Have you fallen in love with an Eames style lounge chair but are unsure if it will work in your small space? An Eames style lounge chair and ottoman is already well-suited to small spaces because it functions as multiple pieces of furniture. Multi-functionality is a must in rooms that are short on square footage. From replacing clunky floor lamps with wall sconces to embracing built-ins, there are many ways to make a small room feel more spacious. Learn more about how to style your Eames style chair in a small office, living room or library. Follow below for our Eames lounge chair ideas.
In "Vintage Lamps We Love for Reading in Your Eames Style Lounge Chair," we listed several period-appropriate lamps that work perfectly with an Eames. We recommended Greta Grossman's iconic Gräshoppa Floor Lamp, a blue Paavo Tynell table lamp, funky mushroom lamp and a 1950s Lightolier lamp.
Unfortunately, both floor lamps and table lamps can take up quite a bit of space. To protect your eyes and prevent your light fixtures from monopolizing all your floor space and work surfaces, consider a wall sconce.
One of our favorites is the delicate Scandinavian Mid-Century Modern Wall Hanging Walnut and Glass Pendant Lamp pictured above on the left. An extendable and retractable scissor lamp -- like the Kaiser Idell wall lamp pictured above on the right -- is another excellent option.
Find the Blueprint Lighting Elksa Wall Sconces, Florian Schulz Adjustable Reading Lamp and Lunel French Mid-Century Sconces above at 1stDibs. Each of these wall sconces is even more stunning when styled with an olive and walnut Eames chair like the one pictured above.
When shopping for wall sconces, try to choose one that is compatible with a dimmer switch. This will reduce the need for multiple light sources as long as there is some ambient overhead lighting.
A lack of layered lighting will make the space seem smaller than it is. For layered lighting that does not wash out the space, consider hanging a PH Artichoke Pendant Light from the ceiling. Alternatively, a Nelson Saucer Bubble Pendant Light will work perfectly with your Eames lounger.
Our next styling tip for your Eames chair replica is to place mirrors throughout the room. When placed strategically, mirrors serve multiple functions. They allow guests to check their reflections, they bounce light around the room, and they act as decor pieces.
As Jo Simmons writes in an article for Houzz UK, mirrors can "can radically boost the sense of space in a room." Use them in your small office, tiny living room or cramped kitchen to open up the space.
When choosing pieces for your small space, consider mirrors that reference the hardware of a classic Eames chair. Brass, antique gold and black iron are all great options.
Third, we recommend choosing sleek decor elements to limit clutter while intriguing guests. Pick pieces that are either timeless or of the period. Mix tall, vertically oriented pieces with short, squat pieces to add dimension and encourage the eye to travel.
Ideally, you want to create contrast and interesting juxtapositions that encourage visitors to actively engage with the space. We love the idea of pairing an Eames lounge chair with period-appropriate accents like mid-century ceramics, candlestick holders and artwork.
Some of our favorites include a 1960s ceramic vase by Jacques Pouchain and brass candlesticks by Christopher Gentner. We also love the colorful yet understated and soulful mandala painting by Clarence Holbrook Carter in the upper right. The miniature cast iron candelabra by Tom Dixon pictured above has a brutalist aesthetic that complements any Eames chair.
Built-in shelves, cabinetry and other storage solutions do take up some usable square footage. However, they also take advantage of dead space -- like the upper walls of your living room -- that would not have been used otherwise. They not only look beautiful and seamless, built-ins also solve small-space storage issues.
Debra Immergut explains in her article "10 Decorating Mistakes That Make Your House Look Smaller" for Bob Vila. According to Immergut, "too much furniture" can make your already small space feel tiny. Put simply, "built-ins are the way to go in a small home." Immergut writes that "The fewer pieces of furniture you have cluttering your rooms, the more spacious your place will feel."
Fifth on our list is to streamline your color palette. Too many colors, patterns and/or textures can overwhelm a small space. Quoting interior designer Gian Moore of Mellowpine in this article for The Spruce, Kaitlyn McInnis explains. Moore tells McInnis to "'ensure all tones stick to the same color palette'" when designing a small space.
According to Moore, this "'creates flow throughout the room.'" If possible, Moore suggests shifting "your focus around monochromatic and tonal hues that will accentuate the scheme further."
Homeowners often stick with neutral color palettes when decorating small spaces. If white is too bland for your taste, McInnis recommends opting for a "light beige or pale shade of taupe." Both will help "reflect rather than absorb light, helping to make the room feel larger."
It is often easier to design around a neutral space, but dark colors are not a hard "no." If you want to paint your small space a bold blue, dark green or trendy purple, go for it! Just be sure to choose a glossy or high-shine finish to bounce light around the room. A dark matte-finish paint color will make the space feel small and one-dimensional.
Our sixth tip for styling Eames chairs is to mount window treatments higher than the head of the frame. Homeowners tend to mount their curtain rod either within the frame or slightly above, but this has a shortening effect. Especially in a small room, curtains should be mounted further up the wall. This creates the optical illusion that the ceiling is higher than it actually is.
According to this article from Real Simple, there is a formula to hanging curtains in a small space. The Real Simple editors recommend "mounting the rod 4 to 6 inches above the window frame." Alternatively, mount the rod "halfway between the frame and the ceiling molding." This will not only extend the height of your windows and ceiling. It will also compliment the elongated silhouette of an Eames lounge chair and ottoman.
Small spaces naturally have less floor area to accommodate large pieces of furniture. While this can make it tough to entertain in small spaces, there are certainly ways to work around such a limitation. If your living room or study needs a lot of seating, consider swapping a large sectional for a smaller-scale set of furniture.
Writing for House Beautiful, Hadley Mendelsohn warns against filling a small space with lots of furniture. After all, "small rooms that can quickly start to look over-crowded." Mendelsohn recommends swapping out your sectional for a set of armchairs or a couple sofas. One option is to "float two smaller sofas across from each other with a...table in between" and an Eames lounger to the side.
You can also abandon the small furniture in favor of statement-making pieces if you have no need for extra seating. As Elizabeth Stamp writes in this article for Architectural Digest, "there's no need to use pint-size furniture...in a small space."
To make "regular-size furniture" work, simply "use fewer pieces in the room overall." We recommend designing around your Eames lounge chair -- allowing it to shine as the star of your small space.
Our last two tips in this list of ways to style an Eames lounge chair are all about creating depth, dimension and visual interest. To frame and center even the smallest space, add a large area rug to your living room, study or guest bedroom.
For a mid-century modern aesthetic that recalls the origins of your Eames, consider organic colors and period-appropriate patterns. Earth tones in particular add a lot of richness, while geometric patterns provide depth to a space without making it feel cluttered.
Of course, the size of your area matters almost as much as the style. Though you might be want to choose a smaller rug that allows for a wide border around the room, resist that temptation!
Quoting Susanna Joicey-Cecil of the Rug Company in an article for The New York Times, Tim McKeough explains. The Rug Company Marketing Director tells McKeough that "'small rugs look a bit lost and unfinished." Even in a small space, a tiny rug "'can feel like a postage stamp, which is not so pleasing for the eye.'"
Interior designer Celerie Kemble agrees. In conversation with McKeough for his Times article, Kemble notes that many of her projects are small apartments. When designing a small room, one of her goals is to "'expand the sense of usable space.'" To do so, she opts for one rug instead of several and typically "'makes it as big as [she] possibly can.'"
Perhaps the easiest way to add personality to your small space is with colorful, boldly patterned or highly textural textiles. Nearly every Eames style lounge chair and ottoman -- aside from our red leather version -- is fairly neutral. Most Eames lounge chairs are a mixture of white, beige, black, brown, taupe, olive and natural wood tones.
This makes the Eames lounge chair the perfect backdrop for fun throw blankets and pillows. Throw pillows and blankets can be swapped out seasonally, too. Select a sheepskin, wool or mohair blanket for the winter and a 100% cotton throw for the summer.
Some of our favorite throws to pair with an Eames lounger are pictured above. For the summer, we recommend tossing an oversized rib knit throw from Parachute over the back of your Eames. You could also opt for a Missoni Home wool-blend throw from Mr Porter when the temperatures dip a bit.
In the fall, choose a mauve Ezcaray mohair blanket from TheRealReal or an orange and cream wool throw from Room & Board. In the chilliest months, consider the Lanna Ivory Sheepskin Throw from Article or a faux fur blanket.
The black leather and walnut lounger featured throughout this post was one of Charles and Ray Eames' most significant designs. As comfortable as a well-worn baseman's mitt and as stylish as the most elegant modern furniture, this chair is still a fan favorite.
This iconic chair and ottoman have taken on a cult status since Charles and Ray Eames partnered with Herman Miller Furniture Company in 1956. Vintage versions of the iconic chair can easily fetch thousands of dollars on resale sites. In fact, an authentic Eames chair can sell for upwards of $8,000 USD.
A new Eames lounge from Herman Miller Furniture Company will cost between $4,000 and $8,495 USD. Depending on the size, upholstery material and wood veneer you choose, the price can skyrocket. An original Eames lounger from resale sites like 1stDibs and Chairish could exceed $12,500 for certain rare colorways. A first generation Eames lounge chair is currently listed on 1stDibs for $34,995 USD.
If an authentic Eames lounge chair is outside your price range, shop a high-quality Eames chair replica online through The Iconic Chair. Our replica lounge chair and ottoman is based on the original design, but costs far less.
Enjoy the classic design, quality materials and exceptional craftsmanship of an Eames Office lounge chair and ottoman without blowing your budget. Available standard or tall, each Eames style lounge chair and ottoman sold by The Iconic Chair looks and feels just like the real thing.
