Eames Storage Unit (ESU)
Charles Eames
American, 1907–1978
Ray Eames
American, 1912–1988
1950
A modular shelving and storage system by Charles Eames made from plastic-coated plywood, lacquered masonite, and chrome-plated steel, conceived as an affordable, adaptable solution for everyday home organization.
You notice immediately the taut grid of warm, dimpled wood panels and black shelves framed by slender chrome uprights—the mix of soft birch grain, punched-metal backing, and exposed hardware giving it an industrial yet domestic precision that invites touch and rearrangement.
Debuting in 1950, the Eames Storage Unit exemplified postwar modernism’s belief in mass-produced, customizable furniture, showing how elegant design could be modular, economical, and integrated into daily life and later inspiring countless system-based furnishings.
Medium
Plastic-coated plywood, lacquered masonite, and chrome-plated steel
Dimensions
58 1/2 x 47 x 16 3/4" (148.6 x 119.4 x 42.5 cm)
Classification
Department
Credit
Gift of John C. Waddell
Accession
434.1992
Palette
Art Terms
Exhibitions
