WALNUT STOOLS

DATE - 1960

In 1960, Charles and Ray Eames designed the furnishings for the new Time Life Building lobby. Their overall design was anchored by a site-specific reception desk made of solid walnut and a book rack on which the many Time-Life publications could be displayed. As stand-alone furniture, in addition to the “Lobby Chairs, “ they also devised solid walnut stools, which was the first time Charles and Ray would work with solid wood. 

Eames Walnut Stools

Ray’s story of the challenge of her and Charles designing the Eames Walnut Stools also explains their concept. She said that the difficulty was making the tops concave enough so that they would make for a comfortable seating perch but not so deep as to make it impossible to secure a teacup and saucer on it.

Even though these versatile stools are solid wood, the “Eames systems” approach is still evident in them. The tops and bottoms are uniform and consistent across the range of three different stools, distinguished from one another by their shaped wood middle system. And they can be used on either end. The wider of the two ends is the one with a concave surface for sitters. If one wants to use it this way, the other end is entirely flat and makes the better surface for a cup.

Herman Miller and Vitra still make the Eames Walnut Stools today.

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