And apparently – I’m one of the few people willing to admit it. You see – it’s expensive. And important designers like it. And people don’t like to admit that they don’t like expensive things that “the experts” admire.
Until now. Until me. Until I just couldn’t take one more sighting of this chair without coming clean. This chair is EVERYWHERE. Every time I open a catalog or peruse a magazine spread on a celebrity home, this chair is in the background. I think it’s ugly, and I can honestly say that I wouldn’t even want it if you paid me to take it off your hands. Actually, that’s not true. I would take the chair and your money and then make even more money selling it on Ebay. Because people are willing to pay up to $500 for this chair (more if it’s one of the original fiberglass ones).
“But it’s an Eames Molded Plastic Armchair Rocker from Herman Miller!” you exclaim. Yes – I am aware of this. I don’t like it. I have limited funds to spend on luxuries, and I’d like to think that I spend them wisely. At least 75% of the time. Okay 50%. But wise investment or not, I do actually like everything I buy. And I’m willing to spend more on something that I deem to be worth the sacrifice. I’ve always believed that for the most part, “you get what you pay for.” But for $500, I would think that I’d be getting something better than a plastic chair.
Do you think I’m provincial? Do you suspect that I wouldn’t recognize style if it bit me on the ass? Do you wonder if I’ve ever even seen Domino Magazine? I don’t blame you for these questions, because it’s obvious that I’m just not seeing what the rest of the world sees in this chair.
Is it me, or does this chair look startlingly similar to plastic high school cafeteria chairs? A cafeteria rocking chair if you will… Personally – I don’t care to own a chair that even looks plastic (or brings back memories of suspicious chicken and overcooked pasta). I don’t care if it is an Eames. In my book, an expensive chair should crafted from wood and/or beautiful upholstery textiles. And yes, I am aware that I’m now channeling Joan Cusack’s character in Working Girl – the part when she looks at a simple, black couture cocktail dress and says, “Six thousand dollahs!? It’s not even leathah!” Remember – this is a confession. And I’m admitting to not liking something that has been celebrated by great designers for 70 years.
But that’s my story and I’m sticking to it. History making or not – I hate that hideous chair. Comments are now open for my public stoning.
Have a great weekend!
Mmmmkay. So I’ve like never seen that chair before, but yeah. I’m with you. I think that chair is just awful. Aeron chairs are kind of ugly, but actually look (and are) functional. But that thing looks like it could be in a torture chamber.
i completely agree with you–it looks like a cafeteria chair on skies. Fugly. Sometimes I think all the style icons are full of it.
How dare you smear my gorgeous love chair? I love my orange nightmare! Listen- sing it sister- there are tons of things out there like this- but this chair- these chairs make me think back to my childhood and a family member had a couple of these and I always wanted one- I love MCM decor…I just love them. They are funky and yes too pricey- but f it. I bought one the day I sold my first home and made a profit. I love it. If you came over I would let you rock hard in mine and you would smile!
aahhh the eames by herman-miller. now where did i put mine? oh no! we left it in the backyard again! so embarrasing.
That chair looks like a four-legged white bird (beak on the left) standing sideways on a pair of skiis.
As a chair, I think they could use them with a rope tow at upscale ski resorts so that even the non-athletic could go skiing.
I have never seen that chair before. I’m more of an antique person though. That thing is hideous.
I must not be hip AT ALL b/c I have never ever seen this chair. And if I had, I would have assumed it was a children’s chair. It’s hideous…
I agree… yuck.
It’s a cross between a lawn chair, snow skiis, and an old Wright Bros airplane.
I’ve actually never seen this chair…and I subscribe to elle decor and architectural digest…so I suppose I’m not very astute. But, now that you’ve pointed it out to me, I too can say I hate that chair. High school cafeteria rocking chair, for sure. Not cute, not cute at all!
First I’d like to say that I’ve never claimed to HAVE style, KNOW style, or BE stylish, but:
Ewww.
I don’t care for that chair. And I cannot imagine spending $500 for it.
OK, I’m not a style expert by any stretch of the imagination but I thought I had at least seen the modern stuff out there…but I’ve never even seen that.
I agree with you that it’s hideous but I generally don’t like modern furniture.
You’re joking right? Tell me you’re joking: that chair is considered a thing of beauty? Uh, yeah: NO. Next you’ll tell me that the Emperor really is wearing a fabulous outfit, won’t you?
Oh thank gawd I’m not alone!
Someone already said what I was going to say, but I’ll say it again. It reminds me of a chair on skiis.
Looks dangerous :-).
But I bet if designers sell a plastic bucket on toothpicks somebody will still buy it!
My husband is an Eames fan. I’m a Shabby Chic fan, their could not be a more perfect example of polar opposites!
I will never understand putting a high price on UGLY! Why? That chair is hideous and people will buy it because of the name! YUCK!
Truly horrendous. But, then, I’ve never been known for my good taste.
I’ve never understood the attraction of Eames either. I hate it too, and for the same reasons: It reminds me of middle school. BLEH!
Reminds me of New YOrk City subway seats in the sixties – plastic buckets screwed into a steel beam all in a row ( they were orange I think.
That chair looks
VERY,
VERY,
DANGEROUS…
doesn’t it ?????????
It sorta looks like it’s on skis. I just keep thinking about all of the static electricity one would get sitting on that thing.
That’s the ugliest thing I’ve ever seen. Do you ever wonder if famous people design stuff that they know is hideous just to see if we will buy it?
That chair is nothing to write home about on its own, but the rockers are what really destroy it, in my opinion.
And yes, it does look like a cafeteria chair. Oy.
That looks like something you would find at a garage sale. And I hate garage sales.
yes i’ve seen it and i’m with you! U G L Y!
I agree. That is an ugly ass chair!
Ugly is ugly I don’t care what the price tag or the self proclaimed designers think! Good taste is easy to recognize and that chair is recognizably UGLY!! Thanks,Angelina
I actually happen to like these chairs. However, I could never spend that much money on a chair, so there will never be one living in my home.
I am SO refreshed by your honesty, though. I think you have amazing taste, and I want to be your friend even if we disagree on chairs. :)
I’m with you. I just don’t see the attraction. From the comments, it looks like you’ve got lots of people agreeing with you rather than stoning you. It’d be interesting to see what a national survey would pull up. Maybe more people actually hate it than love it and the designers are out of touch….