With a defined grid of shelving, drawers, and cases in an array of sizes and configurations, the units are a candid response to the never-ending need for a place to organize and keep things. The uprights, cross-supports, and perforated panels ensure stability; a selection of decorative options, from painted color-block hardboard panels to molded plywood sliding doors, add a touch of playfulness. Here’s how a few homes and home offices use the classic — often called “working art” — to keep their space streamlined.

The studio space of photographer Clark Lara (and his scene-stealing dog Cooper) contains an extensive collection of vintage Eames pieces, including the Eameses’ timeless storage unit. (Photo: Clark Lara)

The storage unit contains art, books, trinkets and more in the home lifestyle blogger and book designer Anna Dorfman is slowly renovating in upstate New York. (Photo: Anna Dorfman)

The Eameses’ never-boring design is a smart complement to the bold graphic wallpaper in the Boulder, Colorado, home of Roman, Christine, and Izzy Martinez. (Photo: Ashley Poskin / Apartment Therapy)

The classic unit provides an easy solution for maximizing the storage space in this 670-square foot studio apartment in Brooklyn. (Photo: Apartment Therapy)

Learn more and configure the unit that’s right for your space now in the Herman Miller store.

Top photo: Francois Dischinger for Herman Miller

1. Eames Storage, Charles & Ray Eames - Versatile. Functional. Classic. The Eames Storage Unit solves just about any storage issue with three sizes and a multitude of configurations. Choose from neutral or vibrant colors, and get ready for organizing greatness. Configure yours at Herman Miller.

2. MOS (Magnetic Organization System) - Cable management can be especially maddening. Enter MOS, an attractive – in looks and magnetism – cable management system. Magnetic clips harness your various cords and keep them in place on its sleek base. Available in aluminum, white, and black from Bite My Apple.

3. Nelson Swag Leg Desk, George Nelson - Its modest size doesn’t take up much space, but its captivating design yields plenty of organization. Bright colored cubbies help arrange your desktop while twin drawers keep accessories in their place. Get yours at Herman Miller.

*Add a Setu Chair for the perfect home workspace. 

4. TU Storage - When in need of a solid storage solution, TU is for you. Choose from a range of options including the Mobile Pedestal – a 20″ deep freestanding organizer with 2 and 3-drawer configurations, and a choice of 4 colors. Choose your TU solution at Herman Miller.

*Add the TU Utility Tray for even more organizing potential.

5. Large Wood Desk Organizer, Less & More - They say it’s the little things that matter. If you’ve a lot of them on your desk, try this hold-everything, solid oak organizer. Holds pens, scissors, iPods, mail, and more. Check it out on Supermarket.

6. Nelson Basic Cabinet Series, George Nelson - With multiples sizes and configurations to choose from, the Basic Cabinet Series takes storage to a timeless, sophisticated level. Available in oak or walnut veneer, with or without legs. Configure your Basic Cabinets at Herman Miller.

*Set a Basic Cabinet atop a Nelson Platform Bench for a truly distinctive solution.

Photos linked with text.

Book cover designer and lifestyle blogger Anna Dorfman showed us not one, but two home offices: the first in a small rental apartment in Brooklyn, and the second in upstate New York, where she and her husband are slowly renovating an 1891 Victorian row house. (Photo: Anna Dorfman)

Architectural photographer David Lauer gave us a tour of his new mid-century-built home in Denver, complete with a home office centered around bold color choices, like his green Mirra Chair. (Photo: David Lauer)

This weekend-getaway workspace belonged to J3 Productions and Happy Mundane’s Jonathan Lo, who is normally based in Orange County, CA, but instead opted to rent a “second office” near the beach in San Diego for the summer. (Photo: Jonathan Lo)

A sunny view and an original Eames Wire Chair passed down by her grandparents made up this tour from photographer-turned-designer Jennifer Levy of CAVdesign. (Photo: Jennifer Levy)

Artist Laura Hughes let us take a look at her combination home/workspace (Aeron Chair included) in the middle of Manhattan. (Photo: Laura Hughes)

Makoto Mizutani and Ben Luddy — better known as the brains behind multidisciplinary design practice Scout Regalia — let us take a peek at their living space/company headquarters in the Echo Park neighborhood of Los Angeles. (Photo: Scout Regalia)

We found out just how organized the workspace of a professional organizer can be with this step inside the home office of Justin Klosky, founder and Creative Director of O.C.D. Experience, a bi-coastal organizing service. (Photo: Justin Klosky)

Photographer Clark Lara introduced us to a space filled with modern Herman Miller designs — check out the Embody Chair, Eames Molded Plastic Chairs, and Eames Storage Unit just in the one photo above — as well as his scene-stealing dog, Cooper. (Photo: Clark Lara)

Singer, songwriter, producer, photographer, cinematographer, and director Thomas Piper Jr. showed us around his home workspace in Bedford-Stuyvesant, Brooklyn. (Photo: Thomas Piper Jr.)

Food writer and co-author of The Kimchi Cookbook Olga Massov gave us a glance at her Brooklyn home office (as well as her well-stocked kitchen). (Photo: Amy Feezor).

Our SAYL chairs fit nicely in the newly-built backyard office shed shared by organizer Vanessa Hayes and her husband Dan, a technology/marketing/media consultant, in San Antonio, TX. (Photo: Vanessa Hayes)

Kiwi-born and London-based designer and illustrator Marcia Mihotich — who collaborates with the likes of Industrial Facility and other arts-related organizations — opened the doors to her live/work space, which includes a cushy Eames Soft Pad Management Chair. (Photo: Marcia Mihotich)

Tell us about yourself: what you’re passionate about, what inspires you, and where you’re going. I’m inspired by people who roll with the punches and who aren’t afraid to constantly reevaluate where they are in life and where they’re headed. The older I get, the less I worry about making plans or setting goals for myself, and the more I focus on making sure I’m happy and comfortable with where I am right now. Working in the book publishing industry right now means having to constantly adapt my skills as a designer to constantly-evolving formats. Ultimately, my job is to get people to read more books — whether that means a printed volume on a shelf or something that’s downloaded to an iPad. My heart will always lie with the physical, printed book format, but I’m also excited to see where we’re headed in the world of digital publishing.

How are your spaces set up? Where do you do most of your work? And what would you change if you could? I work for a publishing company in an office building all week long at my 9-to-5 job, so I don’t have a lot of control over my primary workspace. Fortunately, my department is set up in a big, open space surrounded by windows overlooking midtown Manhattan — I think I’d have a hard time being shut in an office or sitting in a cubicle all day.

If I’m being honest, most of my freelance work and blogging time happens on the sofa. I have a desk set up in the apartment that doubles as a dining table, but I seldom sit there unless I really have to concentrate and do a lot of writing. At the house, we have an office set up that doubles as a recording studio for my husband, a technologist and musician. The desk is made from my father’s old drawing table, and sitting at it to work always feels very special.

As I get older, my back doesn’t really appreciate how much time I spend working on the sofa, so I really need to be better about working at a proper desk! The one thing I can’t do is work amongst clutter. I know a lot of artists and designers like to be surrounded by inspirational images, but I find that kind of stuff distracting — aside from my computer, I really just want a notepad, a glass of water, and maybe a dog or two nearby.

You have several pieces by Charles and Ray Eames. Why did you choose them? I’ve been collecting vintage Eames shell and wire chairs since we bought our house — there’s an embarrassing number of them stacked up in our basement. They really do look great in old houses! I love the contrast between the ornate Victorian details of our house and the smooth, rounded curves of the shell chairs. I’m always on the lookout for new (old) Eames chairs to bring home and rehabilitate. They’re classics, and they go with everything. They’ll never go out of style.

Aside from the vintage Eames chairs, we also have a large Eames Storage Unit (ESU) in our dining room. It holds everything — extra cups and plates, candle holders, placemats, cookbooks, our telephone, magazines, tools, office supplies, you name it. And, of course, we have a couple of Eames Hang-It-Alls, which truly do function as their name promises.

Do you have other Herman Miller pieces? At my day job, I sit in an Aeron chair for hours on end. The Aeron really has become the gold standard among ergonomic office chairs, and for good reason. As someone with various joint and nerve issues, I can’t say enough good things about what a difference it has made in terms of comfort in my daily life.

Photos: Anna Dorfman. The Brooklyn apartment appears in the first two photos; the remaining are from the home in Newburgh.

Last spring, while the original contents of Charles and Ray Eameses’ living room were on display at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, the Herman Miller Collection team had the rare opportunity to hold a photo shoot in the husband-and-wife team’s landmark home. The capper? They were also invited to explore Ray’s extensive, well-curated personal collection of objects to use as props. In celebration of Ray’s upcoming 100th birthday, we asked Jennie Maneri, Art Director, Collection and Retail, to walk us through a few of the shots and explain how the details Ray was know for helped bring the Collection to life.

“We knew going into the project that many of the photos would draw from Charles and Ray’s own photos — not shot for shot, but as inspiration. This image [above] is a re-imagining of a picture they’d taken [below] using all the same furniture pieces in the same location, except their lounge and ottoman had black leather and the old Rosewood shell. We wanted to do the updated version in white ash and pearl MCL leather. We included one of Ray’s baskets and her jade plant, which we brought in from the outside. This photo really moved me, as I felt that it was the shot that shows what the Collection is all about: a lived-in quality, a feeling of warmth, beautiful architecture, timeless design.” Pictured above: Eames Lounge and Ottoman, White Ash and Eames Sofa Compact

“We, of course, wanted to shoot the Ray-inspired Select Eames LTR in the home. The bowls on the tables are hers, as is the unique cat sculpture sitting on top of the grouped tables.” Pictured above: Select Eames Wire Base Low Tables and Eames Molded Plywood Chairs

“The inspiration for this shot was ‘Ray getting ready for a party.’ We used her china, her champagne glasses, and some amazing gold flatware. We even went into her garden and picked Aster flowers for her bud jar.” Pictured above: Eames Table and Eames Molded Plywood Dining Chairs

“We shot this photo in the Eames Studio, which is adjacent to the house. The whale sculpture was hers. According to old photos, it was once hanging in the house. It had also been in the original Herman Miller showroom in Los Angeles, which Ray and Charles had designed and styled. We found Ray’s rug folded into a tiny cube within a big stack of textiles. We didn’t even know it was a rug until we opened it up. There were a lot of wonderful surprises like that throughout the day of the shoot.” Pictured above: Eames Molded Plastic Armchair and Eames Storage Unit

“This shot is not in the Collection catalog, but everything here is Ray’s: the plants, the decorative sculptures, the saucers (which were almost like little dessert bowls on pedestals). And then there are pieces from her collections of bowls and salt-and-pepper shakers. . . . There was so much to choose from. Ray didn’t just have one salt bowl; she’d have 40 salt bowls, all different. She’d have 50 different candlesticks and all kinds of plates and bowls. There were cabinets of vases. Drawers of linens. We saw artifacts from different cultures — earthenware, African baskets. But they’d all still be a curated collection. And we found inspiration in the way she could could take very-different objects — a sea pod, a bowl, fresh flowers — and turn that combination into sculpture. Ray made sure her toolbox was abundant, but how she put it together — that’s where the art came from.” Pictured above: Eames Table Outdoor and Eames Molded Plastic Side Chairs

See more of the Collection at hermanmiller.com/collection.

Photos: Francois Dischinger for Herman Miller

You started your photography studio in 2005. What led to that point? I started out photographing weddings in college. Several of my classmates did not see the “art” in shooting weddings, so they would turn those kind of projects down. I personally thought it was a great way to gain experience. I wound up contacting other photographers in the area and shadowing them as well. I talked with all types: a horse photographer (yes, that is a thing), studio portrait photographers, wedding photographers, press photographers with the Houston Chronicle, and even a crime scene photographer. Working with these different types of photographers helped me to find what I was good at.

I shot on the side for quite a few years. Soon, after getting tired of working outside sales for a mobile company, I decided to jump in feet first and see if I could run a successful studio.

Tell us what you’re passionate about, what inspires you, and where you’re going. Of course, I am passionate about photography; but deeper than that, I would say I am passionate about people. I want to give my clients not only great images but also a great experience. I always tell my friends that I want my clients to choose me because of me — my personality and my work, not because I fit their budget. Inspiration for me comes from everywhere. Other photographers in my area inspire me, as do graphic designers and movies. As for where I am going, I honestly just want to keep photographing weddings and hopefully do more destination weddings.

Tell us about your space. Were there any special considerations that influenced its set up? What would you change if you could? My current space was designed with Eames and Herman Miller furniture in mind. My previous studio was a 100-year-old farmhouse that was designed for my clients’ needs only. It was great and it had a lot of character, but I didn’t feel like it expressed me as a whole. So when it came time to move, I knew I wanted all new (and some vintage) furniture for the place. The new studio is located in a warehouse/business complex. There are several other creatives in the complex, which helps with inspiration. I love the concrete floors, but do not like that I am the second floor.

Why did you chose these particular Herman Miller pieces? My first Herman Miller pieces were the four vintage orange Eames molded fiberglass chairs. I knew I wanted them at my meeting table. I love how the orange pops and how it reminds a lot of people of their old school chairs. My favorite is the Eames Storage Unit (I will never let that one go). It is very versatile, has plenty of storage, and is a piece of art in itself. And I like that I can move my Nelson tables around easily and rearrange the seating areas.

I knew I wanted original Herman Miller pieces and not knock-offs. I scoured Craigslist, garage sales, storage auctions, and business furniture liquidators. I chose these pieces because they function as art; to me, they are not just chairs — there is a lot of nostalgia there.

Photos: Clark Lara

Enter Boutique Homes. It’s a vacation-home rental site that lets you find an interesting space almost anywhere across the globe to meet your needs (work, home, and otherwise). And while we’re not recommending that you always take business with you on the road, we do encourage that you seek out the most comfortable spot to do so when it’s necessary — especially since this site lets you search its “architecturally significant rentals” by designers like Frank Lloyd Wright, Le Corbusier, and Albert Frey. Take a look at a few that we found that fit the bill.

Set into the side of a wooded ridge in West Virginia, the prefab Lostrivermodern cabin by the award-winning firm resolution: 4 architecture (creators of the original dwell home) has a wall of glass extending nearly its entire length — and work and living spaces peppered with several comfortable Eames molded plastic chairs and a classic clock by George Nelson.

Work from an Eames molded plastic side chair with wood dowel base while facing a view of the High Atlas mountains in Morocco in Villa K, a contemporary house by Paris- and Marrakesh-based architecture firm Studio KO.

Work — then relax — surrounded by nature in this quiet cottage by legendary architect Frank Lloyd Wright in Mirror Lake, Wisconsin.

A stay in this holiday cottage by Denmark’s Søren Sarup in Aavego, Denmark might include a quick brainstorm by the fire in an Eames molded plastic armchair with wire base. After work is done, relaxation is guaranteed, especially since the home is situated in Thy National Park amidst the ocean, an estuary, lakes, and dunes.

It may be small, but time spent in this elegant and bright studio apartment in Marseille, France may be largely rewarding — it’s designed by Charles-Édouard Jeanneret, the Swiss architect better known as Le Corbusier.

Built in 1959 by famed architect (and Le Corbusier disciple) Albert Frey, this striking home is listed on the Historic Preservation List for the City of Palm Springs. It features the home’s original furnishings (including a Eames Storage Unit) along with a 30-foot waterfall and infinity pool and spa outside — the perfect place to take break after that “one last phone call” from the office.

Photos: Via Boutique Homes, all linked to their sources

1. Song: Iron Galaxy by Cannibal Ox | Added by: Artist & Designer Matthew Shlian

2. Song: The Once and Future Carpenter by The Avett Brothers | Added by: Artist Amy Helfand

3. Song: Shoes by Tiga | Added by: Designer & DJ Bethany Shorb

4. Song: Peng! by Iron & Wine | Added by: Freelance Writer Joelle Alcaidinho

5. Song: Back in Our Town by Ivy (with additional music & lyrics by James Iha) | Added by: Jenna Park of Whimsy & Spice

6. Song: 20 Years by The Civil Wars | Added by: Kristin Appenbrink of RealSimple.com

7. Song: Don’t Stop Believin’ by Journey | Added by: Designer & Illustrator Katie Kirk

8. Song: Down in the River to Pray by Alison Krauss | Added by: Writer Elizabeth Jenkins

9. Song: Rorschach by Loscil | Added by: Janine Vangool of UPPERCASE Magazine

10. Song: Hot Summer Night by Grace Potter & The Nocturnals | Added by: Photographer Nicole Hill Gerulat

In Featured Photo: Eames Molded Plywood Lounge Chair; Eames Walnut Stool; Eames Lounge Chair & Ottoman; Eames Storage Unit