Replica Eames lounge chair (where?)

[21TonyK]

It's not to everyones taste and thats fair enough but I have coveted an original for many years. Realistically... not happening, I am banned from spending more than a car on something Mrs21 doesn't like. So, I'm down to a cheap replica which will live out the way in my music corner.

Hunting around there are various places charging north of 3-4K for what amounts to nothing more than a Chinese copy, eBay finds the same marked up a few hundred. But, all with limited colour combos etc.

I am after either a "vintage" leather or something more "unique" like olive green leather which I can find on AliExpress. I'm just a bit loathed to spend north of 500 quid on a chair of unknown quality (although I suspect its the same one I have seem for several K elsewhere).

Anyone got any suggestions or bought similar? (please dont post pics of your matched pair of originals )

[gangzoom]

We loved the design of the original but like you couldn't bring ourselves to pay the crazy figure for a original. By chance the local Furniture Village was trying to get rid of their display model, did some battering and literally run of the store with in (£580 I think is what we paid).

It was actually the first bit of furniture we bought for the house, it now sits in the mezzanine study and is one of our favourite spots to chill in the house.

[ben5575]

I’ve owned a lot of vintage Eames chairs in my time.

Silly question, but have you sat in the lounge chair? I only ask as they absolutely cripple me, which is a shame as like you I’ve always coveted one.

[wolfracesonic]

I bought a repro Barcelona chair from here, Iconic Interiors, I’m no furniture expert but I was very pleased with the quality, Chinese though it was. They did have an Italian made option, not sure if they do for the Eames that they sell. Interesting site to peruse regardless.

Edited by wolfracesonic on Thursday 27th March 08:10

[Juan B]

Facebook marketplace usually has some alright ones. I find the second hand/ individual listings are better than the online/ ecommerce companies ones that list on there. Paid 400 for this one a year or so ago.



I seen a pair of slightly worn light tan replicas a while ago and really wish I got them. Would love something like this:

[21TonyK]

Thank all. Iconic interiors looks interesting. Might give them a call and see what a custom one comes out at.

Glad I’m not the only one who likes them. Mrs21 really doesn’t like them for some strange reason.

Just wish I’d had the option of inheriting the contents on my Nans flat. She had rooms of original chairs, lights, tables. A lot gifted from designer or suppliers she worked with.

[freedee]

I can recommend Iconic as well, I had an Eames lounge chair and office chair from them and they are both lovely and so comfortable. Check out there monthly sale items, there can be some bargains

[wibble cb]

Craigslist did it fir me, I paid c$500 and had to fix one of the arm mounts( previous owner badly reglued the mount wonky), I am tall (6 ft 5), but find it v comfortable

[Boom78]

I coveted an eames chair for years but when I sat in one found it strangely small, low and uncomfortable. Ended up getting a henryk lis style chair.

Loads here:
https://www.loftme.co.uk/mid-century-armchairs

Quite like their 60s danish swivel chair in the sale section

[DonkeyApple]

21TonyK said:

Thank all. Iconic interiors looks interesting. Might give them a call and see what a custom one comes out at.

Glad I’m not the only one who likes them. Mrs21 really doesn’t like them for some strange reason.

Just wish I’d had the option of inheriting the contents on my Nans flat. She had rooms of original chairs, lights, tables. A lot gifted from designer or suppliers she worked with.

I think you're wise to buy from somewhere you can test the product first. Different copies are going to be ergonomically different if only due to the padding etc but also some chair mechanisms are junk and spending a good amount of money for one's long awaited and coveted chair for it to arrive with an Alibaba reduced to clear because of a factory defect mechanism would be upsetting.

And of course, if it's the whole ethos of the design that's key then there's no point in buying one of those slab sides similar chairs which tend to resemble 80s US corner office furniture rather than delicate, intelligent European design.

[jimothyc]

Not a lounge chair, but I did get an Eames Lobby chair from Iconic Interiors a few years back. I was able to choose the exact leather I wanted. It’s since supported my fat arse very comfortably in my office for the last 3 or 4 years and is ageing very gracefully.

[RC1807]

I’ve been looking at these too.
No chance of finding them 2nd hand hereabouts. Been trying for YEARS!

There’s a company who advertises reproductions via Facebook, and they’re around €2k, but their reviews aren’t great.
Local furniture store has them at €8k with a footstool….. ouch.

[thepritch]

Hadn’t realised originals (ie old antique Herman Miller ones) were that expensive - someone wants £35k wanted for a pair!

Makes a new original Vitra (Eu manufacturer) one seem like a bargain at £6k

Someone mentioned Iconic - here’s a little video from them comparing an original to the replica they sell for £1200.

https://www.iconicinteriors.com/about_us/our_news/...

I have an obsession with chairs, and as I can’t afford to collect cars, I think I should start collecting chairs! Have fun hunting.

[ben5575]

thepritch said:

Hadn’t realised originals (ie old antique Herman Miller ones) were that expensive - someone wants £35k wanted for a pair!

Makes a new original Vitra (Eu manufacturer) one seem like a bargain at £6k

Someone mentioned Iconic - here’s a little video from them comparing an original to the replica they sell for £1200.

https://www.iconicinteriors.com/about_us/our_news/...

I have an obsession with chairs, and as I can’t afford to collect cars, I think I should start collecting chairs! Have fun hunting.

Yeah, that's how it started for me. The problem is you end up needing to buy a bigger house to put them all in...

I too had a lobby chair, but my weakness was (is!) the aluminium group chairs. I had loads of them (original HM rather than Vitra) but sold them all after lockdown. The problem is that aluminium group chair is so ubiquitous that you see them on every film/series/news programme so I'm forever being reminded of the!

Annoyingly I can't find the company I sold them all too either as they'd be perfect for OP.

ETA - found them, it was these guys: https://www.roadhousefurniture.com/

(but they're not cheap!)

Edited by ben5575 on Saturday 29th March 09:37

[thepritch]

ben5575 said:

I too had a lobby chair, but my weakness was (is!) the aluminium group chairs. I had loads of them (original HM rather than Vitra) but sold them all after lockdown. The problem is that aluminium group chair is so ubiquitous that you see them on every film/series/news programme so I'm forever being reminded of the!

They are lovely! Hard to believe they were designed in 1958! Incredibly modern at the time, and still modern now. Classy.

Been reading about Charles and Ray again this morning, and reminded how a few key designs of theirs have been copied and become mainstays of our psyche.

Going off on a tangent, I studied industrial design before I got into cars, and Ron Arad and Marc Newson has quite a profound effect on me. If I could afford it, I’d have a Newson Lockheed Lounge ahead of some rare exotic supercar! But at £2.5m that will always remain a dream!

[MitchT]

Same as the OP - really want one of these but can't justify the cost of the authentic Vitra one.

I'd go for the Iconic Interiors one...
https://www.iconicinteriors.com/designer_furniture...
There have been threads on here about these before and they get a good write-up. One long-term owner even said they even wear like the original ones.

In the meantime, if you win the Lottery, John Lewis has the original...
https://www.johnlewis.com/vitra-eames-premium-leat...

Or the Home shop at the historic Salt's Mill has it for a bit less...
https://saltsmillshop.co.uk/collections/furniture/...

[DonkeyApple]

Yup. Chairs are potentially very dangerous. It's not far down the addiction you end up needing rooms just for a chair. It's an addiction best avoided by going large on the first one to ensure a lifetime of aggressive monitoring and control by one's partner that prevents any future purchases.

[wibble cb]

Chairs are very dangerous, I should know

Eames side chairs rescued from the kerb, yes someone threw them away! The dining chair was part of a set given to us by my in laws , 70’s teak, we had to recover the cushions over their 80’s stripey redo.




Eames arm chairs x2




These are just right for my wife at her makeup mirror, she kind of stole it from me….

More Eames side chairs, I use as a dresser/dumping ground for the bedroom







Even my office chair is Eames like




Then we move onto danish lounge chairs, the far one was another kerb find, it’s amazing what people throw away!



My wife has banned any further rescue chairs !

[21TonyK]

freedee said:

I can recommend Iconic as well, I had an Eames lounge chair and office chair from them and they are both lovely and so comfortable. Check out there monthly sale items, there can be some bargains

Subscribed to their list, I suspect I may end up buying from them in the end. Just need to explain to Mrs21 "its a bargain!"

[Tisy]

gangzoom said:

You do realise you are using the foot stool the wrong way round, right ?