky, and taking care of it accordingly will ensure that it is a piece that can be enjoyed for generations. And, if your Eames chair needs restoration (as they all do eventually), well, you know where to find us!

P.S. If you need help determining if your Eames chair is real or a fake, take a look at this post.

Before & After: Eames Compact Sofa

It's always great when a piece comes in like this. Charles & Ray Eames initially designed the Compact Sofa as a built-in sofa in their Pacific Palisades home in the 1940's.  They enjoyed it so much that they later designed a freestanding version, which has been in continuous production since 1954.

In terms of sofa design, it is nothing like a traditional sofa but is instead lightly scaled & streamlined. It's perfect for smaller spaces and rooms where a traditional sofa would not work, but is also a great focal piece in larger rooms where a modern look is desired.

We reupholstered this Eames Compact Sofa in black vinyl, what do you think of the transformation?