Eileen Gray was born in 1878 in Ireland and became a renowned architect and furniture designer of her time, but has quickly become forgotten over time. Her pieces are still sought after now and bring in millions at auctions due to their timeless nature and well-designed features. She worked mainly in London and had her own shop there that she was able to bring her designs to the public. She made several designs for furniture and also designed her home in California.



When she was younger, in 1905, she went to London and wandered aimlessly into a lacquer repair shop. Buying tools and armed with the knowledge she gained from the proprietor, she returned to Paris. After her return, she teamed up with Sugiwara-san and developed new furniture and accessory pieces using bold colors and downplayed shapes. Her designs followed the clean lines and simple forms of the De Stijl movement, rather than following the movements of her time.

Her creative genius and sensitivity to form and color were utilized in new and original ways. She opened a store to bring her works to the public. Her shop met with relative success, even though she had no marketing skills to promote her business. After opening her shop she continued to sharpen her skills and build upon the growing status of her designs.

Some of the furniture that she designed includes the Bedside Table or Adjustable table. It had a metal or chrome base that was simple in design and shaped in a horseshoe with a glass tabletop. Another favorite is the Bibendum Chair or Armchair which was specifically designed for lounging and socializing. She also had several designs that included the Non Conformist Chair which had one plain, metal or chrome arm and another that was padded and shaped, the Monte Carlo and Lota Sofas, Transat Chair, Daybed, and a foldable table. Her use of lacquer also provided many designs on shades and dividers.

Eileen Grey was a pioneer in furniture design. During her lifetime it was virtually unheard of for a woman to go into architecture, yet she had a flair for it that can still be seen today. Her use of lacquer and her techniques to use bold colors and shapes made her very popular when it came to designing shades and dividers. Her love of simple lines and forms also proved to be very popular during and after her lifetime.