When Charles Eames died, his firm died with him, but the remains of all his work lie carefully tended to by the Eames Office in Los Angeles. Ray Eames (his wife) lived on to beautifully document their life together, and it is her hand that was so instrumental in softening and coloring Eames design sensibility.
The Eames Office is therefore much more than a store. It is a library, a museum and a resource of great value...
Part of it is housed in Charles and Ray's last home (their own design) overlooking the Malibu beaches, which is open to visits, and is remarkably down to earth and casually appointed. Good day trip when in LA.
Shopping is always fun, and if you are looking for Eames classics this is where you should buy them from (instead of DWR). We like the molded plywood coffee table at right ($629). Prices are roughly the same everywhere, and buying from the source is infinitely more pleasing.
In addition to the full line of Eames furniture, the Office sells Ray's textiles, Nelson clocks, tons of Noguchi lamps and all of Charles's movies. And best of all your purchases support the preservation of all the Eames's work. >> EamesOffice.com
>> Original Eames Office Post from from 2004-07-15
Veronica & Keith's Handmade Chic 
Before & After: A Bathroom Goes From Pinky Peach to Sleek and Chic
Good Food to Share 
The Big Book of Small, Cool Spaces 
Apartment Therapy Presents 
The Eight-Step Home Cure 
Hunslet Dinner Plate
A Beginner's Guide to Superb Stir-Fry: Quick, Healthy Meals from a Wok
Easy Pitcher Cocktail Recipe: Strawberry Basil Margaritas
Comments (7)
i took a trip to the house/studio a few years ago. the people were so nice and the buildings are amazing... everything on the site was left the way it was when the eames lived there.
the only sad part was that you couldn't go into the house (to not disturb the condition of the house), but with all the windows you can see right in and take photos.
With all due respect, I think "softening and coloring" is a somewhat reductive way to describe Ray's contribution to the Eames team's output.
i'd love to visit there. i've posted the powers of ten others of their short movies on my blog, but i was surprised they have over 5 hours of video in a box set (i almost bought it at dwr). i love dwr too.
I agree with kdka, Ray's role was far more than "documenting" Charles' life's work and making fabrics. It's commonly reffered to as the office of Charles AND Ray Eames....for a reason.
Nonwithstanding the occasional magazine article that call them brothers.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/uberculture/129184889/
...and the USPS just came out with some Eames commemorative stamps. too cute. :)
http://tinyurl.com/2bttn5
Thanks for the comments form kdka and neujeramic......the work of ray eames is far too often undervalued or, worse, simply ignored.
You can go inside the house if you pay $100 to become a member of the Eames foundation. It's a once a year event. I was happy just to look through the windows.