Function Meets Form: The Eames chair

Grundig is synonymous with harmonious design and premium quality. With over 70 years of German heritage and experience in the electronics industry, we are ideally placed to create beautifully practical designs.

Grundig values form & function, an inspiration taken from famous designers Charles and Ray Eames.

This American husband and wife team were responsible for some of the most iconic examples of 20th century design. They began working on their designs from the spare bedroom of their rented apartment in Los Angeles, where they built a home-made moulding machine to bring their ideas to life. They called this machine the ‘Kazam!’ a reference to how the machine could mould plywood ‘like magic’.

Charles and Ray continued to experiment with moulding plywood, producing sculpture, tables, chairs and even children’s toy animals. Their approach to design centred on celebrating the beauty of everyday objects. For example, on their honeymoon they picked up a piece of tumbleweed which they hung in their house. This love of organic structures was evident in their designs, all of which followed an organic, flowing aesthetic. Their organic ethos in design work won them first place in The Museum of Modern Art’s ‘Organic Design’ competition in 1940.

In 1956, they produced the iconic Lounge Chair made from leather and high quality moulded plywood. The chair became an instant design classic thanks to its simple, elegant aesthetics. It was the must-have piece for every stylish office during the 1960s and 70s.

Beautifully functional design

Their experiments with fibreglass led to the production of one of the most recognisable design pieces of the 20th century; the Eames plastic armchair. In 1948, they presented their armchair at the New York Museum of Modern Art’s ‘Low Cost Furniture Design’ competition. The moulded plastic shell was displayed on a variety of bases to achieve a number of different looks.

The couple recognised the need for low cost, high quality furniture that could serve a variety of purposes. Throughout their 40 year career, the Eameses designed everything from collapsible sofas to seating for stadiums, airports and schools.

Variations of the Eames chair are still in production today, a shining example that good design is timeless. Their rule was always that design is for living and this helped them create a shift in widespread design in the 20th century. Their modern ideas and innovative application of new design processes ushered in a fresh outlook for furniture design. Creating an ethos that was clean, sophisticated and sleek, the Eameses created pieces that were beautifully functional and they were innovators in how good design can lead to a better quality of life.

We love the Eames approach to beautifully functional design; with the importance of form and function being what inspires Grundig appliances. We’ve proudly won a number of Red Dot Design Awards and a Which? Best Buy Award, demonstrating our dedication to being among the best of the best in delivering innovation and efficiency, designed with the user in mind. This is evident in our new large capacity washing machines, which feature the innovative Grundig Piano Key design.

Function Meets Form: The Eames chair

Beautifully functional design

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