Eames Furniture

I finally had a chance to watch Eames: The Architect and the Painter, a gripping documentary that explores the design vision of husband-and-wife team Charles and Ray Eames.

The film exposes the inner workings of their adventurously kooky office and reveals a true love story between a man and a woman and their insatiable appetite for modernism. Although I'm familiar with the brand's iconic midcentury designs, I knew very little about the quirks of Charles and Ray's dynamic personalities or the extent of their work before I saw the film.

I highly recommend watching this documentary (available for streaming on Netflix!). In the meantime, keep reading to check out this list of fascinating facts you may not have known about Charles and Ray Eames!

Here's a post from CasaSugar Community member brechtiejj from the Su Casa group:

Me and my partner just moved to our first home. We did some painting (most white) and decorating. Here are the pics.

Check out the gallery for the complete house tour. I love brechtiejj's new casa, and his color palette and furnishings are absolutely fantastic!

Have you moved into a home recently or redecorated? Be sure to share your decorating adventures in the Su Casa group!

Fifty-seven years after Charles and Ray Eames designed their iconic multicolor Hang-It-All, it's still a crowd favorite. But as useful as the design is for hanging coats, hats, scarves, and more, those cheeky, candy-colored balls are too lighthearted for some tastes. So I'm ecstatic to see that Herman Miller, the original manufacturer of the design, has debuted a limited-edition version of the Hang-It-All ($250) reimagined with a black steel frame and solid walnut balls. Quite dapper and more reserved, it's a gorgeous new interpretation . . . and considering how trendy walnut is these days, I'm sure it will do well. That's not to say you can't have both; this wonderful walnut creation would look delightful alongside its older, livelier sibling. If you're interested, work fast: it will only be in production until early next year.

While flipping through prop and set designer Pamela Duncan Silver's portfolio, I paused when I came across this desk photo. Silver's talent for her craft came across in my reaction to the shot: she'd created a tableau that conjured up a perfect man — something akin to the Old Spice man or a more modern take on an Ernest Hemingway hero. This fictional man is brainy, which you can tell given his cellular structure poster and stack of books; refined (you can tell from his orchid and Eames chair); and rugged, too, judging by his DIY-esque sawhorse-legged table, sheepskin, and antler ornamentation. Basically, he's the ideal man.

Just as you can't call Isaiah Mustafa your boyfriend (though your guy can smell like him, which is some consolation), you can't ring up the fictional owner of this masculine desk for a last-minute Friday night date. However, you can conjure his spirit by re-creating this desk area. Find out how when you read more

Classics are a bit like Texas: you don't mess with 'em. But Design Within Reach has pounced at the opportunity to give a few iconic chairs a little makeover, to no protest. First, over in Milano at the Salone Internazionale del Mobile furniture fair, DWR debuted an exclusive new collaboration with Emeco and Coca-Cola. Putting a twist on Emeco's 1006 Navy Chair, which is made of 80 percent recycled aluminum, the retailer launched the new 111 Navy Chair, a classic Emeco chair made from 111 recycled plastic Coke bottles — available in red, of course, as well as five other colors. The chair will make its US debut in DWR studios beginning May 16.

Continue reading to hear about the other classic chair makeover!

It's no secret that I adore most everything, OK everything, that has the Eames label attached to it. Unfortunately, I can't afford one bit of it . . . until now. The Eames La Chaise ($9,475) has had me drooling for a while, especially the red-hot one used by Ben Affleck. But for that price, I'd rather something with doors, four wheels, and a gas tank. Alas, someone has knocked the design right off and given us not-so-flush folks the opportunity to pretend we live like royalty. To see the impressive copycat lounger, read more

Charles and Ray Eames have won over my heart but not necessarily my paycheck. Even still, I've had my eye on the duo's iconic Walnut Stools ($829) from the day I spotted them in the corner at Room & Board. Originally made in 1960 for the Time Life Building in New York, the steep price tag is more reflective of modern times. I can't stomach spending nearly a thousand dollars on the splendid stool even if it does double-duty as a foot rest, side table, and extra seating. Fortunately I stumbled upon a similar design but at less than a third of the price. To see the budget-friendly option just read more

Skateboard label Etnies is rolling into the world of hospitality. The California-based brand has designed a skate-inspired hotel suite in Laguna Beach's Casa del Camino. But you won't find any Etnies logo monogrammed sheets here. "We didn’t want to make it look like a trade show," said VP of marketing Don Brown. "We focused more on the culture of skateboarding, taking the movement, curves and shapes and injecting that into the design."

Elements include wheel tracks on the ceiling, a mirror framed with skateboard wheels, mounted skateboards for guests to use, and "Go Sk8" artwork in the bathroom. My favorite piece is the God Father Lounge Chair, a leather chair and ottoman inspired by Eames's iconic Lounge Chair, made of pieces which remarkably resemble a skateboard deck. It's part of the Skate Study House collection, which I wrote about back in 2008. Continue reading.