Eames lounge chair

[monty999]

Has anyone bought a replica Eames lounge chair recently and any recommendations would be welcome.( Not sure on the legality of them as I read that copyrights have tightened up). Don't fancy coughing up 5 grand on an original but at 5-6 hundred is reasonable for a replica.Any thoughts on replica quality and supplier grateful received, cheers.

[pmanson]

I bought one last year from Swivel UK (on a recommendation from a PHer) and we're very pleased with it.

It did take a while to be delivered though

[beanoir]

I can vouch for Swivel too.

I was looking for an Eames lounge chair, and like you I couldn't justify the cost of a genuine piece. We visited their stand at the ideal home show and I was quite impressed with the quality and options available and how similar they were in design to the genuine items (number of legs, shape of the feet, shape of the chair sections etc) Shortly after that I ordered one, I went for the deluxe leather and oak veneer, with matching foot rest. That was 4 years ago, and it's wearing very well.

We also bought 2 replica Eames softpad office chairs maybe 6/7 years ago from Swivel and they are still as good as they day we bought them, obviously with some wear creases and patina on the leather but nothing more than you'd expect from any decent leather chair.

Whilst they might be replicas they are still very well made pieces of furniture in their own right.

Edited by beanoir on Monday 7th February 10:41

[monty999]

Thanks for the recommendations, look good but 12-18 weeks delivery

[babelfish]

I paid £390 for a new one with genuine leather from Ebay less than 3 years ago.

Got it in a couple of days and looks no different to the Swivel ones.

The seller I used (pulpitrock1) doesn't have anything listed now but there are similar available from others e.g. https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/325013232994?hash=item4...

[allegro]

Get a Ferrari to go with it



Joking aside if you do buy one don't ever be tempted to look at or sit in a real one for comparison. I have installed a few Vitra originals and there is a noticable difference. It's always something I have thought I would treat myself to one day and I have looked at the cheap ones but I'm not sure I would enjoy the ownership quite as much :/

[Griffith4ever]

I have a decent copy and when I first sat in it (was my parents ) I had no idea about the design , brand, cost and immediately said it was the most comfortable chair I'd ever sat in (the ottoman is vital for the experience). To me it's the angle you sit at that make it.

I think making reference to fae Ferraris is a little off. £5k or £600? There would have to be a night and day difference between the two items that look identical to even approach justifying that comparison.

Before the copyright clamp down there were companies specialising in making just eames style chairs and I think you'd be hard pushed to notice any difference against the real thing in a blind test. With mine it has a different count of legs/feet . I don't know how the seat is made , but when you get up the leather seat "sucks air back in" and regains its original shape. It's just soooooo comfortable!

Edited by Griffith4ever on Tuesday 8th February 09:50

[RizzoTheRat]

Take a look at Stressless as an alternative. Similar style and very comfortable. I inherited my Grandfathers one which probably getting on for 15 years old now and still in great condition.

[Carbon Sasquatch]

I got one from Swivel too - along with an EA108 desk chair - both have been great.

As above - foot stool is essential.

I got leather samples from them & quickly talked myself up to the top option.

Whilst they quoted 12-18 weeks, mine arrived in about 4, so it may be worth talking to them to get a more accurate estimate.

[Rh14n]

RizzoTheRat said:

Take a look at Stressless as an alternative. Similar style and very comfortable. I inherited my Grandfathers one which probably getting on for 15 years old now and still in great condition.

Another vote for Stressless from me. We have a couple of them and they're very comfortable and well-built. Our ten year old one still looks and feels like new.

[pete]

I have a no-name Eames lounge chair and footstool copy, bought before the copyright clampdown. It's wonderfully comfortable, looks functionally identical to an original, albeit not as nicely finished, and it even had the good grace to fail in exactly the same way the real ones fail after many years' use! The rubber shock mounts holding the arm rests and back to the wooden base perished and sheared off. The good news is that it's such a good copy that replacement mounting blocks were easy to source (same dimensions), and I used one of the many repair guides online to clean up and re-epoxy the mounts in place

Edited by pete on Tuesday 8th February 10:34

[Riff Raff]

I bought one from Iconic Interiors a few years ago now. It's an exact (in terms of size) replica of the original, so by modern standards it's a bit petite.

Obviously the quality isn't quite the same as an original, but I have parked my bum on an original, and the copy feels much the same to sit in.

[beanoir]

allegro said:

Get a Ferrari to go with it
Joking aside if you do buy one don't ever be tempted to look at or sit in a real one for comparison. I have installed a few Vitra originals and there is a noticable difference. It's always something I have thought I would treat myself to one day and I have looked at the cheap ones but I'm not sure I would enjoy the ownership quite as much :/

Speaking from experience of using both. We’ve got several Vitra in the office, I don’t think they feel any different at all to sit in to the Swivel.

[MitchT]

I'm fancing an Eames chair and discovered Iconic Interiors while searching for decent copies. John Lewis has the Vitra one for £10,080. The Home store at Salt's Mill, home to David Hockney's gallery in Saltaire near me, has the Vitra one for £8,175. Iconic Interiors do their version for £1,135 which is my only realistic option, not being a powerfully built company director. Good to see some positive comments about them.