Outfitting your office space from the ground up, or selecting the best office chair for your needs can be quite a daunting task. For any sized project, our experts are here to provide professional advice and to assist you with every step of the decision-making process. We'll help you create an affordable workspace that's comfortable yet flexible, designed to inspire and fit your unique needs.
Herman Miller Eames Soft Pad Side Chair by Charles and Ray Eames
Charles and Ray Eames' penchant for discovering new form and function in seating is readily apparent in their soft pad group. This armchair's sleek base contrasts with the 2"-thick pads which the group is named after.
One-piece curved aluminum side ribs and 5-star aluminum base and glides for use on carpet or hardwood floor. 2"-thick upholstered cushions, swivel mechanism, fixed seat height.
Stock Leather Chromium free and from Austria this stock Herman Miller leather is a winner for most. With a matte, soft feel this is the most popular leather used on Herman Miller upholstered items.
Open Line Leather Austrian by birth, yours by choice. Open Line leather is closest to the stock Herman Miller leathers but available in a wider array of colors.
Dream Cow Leather With a gentle calfskin grain (it's not calfskin though, its European full grain aniline dyed cowhide), this leather is soft and comes in many great colors to accent your decor. This is a leather of great versatility, perfect when Royal Hide is out of budget, but where the look is wanted.
Metallic Dream Cow Leather A gentle calfskin grain (again, not calfskin but European full grain aniline dyed cowhide), infused with metals and soft shine, on cowhide for huge versatility. Updated, offbeat, moody colors.
All Grain Leather Not too big - not too small - just "All Grain". Color and quality together wedding grain and color, always with a feeling of luxury. European full grain aniline dyed cowhide powered by Crypton, "All Grain" becomes an easy choice for high traffic areas and commercial offices.
Royal Hide Leather This versatile leather is the most beautiful of its kind. The color range is huge, reflecting its broad applicability. It will develop a rich patina over time, making it a great heirloom, eliminating the need for reupholstery. A European full grain aniline dyed cowhide leather with no limits - sky, earth, sea.
The most basic Eames Soft Pad Chair is the side chair version. The side chair version is a very flexible chair, a chair that can work in a lot of different environments and do a lot of different things. It has the same basic seat as the management version, and the same basic seat back. But the side chair lacks the polished aluminum arms that exist on all the other versions of the chair. That makes the chair different for both obvious and more subtle reasons. On the obvious side, the chair just looks different. The look of the chair, when you take away it's arms, is really striking. The profile of the chair, the curve of the back and the elegant look of the cushions, is much more exposed and pronounced when the arms of the chair aren't bounding it between them. The exposure makes the unique look of the chair even more pronounced and obvious, and therefore more striking, more sculptural, more like artwork.
It also, of course, makes them look like a side chair, a chair that serves primarily as a stopgap, an extra chair for when it's needed. Chairs like that are obviously helped when they look so striking, when they can serve a purpose in a room beyond function and literally improve the design and the beauty of the room. The Eames Soft Pad Side Chair is a somewhat reserved, lovely, and elegant art piece in any room. But what kinds of rooms can it best serve you within?
The Eames Soft Pad Side Chair is one chair in the series of four that is useful in both the home and the corporate office. In both places, it has similar functions, as well as highly specialized ones. In the home, it actually has more uses because the home serves more purposes and hosts more events. In the home, the Eames Soft Pad Side Chair can serve in your kitchen, your living room, and even in a covered outdoor area. It can be a fixture of your bedroom, or your child's bedroom. In all of those areas the side chair is not a centerpiece or a hugely important element in the design scheme of the room (in the kitchen scenario it would be underneath the table an mostly be a centerpiece in terms of incredible comfort), but it is always an improvement and a great option when it comes to seating. In the bedroom it can serve as a great make-up chair, or a small desk chair. In the kitchen or the dining room it's a dining chair. The Eames Soft Pad Chair looks and feels great in every room of the home, practically, and that's they way it was built.
In the office, the side chair can be used in several different ways. For a slightly less formal meeting room or conference table, they're great community chairs. In offices they can be used as desk chairs (although the lack of arms means that there are better options within the Eames Soft Pad Chair group for this purpose), or course, or they can be used as side chairs in larger offices. In office eating areas, like kitchens and even smaller cafeterias, they're a great option for workers to use while they eat or rest during the long work day.
No matter where you plan to put the Eames Soft Pad Chair, side chair version, you're going to get a very comfortable and very good looking piece of industrial design. It's going to serve you well in all of the capacities listed above, and even better, it's going to give you a literally museum quality chair to put in your home or office. The Eames Soft Pad Side Chair is a striking and important piece of furniture, and a proud portion of the Charles and Ray Eames legacy.
The Herman Miller Eames Soft Pad Side Chair is also known by the following manufacturer Item Numbers: EA430, EA431.
Charles and Ray Eames are perhaps the most celebrated designers of the 20th century. Married in 1941, the Eames duo are responsible for some of the most critically acclaimed furniture designs of the modern era. Amongst their most famous designs are the molded plywood chair, the aluminum chair group, and the soft pad chair group. Although they are most often remembered today for their furniture designs with partner Herman Miller, the Eameses engaged in artistic expression across a broad range of mediums- including architecture and filmmaking.
This is the most simple and basic permutation of the chair. It lacks the polished aluminum arms that are present on every other iteration, and it's not as tall as the lounge or the executive versions. This is a reserved chair meant to be used in small ways, rather than to handle big tasks (though it can handle them just fine). It features a single long soft pad that goes over the whole seat of the chair, and then two soft pads on the seat back which are close together and provide your back with plenty of support while sitting down in it. Because the chair has no arms it is a bit smaller than any of the other types of Eames Soft Pad Chair, and that actually is a boon in many cases. Smaller chairs can fit into smaller spaces (like between desks or in crowded waiting rooms and lobbies) and they can complete a room without ever dominating it or drawing attention to themselves. In a large office or meeting place it's always important to have enough chairs for everyone, but it's a pain to have chairs that take up space and attention within the room or the office.
With smaller Eames Soft Pad Side Chairs, that's no problem. They will subtly fill in the corners of your room or your design scheme, and they will serve well and very comfortably when called upon. They're the perfect tasteful side chair, very comfortable, but not big and not showy. They're attractive and they're nimble, and that's where they get their great value as home and office chairs. The lack of arms also shows off the sculptural side of the series; you can see very curve and every little adjustment made along it, and the shape of the chair becomes even more striking and original to the eye. Straight out of "wear something new," taking the arms of the chair can give viewers a whole new appreciation for it's charms.
In the home setting, these chair can be used just about anywhere. They're great as living room side chairs for when the couches and lounge chairs fill up. They're also perfect for a kids desk or bedroom, or even for your own home office and bedroom suite. Need a make-up chair or a place to sit and think? You can call this beauty into service with no problems. You can even put the chair in the dining room and underneath the kitchen table, depending on what kind of design aesthetic you have going on in those rooms. While the lack of arms can make them a bit less comfortable than other versions, they're more than capable of facilitating comfortable fellowship in the home.
At the office, these chair's are really great for practically anything. They can of course serve as desk chairs, as the side chairs in a large office, as discussed above, or even as waiting room or lobby chairs outside. They can be underneath conference and meeting tables, or in the office kitchen or cafeteria to give workers a comfortable place to snack or take a break. Their elegant construction and use of tasteful material like leather and polished aluminum makes them perfect for any office, anywhere.
The Eames Soft Pad Side Chair is just a great addition to nearly any space in the home or office. It's flexible, it's lovely, and it's made by Charles and Ray Eames; that means it's certifiably classic.
The most simple, with the least size and the least bells and whistles, is the side chair. The side chair is the only version of the Eames Soft Pad Chair that doesn't have any arms. It's smallish, so it can fit in lots of different places and even fade into the background of a room if that's what you need from it. But it can also serve as a centerpiece. When the chair has no arms, it actually looks bit more artistic, more sculptural, because there's nothing getting in the way of it's lovely and surprising profile. A big part of designing these chairs was getting the curvy, soft waves of the back of each chair just right.
The side chair can also go into either the home or the office; it's a multipurpose chair that can wear a lot of different hats. It retains the great looks of the other chairs with none of the specificity, and it's a good choice for most tasks. It looks good, it feels good, and it is good.
The design story for the Eames Soft Pad Chairs is long and involved, but the conclusions are satisfying. This is a system which is the product of years of research, tinkering, and adjustment. In the end, it's system of very comfortable and stylish chairs, great design, and customizable beauty for your home and office. Read the entire design story of the Eames Soft Pad Chairs.
Herman Miller is an industry leader in the integration of cutting edge technology to furniture and other household items to make everyday life more comfortable, convenient, and stylish. Herman Miller stands out at the forefront of such fields as ergonomic technologies, environmentally friendly manufacturing processes, and customizable furniture items.
In addition to producing some of the most outstanding office furniture in the world, Herman Miller has also taken on the responsibility of manufacturing some of the most celebrated furniture designs by some of the world's most famous designs. These "modern classics" include works by Charles and Ray Eames, George Nelson, and Isamu Noguchi. Herman Miller celebrates these famous mid-century designers' works through its extraordinarily precise manufacturing techniques and industry-leading green production processes.
Herman Miller is a global company with operations, sales offices, dealers, and licensees in more than 40 countries in North America, Asia/Pacific, Europe, Middle East, Africa, and Latin America, serving customers virtually anywhere in the world. Herman Miller is headquartered in Zeeland, Michigan, while manufacturing facilities are located in the U.S., China, Italy, and the United Kingdom.
Materials: Lightweight aluminum frame and 2"-thick upholstered foam cushions.
Dimensions: Overall: 34" h x 20.5" w x 16.5" d Seat height: 18.5" Seat width: 20.5"
Distinctive Aesthetic Unmistakable look. Soft Pad cushions add a plush, luxurious touch.
Classic and contemporary. The chairs' clean, trim lines make them appropriate for all kinds of places, from contemporary homes to elegant offices to hip startups.
Inventive Comfort Sitting comfort. Soft Pad seating add 2-inch-thick foam cushions for comfort and a different look.
Durability Strong aluminum: With one-piece, curved aluminum side ribs and an aluminum base, the chair is strong, yet lightweight and easy to move.
Design Story The Aluminum Group initially was designed for Irwin Miller, founder of Cummins Engines, in Columbus, Indiana. Eero Saarinen and Alexander Girard designed the Miller home and challenged Charles and Ray Eames to develop a high-quality seating product for outdoor use.
Known for their honest use of materials, the Eameses constructed the chairs with cast aluminum and first conceived of a seat frame to support stretched fabric--a synthetic mesh (woven saran). Although the mesh was discontinued shortly after its introduction, Herman Miller reintroduced a new mesh material for the Aluminum Group in 2001. Called Cygnus, it is similar to the Aeron chair's Pellicle fabric in its aeration and translucent qualities.
The seat-back suspension was a major technical achievement and represented a departure from the concept of the chair as a solid shell.
Wonderfully comfortable, the chairs became the basis for several other Eames designs, including the Soft Pad chair group.
Herman Miller is and has always been one of the most impressive companies in America when it comes to conservation, environmental initiative, and clean, responsible production. With every product they make, new and old, they continue to push toward a greater goal of total energy independence, the elimination of all waste, especially hazardous waste, and the dramatic reduction of their environmental "footprint." Whether they're re-tooling the Eames Soft Pad Chairs to make them easier to recycle or retro-fitting their building with energy efficient light bulbs and machinery, they're always doing their best to keep the environment safe.
At Smart Furniture, we really respect that, and we also feel a kindred spirit. One of the many reasons why choose to partner with Herman Miller and sell their products online is because we see eye to eye on the importance of being an environmentally safe and responsible company. Herman Miller feels the same way about us; they make it a policy never to work with vendors who don't share their commitment, or who don't take every opportunity they have to be safer, cleaner, and less wasteful. Every step of the way, from production of the Eames Soft Pad Chair in Herman Miller factories, to the shipping of the same chair from our warehouse in Chattanooga, TN, our two companies take every step to lessen the environmental impact of designing, building, selling, and shipping a product.
Herman Miller has always been ahead of the curve when it comes to environmental issues. One of the main reasons that remains true today is that they set ambitious goals for themselves, and then commit to actually achieving them. It takes hard work, forward thinking and an almost artistic creativity to make an older product like the Eames Soft Pad Chair as safe as it can be, but all of those are qualities that have never been lacking at Herman Miller.
The most recent, and the most wide-ranging, of their environmental initiatives is called Design for the Environment. Referred to within the company (both in the offices and in the official documents available online) as DfE, the policies laid out within have guided the company inexorably toward a fully functional and totally green operation by the year 2020. The lastest policy, called "Perfect Vision," has laid out some of the most ambitious goals yet. Again, they are all meant to be met by the year 2020. Remember that these goals apply even to classical furniture like the Eames Soft Pad Chairs:
Zero landfill
Zero hazardous waste generation
Zero air emissions (VOC)
Zero process water use
100 percent green electrical energy use
Company buildings constructed to a minimum LEED Silver certification
100 percent of sales from DfE-approved products
The first goal, zero landfill, is going to be one of the hardest to achieve. Landfills are real burdens on the environment because they are often filled with plastics and other non-biodegradable materials. Not to mention that they are, of course, immense amounts of garbage trapped under land. The odor, the damage, and the difficulty of breaking down waste all make landfills a headache. But Herman Miller is making progress. Over the last few decades, the amount of landfill generated by Herman Miller has been cut drastically. Every year it shrinks at an exponential rate, and ten years from now, it will be totally gone. That's something to celebrate.
The Eames Soft Pad Chair has been made easy to recycle and therefore not likely to end up in landfill. Most of the chair is recyclable, and needs only to be sifted into component parts when the user has decided it's time to part ways for good (though the chairs are very durable and this day should be well ahead in the future). Even though the chair was debuted four decades ago, the designers and builders are Herman Miller were able to update it without changing the look or anything material to it's classic standing.
As consumers, it's important to make responsible choices when you buy products like office chairs. In the marketplace, dollars are the voters, and every dollar that goes toward a green enterprise is a dollar other manufacturers will try and follow, and earn for themselves. When a company is responsible, it's not just good for the environment; it's good for them, and it's good for the business world as a whole.
The Eames Soft Pad Chair is just one of the many comfortable, stylish, beautiful, and creative products that Herman Miller has to offer. But they all have something in common; you can feel good when you buy them, because they came from one of the more responsible green companies in the business. Smart Furniture and Herman Miller are very proud to bring you the best in green furniture, green shipping, and green business. Buy your chairs today.
Free White Glove (for residential destinations within the contiguous U.S. only)
Service includes delivery of high value, large, extremely heavy and or extremely fragile items. Delivery is made to your room of choice and includes unpacking, 15-30 minutes of light assembly and debris removal. Deliveries are generally made within 3-10 days from the time your order ships, and occur Monday through Friday. After hours and weekend deliveries can also be arranged upon request. Day and time specific delivery appointments are required, and someone must be present to receive the order.
Charles and Ray Eames are perhaps the most celebrated designers of the 20th century. Married in 1941, the Eames duo are responsible for some of the most critically acclaimed furniture designs of the modern era. Amongst their most famous designs are the molded plywood chair, the aluminum chair group, and the soft pad chair group. Although they are most often remembered today for their furniture designs with partner Herman Miller, the Eameses engaged in artistic expression across a broad range of mediums- including architecture and filmmaking.
Materials: 