Design Classic: Eames Elephant
Designers: Charles and Ray Eames, 1945.
Details: Dyed-through polypropylene elephant chairs in ice grey and dark lime, £158 each, Vitra.
As two of the most influential designers of the 20th century, it’s hard to imagine Charles and Ray Eames ever toying with an idea... Yet this superbly realised children’s chair is one of the couple's most famous pieces.
During the Forties, trained architect Charles and his designer wife Ray had started experimenting with moulded plywood products.
The technique was created from strips of wood veneers bonded with resin glue and moulded through pressurised heat. Initial uses included pilots’ seats and stretchers for the armed forces. But the Eames kept refining the technique which, with a sense of fun that ran through their illustrious careers, eventually led to the elegant curves of this kids’ chair.
Two prototypes were displayed at New York’s Museum of Modern Art in 1946, but the piece never went into mass production.Thankfully, that all changed in 2007, when Vitra, in celebration of Charles’s centennial, produced a limited run of plywood chairs. These were soon followed by a plastic version which has become a favourite in nurseries the world over.
You don't need to be under five to enjoy its elegant lines – a scaled-down model is available as part of Vitra’s miniatures collection. Unfortunately, they've yet to make a jumbo size for us, how should we put it, well-proportioned types...
Be The First To Know
The Livingetc newsletter is your shortcut to the now and the next in home design. Subscribe today to receive a stunning free 200-page book of the best homes from around the world.
The homes media brand for early adopters, Livingetc shines a spotlight on the now and the next in design, obsessively covering interior trends, color advice, stylish homeware and modern homes. Celebrating the intersection between fashion and interiors. it's the brand that makes and breaks trends and it draws on its network on leading international luminaries to bring you the very best insight and ideas.
-
How to Stop Your Couch for Sliding — 4 Tricks for Sofas That Move on Hardwood Floors
A sofa that slides on hardwood can be awkward to use and, at worst, damage your flooring
By Becca Cullum-Green Published
-
6 Plants to Grow That'll Make Your Patio More Private — And Add Beautiful Form and Color to Your Yard
Leave the guesswork out of your patio with this advice on the plants experts will always pick for increasing privacy
By Matilda Bourne Published
-
8 living room lighting ideas for a perfect space to hunker down in
Use these living room lighting ideas to give this most-used room a fresh, new lease of life
By Aditi Sharma Maheshwari Last updated
-
Fall Living Room Decor Ideas — 14 Ways to Bring the Season to Your Space
Wrap your living room in the colors, textures, and furnishings of fall for a charming way to embrace autumn
By Aditi Sharma Maheshwari Last updated
-
Design-forward living room ideas to give your home a refresh
Living room ideas from our favorite homes, filled with designs and trends to inspire
By Amy Moorea Wong Last updated
-
16 living room wallpaper ideas that'll convince you patterned wallcoverings are the way to go
These brilliant living room wallpaper ideas offer up inspiration for how to apply print, pattern and texture to different areas of your scheme
By Hugh Metcalf Published
-
Crittall-style doors – 20 ideas that prove this timeless trend is here to stay
Fall for the charm of crittall-style doors, windows and room dividers all over again with our gallery of the best ideas
By Lotte Brouwer Published
-
30 bedroom color ideas – stylish schemes to inspire a quick and easy makeover
Whether you are neutrals lover or color-obsessed, these bedroom color ideas are sure to make you want to redecorate
By Hebe Hatton Published
-
20 men's bedroom ideas for a sleek and chic retreat
Masculine style has many different looks, as these men's bedroom ideas prove, from dark and moody to light and airy, there's something here to suit all tastes...
By Hebe Hatton Last updated
-
20 grey bedroom ideas from deep dramatic charcoals to calming light shades
Go dark and moody or bright and airy, these stylish grey bedroom ideas suit all styles
By Hebe Hatton Last updated