restoring our Eames shell chair
07.2.2011 two years ago on a morning walk through oakwood, we walked past a yard sale and spotted a yellow(ish) Eames shell chair. we stopped and crossed the street to discover the price tag of $7. i stayed and guarded the chair while robby ran home to get the cash and the car. even though this chair was in pretty rough shape, i wasn't going to let it go.
so we came home with this:
pretty gross, right? well, after a quick mobile upload to facebook to brag about our good deal, my good friend rob texts me to say "get out the Mr. Clean Magic Eraser". i was suspicious, but this man knows a thing or two about a thing or two*, so i tried it... and let me tell you, it works like a charm. there have been a few posts about how to restore an Eames shell chair with naugahyde like this one (like this post on apartment therapy last year), but none of them mention using a Magic Eraser. it is truly ALL YOU NEED.
*it turns out this might actually be my friend casey's brilliant idea... rob was just the messenger.
here is the after...
today we just added casters so i can use it as my office chair, so i got out the Magic Eraser again and got it even cleaner. i took a few detail shots this time, that you can see below.
not bad for $7, plus $30 casters and two Magic Erasers.
so if you ever see a deal like this on a chair that looks disgusting... just buy it and a Magic Eraser and you'll be set.
Reader Comments (2)
It's great that you have restored your chair. Eames chairs have been the gold standard in seating design since their original creation in 1946. It has become the standard by which other chair designs are measured.
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My wife is a big advocate of restoring old home or even office furniture pieces. This, for her, is the most affordable option. I also love seeing new pieces of furniture at home and have a fresh intake of an old classic.
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