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Aluminium Group EA 117
Soft Pad Group EA 217
Soft Pad Group EA 219
Aluminium Group EA 119
Aluminium Group EA 124
Aluminium Group EA 107 / EA 108
Aluminium Group EA 125
Aluminium Group EA 103 / EA 104
Soft Pad Group EA 222
Soft Pad Group EA 207 / EA 208
Aluminium Group EA 105
Soft Pad Group EA 223
Aluminium Group EA 101
Soft Pad Group EA 205

Eames Aluminium or Soft Pad Chair? Find the perfect EA chair model for your home office, conference or dining room

The history of the Eames Aluminium and Soft Pad Chairs begins in 1958: Ray and Charles Eames wanted to design a universal chair for the so-called Miller House - the private home of the industrialist J. Irwin Miller and his wife Xenia - that could also be used outdoors. A process that led to the development of a family of Aluminium Chairs who were joined in 1969 by the Soft Pad Chairs.

Eames Aluminium Chairs and Soft Pad Chairs can be found today not only in offices and conference rooms, but also in stylishly furnished indoor living spaces - the Eames Aluminium Chairs are no longer suitable for outdoor use - whereby both chair series have their individual characteristics and are therefore suitable for different living and working contexts.

Externally considered: The more voluminous Soft Pad Chair EA 207 / EA 208 next to the Aluminium Chair EA 107 / EA 108

The similarities and differences between the Eames Aluminium and Soft Pad chairs

Similarities:

• Both the Vitra Aluminium Chairs and the Vitra Soft Pad Chairs were designed by Ray and Charles Eames and are characterized by a clear, functional form that adapts to the sitter.
• The Soft Pad Chairs are based on the design concept of ​​the Aluminium Chairs.
• Both collections are characterised by an aluminium frame construction, which gives them a robust yet lightweight structure.
• Both the Aluminium Chairs and the Soft Pad Chairs have ergonomically shaped backrests for high seating comfort.
• Additional functions such as a rocking mechanism, height adjustment, armrests and rotating bases ensure maximum seating comfort.
• Thanks to their versatility, both chair collections are suitable for use in the office as well as in private homes.
• Numerous configuration options ensure that the Aluminium Chairs and Soft Pad Chairs can be easily integrated into different furnishing styles.

The loungey Eames Aluminium Chair EA 124 and Ottoman with high-quality leather cover

Differences:

• The Soft Pad Chairs have additional padding for even more seating comfort.
• Aesthetically, the Aluminium Chairs offer a slim, taut appearance with a continuous fabric or leather covering.
• The Soft Pad Chairs appear softer and more inviting thanks to the attached padding, which gives them a particularly representative character.
• The Aluminium Chairs are ideal for use in conference rooms, dining or work areas. They are best used wherever a slim, modern design is preferred.
• The Soft Pad Chairs are particularly suitable for longer periods of sitting in offices, lounges or living rooms.
• The Soft Pad Chairs are used in representative contexts and wherever additional comfort is desired.

Established classic: Vitra Soft Pad Chair EA 217 with short backrest - especially desirable as an office chair

Soft Pad Chair EA 222 with longer backrest and tilting mechanism - particularly suitable for living rooms and relaxation

Aluminium Chairs: Robust yet lightweight

With the Aluminium Chair Charles and Ray Eames created a chair in which a textile or leather covering is stretched between two aluminium side panels, thereby serving as both the seat and the backrest.

The chairs of the Aluminium Group are characterised by their clear, slim lines and their ease of adaptability. The use of aluminium ensures a robust yet graceful structure, which bequeaths the chairs their characteristic lightness.

The flexible and durable material of the seat adapts to the body and thanks to its ergonomic shape offers a high level of comfort even when sitting for long periods.

h3.Soft Pad Chairs: Comfort meets design

Ten years after the creation of the Aluminium Chairs, Charles and Ray Eames developed the Soft Pad Chairs by adding leather upholstery to the original design of the Aluminium Chairs.

This soft upholstery provides additional seating comfort and also enables a more representative aesthetic of the luxurious chairs. The upholstery blends seamlessly into the aluminium frame and offers a particularly comfortable seating experience without compromising the elegant lines of the design.

Available in various leather and fabric finishes, the Soft Pad Chairs adapt effortlessly to different interior styles and offer a perfect balance between design and functionality.

For which rooms and needs are Eames Aluminium or Soft Pad chairs suitable?

As a dining chair: Vitra Aluminium Chair EA 101

Dining area

Vitra recommends the Aluminium Chairs for dining tables. Thanks to the range of designs, the material and colour can be perfectly matched to the respective dining area. The Aluminium Chairs EA 101, EA 103 and EA 104 are particularly suitable as dining room chairs as they are slightly lighter and their dimensions are perfectly suited to sitting at the dining table.

While the EA 101 chair and the EA 103 have a fixed base, the EA 104 has a swivel base.

In contrast to the EA 101, the EA 103 and the EA 104 have armrests.

Swivelling and with reclining mechanism: The EA 124 Lounge Chair

Lounge areas and living rooms

Whether private or business, for lounge areas, lounges or reading corners - the Aluminium Chairs and Soft Pad Chairs include lounge versions that are perfectly designed for maximum comfort and real relaxation.

Both the lounge versions of the Aluminium Chairs and the Soft Pad Chairs are equipped with particularly high backrests, a rocking mechanism for relaxed leaning back and matching stools for putting your feet up, leaving nothing to be desired in terms of comfort.

• The lounge chair among the Aluminium Chairs is the EA 124
• The lounge version of the Soft Pad Chairs is the EA 222

Soft Pad Chair Vitra EA 217 (left) next to the slimmer EA 107 / EA 108 in the home office

Study rooms and offices

The aluminium and soft pad chairs from Vitra offer an ideal solution for both home offices and office offices.

The models without wheels, such as the EA 107 / EA 108, have a homely look and are therefore ideal for the home study while Eames office swivel chairs such as the EA 117 / 118/ 119 and EA 217 / 219 with reclining mechanism and height adjustment offer maximum flexibility for professional environments where they combine comfort with style.

Soft Pad Chairs such as the EA 217 and the EA 219 guarantee luxurious seating comfort thanks to additional padding, something that is particularly important in context of longer working periods and in representative offices and meeting rooms with a lot of customer contact.

Minimalistic: The Aluminium Chair EA 105 without armrests and swivel seat and slightly narrower seat for longer rows of chairs

Conference rooms

Thanks to their elegant aesthetics, high level of seating comfort and the wide range of equipment options, the Aluminium Chairs and Soft Pad Chairs have established themselves as popular conference chairs in meeting rooms, upscale offices or conference rooms.

The Aluminium Chairs EA 105, 107 and 108 guarantee stylish comfort and can be perfectly adapted to the respective environment with different frame surfaces, leather, textile or mesh coverings in numerous colours.

Whereas the EA 105 without armrests and the EA 107 with armrests cannot be rotated, the EA 108 has a rotating base.

The counterpart to these models are the Soft Pad Chairs EA 205, 207 and 208, which offer the highest level of seating comfort and representative elegance thanks to their particularly soft upholstery.