Charles + Ray Eames: A Major Design Duo in Interior Design History
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Charles and Ray Eames influenced the world of interior design, from their architectural projects, to their iconic furniture designs, to their textiles. The duo’s many talents and hard work led to a long career of shaping spaces through the mid to late 1900s.
Charles was born and raised in St. Louis, Missouri. He began to study architecture at Washington University by dropped out to start an architectural firm and marry his first wife. After meeting two architects- Eliel and Eero Saarinen- he decided to return to studying architecture at Cranbrook Academy of Art in Michigan. There Eero and Charles develop models for a chair made from a new building material as plywood.
Born and raised in Sacremento, California, Ray Kaiser left to study painting in New York.
During Charles time at the Cranbrook Academy of Art, our duo meets, and by 1941 Charles and Ray marry. They soon moved to Los Angeles to begin their career together.
Ray and Charles continue to refine the plywood furniture processes in LA. However, when World War Two began they directed their design efforts to designing a plywood splint for wounded soldiers. This was a pivotal time for the couple to develop a their mission for their work- in using design to solve problems.
Plywood chair designed by the Eames in current interiors | Photo by Patrick Perkins on Unsplash
Eames Lounge Chair + Ottoman Sketch | By Aidan Lammers
When the war ended, and soldiers returned, suburban developments boomed and residents were in need of stylish and functional furnishings. By 1947 the Eames Office, their design studio was established by the couple. Accessible and durable furniture, brought modernism not only to the art and culture enthusiasts, but to the new suburbanites of America. Ray played a major role with her touch to make modernism appeal to the masses. She understood a human touch to otherwise austere designs by using her knowledge of color and experimentation.
The couple’s work was put up for exhibition at the Museum of Modern Art. Mass production began for their plywood furniture, fiberglass armchairs, and lounge and ottoman sets.
Charles and Ray Eames worked on a range of architectural projects but are most known for their case study houses involving Saarinen. Their most famous house- The Eames House- was shaped like a shoebox and made of huge glass windows and steel structures thought up by Charles, with eclectic interiors reflecting Ray’s unique design style.
The Eames House Exterior | By C. M. Highsmith from the Library of Congress
The Eames’ grew to take on a range of projects from toys to cinema. Their talent spread out to the many fields of design, each project reflecting their design mantras that focused on users as well as aesthetics. Their focus on solving a problem for a user is a timeless message that guides the modern interior design field today.
For more information on their lives and images of their work follow these links:
Eames Office – Official Website & Online Store
Eames Institute of Infinite Curiosity | Eames Institute
AD Classics: Eames House / Charles and Ray Eames | ArchDaily
Charles and Ray Eames: The couple who shaped the way we live - BBC Culture
SHOP BOOKS ON CHARLES + RAY EAMES:
1) Eames: Beautiful Details | 2) Charles & Ray Eames: 1907-1978, 1912-1988: Pioneers of Mid-century Modernism | 3) The World of Charles and Ray Eames | 4) Case Study Houses: 1945-1966: the California Impetus | 5) The Furniture of Charles & Ray Eames | 6) The Work of Charles and Ray Eames: A Legacy of Invention
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