Let's See Your Vintage Inspired Office!

[missjo]

My office as it looks now;

And heres another nice fake retro pc;

 

[ilcatex]

Here's a high-angle view of my office...

The desk is solid granite with a custom made "V" base. I have a leather sofa and loveseat, with a vintage coffee table where my creative team and staff meet. I'll take some better pics tomorrow.

 

[beaucaillou]

(I might as well mention that the Dallas-Fort Worth area has an average annual windspeed slightly higher than that of Chicago.)

fftopic:
(Just an FYI, Chicago is called 'The Windy City' not because of the actual wind, but because of the historic arrogance and pomposity of its government and officials... )

 

[Sunny]

fftopic:
(Just an FYI, Chicago is called 'The Windy City' not because of the actual wind, but because of the historic arrogance and pomposity of its government and officials... )

That's what I've heard... but I figured I might ruffle enough tail feathers with just the one statement. I've also heard people stoutly maintaining that it's truly just windy! Either way, the average wind speeds are within a couple tenths of each other.

 

[beaucaillou]

That's what I've heard... but I figured I might ruffle enough tail feathers with just the one statement. I've also heard people stoutly maintaining that it's truly just windy! Either way, the average wind speeds are within a couple tenths of each other.

fftopic:

It is windy, you are right. I think this was fresh in my mind because of the other thread 'Absurd things people ask about your city.' As soon as I say I'm from Chicago I am asked, "Is it really that windy?" Yes and no, but mostly no.

 

[Brian Sheridan]

Here's a high-angle view of my office...

The desk is solid granite with a custom made "V" base. I have a leather sofa and loveseat, with a vintage coffee table where my creative team and staff meet. I'll take some better pics tomorrow.

Is the candle on the desk the smell of vintage? LOL

 

[Sunny]

fftopic:

It is windy, you are right. I think this was fresh in my mind because of the other thread 'Absurd things people ask about your city.' As soon as I say I'm from Chicago I am asked, "Is it really that windy?" Yes and no, but mostly no.

fftopic: Ha, that makes sense! Reminds me of when I spent six weeks in Ukraine a couple summers ago. If you say you're from Texas, they all instantly think of the television show "Dallas"! lol I live very close to Dallas, but I've never even seen the show.

 

[WH1]

My ideal office from one of the all time great movies.

http://thegodfathertrilogy.com/office.htm

Of course it would come with the additional muscle for dealing with difficult issues.

 

[Diamondback]

My ideal office from one of the all time great movies.

http://thegodfathertrilogy.com/office.htm

Of course it would come with the additional muscle for dealing with difficult issues.

Trivial note, the dons' conference was filmed in the former New York Central Railroad boardroom.

 

[poetman]

Home Office

I tried a similar thread before, but I think it was misinterperted, so I'm going to try again.
I am trying to make my home library/office look vintage. Does anyone have pictures of old home offices/mateials: desks, lamps, bookcases, shelves--overall design. I'm also trying to look at hollywood set designs. In the End of the Affair, with Ralph Fiennes, he has a great apartment, with some shots of his book shelves and desk, but they're distant shots at odd angles. I'm looking for all types of resource material on home office related design for the 30's and 40's in attempt to recreate this for myself. ANY photos, links, advice, or leads would be great!
Thank You!

 

[Midnight Palace]

I think I might be able to dig up some noir-ish detective office photos, is that what you're interested in?

 

[Salv]

It may be a little too modern for you, but in 1950 Charles and Ray Eames designed a series of storage units for Herman Miller known as ESU (Eames Storage Units). The whole series was based around individual components that could be combined to make desks, tables and shelf units. You can download a copy of the original 1951 brochure, showing a few office and home layouts, here.

Here's a sample page from another catalogue

There's also a huge gallery of photos that includes many office layouts, as well as close-ups of some of the Eames chairs.

All this stuff, and much more, can be found at the wonderful Eames Office website.

 

[poetman]

I think I might be able to dig up some noir-ish detective office photos, is that what you're interested in?

Yes, thank you. I'm thinking 1940's writer at home. What does the room look like?

 

[Midnight Palace]

 

[Story]

Some shots of Hemingway's office, from different folks
http://managementcraft.typepad.com/photos/uncategorized/office_small.jpg

http://www.prairienet.org/tim/cgi-bin/timbecca/Honeymoon/honeymoonpics/hemhouse2.jpg

 

[Shanghailander]

I am trying to make my home library/office look vintage. Does anyone have pictures of old home offices/mateials: desks, lamps, bookcases, shelves--overall design.

This is exactly what I wanted for MY home office. I have a wonderful Stowe & Davis executive mahogany desk from the 1920s, with a Bell 202 model phone, wooden in-and out-tray, antique brass letter holder, mahogany wooden file cabinets, a brass and slag glass Miller library lamp on the desk from the 1920s, a 1930s era floor lamp, and four bookcases just packed with books. Decor is more like a 1930s era gentleman's club - dark green half wallpaper with gold fleur-de-lis border, and hunting trophies (Springbok, Caribou, Sable antelope) high up on the walls (It's a cathedral ceiling.) No air conditioning, so in the summer I break out my vintage fan (I bought it for $3.00 back in 1976; it was 40 years old then, and remains, to this day, the best $3 I ever spent) as well as a couple of paperweights to keep all the paper from flying all over. A five foot wide 1930s era panorama photo of Shanghai and some 1930s luggage labels, framed, are some of the wall decorations.

For wooden file cabinets, check out Macey or Globe Wernicke. Oak is very common, walnut or mahogany also exist but you will pay a premium for them. You can get them in two, three, four, or five units. Also they come in stacking, modular units with all sorts of configurations (card files, letter files, vertical drawers, etc) but the stacking units come at a premium, too.

Vintage phones are common, but in today's digital world, a dial up model leaves you for dead when you encounter the increasingly frequent voice mail menus. And, with ten digit dialing covering more and more areas, even a local call becomes a chore - something people my age have forgotten, and those younger never knew! I use my phone to answer calls, but if I am calling out from my home office I use a headset and the computer.

Desk accoutrements - letter holders, openers, etc. are common in flea markets, antique stores, etc. I got my wooden filing tray for $10.

Lamps and lighting are available on eBay; some antique lighting dealers specialize in lamps from the Golden Era - one is just a few miles from me.

Bookcases are a subject on which volumes could be written. Mine are pretty basic, but for years I've been planning to build my own set out of mahogany, with fluted columns and carved figures, and a few secret panels.

Nothing better than when I sit up in my office, away from the modern world, listening to some 1920s jazz or 30s swing!

I'll try to get some photos up in a few days.

 

[poetman]

Thank you so much for the insight. I would LOVE to see pictures. I'm particularly curios to see your bookcase and desk. Did you mount shelves on the wall or purchase actual cases? I wonder what is more vintage? I've been looking for an antique fan and desk lamp for some time. Thanks for the encouragement!

 

[Shanghailander]

Here's a shot of the desk, floor lamp, and bookcases.

The lampstand matches the fluted columns in the desk corners.

Everything except the computer is vintage.

 

[Shanghailander]

Some more shots.

Here's the desktop. Desk is burled walnut, executive size (66 inches long) with lots of great carved details, and tons of drawer space.

The phone, lamp, letter holder, and in/out box are all vintage. Stapler is from the 1930s.

 

[Shanghailander]

A shot of the chair, also vintage. It has an original inventory brass tag from Standard Oil, which apparently was the original owner back in the 1920s. Surprisingly comfortably - I spent ten to twelve hour stretches sitting in it when I was writing my book.

On the wall is a collection of 1930s luggage tags from Shanghai and Hong Kong hotels, and a 1942 notice from Japanese occupied Shanghai.