Interior Design

Charles and Ray moved into the Eames House (Case Study House #8) on Christmas Eve in 1949, and lived there for the rest of their lives. The interior, its objects, and its collections remain very much the way they were in Charles and Ray’s lifetimes. Contrast to the cold steel framing that forms the structure, the interior of the house is warm and comforting with its wood-block floor and the soft light penetrating into each room through each day. Wooden staircases float effortlessly connecting the lower and upper levels. The use of natural materials on the interior bring the residence closer to nature, giving the appearance of the house resting softly on the earth. A row of eucalyptus trees was also planted at the front that provide shade and blend parts of the house with outdoors.

The Eames House is a beautiful continuation of space. The rooms are liberating, flowing into one another even between floors through the double-height spaces. Private and public spaces are not strictly divided. For example, the bedroom on the upper level overlooks the public living room with a short terrace that connects the rooms. There are no major divisions other than the separation of the two boxes, which still merge into one another with the courtyard. The house is an unrolling scroll of a Mondrian painting that exemplifies the use prefabricated materials to create beautiful endless space.

Furnishings in the Eames House act like tools for living rather than set pieces. Lightweight molded-plywood chairs (LCW, DCM), molded-plastic and wire side chairs, and low tables are grouped and regrouped for reading, work, or conversation. Colorful Eames Storage Units and the Eames Desk Unit bring order and serve as informal room dividers, echoing the facade’s grid in miniature. Textiles, baskets, folk art, shells, and prototypes sit comfortably alongside books and photographs, softening the industrial frame with layered, personal texture. The effect is an adaptable studio-home: warm, playful, and always ready to be rearranged as needs—and curiosities—change.