Our D244 high back PU leather plywood swivel office chair in tan brown sets a warm, caramel-toned cushion inside a white moulded plywood shell. It is an Eames-style desk chair for people who like the look of mid-century plywood but still want height adjustment, a recline and a backrest that reaches well past the shoulders.
The two-tone finish is what defines this version. The white keeps the chair light enough for a bright Scandinavian room, and the tan stops it from ever looking clinical.
What the D244 Plywood Swivel Chair Does Well
A high back with lumbar shaping built in. At 112 cm overall, the backrest supports your upper back as well as your lower back, whether you lean in to read or sit back on a call. The lumbar curve is formed into the backrest itself rather than added as a separate pad, so the outline stays clean from every angle. It is fixed, not adjustable, which suits most people with a typical lower-back curve.
Three recline positions and a full swivel. Lock the back upright while you type, then release it into a more relaxed position when you step back from the screen. The seat turns a full 360 degrees. Reaching a shelf or turning to face a colleague takes a quarter-turn, not a shuffle.
Foam that recovers. The seat and back use fire-retardant high-resilience foam, the kind that springs back when you stand up instead of slowly flattening in the middle. The chair is rated to 150 kg.
A chrome aluminium five-star base. Five spokes spread your weight evenly, and the castors roll smoothly on hard floors. On soft oiled wood or delicate parquet, we suggest a chair mat, as we would with any chair on castors.
D244 PU Leather Office Chair: Materials and Construction
The upholstery is PU leather: a polyurethane surface bonded to a fabric backing, not animal hide. In daily use, that means an even tan colour from panel to panel, a soft feel under the hand and a surface you can wipe clean with a damp cloth. It needs no conditioning.
We’d rather be clear about the trade-offs. PU leather will not develop the patina that aniline leather gains over the years, and on a hot summer afternoon it breathes less than fabric. If either matters to you, a genuine-leather chair is the better route.
Behind the cushion sits the shell. Thin layers of wood veneer are glued and pressed into a curve, which gives plywood its strength in a slim section. The white finish covers the whole outer back and wraps forward at each side into low, integrated arms. The chair therefore looks finished from behind too, which matters in open-plan rooms and at client-facing desks.
Design Heritage: Moulded Plywood and the Eames Tradition
In 1941, Charles and Ray Eames turned their Los Angeles apartment into a workshop. With a home-built press they nicknamed the Kazam! machine, they taught themselves to bend plywood into compound curves. The technique went into moulded leg splints for the US Navy during the war, and in 1946 into the LCW, a low plywood lounge chair that is still in production.
The D244 is not a copy of one historic Eames model. It is a contemporary office chair that borrows their central idea, a thin, body-shaped plywood shell, and pairs it with modern office mechanics. That is why we call it Eames-style.
You can read more about the couple on our Charles and Ray Eames designer page, or see where the plywood story began in our plywood chair collection.
Why Choose Tan Brown and White?
The D244 comes in two colourways, and this is the lighter one. The white shell picks up white desks, pale walls and birch or ash veneers. The tan cushion connects to oak flooring, cognac accessories, terracotta pots and linen curtains.
In a room with good daylight, the pairing reads warm and open rather than corporate. It suits a Scandinavian or Japandi home office, an architect’s studio, a treatment room or a small reception desk, anywhere the chair is seen as much as it is used.
Two practical points before you decide. The white shell shows scuffs from shoes and bags sooner than a dark finish would, and light upholstery can pick up dye from new raw denim. Neither is permanent if you deal with it early (see the care notes below), but a very hard-working desk will show wear on this colourway sooner.
A High Back Plywood Executive Chair: Is It Right for You?
The D244 is a good fit if you work from home or run a small studio, take regular breaks through the day, and want a desk chair that looks like furniture rather than equipment. It is also one of the more accessible chairs in our office range. That makes it a sensible choice for fitting out two or three desks in a matching finish.
It is not the right chair if you need adjustable armrests, adjustable lumbar support, seat-depth adjustment or a separate headrest. For long shifts of eight hours or more, or for a specific back condition, a fully adjustable ergonomic task chair set up with professional advice will serve you better.
Check your desk too. The arms are part of the shell, so they are fixed in place. If you want the chair to slide fully under, measure the clearance beneath your desk’s front edge before ordering.
How the D244 Compares With Our Other Office Chairs
If you are looking for a plywood shell office chair with arms, the D244 is the one to choose in our collection. It is the only chair in our office range built around a moulded plywood shell.
Our EA-series chairs (EA117, EA119, EA217 and EA219) follow a different idea: an aluminium side frame with an upholstered panel or cushion pads held between the ribs. They are slimmer in profile and closer to the office seating most people associate with the Eames name.
The D244 trades that for a moulded shell, a one-piece cushion and a warmer two-tone look. Choose the EA-series for the classic aluminium-rib silhouette. Choose the D244 for plywood and colour at a more approachable level in our range. Compare them all in our Eames-style office chair collection.
Specifications
| Specification | Details |
|---|---|
| Brand | Sederica |
| Model | D244 High Back |
| Style | Eames-style moulded plywood office chair |
| Colour | Tan brown cushion, white shell |
| Upholstery | PU leather |
| Shell | Moulded plywood, white finish, integrated arms |
| Padding | Fire-retardant high-resilience foam |
| Base | Five-star chrome aluminium with castors |
| Adjustments | Seat height, 3-level recline, 360° swivel |
| Lumbar support | Built into the backrest (fixed) |
| Dimensions (W × D × H) | 68.5 × 55 × 112 cm |
| Seat height | 44 cm |
| Maximum load | 150 kg |
| Assembly | Minor, instructions enclosed |
| Warranty | 2 years |
The chair takes up 55 cm of depth on its own. Allow roughly 90–100 cm of floor space behind your desk edge so you can roll back and stand up comfortably.
Caring for Tan PU Leather and a White Shell
Dust weekly with a dry microfibre cloth. For marks on the tan cushion, wipe with a cloth dampened in warm water and a drop of mild soap, then dry it straight away. Avoid alcohol, solvents, bleach and conditioners made for real leather, which PU cannot absorb.
Treat denim dye or ink as soon as you notice it, because fresh marks lift far more easily than set ones. Clean the white shell with a soft damp cloth only, never an abrasive pad. Keep the chair away from radiators and strong direct sun to protect the colour, and clear hair and threads from the castors every few months.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the D244 tan brown chair upholstered in real leather?
No. The cushion is PU leather, a polyurethane surface over a fabric backing. It gives an even tan colour, a soft feel and an easy wipe-clean finish, and it never needs conditioning. It will not age into a patina the way aniline leather does. If that lived-in look matters to you, a genuine-leather chair is the better fit.
Does the tan PU leather mark or stain easily?
Everyday spills and dust wipe off with a damp cloth, which is one of the main advantages of PU over fabric. On a light colour, the two things to watch are dye transfer from new raw denim and ink from pens. Both come off far more easily when treated the same day with mild soapy water. Avoid solvents, which can damage the surface.
Will the D244 fit under my desk?
Usually, but check one measurement first. The chair is 55 cm deep and 68.5 cm across the base, and its arms are part of the plywood shell, so they cannot be lowered or removed. Measure from the floor to the underside of your desk’s front edge. If you would like the arm height before ordering, email us and we will confirm it.
Did Charles and Ray Eames design the D244?
No. The D244 is an Eames-style office chair, a contemporary design inspired by the moulded plywood shells Charles and Ray Eames developed in the 1940s. It does not reproduce a specific historic Eames model, and it is not made by or affiliated with the licensed manufacturers of Eames furniture. See our Legal Disclaimer for full terms.
Is the D244 plywood swivel chair comfortable for a full working day?
For a typical office day with regular breaks, yes. The high back, built-in lumbar curve and high-resilience foam support you through long stretches at the desk, and the three recline positions let you change posture through the day. If you sit for eight hours or more without breaks, or need adjustable lumbar, arm height or seat depth, a fully adjustable task chair will suit you better.
Sederica chairs are Eames-style reproductions and are not made by or affiliated with the original licensed manufacturers. See our Legal Disclaimer for terms.
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