Chaise

The Chaise, one of the landmark designs to come out of the Eames Office in the 1960s, was designed to accommodate the needs of Billy Wilder, director of such popular movies as Sabrina and Sunset Boulevard and a good friend of the Eameses. Wilder collaborated with Charles in the mid-1950s on the film The Spirit of St. Louis, starring Jimmy Stewart, and during the production dozed on an improvised chaise consisting of a plank resting on two sawhorses. He expressed a need for a narrow sofa on which to take short afternoon naps while on the set. Years later, the Eameses designed the armless Chaise with Wilder's siestas in mind. Comfortable in the reclining form, the sleeper would drift off with hands crossed over chest, but would awaken when his arm hit the floor.