Eileen Gray

Eileen Gray was born in 1878 in Ireland. Eileen Gray's furniture had an impeccable finish and its colour scheme was limited to black, brown and other dark shades. Eileen exhibited her work for the first time at the annual Salon des Artists-Decorators exhibition, which earned her her first commission from collector and tailor shop owner Jacques Doucet. For example, she created a red lacquer table with black tassels for him. In the 1920s and 1930s, Eileen Gray designed interiors using unusual and exotic objects and materials (ostrich eggs, parchment, etc.). An original type of furniture that was given the name Piroga - a sofa decorated with bronze lacquer and sliced silver, shaped like a canoe and standing on six massive legs. It can be seen, for example, in the interior of a luxurious Rue de Lota apartment. She also designed carpets with abstract patterns for all her interiors. In 1922, Eileen opened a shop in Paris - Galerie Jean Désert. While the gallery was open, she became increasingly interested in Cubist art and contemporary functionalist architecture and design.

In the 1920s, Eileen made greater use of geometric shapes in her work and turned to new materials, including tubular steel. The use of tubular steel and glass can be seen in the famous bedside table. Eileen also designed, among other things, the famous Bibendum chair. The Bibendum chair was quite large. It was about 84 cm deep and 74 cm high. The legs were made of polished, stainless steel tubing. The entire bibendum was upholstered in soft leather, which made it more comfortable. Eileen Gray's design work peaked in the mid-1930s. After that, she was still involved in the design scene, but did not radically intervene. Eileen Gray died on 31 October 1976 in Paris.