Charles and Ray Eames: American Designers

Husband and wife team Charles and Ray Eames became famous for their furniture, textiles, industrial designs, and practical, economical house designs. The couple met at the Cranbrook Academy of Art in Michigan and married in 1941. They shared credit for all their design projects.

Charles Eames:

Born: June 17, 1907 in Saint Louis, Missouri
Educated: Two years in the architecture program at Washington University in St. Louis, followed by travels in Europe.
Early Career: In 1929, joined with Charles M. Gray to form the firm of Gray and Eames, which designed stained glass, textiles, furniture and ceramics.
Advanced Study: Studied at the Cranbrook Academy of Art in Michigan, where he collaborated with Eero Saarinen and became head of the industrial design department.
Partnership: In 1941, married Ray Kaiser and formed a design partnership.
Died: August 21, 1978 in Saint Louis, Missouri

Ray Eames:

Born: December 15, 1912 in Sacramento, California
Birth Name: Ray-Bernice Alexandra Kaiser
Educated: Studied painting under Hans Hofmann in New York and in Provincetown, MA from 1933-1939, then studied at the Cranbrook Academy of Art in Michigan
Partnership: In 1941, married Charles Eames and formed a design partnership.
Died: August 21, 1988 in Los Angeles, California

Buildings by Charles and Ray Eames:

Charles and Ray Eames helped supply affordable housing for veterans returning to the United States after World War II. Houses designed by the Eames featured high-quality materials that were mass produced for efficiency and affordability.

• Eames House (Also known as Case Study House #8)
• Kwikset Prefabricated House

Furniture by Charles and Ray Eames:

Charles and Ray Eames experimented with flexible, adaptable furniture and storage units for homes and public spaces. They also designed the machinery and production methods needed to manufacture their furnishings. See:
Furniture by Charles and Ray Eames

About Charles and Ray Eames:

Charles and Ray Eames were among America's most important designers, celebrated for their contributions to architecture, industrial design, and furniture design. The Eameses believed that a house should be flexible enough to accommodate work and play.

The role the Eames duo played in modernizing North America is explored in A Legacy of Invention, an online exhibit from the Library of Congress.