My hands-on Sohnne chair review: Eames Lounger

We could all picture ourselves living in a palatial midcentury place like this… But the reality is that a $1 million home is going to be out of reach for most of us… Me included. But that doesn’t mean I can’t feel like I’m living the good life. For a much smaller price I can have the comfort and looks of a chic modern home, thanks to… a chair. Yes, a chair. I recently picked up a high quality lounge chair from Sohnne and in this review I’ll try it out in my home, see what the shipping and assembly is like, and most importantly I’ll share my personal experience about how comfortable the Sohnne Eames Lounge Chair and Ottoman (Premier Tall version) truly is and whether I think I can recommend it to you.

My in-home review: Eames Lounge Chair and Ottoman (Premier Tall version)

When Sohnne offered me the opportunity to try out its furniture to see firsthand what the quality is like, I jumped at the chance. The company has graciously gifted me one of its iconic Eames chairs in exchange for my full and honest opinion, and has not made any requests or requirements about my content. So in this review I’ll check out the build quality and design, the comfort and see how it fits into my home. I’ll take a look at the pros and the cons of buying a replica chair like this and I’ll wrap things up by letting you know if I think you should make your order from Sohnne.

Watch my hands-on video review of Sohnne Eames chair

Should I buy a replica chair?

For some people mid-century modern is kitschy, but for others it’s a lifestyle steeped in tradition. One of my favourite places in the world is Palm Springs California where mid-century architecture and design is everywhere. I love the look of furniture and design from the mid century and I’ve inherited several amazing mid-century pieces.

But there’s a few iconic mid-century modern furniture pieces that I’ve had my eye on but just couldn’t afford. So how does one get the chic and timeless look of iconic furniture without the staggering price?

Choosing replicas may be the way to go. But some replicas can be made of cheap materials with poor construction. So I’ve been on the lookout for a reputable company that makes durable furniture of similar quality to those iconic originals.

How to choose a mid-century chair

I spent a good amount of time on Sohnne’s website trying to choose a great piece of furniture that would fit in my modern but smaller space. The chair I ordered is the Eames Lounge Chair and Ottoman (Premier Tall version) in Ivory White Leather/Walnut Wood. There’s a few different wood finishes and you can choose from black or white leather as well. I have to say I was also crushing pretty hard on the Togo Chair replica and the CH25 woven lounge chair replica too, so my decision was a tough one.

Shipping

I wasn’t quite sure what to expect before the chair arrived—just about one week after my order. When delivery day came, one large box smaller box were delivered to my door. I tore into both immediately. The smaller box houses all of the metal parts and fittings for putting the chair together, well the larger box contains the four pieces of the chair. Everything is well packed in foam to keep it from getting scratched, dented or ripped.

How to assemble Sohnne chair

Assembling the chair was a lot easier than I thought. The ottoman goes together in a minute; just bolt on the 4-legged stand. For the chair, the back, which looks like it’s two pieces but it already connected, attaches to the seat with thick and immovable steel brackets and bolts, and while it doesn’t look like it should hold together, I can 100% confirm that it does.

With the shell of the seat in place, I assembled the base stand. Then all I had left to do was add the arms.

Hilariously, I only realized after I finished the assembly and taking a seat for a few minutes, that I had put the arms on backwards! Just like the original version, the hardware should be completely invisible in the finished chair, so husband Roger and I flipped the arms around to their correct position and were rewarded with a beautiful, comfortable chair.

Build quality and comparison to original

I have to say I have been extremely impressed by the quality of this chair. I did a lot of research before my order about how to measure the quality of this particular chair. In short, you don’t want things like screws simply driven right through the wood and into the fabric. Ideally quality replica should be faithful to the original design.

While I was assembling it I actually noticed how weighty and substantial the pieces feel. The wood is beautiful and solid and doesn’t look like glue-lam, or that it will split along the edges. The leather covering the seats feels thick and substantial while at the same time being smooth and supple. There’s leather piping along the edges where the fabric meets the wood, and leather covered buttons punctuate the seat, back and ottoman, but they are driven in far enough that you don’t feel them when you sit down on them.

The colour of the wood I chose, a light walnut, is perfect for my space, and seems evenly applied and the overall feel is silky smooth.

Even the metal bases for the chair and ottoman feel like solid steel with a nice brushed silver finished on top. Each of the small feet goes in on a screw so that makes each one individually adjustable.

There is absolutely no visible hardware on the chair, so it looks just like it marched off the pages of a 1960s Architectural Digest magazine.

Is Sohnne Eames chair comfortable?

This chair it shelf is insanely comfortable. Because of the odd angle the chair sits at I wasn’t sure if this would be comfortable for long stretches. I’m so glad to find out that it is. Whether I was reading the morning news, or watching TV, the chair is beyond comfortable. Perhaps that down in part to the fact I ordered the taller frame.

Even husband Roger has fallen in love and has even coined the term WFC or “work from chair”, to describe how much more time he is spending in this chair as well.

The amazing thing about this replica is that it makes you comfortable whether you prefer to sit up and read, or lounge back and relax. It’s kind of hard to describe how it can make both things comfortable… But I guess that’s the secret of a good design and probably why this chair has become so iconic.

About buying replicas

Reproductions and replicas have existed for decades, but is it me, or are these “inspired-by” designs coming closer to looking like the real thing?

I had some reservations about purchasing a replica. Eames chairs are iconic and rightfully so. Both the design and unique construction of this chair in particular has stood the test of time. And it has the amazing ability to look both fresh and modern and vintage all at the same time. While I would love to own an original, I eventually came to the realization that will never be in the cards for me. Spending $5-7,000 on one single seat, is just not justifiable.

But is it okay to purchase a replica?

I actually did some reading on this (including this very interesting article) and in a nutshell there’s nothing wrong with owning replica design goods. in some cases design copyrights expire making it okay for retailers to build and sell replicas.

What’s really important is buying quality. You want to make sure the design and construction are durable and the materials are high-quality. After all, if you find a knock off Eames chair online for $500, chances are it won’t last you very long.

There are a few considerations and some do’s and don’ts when it comes to the replica furniture market. For starters, do you want to make sure any manufacturer is not pretending they’re selling the real thing. If you’re going to be paying top dollar for an original, make darn sure the place you’re buying it from is licensed.

Overall review of Sohnne chair: my personal experience

I’ve had the chair in my home for about three weeks now, and husband Rodger and I have been forced to take turns sitting in it because we both find it so comfortable. It’s pretty great when a new piece of furniture is such a good addition to your home that you end up fighting over it!

Let’s go over the pros and the cons of this Sohnne Eames Lounge Chair replica to see what you need to know.

On the pro side delivery was fast, assembly was quick and easy, and the price is definitely right.

The chair is supremely comfortable, it feels very durable, and I actually believe I am going to have this in my home for years to come. I find the materials to be really high-quality; from the wood, to the steel, and the leather, all the components feel extremely high-end.

Now, anytime I do a review I try to find some downsides or at least things that might end up being red flags for some shoppers even if not for me. I have to say I am legitimately struggling to find anything I did not like about this chair. At most I would have to say that because I have only had it for a short period of time I can’t assess or speak to its longevity.

Not only am I a huge fan of this new chair, but I am already shopping the site for a second so Roger and I don’t have to fight over this one.

I can absolutely recommend the Sohnne Eames Lounge Chair and Ottoman (Premier Tall version) in Ivory White Leather/Walnut Wood.

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