Early in their careers, Ray and Charles Eames recognized the need for affordable and versatile furniture. As such, they designed flexible storage units and collapsible sofas for the home. Their famous chairs were composed of four materials, which included molded plywood, fiberglass-reinforced plastic, bent and welded wire mesh, and cast aluminum.

In a sense, one might say that Ray and Charles Eames were pioneers of the ergonomic furniture movement. Their mission in chair design was to create chairs that comfortably support the human body. To accomplish this, they substituted three dimensionally shaped surfaces or flexible materials for the traditional cushioned upholstery. In fact, functionalism is the theme in all of their furniture designs. When looking at Eames era furniture, consider this quote by Charles Eames, which embodies the philosophy of the Eames era: 'What works is better than what looks good. What looks good can change, but what works, works.'

The famous Eames molded-plywood chair represents their first attempt to create seating that could be comfortable without the addition of extra padding. They also wanted to design a chair that could be quickly mass-produced. The Eames molded plywood chair was so popular that many modern chair manufacturers still imitate its design.

In addition to creating functional chairs, the Eames were masters at functional storage design. For example, the Eames Contract Storage System was comprised of a desk, shelving, and a single divided wardrobe with two doors. One of the wardrobe doors has a lighted vanity mirror and a towel bar. This sort of piece could be a superb addition for either a college dorm room or a small urban apartment. Anyone who is interested in functional, mid-century American furniture would do well to take a look at Eames.