The work of husband and wife design team Charles (1907-1978) and Ray (1912-1989) Eames established a new identity for American interior and graphic design, and conceived arena for the development of multi-media and corporate design strategy. Perennial admirers of the details of everyday life, the Eames collected hundreds of photographic images and outfitted both their homes and their offices with an array of folk art and objects from around the world. Their house, made from prefabricated elements, and their office, remain today as examples of an astonishingly unique and fertile breeding ground for some of the classic mid-century modern designs.

In the early 1940's the Eames received the chance to experiment with two new methods of bending plywood on the work they did for the navy wartime effort. They produced plywood airplane parts and molded leg splints that were already so close to abstract art that it was no stretch for Ray to customise and exhibit them as that. They applied these techniques to their furniture design and began turning out series like "Dining Chair Wood" known as the "DWC" the "Lounge Chair Wood" and "Lounge Chair Metal" known as "LCW" and "LCM" respectively. The Eames' approach to chair design was to work off of the idea of a shell as the seat, shaped to fit the body so that upholstery was unnecessary.

Like many modernists the Eames' believed that affordable, mass produced, well-designed furniture and objects for the home were tools that could bring about an environment ripe for social change and betterment. Over several decades in which they were almost constantly working, the Eames took on the roles of decorators, entertainers, educators and artists. Their work and expanisve work philosophy, helped define an American style, summed up by Ray as "what works is better than what looks good. The 'look good' can change, but what works, works'

source; www.r20thcentury.com