Matt loves mid-century modern design, but neither of us love the pricetag on these items. We’d set our sights on slowly obtaining replica Eames chairs for our dining room, but I recently came across original, fiberglass armchair shells in one of my favorite local flea markets. They were rusted and dirty; they had no legs; and they were way overpriced for their condition at $150 each. I asked the seller if he’d bring down the price significantly, so he quoted me $50 for each. Still overwhelmed by the work required, I declined. But when Matt returned with me the next weekend and I showed him the shells, he became a man on a mission. We left that store with two original Eames chairs and a new project.
He Googled instructions for replacing the bases and came across this handy tutorial and Modern Conscience, a website that sells replica parts.
After about 10 hours of work carried across a few days, Matt emerged from the world of fiberglass, sanding and epoxy, and he was victorious. They are truly beautiful and they have been upgraded to the living room from our original thoughts of keeping them in the dining room. These beauties deserve top billing!
