6 ways to tell if your Eames replica is the best

In 1956, Charles and Ray Eames released an iconic piece of American furniture they called the Eames Lounge Chair.

It was the first chair the Eames designed for the high-end market, and after more than 5 decades, the design continues to endure with vintage pieces featured in the permanent collection of New York’s Museum of Modern Arts. The only drawback to this classic chair is its price. After all, it was designed as one of the only Eames luxury items.

You’ll find that design inspiration has led to hundreds (if not thousands) of Eames lounge chair replicas available at a much lower price. We’ve put together a list of the top six things to consider when deciding whether you’ve just stumbled across the best Eames replica chair.

The tilt function

There are many factors that separate the Eames chaise longue from ordinary living-room furniture, but the one that attracts the most notoriety has to be its permanent slight recline. Lounge chairs – or recliners – generally have the option of moving the sitting posture backwards or forwards.

The Eames challenged this prescriptive design by creating a comfortable permanent tilt more in tune with the ergonomics and natural curve of the human spine. Reclining at a perfect 15-degree angle, the chaise longue provides the perfect balance between sitting and reclining. This is a must-have feature if you’re looking for authenticity in your purchase. An Eames chair simply isn’t the same, in terms of both appearance and comfort, without this essential feature.

The price of an Eames replica

As mentioned earlier in the article, the Eames chaise longue was created as a luxury item worth around €7,000. If replicas are to offer a more economical price, what you don’t want is a price well below that of the original. An incredibly low price may seem attractive at first glance, but there’s a reason why Eames chairs are so expensive: quality.

The best reproductions of Eames lounge chairs cost from €850 upwards. Think of the elegant, simplistic plywood design combined with the smooth, buttery leather you buy. While the higher price may seem expensive at the outset, you get what you pay for over years of use.

The Foundation

The foundation or base of any piece of furniture – providing stability and durability. For the Eames chaise longue, this means having a little angle (rather than being stiff), in your legs. The legs are not flat, and the chair also offers flexibility by having a pivot at the base.

Often, the base of a replica will be built with steeply sloping square legs. Some copies may have only four feet. If you opt for an exact replica, choose a chair with the same features as the original, i.e. five legs and flat square feet.

In any case, just make sure that, whatever your choice of purchase, the swivel option is present and the foundation is sound.

Dimensions

One of the most remarkable features of a replica is its inaccurate dimensions. Eames lounge chair replicas don’t have access to the patented molds that match the dimensions of the original. This is why reproductions often involve conjecture at the time of its creation. One of the most common complaints is that the replicas are too big, awkward and even clumsy in design.

When dimensions are offset, not only is the aesthetics of the chair affected, but also the quality and feel of the room. A genuine Eames lounge chair will measure 81 cm from the floor to the top of its headrest. Due to the slight inclination of the room, the edge of its front seat will be 38 cm above the floor. The distance between the arms, as well as the distance from front to back, will measure 83 cm.

All these precise dimensions come together in an ergonomic formula designed for maximum comfort. To make sure you get the feel of an original chair, make sure your Eames replica has dimensions as close as possible to those of the original.

Shock mounts and invisible hardware

Shock absorber mounts… You’re probably wondering what they are? These are the most important parts of the seats, as they influence both durability and comfort. Inexpensive Eames replicas will have undersized shock absorber mounts that are clearly visible.

For the Eames chaise longue, rubber shock absorbers hold the chair’s components together from the inside. This creates a seamless, modern look. You’ll also notice that there are no visible nuts and bolts, the only hardware being the two spines that connect the headrest to the rear seat. For an impeccable finish, make sure the Eames replica you buy has this feature, or rather, doesn’t have these visible features.

The exterior quality of an Eames replica

The external quality of the design is as important as the internal mechanics of the chair. The high price of an original Eames armchair is explained by the delicacy of the genuine leather, both smooth and non-slip, that covers the chair.

Attention to detail in material and manufacture adds to the longevity of the Eames chaise longue.. Vintage deckchairs have five layers of plywood in the shell construction, while modern versions have seven. Make sure the shell of your Eames replica has a quantity between these figures for added structure.

Finally, make sure that the cushions are removable. Eames replicas don’t always have this feature, which is problematic if you intend to refurnish or refurbish your room in the future. Ensuring that the cushions are removable also guarantees that the wood is veneered on both sides of your chair, a feature that indicates the chair’s quality.