Skip to content

A Few of our Favourite Things

Home » A Few of our Favourite Things
Design Inspirations from famous chair creators

Lilly Reich, Charlotte Perriand and Ray Eames

To celebrate the work of three of design’s great contributors we have collated a range of their finest collaborative and individual architectural, industrial and furniture designs.

Lilly Reich and Mies van der Rohe’s 1929 Barcelona Pavilion is an important building in the history of modern
architecture. It is known for its simple form and its spectacular use of extravagant materials, such as marble,
red onyx, and travertine.
Mostly remembered for their architectural and furniture designs, Ray and Charles Eames had a lifelong
affiliation with toys. Their creativity and sense of fun are beautifully present in these 1959 Toy Mask
Prototypes.
Between 1921-1922 Lilly Reich orchestrated two large exhibitions in Newark, New Jersey – one comprised
entirely of women’s clothing and accessories, and the other of over 1,600 German objects.
In 1938, Charlotte Perriand collaborated with Pierre Jeanneret on a futuristic metal-clad mountain pod called
Le Refuge Tonneau.
Le Refuge Tonneau was constructed from insulated aluminium and ply-board panels, it is very compact when
dismantled, but offers eight beds on two floors when set up.
Lilly Reich and Mies van der Rohe designed the Barcelona Chair for the Spanish Royalty to sit on and oversee
the opening of the 1929 Barcelona Exposition.
Before meeting Charles, Ray Eames lived and worked in Manhattan for almost a decade, where she studied
abstract painting with Hans Hofmann and exhibited her paintings and sculptures as a founding member of the
radical American Abstract Artists group in 1936.
A landmark of mid-20th century modern architecture, the Eames House was constructed in 1949, by Ray
Eames and her husband Charles Eames, to serve as their home and studio. The Eames Lounge Chair and Ottoman and the upholstered LCW chairs add to the elegance of the room.
Charlotte Perriand re-modelled Air France’s offices in London, Paris, and Tokyo in the 1950s.
Ray and Charles Eames believed that toys were a precursor to great ideas, and their work included objects that inspired whimsy in both adults and children. Their 1957 Solar Do-Nothing Machine is a beautiful example of their playfulness.
Charlotte Perriand’s Les Arc ski resort, completed between 1968 and 1969 in the French
Alps. She also designed colourful modular kitchen and bathroom and chic furnishings for every room
If there is a chair that can be said to be the archetype of most modern dining chairs, it is the Eames 1948 series
of shell chairs. Ray and Charles Eames created an item that is highly revered and desired for its versatility and
is considered a timeless icon of functional minimalism.
Known as the “relaxing machine,” Charlotte Perriand and Le Corbusier’s 1928 LC4 balances form and function
with beautiful precision.
The interiors of the 1929 Villa Tugendhat by Lilly Reich and Mies van der Rohe, displaying the iconic
Barcelona Chairs.
These Bibliothèque shelves were developed after Charlotte Perriand returned from Japan in 1954. They are
composed of aluminium, wood boxes and sliding doors – this kind of product was revolutionary for the time.

If you’re looking for a trusted local store to buy designer furniture in South Africa, then we are a perfect fit for you. Browse our range of designer chairs or speak to us about finding a chair to suit your needs and your home.

Lilly Reich, Charlotte Perriand and Ray Eames

To celebrate the work of three of design’s great contributors we have collated a range of their finest collaborative and individual architectural, industrial and furniture designs.

Lilly Reich and Mies van der Rohe’s 1929 Barcelona Pavilion is an important building in the history of modern
architecture. It is known for its simple form and its spectacular use of extravagant materials, such as marble,
red onyx, and travertine.
Mostly remembered for their architectural and furniture designs, Ray and Charles Eames had a lifelong
affiliation with toys. Their creativity and sense of fun are beautifully present in these 1959 Toy Mask
Prototypes.
Between 1921-1922 Lilly Reich orchestrated two large exhibitions in Newark, New Jersey – one comprised
entirely of women’s clothing and accessories, and the other of over 1,600 German objects.
In 1938, Charlotte Perriand collaborated with Pierre Jeanneret on a futuristic metal-clad mountain pod called
Le Refuge Tonneau.
Le Refuge Tonneau was constructed from insulated aluminium and ply-board panels, it is very compact when
dismantled, but offers eight beds on two floors when set up.
Lilly Reich and Mies van der Rohe designed the Barcelona Chair for the Spanish Royalty to sit on and oversee
the opening of the 1929 Barcelona Exposition.
Before meeting Charles, Ray Eames lived and worked in Manhattan for almost a decade, where she studied
abstract painting with Hans Hofmann and exhibited her paintings and sculptures as a founding member of the
radical American Abstract Artists group in 1936.
A landmark of mid-20th century modern architecture, the Eames House was constructed in 1949, by Ray
Eames and her husband Charles Eames, to serve as their home and studio. The Eames Lounge Chair and Ottoman and the upholstered LCW chairs add to the elegance of the room.
Charlotte Perriand re-modelled Air France’s offices in London, Paris, and Tokyo in the 1950s.
Ray and Charles Eames believed that toys were a precursor to great ideas, and their work included objects that inspired whimsy in both adults and children. Their 1957 Solar Do-Nothing Machine is a beautiful example of their playfulness.
Charlotte Perriand’s Les Arc ski resort, completed between 1968 and 1969 in the French
Alps. She also designed colourful modular kitchen and bathroom and chic furnishings for every room
If there is a chair that can be said to be the archetype of most modern dining chairs, it is the Eames 1948 series
of shell chairs. Ray and Charles Eames created an item that is highly revered and desired for its versatility and
is considered a timeless icon of functional minimalism.
Known as the “relaxing machine,” Charlotte Perriand and Le Corbusier’s 1928 LC4 balances form and function
with beautiful precision.
The interiors of the 1929 Villa Tugendhat by Lilly Reich and Mies van der Rohe, displaying the iconic
Barcelona Chairs.
These Bibliothèque shelves were developed after Charlotte Perriand returned from Japan in 1954. They are
composed of aluminium, wood boxes and sliding doors – this kind of product was revolutionary for the time.

If you’re looking for a trusted local store to buy designer furniture in South Africa, then we are a perfect fit for you. Browse our range of designer chairs or speak to us about finding a chair to suit your needs and your home.

Blog Categories

Advice
Buyers Guide
Home
Office

Sign Up For Our Newsletter

Recent Posts

Share to friends:

No comment yet, add your voice below!

Add a Comment

Receive the latest news

Subscribe To Our Newsletter

Get notified about our latest listings, deals and advice