Eames Desks and Storage Units

Overview

Eames Desks and Storage Units combine freestanding work surfaces with complementary cabinets, cases, drawers, and open shelving. Herman Miller traces the pieces to work Charles and Ray Eames prepared for a 1949 exhibition at the Detroit Institute of Arts.

Construction

Steel uprights, perforated panels, and wire cross-supports establish the framework. Smooth plywood forms shelves and drawer fronts, molded plywood forms dimpled cabinet fronts, and painted hardboard supplies side panels. Nylon glides protect the floor.

Desk Unit 20 dimensions

The Desk Unit 20 is 60 inches wide, 28 inches deep, and 29 inches high. Storage units range from 20.5 to 58.5 inches high and from 24.5 to 47 inches wide, with a stated depth of 16 inches.

From an exhibition to production

The desks and storage units grew from Charles and Ray Eames' work for a 1949 Detroit Institute of Arts exhibition. Herman Miller's product page calls them working art when they first appeared that year, while its timeline records the Eames Storage Units among the company's 1950 introductions.

Machine methods and domestic use

The design brought industrial production techniques into furnishings for work, display, and storage. Wire cross-supports connect the system visually to other Eames designs, while cabinets, drawers, and open sections allow desks and storage units to stand alone or work together.