I can't implore everyone enough, do not buy new Design Within Reach's nor Vitra's Eames Lounge Chair. They are not made with the integrity of the original. The clips, veneer, varnish, plywood, and cushions are all of lesser quality than the original. Prices are exorbitant too and you'll only be able to sell it for 1/2 of what you bought it for. Still, I encourage everyone to go to Design With Reach and examine their chairs. Make sure you unzip the cushions and see how the foam is packed inside the leather without a liner. Flip the chair upside down. See the polyurethane varnish and the awful palisander rosewood. You need to know too that when you place your order you don't get to choose your own shell. You're gambling as to whether or not you will like your shell. I've tried calling Herman Miller. They refuse to help you choose your shell.
Then you must seek out "second" generation Eames lounge chairs. They are plentiful enough that you should be able to find them. You can sometimes find a stunning original for 1/2 the price you would pay for a new one. The best news is that if you need to resell your Eames you can easily get what you paid for it. Original Eames lounge chairs retain their value. They are very comfortable to sit in for long periods of time because the cushion thickness, size, and shape were scaled perfectly for the chair. Also, you must go and see these chairs in person. Examine every little detail. The fun part of this journey is learning about what you like, don't like, and what you prefer to see in your chair. The search is incredibly fun and rewarding. In photos, the leather might look old and cracked. The cushion might look worn out and compressed. But in person? My-oh-my, it's a whole different world. Original Eames Lounge chairs have a presence that are unmatched by the new "authorized" versions. Trust me. Do your homework people! You will be rewarded.
Here's a primer to get started: https://theolivegreenwindow.blogspot.com/2013/01/eames-lounge-chair.html&source=gmail&ust=1608677074194000&usg=AFQjCNGOd3CR0a4DDj_gpioA4idQKG0vn A"> https://theolivegreenwindow.blogspot.com/2013/01/eames-lounge-chair.html
I thought I had done my homework but I guess I was wrong, I prolly just read what I wanted to read, felt what I wanted to feel when trying the chairs, believed what I wanted to believe. Live and learn as they say...Thanks for that link I will go through it. At the end of the day buying a brand new Eames chair expecting for it to be as comfortable as the ones I sat on in the past was a costly mistake. But I'm not giving up on my dream lounge chair, I am now embarking on a journey to either make this one better by changing the filling or selling it and finding a vintage original.
@therealjaime, Lend it to a family with a houseful of teenagers.
They'll give it that 'je ne sais quoi' you're after in no time.
Check out the "flame surfacing" on this original chair with "Brazilian rosewood." It's illegal to harvest Brazilian rosewood so Herman Miller uses sustainable Palisander rosewood instead. The wood grain and tone is not nearly as warm and dynamic as Brazilian rosewood. Plus Herman Miller seals the wood with water-based polyurethane varnish which gives the wood a plasticky feel. Again, for 1/2 the price of a new Eames Lounge Chair you'll get twice the quality from a real vintage 2nd generation chair.
Not only is it illegal to harvest Brazilian rosewood, it is also illegal to trade in Brazilian rosewood items. Unless you have a CITES certificate as seller. If you don't have that certificate, you are making yourself liable to prosecution. So have fun buying a 2nd generation chair.
@mvc, Oh, that's just great. And I sold a nice, old Gibson guitar to a collector last year, too. Now I have to turn myself in to the FBI on top of everything else.
Thanks a lot!
If you weren't so stupid as to sell it publicly, no problem. When there is a trade fair for guitars here in Germany, the customs officers are usually at the door.
Hey all,
somehow this is one of the only places/forums I’ve found discussing issues with the eames lounge chair. Why I’m here- I purchased one from DWR about 5 months ago. Someone sat in it and went to get up and now the button is loose, popping out easily when I sit in it. If I slide up to get out, the button drags under me and can get caught on my pants.
I swapped the ottoman cushion for the seat one hoping this was a one off. But now another button is doing it. For $5k the construction seems so poor for this to be happening. I’m physically able to pull the button up and expose the string holding it in.
does anyone else have this problem? I feel like it’s inevitably going to tear or snap off if gets caught on a back pocket or something. Does anyone have a recommendation other than selling it and getting a 2nd gen?
thanks all
Hey all,
somehow this is one of the only places/forums I’ve found discussing issues with the eames lounge chair. Why I’m here- I purchased one from DWR about 5 months ago. Someone sat in it and went to get up and now the button is loose, popping out easily when I sit in it. If I slide up to get out, the button drags under me and can get caught on my pants.
I swapped the ottoman cushion for the seat one hoping this was a one off. But now another button is doing it. For $5k the construction seems so poor for this to be happening. I’m physically able to pull the button up and expose the string holding it in.
does anyone else have this problem? I feel like it’s inevitably going to tear or snap off if gets caught on a back pocket or something. Does anyone have a recommendation other than selling it and getting a 2nd gen?
thanks all
Hey @J44 - I have the exact same issue with my eames lounger's seat buttonhole stretched out. It exposes the white foam underneath the leather upholstery and the button often falls through the opening.
At first I thought it was my fault but reading this forum leads me to conclude that I'm not the only one experiencing this and it's a faulty quality of the product itself.
My lounger is the large version so the seat and the ottoman cushions are not the same dimensions (the seat cushion is longer) so I'm unable to swap them out. I guess I can contact Herman Miller for repair it? It's very annoying.
Go get the Lazboy, it’s objectively more comfortable, and they have a lifetime warranty on frame/springs/mechanism.
Dude, you just told him he cannot get a refund. Now you want him to go spend thousands more after he already spend 6K on a chair?
Posted by: objectworship
Lack of odor is not a problem
Thin low quality leather is definitely a problem with a hefty 6k price tag, i.e. semi aniline leather.
Genuine quality Leather ALWAYS has a distinct odor.
Again this is a 6K chair that use to sell for well below 1K.
Hi everyone, I've been following this thread with great interest, especially as I've been contemplating adding an Eames Lounge Chair to my collection. Reading about Jason's experience has given me a lot to think about. It's disheartening to hear about issues like the 'clunking' swivel and the lack of that luxurious leather aroma we all expect from such a prestigious piece. It seems there's a variation in experiences with this iconic chair. On a different note, I recently came across a beautiful version of the Eames Lounge Chair and Ottoman at SwivelUK ( https://www.swiveluk.com/uk/chairs/eames-lounge-chair-and-ottoman.html ). The craftsmanship and attention to detail in this version are remarkable. Has anyone had experience with this particular version or other replicas, and how do they compare to the original in terms of quality and comfort?
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