California Style by Maggy Siegel:The Eames House-A Marvel in Modernism by maggy siegel

Perfectly perched on a cliff

#8 so that there could be a stronger connection between

watering to the oval around the Eames House. However,

above the Pacific Ocean in

the interior and the exterior of eucalyptus trees and ocean

with less food in the wild, starving deer have targeted

the heart of Pacific Palisades

views. Thus, the transition from the home to the studio

our plants, especially the vinca and flowers. Netting and

(a chic California coastal

through the landscape gives a calming organic exchange

sprays have only been partially successful.

community) resides one

when walking from building to building. Nonetheless, our hope is that when visitors come on site

of the most famous MidCentury Modern buildings

Charles and Ray Eames are the embodiment of

and they experience the scent, the sounds of birds, the

in Los Angeles - Case Study

inventiveness at the heart of Mid-century Modern

expanse of the sea and the shadows of the trees, they

House #8, better known as the Eames House and Studio.

American design, the couple has been recognized as

feel on a visceral level the Eameses’ original intent of

The Case Study Houses were experiments in American

the most influential designers of the 20th century. Their

being part of “the whole vast order of nature.”

residential architecture sponsored by John Entenza’s Arts

vast body of work in furniture, filmmaking and exhibition

& Architecture magazine. Husband and wife duo Charles

design is well-documented, however there is another

Charles and Ray shared a rare connection with one

and Ray Eames, along with many other architects, were

side to this designing duo than you might imagine. On

another. One of Charles’ favorite quotes was “at all times

commissioned to build inexpensive and efficient homes

a recent Saturday I sat down with Lucia Dewey Atwood,

love and discipline have led to a beautiful environment

in California for the United States residential housing

Director of the 250 Year Project at the Eames Foundation

and a good life.” Can you share or describe their

boom ushered in by the end of World War II.

and granddaughter of the famous couple. She shared

relationship with one another and, in retrospect, do

fascinating facts and enchanting stories of life in the

you feel this played a large role in their success?

The Eames House (Case Study House #8), completed in

Eames House and a personal perspective on Charles &

They each brought very different backgrounds to their

1949 along with the adjacent Entenza House (designed

Ray’s unique California style.

pairing. When they met, each seemed to have arrived at a tipping point. Their courtship was about the work they

by Charles Eames and Eero Saarinen), and the Eames property has two adjacent buildings: the two-story house

The Eames House is 1 ½ acres built on a cliff, in a niche

could do together, filled with the belief that it was a way

and the matching studio, separated by a small patio.

part of the Pacific Palisades. How has the impact of the

of creating a better world. As Charles said, “choose your

The house, served as both Charles and Ray’s home and

California drought and the sometimes harsh coastal

corner, pick away at it carefully, intensely and to the best

studio. Both buildings are simple boxes that reflect the

climate affected the original landscape of the property

of your ability and that way you might change the world.”

couple’s love of industrial design and local materials, as

through the years?

well as Ray’s bold graphic and monochromatic sensibility.

Charles and Ray intended for the site to reflect the cycles

Together, they focused on problem solving – more

The buildings are built of steel black frames and opaque,

of the California climate. When winter rains came, the

specifically, meeting a need – no matter the output or

translucent, and transparent glass - pops of primary

meadow in front of the house would grow green. By

scale. When defining the need, they kept the human

colors are the façades’ signature style along with the

summer time, the grass would have turned tan and by fall,

element front and center, whether designing a chair or

beige, black, and gray panels which mirror the colors of

the meadow would simply be dirt covered with eucalyptus

filming the 1959 bridge-building, Glimpses of the U.S.A.

the eucalyptus trees that pepper the property and lend

leaves. As Ray stated one, their home was one of the few

They focused on the core of humanity’s similarities, not

a Mondrian-style feel. There is also a concrete retaining

places in L.A. where one could experience the seasons.

humanity’s differences. And they understood profoundly that the “details … make the product … and experience.”

wall that is set up against a 150-foot high cliff that allows for stunning views of California’s majestic coastline and

The clearest impact of the drought has been on the

the pounding surf of the Pacific Ocean just below. The

meadow, which has not been green for several years;

We see speeches that Charles gave written in Ray’s

landscape of the site was so captivating that the couple

we chose to reflect the reality of the drought. This has

handwriting; we see manufacturing drawings for one of

changed their original design of the Case Study House

enabled us to reduce water usage by restricting our

Ray’s sculptures with notes in Charles’ hand. They shared

C B I N S I D E O U T . C O M

03_11_GLA_Ed2_California Style_Eames House.indd 1

3/3/17 9:36 AM

focus, goals, and deep understanding. Each without the

The Eames Factor Fun Facts

other would have created magic, but their body of work The couple created the best-selling airport seating

• The designing couple moved into the house on

in the world. Developed in 1962 for O’Hare Airport,

Christmas Eve, 1949, and lived there for the rest of

The House is full of collectables and tokens from their

the seating system epitomizes rational, situation

their lives. The interior, its objects, and collections

adventurous life. What one thing in the house has the

specific design. The seamless back pads and seat

remain very much in tact.

most sentimental value for you and your family?

pads are interchangeable, making it easy to swap

A tumbleweed hangs from the ceiling in the living room,

out and replace. They were designed to be “light

• In 2004, Charles’s daughter, Lucia Eames, created

set there when Charles and Ray moved into their newly-

enough that the airport maintenance people could

a not-for-profit organization called the Eames

built home. They picked it up in 1941 on their honeymoon,

pick up a row of ten and sweep under it.” There are

Foundation to preserve and protect the Eames

a drive from their wedding location in Chicago to Los

even a few rows in the Apple Store in Santa Monica.

House and to provide educational experiences

would have been very different.

•

that celebrate the creative legacy of Charles and

Angeles. Of course, after 75 years, it has shrunken. Mom joked that when the string breaks, and the tumbleweed

• Ray enjoyed entertaining at the Eames House, in 1951,

falls, crashing against the floor, that someone in that future

she planned a tea ceremony to welcome sculptor

generation should go out into the California desert, pick

Isamu Noguchi and his movie-star wife Yoshiko

up a new tumbleweed and start the cycle all over again.

(Shirley) Yamaguchi. Photos show tatami mats on the

While I hope I don’t have to see that, her suggestion

floor of the Eames House living area, with one of their

feels very Eamesian: a celebration of the cycles of life; an

wire-base tables in front of each guest. A friend of the

iterative approach carried through generations; practical.

Eames, Charlie Chaplin was also a guest that night.

• Both Charles and Ray died (10 years apart) on the same day, August 21st.

Reservations are required for both the exterior self-

So it is in our object manual! •

The iconic 1960s Herman Miller Walnut Lounge and

I was inspired after my visit to the Eames house and

Ottoman by Charles and Ray Eames originally sold

my tour with you. Your keen knowledge and pride of

for $578 ($404 lounge + $174 ottoman) this did NOT

family is infectious. The Eames House and (Charles

include upholstery, which could be leather, fabric or

& Ray) are such an important part of California’s rich

Naugahyde. The vintage version today sells anywhere

design narrative, what message do you hope visitors

for $8,000 to $12,000, and was prominently featured

to the House take away with them?

in the TV show Frasier.

How the Eames House reflects the same approaches to living as can be observed in their work. The iterative

Ray. Reservations are required to tour the House.

•

Ray studied painting under Hans Hofmann. If you tour

guided visits as well as the private interior tours. There is no parking on site but public street parking is available nearby along a street called Corona del Mar.

WRITTEN BY

Maggy Siegel

process, the honest use of materials, the guest/

the house, look on the wall going up the stairs, there

Is a Los Angeles based writer, home and lifestyle arbiter and founder of the

host relationship, a deep appreciation for nature and

is a painting by Ray that reflects her roots going back

weekly column; California Style. She is a Mother, nature lover, collector of

resources that is reflected in their indoor/outdoor living.

to her studies with Hans Hofmann. In addition, she

rare vintage books as well as art and travel enthusiast. Contact information:

The importance of a deep consideration of the need,

designed twenty-six covers for Arts & Architecture

maggy@maggysiegelcaliforniastyle.com or Instagram @maggysiegelcastyle

and therefore, an openness to other cultures and an

from 1942 to 1948.

and on the web @ www.maggysiegelcaliforniastyle.com.

appreciation of different ways of doing things.

C B I N S I D E O U T . C O M

03_11_GLA_Ed2_California Style_Eames House.indd 2

3/3/17 9:36 AM