The Eames House
The Eames house was one of the most captivating parts of the film for me. Much like the narration noted, I have often seen modern furniture design as something cold and often sterile. To me, upon first glance, some of the Eames designs seemed like pieces I wouldn’t want in my home. However, the opportunity to see their pieces in collection inside of the Eames house completely changed my perspective. Ray and Charles’ visions together made a visually stunning, homey, and complex space. Their choice to combine their modern pieces with diverse colors created an incredible space.
The Eames house originally had a different layout plan, named the Bridge House. However, because of the scarcity of materials during the Second World War, construction had to halt. By the time the required resources had arrived, the Eames’s had a new plan for the home. The goal was to preserve the integrity of the meadow it was to be built in. Another goal for the project was to “maximize volume from minimal materials.” Another interesting characteristic of the home was that its construction was to be composed of techniques and materials derived from the war. The marriage of all these concepts amounted into what is the Eames home. The Eames house is now located in the Pacific Palisades in Los Angeles and has been converted into a museum. There is now an ongoing project to preserve and catalog the Eames house in hopes to conserve its role as a piece of iconic modern design.
On the conceptual side of things, although I personally am fascinated by the design of the Eames house, I was curious about some of the contradictory contributions of Ray and Charles. To me, it seems like so many of the Eames designs are intended to be simplistic, sleek, and minimal. But their home seemed full, busy, and almost chaotic. The narrator described how the couple considered every surface in their home a canvas; the ceiling, floor, furniture, and more, all waiting to be designed upon. But it seems as though they did so much designing that it was almost too much. Every space was thought of and filled. The home was full of their own art and that of others. In some ways, this conglomeration of artifacts seems to contradict the traditional minimalist vision of the Eames.
Their work in film and photography also seemed to differ from their furniture. Their films were complex and abstract. In a way, I understand the common thread throughout their designs: beauty and thought. It is interesting that it manifested in so many different ways. In my eyes, the Eames house is a culmination of their work together as artists. The house represents both artists’ method of thought and work. Charles’ vision and Ray’s chaotic feeling for color.
Here is an image of Charles and Ray Eames in their home. Some of my favorite elements of the home are the large windows (and in turn, large amounts of natural light), use of warm color, and symbols of nature (plants, wood, etc.).
