Herman Miller Eames Ottoman
by Charles & Ray Eames

The Eames Ottoman is the perfect accompaniment for a beloved collectible and speaks to appreciators of Modern design, timeless comfort, and natural forms. The Eames Lounge Chair and Ottoman is an enduring design pair, and today they stands in the permanent collection in New York’s Museum of Modern Art along with the Eames Lounger.

Instantly recognizable, the ottoman was originally released to satisfy a high-end market. Molded plywood and leather were paired using craftsman techniques to produce an enduring, resilient piece of furniture. The Eames Ottoman’s molded plywood elements are part of the Eames legacy, and the technique for its construction was perfected in the 1940s, making the piece a familiar, consistent, yet stunning take on a significant element in the Modern design heritage. Today, the Eames Ottoman can be yours through Smart Furniture and Herman Miller.

The Eames Ottoman is made of a plywood shell, which includes several thin layers of wood veneer adhered together and molded under heat and pressure. The shape of it's base directly matches that of the cushion, meaning that the piece is constructed of two interlocking shells. The Herman Miller Eames Lounge Chair Ottoman was designed with proportions in mind, and in shape and size, it matches the lounger’s seat identically. Practically speaking, the cushion and cover are replaceable, made in a method pioneered by the Eameses that includes zippers instead of nailed or stapled upholstery. Today, such a simple construction element can be taken for granted, but it has changed the way we own furnishings in the short and long term. Since the cushion is unmarred by bolts, it retains its shape over time and under stress; what’s more, it’s entirely replaceable. As a result, the Eames Lounge Chair Ottoman is one of the earliest examples of a collectible that is also endlessly usable.

The Herman Miller Eames Lounge Chair Ottoman was designed, as was its counterpart, with function first in mind. At times, even its designers wondered if its form was consistent with the Herman Miller Company’s aesthetic. In a letter to Charles, Ray Eames remarked that both the lounger and ottoman looked "comfortable and un-designy.” However, the Eames Ottoman has been in continuous production since its release in 1956, and today, it is prized as a cornerstone in Modern furniture. A fan base that includes scholars, critical art theorists, and designers can testify: the Eames Ottoman is as “designy” as it is comfortable.

Though it is clearly a collector’s item, the Eames Lounge Chair Ottoman is also produced with contemporary markets and needs in mind, using wood harvested exclusively from sustainably managed sources. There are countless reasons why the Eames Ottoman has become part of the Herman Miller Company’s permanent repertoire, among them the design’s elegance, flexibility, and quality. Take home the Eames Lounger Ottoman today, and take home a functional, sustainably-produced, remarkable home furnishing.