Buying Guides

Leather vs Fabric Sofas: Which Is Best for Your Home?

Lots of decision making goes into finding the perfect sofa. Once you’ve picked your silhouette, the next big decision is upholstery. Often the first choice is between leather or fabric upholstery and there’s lots to consider. That’s everything from your space and style to comfort and durability. Really, there is no right or wrong choice between leather or fabric upholstery. It’s a decision that’s completely personal and depends lots on your style and how you plan to use the sofa. In this article we’ll help you make the crucial choice between leather or fabric sofa upholstery. Read on to learn more… Which is more comfortable, leather or fabric? Plenty of things help to make a sofa comfortable, like springs, cushioning and lots of support. However, upholstery also plays a huge role in making sure your sofa is comfy to sit on. After all, you’ll be touching it every time you sit, lie or lounge on it. Too itchy, sticky or delicate and you won’t enjoy your downtime quite so much. When it comes to comfort, the choice between leather and fabric is often down to personal preference, but a beautifully crafted leather sofa can be every bit as inviting. The Barrington II Sofa demonstrates why. Inspired by the relaxed proportions of a classic French club chair, it combines soft 'pull-up' leather with fully sprung support and generous foam and feather cushions for a seat that feels comfortable from the very first sit. Over time, the leather develops a rich patina unique to your home, making Barrington a sofa that only becomes more characterful with age. Experience the comfort of the Barrington Sofa here. If your idea of comfort is sinking into soft, enveloping cushions, a fabric sofa is hard to beat. The Astrid Sofa collection has been designed with relaxation in mind, pairing a signature wrap-around back cushion with generously filled duck feather and down cushions to create an irresistibly cloud-like seat. Upholstered in the UK in a choice of exclusive fabrics, its modular design can be tailored to suit your space. Complete the look with tactile throws and decorative cushions to add warmth, texture and personality, creating a living room that's as inviting as it is beautifully considered. Sink into comfort with the Astrid Sofa. So, take your time to try sitting on sofas upholstered in both materials before deciding. Our winner: Fabric upholstery Is leather or fabric more stylish? Leather and fabric upholstery can both make a strong style statement in your home. The best thing to do is look at your existing furniture and decide whether fabric or leather is the right fit. Fabric upholstery offers lots of choice when it comes to finding the right style. With the freedom to choose between different colours, textures, patterns and fabrics, you can really customise your sofa to suit your space. When it comes to style, there's no single winner. Leather offers timeless appeal, while fabric opens up a world of colour, texture and personal expression. Upholstered here in Smart Luxe Velvet Peridot, the Harri Sofa collection shows how fabric can transform a living room, bringing warmth, depth and a luxurious finish to contemporary interiors. Its clean-lined silhouette, subtle double-stitch detailing and slim black feet keep the design feeling refined, while the rich velvet upholstery adds softness and character. Complete the look with contrasting cushions and a textured rug to create a space that's both sophisticated and inviting. Discover Harri in your favourite fabric. You might lack the same choice as fabric upholstery but choose the right quality leather and it’ll look elegant in your home for years to come. The Quadro Sofa range embodies this timeless appeal, pairing a clean, mid-century-inspired silhouette with buttery-soft Italian leather that develops character over time. Its slim metal legs and neat proportions create a light, contemporary feel, while generous arms and a supportive seat make it as comfortable as it is refined. For those seeking an understated look that won't date, leather offers effortless sophistication that only improves with age. Experience timeless style with Quadro. Our winner: Leather upholstery Which sofa will stand the test of time? When it comes to choosing between leather or fabric upholstery, longevity is a big factor. After all, no one wants to invest in a sofa with upholstery that won’t last long. Always check the Martindale rub count of a fabric, that’s the test done to understand how durable it is. The higher the rub count, the more robust it should be. Leather is famously durable, easy to clean and long lasting. With just a little maintenance, a new leather sofa will be a permanent fixture in your home for years to come. Over time it will develop a beautifully unique patina and bring even more character to your living room. Matera Leather Sofa With fabric upholstery, it’s much more dependent on the material. As a general rule of thumb, the better quality the fabric, the less wear and tear you’ll notice. On the other hand, fabric is harder to scratch than leather. So, if you expect pets and children to clamber over your sofa, quality fabric upholstery hides the signs of wear and tear better in some ways. However, lots of wear can make fabric upholstery look tatty. A well-worn leather sofa normally just means it has more character. Overall, there’s no right or wrong answer when it comes to leather or fabric upholstery lasting longer. They both offer lots of longevity and it depends on how much you’ll be using the sofa. Our winner: That depends on your home… Is leather easier to care for than fabric upholstery? Leather furniture is super easy to clean. All it normally needs is a bit of a dust and a wipe down every now and then. Of course, any spillages should still be cleaned up straight away and conditioning it on a regular basis will stop it from splitting and cracking. Overall, even the smallest amount of maintenance will help your leather sofa last for years. On the other hand, cleaning fabric upholstery depends a lot on what the material’s made from. Fabrics like wool, cotton and linen call for different cleaning techniques to synthetic materials like polyester and acrylic. Luckily, fabric upholstery is normally finished with a stain-resistant treatment to make it easier to clean. That mean spillages, pet hair and mucky fingerprints on any fabric are fairly easy to clean. Specialist cleaning products and a steam cleaner will make your task even easier. To keep it nice and clean, vacuuming and washing removable covers will keep your fabric upholstery in tip top condition. Somerset Fabric Sofa Of course, wiping down leather upholstery and giving it the occasional condition makes it much lower maintenance than fabric. So yes, leather is easier to clean than fabric upholstery. For those with allergies, a leather sofa also offers a reprise from dust mites and pet fur. Fabric upholstery tends to trap them both and only a regular vacuuming will help. However, leather is normally hypoallergenic. Our winner: Leather upholstery If you love the relaxed look of fabric but are concerned about practicality, choosing the right upholstery makes all the difference. Upholstered in Capelo Linen, the Novara Sofa offers a beautifully soft, textured finish that brings warmth and a naturally lived-in feel to your living room. Linen's breathable qualities make it a comfortable choice throughout the seasons, while its subtle weave helps disguise everyday wear, making it well suited to busy homes. With a little regular care, a linen sofa will develop character over time, creating an inviting space that's designed to be lived in rather than simply admired.   Which one’s your winner? Explore our leather sofa and fabric sofa collections today.

Buying Guides

Best Velvet Fabric For Upholstery

Velvet is one of the world’s most luxurious fabrics with its smooth texture and subtle sheen. It’s been a fixture on catwalks and in our homes ever since it first reached Britain. The original velvets were crafted using silk, making them incredibly expensive and only available to nobles for centuries. Even today, the techniques needed to craft silk velvet make it an incredibly costly addition to your soft furnishings. That’s why upholsterers often turn to cotton and polyester velvet as an alternative. Each type of silk offers different qualities, making them suitable for different types of upholstery. Read on to find out more about the best velvet fabric for upholstery… A brief history of velvet Velvet is a fabric with plenty of heritage. The ancient Egyptians made a similar style fabric as long ago as 2000 BC. To create it, they used process that isn’t too different to the ones we use today to make velvet. However, ancient Egypt isn’t alone in its claim to fame in the history of velvet. In fact, Iraq and China are also two of the first producers of velvet in the world. Once trade was established and velvet reached the Mediterranean shores, it became an instant hit in Europe, particularly in Italy. Italy became a dominant producer in velvet during the Renaissance and after the industrial revolution it became cheaper and more widely available. That’s how velvet became a staple in our soft furnishings and on the catwalk. Different types of velvet upholstery Velvet upholstery has been a favourite in interior design for years. Even today, it’s still the go-to for designers looking to add a little lustre and finesse to homes. With a soft, plush texture, it’s great at creating a cosy ambience in living rooms, bedrooms and dining areas. The best velvet fabric for your upholstery will change depending on how much it’ll be used. In busy homes, a more durable velvet is normally needed, whereas furniture that’s used less needn’t be quite so hard wearing. Read on to discover the best velvet fabric for upholstery in different homes. Silk velvet Best for: sophisticated living rooms Silk velvet is beyond a doubt the most luxurious option when it comes to velvet upholstery. It has a truly refined texture and a beautiful sheen that’s hard to replicate. It’s made by weaving two layers of silk on top of one another before being joined by a second silk thread. When the layers separate it creates the smooth velvety texture we love. Compared to other velvets, silk velvet tends to have a lower Martindale rub count, the scale that measures the durability of fabrics. That means it isn’t always the right choice for higher use rooms. So, we recommend considering silk velvet upholstery if your furniture’s in a space that isn’t subjected to kids and pets clambering all over it. Polyester velvet Best for: busy family homes With a similar luxurious finish to silk velvet, polyester velvet is a more cost effective and durable option for upholstery. It’s made using similar techniques to silk velvet but using high-quality polyester instead. This hard-wearing fabric resists fading and is often water and stain resistant. Polyester velvet also tends to have a particularly high Martindale rub count. For example, our own Smart Luxe velvet has a rub count of 100,000. That makes it strong enough for commercial use where it's perfect for the most heavy-duty settings. So, whilst polyester velvet is made using synthetic fibres, it’s super durable and bound to last well. We reckon it’s perfect for busy family homes or households where pets climb on the sofa. Cotton velvet Best for: well-used sofas Cotton velvet also offers a much more durable alternative to silk velvet. It’s got the same subtle glint when it catches the light, and a matte finish that stays when brushed back and forth. Over the years cotton velvet upholstery develops a subtle patina that makes it unique to your home. This patina doesn’t change the fabric’s durability, as cotton velvet is robust with a rub count of over 60,000. That makes it perfect for well-used living rooms or dining spaces. Shop velvet sofas and discover how to care for your velvet upholstery.

Buying Guides

How To Identify Ercol Furniture

Maybe you’ve spotted a vintage Windsor Chair in your local antique shop or are bidding on a second-hand sideboard online. Whatever the case, if you want to know how to identify ercol furniture then you’ve come to the right place. Today, ercol is renowned for crafting timeless furniture that’s at home in both modern and traditional homes. However, the design house also has a long and prestigious history. It was established in 1920 by designer Lucian R. Ercolani. Despite his Italian roots, Ercolani launched ercol in High Wycombe, the heart of English furniture making. His goal was to create relevant and honest furniture. 100 years later and the brand has always remained true to these values. Over the years, ercol has designed and crafted countless different pieces of furniture. From lounge chairs to display cabinets, the ercol archives are full of timeless classics. With so many designs on the market, it can be hard to be 100% sure a piece of furniture is a genuine ercol. To make matters worse, ercol’s prestige and heritage mean the name is so well known it’s become part of our language. That means ercol is often used to describe chairs that are in the same style but aren’t original. The same goes for some of their most famous designs, like the Windsor Chair. Unfortunately, that can make shopping for genuine ercol furniture tricky on resale sites and even with established retailers. Luckily, there are some useful tips on how to identify ercol furniture that will make your decision making a little bit easier. Consider The Piece It’s important to know that copying ercol furniture isn’t a big business. As ercol has been manufacturing its designs for years, there are plenty of vintage pieces around. Vintage pieces often sell for reasonable prices and the quality of modern ercol furniture is hard to replicate on a budget. That leaves little profit in forgeries. You will find plenty of ercol-inspired chairs on the market but if the name ercol isn’t attached then it definitely isn’t real. The price point will often be a lot lower too. So, consider the furniture you’re eyeing up. If it’s presented as an ercol and isn’t one of their most popular designs or if it’s showing a fair amount of age, that’s a good sign. Since the market for creating fake ercol furniture is small and barely existed 50 years ago, the odds are it’s authentic. If it has ercol branding like labels or stickers, then that’s an even better sign. Are There Any Labels? Finding an original ercol label on a piece of furniture is a sure-fire way of guaranteeing its authenticity. Since ercol is a heritage brand, there are countless labels and logos associated with it. However, there are a few key pointers you can look out for. For vintage pieces, look out for small blue labels, labels printed on metallic paper or gold roundels. Modern pieces are more likely to have a metal roundel fitted into their base. Their logo has also changed over time. However, for vintage pieces you can expect to see a lion sitting above the name ercol and for modern pieces the logo is simply the name written out in lower case. Of course, if the furniture has another brand’s label attached to it, then the jig is up. It seems the piece you’re looking at was probably inspired by ercol but isn’t authentic. Is It Up To Scratch? It can be hard to identify ercol furniture if you can’t recognise wood types on sight and aren’t clued in on joinery. Luckily, we’re here to help. One great way to spot a fake Windsor Chair is to check out the sticks that make up the backrest. Every authentic Windsor Chair ever made will have round sticks. So, if the chair you’re looking at has squared or oval sticks then give it a pass as it’s probably not real. When looking at an ercol chair, keep your eye out for how the legs or sticks meet the base. Many ercol chairs use a technique called wedge joinery. This technique is pretty easy to spot, simply look out for small circles with a different wood grain to the rest of the seat. They’ll be where the legs meet the seat and make for an added design touch too. For furniture that isn’t a chair, you can expect to see the same expert level of craftsmanship. If The Price Is Right In many ways, price can be a useful identifier when trying to spot genuine ercol furniture. However, pricing can also confuse since one of the great things about buying vintage ercol furniture is that it needn’t cost the world. You can normally find reasonably priced vintage ercol furniture on resale sites like eBay, Vinterior and etsy. That makes pricing a tricky way to identify genuine ercol furniture. Luckily, it’s a little easier for modern pieces or the most sought-after vintage ercol designs. Coveted pieces like vintage Butterfly or Windsor Chairs can fetch a sizeable sum when in good condition. After all, ercol furniture is made to last and often any patina that comes from age only improves it. For vintage pieces it’s highly unlikely they’re fake if their quality is sound, and the labels are right. For modern ercol designs that are being sold as brand new, a super low price can be a red flag. If the price is wildly different from the price on ercol’s website, then give it a miss. Interested in buying an original? Check out our authentic ercol furniture.

Buying Guides

What Are Natural Mattress Fillings?

Did you know that mattresses can be full of all kinds of nasties? For example, memory foam is made using polyurethane foam. That’s right, when you settle down to sleep on a memory foam mattress, you’re actually sleeping on a layer of plastic. As you can imagine, that makes memory foam a bad choice for the planet. Plus, it offers little breathability which can lead to a too toasty bed. Luckily, there are more environmentally friendly alternatives that are just as supportive and comfortable as memory foam. So, what are natural mattress fillings and how can they improve your sleep? Read on to discover more. Latex You may be surprised to know that latex is actually a natural material. It’s made using the sap from rubber trees, which thrive in South America and Southern Asia. Every year, these trees help to convert over 90 million tons of CO2 into oxygen, making latex a planet-friendly choice. That isn’t to say all latex is natural. Synthetic latex is widely used and is made using petroleum-based chemicals. So, if you’re in the market for a new mattress, make sure it’s natural latex. The great thing about latex is that it makes a brilliant alternative to memory foam. It adapts to your shape, weight and movements just like memory foam. Plus, it evenly distributes your body weight across the surface, making it supportive and great for pressure relief. Plus, latex is known to bounce back faster than memory foam and will keep its shape for many years. Another benefit of latex is that it’s naturally hypoallergenic and resistant to dust mites. So, if you find yourself sneezing as soon as you settle down to sleep, a latex mattress could solve your problems. Cotton Cotton is a popular choice for mattresses because it’s natural, breathable and supremely comfortable. Cotton is renowned for offering premium levels of breathability. That means it will help keep your mattress cool during summer and warm throughout the winter. Plus, it helps to wick away moisture, keeping your mattress fresh and dry. Cotton is also a great choice thanks to the comfort it offers. Not only does it feel soft against your skin, but cotton also offers a comfortable layer of support whilst you sleep. That’s why it’s often chosen to cover and help cushion the top layer of mattresses. Since cotton is a natural material, it has less of a long-term impact on our planet. Commonly used materials like polyester are less breathable and made of plastic, meaning they’re a poorer choice for the environment. Bamboo Bamboo is often used to help provide comfort and cushioning to the top layer of an eco-friendly mattresses. Like cotton, bamboo is a particularly breathable fabric and helps to wick away sweat. It’s often used to circulate air around the mattress and prevent you from overheating during the night. Another great benefit of bamboo is that it’s naturally antibacterial. That means it helps to protect your mattress from bacteria and fungi that can form on it. Plus, bamboo is non-allergenic, meaning it doesn’t contain any allergens that can irritate the skin. It’s also resistant to dust mites, so bamboo is a great choice for allergy sufferers or sleepers with sensitive skin. Silk Silk may seem like an opulent choice; however, it has some key qualities that make it perfect for mattresses. Firstly, silk is a natural material made using fibres created by silkworms. That means it’s biodegradable and better for the planet in the long term. Plus, silk has a natural bounce to it, with a fabric structure that’s like tiny springs, perfect for a peaceful sleep. Secondly, silk is brilliant at controlling moisture and stopping you from overheating. When you’re asleep, moisture and heat can become trapped between the duvet and the mattress, creating a warm environment. Whilst plenty of other natural materials offer breathability and moisture control, silk is by far the best. It actually wicks away moisture and heat twice as fast as cotton. Finally, silk is extremely comfortable. After all, we spend approximately 33 years of our lives in bed. So, why not make sure it’s spent in comfort? Wool When you think of wool, you probably imagine cosy jumpers or warm scarves. However, wool can be a surprisingly cooling addition to a mattress. It’s highly breathable and allows air to pass freely through its fibres, keeping you warm in winter and cool in summer. Wool is also particularly good at wicking away sweat and moisture. It does this by moving any moisture from the centre of the fabric to the outside. Once on the outside layer of the fabric, the moisture can evaporite easily. Qualities like this are great for preventing the build-up of mould and mildew. Wool is also naturally fire retardant. That means less chemicals need to be used in your mattress to make it fire retardant. Plus, wool is completely biodegradable so won’t leave a lasting impact on the planet, unlike a plastic-based mattress. Cashmere Like silk, cashmere may seem like a frivolous addition to a mattress, but it’s actually incredibly beneficial. Like wool, cashmere is brilliant at wicking away moisture and preventing you from overheating. However, it’s finer fibres mean that it does a much better job. In fact, cashmere is three times better at cooling you down than cotton. Plus, when used as a fabric, cashmere offers unrivalled levels of softness and texture. Flax A hardy, pest-resistant plant, no fertilisers or chemicals are used when growing flax. Plus, it requires very little water to grow it. That’s what makes flax one of the best natural mattress fillings. Flax is a soft and flexible material that’s lightweight and much stronger than cotton so it’s a popular choice for mattresses. It’s also incredibly breathable and boasts natural cooling properties. After all, flax is commonly used to make relaxing linen suits that stay cool in the summer. However, that doesn’t mean you’ll freeze on colder nights. Flax is also a great insulator and will keep you warm in the winter. Plus, its durability means it’ll help your mattress last for years. If you’re looking for a completely natural mattress, our Organic Mattress is an industry-leading choice. In fact, it’s the UK’s only certified 100% organic mattress. Discover more here.

Buying Guides

Gifts For Their First Christmas In A New Home

Whether they moved in ten months ago or are just beginning to unpack, new homeowners will be looking forward to the first Christmas in their new home. It can be tricky to find the right gift when they’re still setting up their new home. So, we’ve compiled some inspiration for first Christmas in a new home gifts to help you decide. Think everything from smart technology to thoughtful decorations. Read on to find out more. Vases When moving into a new home, people are often flooded with bouquets of flowers, bottles of wine and houseplants. But what do you display all those flowers in? A vase isn’t normally top of the unpacking list and if it’s their first home then they won’t necessarily own one. So, a vase is a great Christmas gift for new homeowners. If you don’t know much about their interior tastes, then opt for a more neutral vase. In this case, glass or ceramic in natural hues make great choices. If you’re a little more familiar with their style, then you could gift them a vase in a colour or a silhouette to suit their tastes. Glassware Glassware is another thing that new homeowners often receive plenty of. However, that isn’t to say you can’t gift glassware for their first Christmas in a new home. We suggest staying away from classic tumblers or wine glasses and finding cocktail glasses that are a little out of the ordinary. Think luxurious martini glasses, modern champagne saucers and specialised whisky tumblers. For real wine enthusiasts, you could even pair a decanter with a bottle of their favourite vintage. That way they can enjoy their favourite drink in style on Christmas day. Barware For aspiring mixologists, amateur cocktail makers and fans of a festive Snowball, an upgrade to their existing barware is a great first Christmas in a new home gift. Whether that means a new cocktail shaker, jigger and stirring spoon or an elegant Georg Jensen corkscrew, they’re sure to appreciate it. If they already have a world-class selection of barware, then you could gift them the ingredients for their favourite cocktail. Whether that’s everything they need to make a Negroni, or the spirits and garnishes required to make a martini. They’re sure to appreciate a glass of their favourite tipple on Christmas day. Decoration A decoration that marks the first Christmas in their new home is a thoughtful gift that they’ll admire year after year when they decorate the tree. Take your time and explore different styles, themes and types of decoration to find one that suits them and their personality. For example, if they love to travel, find a Christmas decoration gift that reflects this. If their favourite animal is an elephant, find an elephant-themed ornament. With so many different Christmas tree decorations around, you’re bound to find one to suit them. Smart Lighting With a new home comes the chance to change the way you live in more than just one way. Gifting smart lighting to people for the first Christmas in their new home is a really unique and exciting idea. There are plenty of different smart lighting gifts, from voice-activated light bulbs to alarm clocks that wake you up by simulating sunrise. There are even bulbs that you can control via apps on your phone, changing the colour, brightness and settings. Christmas gifts like these light bulbs are great because they’re energy-saving and bound to fit in their home. If you want to gift smart technology for Christmas, there are plenty of other options as well as lighting. Think smart gardens that help you grow herbs inside, smart speakers like amazon’s Alexa or the Google Home and padlocks you unlock with your fingerprint. The options are endless and are sure to make great gifts for the first Christmas in their new home. Accessories Small accessories and candles are great gifts for the first Christmas in a new home. That could be anything from coffee table books and warming winter quilts to picture frames or a keyring. If you’re stuck for choice, then you can’t go wrong with a scented candle that brings an added ambience and beautiful aroma to their home. If you know they’ll open the present in the run up to Christmas then you could choose a scent that fills their home with a festive aroma. For gifts that’ll be opened on Christmas day, a less festive scent is probably the right choice. If they’ve just moved into their new home, then a stylish game or jigsaw that doubles as an accessory could be a great Christmas gift. After all, their internet might not be working yet, the TV license won’t be set up and they’ll need entertaining. Still looking for inspiration? Check out our curated Christmas gift guides.

Buying Guides

How To Spot A Fake Eames Lounge Chair

As one of the world’s most iconic chairs, it probably comes as no surprise that the Eames Lounge Chair is the victim of untold inferior copies. In fact, fake Eames Loungers sit unknowingly, or knowingly, in peoples’ homes across the globe. Maybe you’re looking to buy a vintage Eames Lounge Chair online. Or perhaps you’ve seen a new one in a shop but aren’t convinced it’s authentic. It’s completely understandable that you want to make sure it’s authentic before splashing out on it. To help you decide, we’ve compiled some of the ways you can tell a real Eames Lounger from a fake. These sure-fire ways to spot a fake Eames Lounge Chair should help you make this important decision. Read on to find out. The size of an original Eames Lounge Chair Aside from a taller version introduced in 2010, the Eames Lounge Chair hasn’t changed sizes since it was designed in 1956. That means you can tell an original Eames Chair from its size. Fake Eames Lounge Chairs tend to have completely wrong proportions. So, if the size is off, then the odds are that it’s a knock off. If you’re buying an Eames Lounger from a second hand or vintage shop, then get your tape measure out. A classic Eames Lounge Chair measures 84cm tall, 84cm wide and 91cm deep with a seat height of 38cm. A tall Eames Lounge Chair is 89cm tall, 84cm wide and 92cm deep with a seat height of 38cm. Labels on an authentic Eames Lounge Chair Whether your Eames Chair is vintage or brand spanking new, it should have a label to prove its authenticity. When looking for a label on an Eames Chair, we tend to start with the base. It will normally be at the point where the base connects with the chair’s shell. If it isn’t there, then try sliding off the chair’s cushions and you may find a label underneath. Once you find it, a label should have one of two names, Hermann Miller or Vitra. To European and Middle Eastern audiences, Vitra is renowned for making Eames furniture. If you’re buying the chair here, then that’s what you should expect to see a Vitra label. However, Hermann Miller was the original manufacturer of the Eames Lounge Chair in the USA and even commissioned it in the first place. Of course, some Vitra loungers will have made their way across the Atlantic and vice versa. So, don’t be surprised if it has a Hermann Miller label attached to it. Whether it’s a Hermann Miller or a Vitra tag, either tag should guarantee its authenticity. Both brands have gone through a wide range of labels since the chair was first produced. That means there are many different labels that could be on your chair. It could be a small metal plaque, a sticker with Charles Eames’ signature or a roundel. If you can’t find a label on your Eames Lounger, then don’t despair. If the chair’s old and the right size, with all the quality fixtures and features then it’s probably just missing a label. How much does an Eames Lounge Chair move? An authentic Eames Lounge Chair should swivel 360° in a fluid motion. That is, the shell swivels on the base itself. If the base has wheels or castors, then it won’t be an original. Many people think that this type of chair is a recliner, but it isn’t. Yes, an Eames Lounger will tilt slightly when you lean back on it, but it’s no reclining chair. So, if the chair in question reclines far back or has mechanisms to help it recline, then it isn’t an original. An Eames Lounger’s premium finish Always remember the prestige reputation manufacturers like Hermann Miller and Vitra have. Not to mention the exacting standards of Charles Eames himself. That means original Eames Chairs are always finished to the highest possible standard. All authentic Eames Lounge Chairs are made up of three wooden shells. That’s one for the seat, one for the back and one for the headrest. Then there are two shells that make up the armrests. The shells all appear as though floating with no visible screw or bolts. The only place you may spot a screw is on the armrests and original ones will be black. Effort has been made to ensure the design is structurally sound whilst concealing the screws. So, if screws stick out like sore thumbs, it won’t be an original. The base of an Eames Lounge Chair The chair’s base is also a tell-tale sign. It should have five legs and be made using die cast aluminium. Since they’re made using this technique, the base should be one solid piece of aluminium, rather than having individual legs screwed together. Each leg will have a slight angle and taper off into a rounded end, rather than a squared end. The base isn’t always the same finish, in fact, expect to see it polished, chromed or matte black. So, if there’s less than five legs and steep angles on the base, you’re probably looking at a fake. How much does an Eames Lounge Chair cost? The price of an Eames Lounge Chair differs depending on the leather and wood finishes that you choose. But needless to say, the price tag that comes with them reflects the work that goes into making them perfect. That isn’t to say it’s a walk in the park to create a replica. The many elements of an Eames Lounger’s design means that a new replica could still cost upwards of £1,000. However, a used replica will set you back a few hundred pounds. So, if the price is substantially lower than those advertised by Vitra or Hermann Miller then it’s likely a fake. Interested in buying an original? See our authentic Eames Lounge Chairs here.