Restoring a Vintage “Eames” Lounge Chair and Ottoman

An authentic Eames Lounge (670) and Ottoman (671) set by Herman Miller is, to me, the most iconic piece of furniture, ever. And, vintage models and new issues are – while amazing – super duper expensive. There have been a few companies who have produced copies – namely Plycraft and Frank Doerner from Canada – and they can be a bit easier to find. Though, due to their knockoff status, they haven’t always been as well cared for.    Reddit user moekkii recently share his experience with restoring a vintage Plycraft model, which he found in the trash and looked as above when he got it. He cleaned up the wood and hardware, and replaced the worn tan leather with a closer-to-authentic black. 

The results? 

He says about his find “Rusted chrome base, torn/stained/dirty leather, missing buttons, scratched and discolored shell. I can see why someone threw it away. I used white vinegar and steel wool to get the rust off the chrome legs (suprisingly effective). I bougth some brasso but it didn’t work much better than the vinegar did.”

Check out the full restoration process on his Reddit thread: Reupholstered, Refurbished and Rebuilt a 70s Era Plycraft ‘Eames’ Lounge Chair & Ottoman