Our EA117 in orange is the Eames replica mesh office chair for people who want colour at their desk without giving up a cool seat. A single panel of orange mesh is stretched across polished chrome aluminium side rails, and that panel carries your weight by itself. There’s no foam underneath.
The back stops below the shoulder blades, so the chair stays compact at 59 cm wide and 90–97 cm tall. Put it beside a white desk or against a grey wall and it becomes the first thing people notice in the room.
Eames Low Back Mesh Office Chair: How Our Orange EA117 Is Built
The seat and backrest are one continuous run of mesh held under tension. When you sit, it forms a shallow pocket that follows your hips and lower back. When you shift position, it gives slightly and then springs back.
Air moves straight through the weave. That makes a real difference in a sunny attic office or through a Mediterranean summer, when padded seats start to feel warm by mid-afternoon.
The armrests and spine are polished chrome aluminium, and each arm is an open loop with no plastic caps. The five-star base is chrome aluminium too, on smooth-rolling castors. Height and tilt are set from underneath the seat, and the chair swivels a full 360 degrees.
One detail the photos show clearly: the mechanism under the seat is black. From a low angle you’ll see a band of black between the orange seat and the chrome column. At 11 kg, the chair is light enough to carry up a flight of stairs without help.
Replica Eames Mesh Office Chair: The 1958 Idea Behind It
The EA117 belongs to the Aluminium Group, which Charles and Ray Eames developed in 1958 for a private house in Columbus, Indiana. Instead of a moulded shell, they stretched a single panel between two aluminium side members and let that panel do the work of upholstery. Our chair keeps that principle and uses mesh for the panel.
The Eameses also treated colour as a building material. At their own house in Los Angeles, finished in 1949, panels in red, blue and yellow sit among white, black and grey ones across the façade. The LA Conservancy has a good account of the building.
Orange wasn’t one of those façade colours, and we won’t pretend otherwise. What we borrowed is the method: one strong colour set against neutral metal. On this Eames mesh chair, the orange panel is the only colour, and the chrome frame keeps it in check. You can read more about the pair on our Charles and Ray Eames designer page.
Orange Mesh Office Chair: Choosing the Colour
In our product photos, the mesh is a warm red-orange, closer to tangerine than to amber or rust. Screens show colour differently, so check the close-up images on more than one device if the exact tone matters for your room.
Because mesh is partly see-through, what sits behind the chair changes how the orange reads. With a bright window behind it, the backrest glows lighter. Against a dark wall or bookcase, the colour turns deeper and richer.
We think this statement orange works best in rooms that are mostly neutral: white or pale grey walls, light oak or birch desks, concrete floors, and Bauhaus or Scandinavian furniture. It also sits well with navy and deep teal. It works less well among other strong warm tones such as terracotta tiles or red-brown cherry wood, where the colours compete instead of contrasting.
There’s a practical side to the colour too. Orange hides light dust and denim transfer far better than white mesh. Pale lint and pet hair show up more than they would on black.
Who Our Orange EA117 Suits
This chair suits people who run warm, work at an upright desk and like their workspace to have some personality. It fits home offices, design studios and agencies, and small rooms where a bulky executive chair would take over. A row of orange chairs around a white meeting table gives a bold accent office look that still feels organised.
It isn’t right for everyone. The armrests are fixed, there’s no separate lumbar adjustment and there’s no headrest. The low back also won’t hold your shoulders when you lean back. If you recline often, our EA119 high back mesh chair is the better choice.
If you prefer padding to mesh, our orange ribbed thin pad EA117 keeps the same colour family with leather-covered ribs. If you came looking for an Eames mesh office chair in a quieter colour, see our black or white EA117.
Eames Mesh Office Chair Replica: How the Orange Compares
| EA117 Mesh, Orange (this chair) | EA117 Mesh, Black | EA117 Ribbed Thin Pad, Orange | EA119 Mesh, Black | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Back height | Low, below the shoulders | Low, below the shoulders | Low, below the shoulders | High, to shoulder level |
| Seat and back | Load-bearing mesh | Load-bearing mesh | Padded leather ribs | Load-bearing mesh |
| Colour effect | Strong accent | Blends in | Strong accent, solid surface | Blends in |
| Temperature | Stays cool | Stays cool | Warmer than mesh | Stays cool |
| Best for | Colour at a compact desk | Offices wanting a neutral look | People who want padding | Long days, leaning back |
You can compare every model in our Eames style office chairs collection.
Specifications
| FEATURE | CHAIR |
|---|---|
| Overall width | 59 cm |
| Overall depth | 63 cm |
| Overall height (adjustable) | 90–97 cm |
| Seat height (adjustable) | 94-103 cm |
| Net weight | 11 kg |
Looking After Orange Mesh and Chrome
A lint roller once a week keeps pale threads and pet hair off the orange. Once a month, go over the mesh with the soft brush attachment of your vacuum to lift dust out of the weave.
For marks, dab with a cloth dampened in cool water and a drop of pH-neutral washing-up liquid, then blot dry. Test on the underside of the seat first. Bleach and solvents can strip colour from dyed mesh, so keep them away.
Like most dyed fabrics, orange mesh can soften in colour after years of strong direct sun. Place the chair out of all-day window light if you can. Wipe the chrome with a dry microfibre cloth and never use abrasive pads.
Every few months, clear hair from the castor wheels. After the first few weeks of use, check the base and arm fixings and tighten any that have settled.
Sederica is an independent furniture brand. This chair is a reproduction inspired by the work of Charles and Ray Eames, and it is not made or endorsed by the design’s rights holders. See our Legal Disclaimer for terms.
Frequently Asked Questions
What shade of orange is the mesh?
It’s a warm red-orange, closer to tangerine than to amber or rust. Because the mesh is partly see-through, the shade shifts with what’s behind it: lighter against a bright window, deeper against a dark wall. Screens also show colour differently, so check the close-up photos on more than one device if the exact tone matters.
Is a low back mesh chair supportive enough for a full working day?
For upright desk work, most people find that it is. The tensioned mesh supports your lower and middle back and doesn’t trap heat over long hours. What the low back won’t do is hold your shoulders when you lean right back. If you recline often or spend long days at a screen, our EA119 high back mesh chair is the better match.
Will the orange mesh fade or show dirt?
It’s more forgiving than white and less forgiving than black. Light dust and denim tint barely show, while pale lint and pet hair stand out, so a lint roller helps. Like most dyed fabrics, the mesh can soften in colour after years of strong direct sun. Keeping the chair out of all-day window light keeps the colour even.
Will this chair fit under my desk?
Usually, but measure first. The chair is 59 cm wide and 90–97 cm tall, and the armrests are fixed. Measure from the floor to the underside of your desk, then compare that figure with the arm height in our size table. If the arms sit higher than the desk, the chair will park against the edge instead of sliding under.
Is this a replica Eames mesh office chair, and who makes it?
Yes. Sederica makes it as a reproduction inspired by the EA117 from Charles and Ray Eames’ 1958 Aluminium Group. It’s our own build in orange mesh and polished chrome aluminium. It isn’t made or endorsed by the design’s rights holders, and our Legal Disclaimer explains the terms.
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