Iconic Eames Lounge Chair Inspires Mal Outdoor Chair
October 1, 2012 by Robin Plaskoff Horton
This year marks the 100th anniversary of the birth of Ray Eames, half of the iconic husband and wife design team of Charles and Ray Eames, whose vast collection of works includes the world-renowned Eames lounge chair, below, now in the permanent collection of the Museum of Modern Art in New York. We had one in the living room in my childhood home, but my mother, who never kept anything–and I still wince at this when I think of it– years ago sold it at a garage sale.
It’s been said that Charles and Ray achieved their monumental success asking this question of each project,”Does it interest and intrigue us? Can we make it better? Will we have “serious fun” doing it?” The same seems to hold true for Eindoven-based brand, Mal, whose Mal 1956 chair, inspired by and a tribute to the famous Eames lounge chair, I spotted in London while on BlogTour last week at Design Junction in an exhibit for Covent Garden shop Do.
Mal has redesigned the Eames classic in rotational molded PE plastic, placing drainage holes to prevent water from collecting in the seat and ottoman where on the original Eames chair there were upholstery buttons–making the Mal perfect for outdoors.
According to The New York Times, the chair is called Mal as “mal” is the Dutch word for “mold,” but, with an injection of humor, it also means “silly.”
Some might indeed find it silly to attempt a reinterpretation of such an iconic piece of modern furniture, but for me, the Mal injects a bit of fun into an outdoor room with its playful range of bright colors or even in black and white.
___________________________________________________________________________
This is one of several upcoming posts sharing finds from my visit to London with Modenus BlogTour for the London Design Festival, and to Paris for Maison et Objet and Paris Design Week. Many thanks to BlogTour sponsors: Citizen M hotel, Blanco, DuVerre Hardware, Mr. Steam, And So To Bed, Victoria & Albert Baths, Lapicida, Amtico, Samuel Heath, The Architectural Digest Home Design Show, and Maggie’s Cancer Centres. Learn more about BlogTour.
Read our Sponsorship Disclosure Policy.
Category: Finding, Outdoor Furniture
Tags: BlogTour, Eames, Knoll, Modenus, modern furniture design, outdoor furniture
Enjoyed this post? Subscribe to Urban Gardens!
share | 
e-mail a friend | comments (46)
I happened to see the orange Mal outside the Do shop in Covent Garden a few days before DesignJunction. They told me they were going to attend!
I think it’s rather fun and playful. I can imagine that some design aesthetics would turn in their graves but hey, why not be inspired by a classic.
Great post:))
— October 1, 2012 @ 13:28
Ah yes, Mal as in ‘mold’ in Dutch; and your injection of humour is absolutely on target as the Mal chair is possibly Injection Molded. Isn’t that silly!
Sharon
— October 2, 2012 @ 07:24
Light-Emitting Lounge Chair Controlled by Smartphone - Urban Gardens Pingback said:
[…] the sun sets and your sleek lounge chair lights up casting a soft glow throughout your outdoor living […]
— April 19, 2015 @ 23:44
Italian Architect Gae Aulenti's Iconic Outdoor Furniture Collection - Urban Gardens Pingback said:
[…] Aulenti’s colorful collection of varnished tubular steel seating, tables, lamps, and lounge chairs, including the exclusive Locus Solus artwork on cushions covered with fully removable and washable […]
— September 24, 2016 @ 11:03
Thank you for providing your personal experience on this topic. It assists me identify more.
— March 15, 2025 @ 18:38
I appreciate your approach of writing. Your website is polished and interesting.
— March 16, 2025 @ 08:01
alo789in: alo 789 – 789alo
— March 21, 2025 @ 13:48
IndiaMedFast.com: India Med Fast – india pharmacy without prescription
— March 24, 2025 @ 07:01
mexican pharmacy online order reliable mexican pharmacies Mexican Pharm Inter
— March 24, 2025 @ 10:48
IndiaMedFast.com: cheapest online pharmacy india – online medicine shopping in india
— March 24, 2025 @ 12:23
canadian pharmacies: canada pharmacy no prescription – canadian pharmacy meds reviews
— March 24, 2025 @ 12:35
Mexican Pharm Inter: mexican drug stores online – mexican pharmacy online store
— March 24, 2025 @ 18:16
www canadianonlinepharmacy: online canadian pharmacy no prescription – legal to buy prescription drugs from canada
— March 24, 2025 @ 18:57
mexican pharmacy online MexicanPharmInter mexican pharmacy online store
— March 24, 2025 @ 19:52
mexican drug stores online: mexican drug stores online – mexican pharmacy online order
— March 25, 2025 @ 00:52
escrow pharmacy canada Inter Pharm Online legitimate canadian online pharmacies
— March 25, 2025 @ 07:18
buy prescription drugs from canada cheap: canada pharmacy no prescription – adderall canadian pharmacy
— March 25, 2025 @ 08:20
canadian online drugstore: most reliable canadian online pharmacies – safe canadian pharmacy
— March 25, 2025 @ 14:38
mexican pharmacy online order: mexican pharmacy online store – mexican pharmacy online store
— March 25, 2025 @ 16:01
cheapest online pharmacy india buying prescription drugs from india order medicines online india
— March 25, 2025 @ 19:12
mexican pharmacy online: MexicanPharmInter – Mexican Pharm International
— March 26, 2025 @ 00:00
best online canadian pharmacy: legitimate canadian pharmacies online – medication canadian pharmacy
— March 26, 2025 @ 00:06
Viagra online price Sildenafil Citrate Tablets 100mg Generic 100mg Easy
— March 26, 2025 @ 06:40
Generic 100mg Easy: Generic100mgEasy – Cheap Sildenafil 100mg
— March 26, 2025 @ 08:08
Cialis over the counter: TadalafilEasyBuy.com – Buy Cialis online
— March 26, 2025 @ 08:13
kamagra jelly kopen: kamagra jelly kopen – kamagra pillen kopen
— March 26, 2025 @ 14:07
Officiele Kamagra van Nederland: kamagra kopen nederland – Officiele Kamagra van Nederland
— March 26, 2025 @ 15:22
cialis without a doctor prescription cialis without a doctor prescription cialis without a doctor prescription
— March 26, 2025 @ 16:16
TadalafilEasyBuy.com: cheapest cialis – Tadalafil Easy Buy
— March 26, 2025 @ 20:04
kamagra jelly kopen: kamagra kopen nederland – kamagra kopen nederland
— March 26, 2025 @ 23:16
Buy Tadalafil 5mg TadalafilEasyBuy.com Cialis without a doctor prescription
— March 27, 2025 @ 02:44
Generic 100mg Easy: buy generic 100mg viagra online – buy generic 100mg viagra online
— March 27, 2025 @ 03:27
Officiele Kamagra van Nederland: kamagra pillen kopen – Kamagra Kopen
— March 27, 2025 @ 05:00
kamagra kopen nederland: kamagra pillen kopen – kamagra gel kopen
— March 27, 2025 @ 10:59
Kamagra: kamagra 100mg kopen – Kamagra
— March 27, 2025 @ 11:17
Cheap generic Viagra Generic100mgEasy buy generic 100mg viagra online
— March 27, 2025 @ 14:33
kamagra pillen kopen: Officiele Kamagra van Nederland – kamagra jelly kopen
— March 27, 2025 @ 16:23
Kamagra Kopen: Kamagra Kopen Online – kamagra kopen nederland
— March 27, 2025 @ 18:30
Tadalafil Easy Buy: Buy Tadalafil 20mg – Tadalafil Easy Buy
— March 27, 2025 @ 21:41
Generic100mgEasy: Generic 100mg Easy – Generic 100mg Easy
— March 28, 2025 @ 01:41
Officiele Kamagra van Nederland Officiele Kamagra van Nederland kamagra gel kopen
— March 28, 2025 @ 02:00
Officiele Kamagra van Nederland: kamagra jelly kopen – Kamagra Kopen
— March 28, 2025 @ 03:08
Cheapest Sildenafil online: buy generic 100mg viagra online – buy generic 100mg viagra online
— March 28, 2025 @ 08:40
buy generic 100mg viagra online: Generic 100mg Easy – Generic100mgEasy
— March 28, 2025 @ 10:01
Kamagra Kopen kamagra 100mg kopen kamagra kopen nederland
— March 28, 2025 @ 13:23
TadalafilEasyBuy.com: Tadalafil Easy Buy – TadalafilEasyBuy.com
— March 28, 2025 @ 15:29