Anyone who has ever sat in an Eames lounge chair and rested their feet on the ottoman raves about comfort. What is it about this iconic pair that’s so special and how can you get something like it for your house?
I posed this question to Jeff Jenkins, an Alexandria-based interiors and furniture designer, as I began to try out some of the classic modern pieces in his personal collection.
By today’s standards, the Eames pieces don’t look so unusual, Jenkins said. But when the Herman Miller Company introduced the pair in 1957, they were a completely new look that made no sense until you sat in the chair and put your feet up on the ottoman. And then you immediately said the same thing that people say today — it’s unbelievably comfortable.
That’s because the chair was designed to give support exactly where you need it to relax, Jenkins said. The seat tips backward to take pressure off the base of your spine and a back panel provides lumbar support. A second back panel supports your chest so that you can comfortably watch TV, read, work on a laptop, or take a nap, as Jenkins himself often does. Resting your feet on the ottoman enhances your relaxation because it helps to increase blood circulation back to your torso, a benefit that most people don’t think they need, but when you stand or sit all day in an office, blood collects in your feet, he said.