Design Classic: Eames Hang It All

One of our first investments in our old home was a "Hang it All" coat rack designed by Charles and Ray Eames. At the time, we paid around $130, which was much more than we'd ever thought we'd spend on wall hooks, but we loved the design and we knew it was worth the extra money, since we'd use it for a long time. Fast forward several years...

... and it's still one of our favorite pieces. This design has consistently made Apartment Therapy's list of best wall hooks and best coat racks, and it appears in more than a few of our house tours.

Designed by the Eameses in 1953, it was originally intended for children, but the simplicity of the design translated well into other markets. The base is powdercoated steel and the hooks are painted wood, making it a strong and long-lasting piece. It's sold at lots of stores including DWR, Velocity, Amazon, and others. The current list price is around $180.

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Photos: Sarah Coffey, Melissa and Matt, Evan Thomas, Anna, Herman Miller

Comments (14)

i love it mainly because it is good quality and it works in so many different styles, plus it's versatile... it is a great peice.

@particlebored- man, your world must be dark...

It's practical and nice looking, but there's no way they can justify charging $180 for a coat rack that costs $10 to mass produce & sell (which they have been for 55 years)
It was a novelty, new & amusing, in 1953. In 2009, it's just an overpriced set of hooks that make people feel they're cool.

Good design only appreciates in value.

i have an authentic one-and the paint is chipping off. i have a near identical one from ebay that i bought a couple of years ago that is not authentic, the paint is much superior. it was about 100 cheaper than the authentic one.

The only problem I have with this coatrack is that if you actually use it, i.e. hang coats on it, what makes it beautiful is covered up. Which seems like kind of a design flaw...

Wishing IKEA would do a knock-off...

Good point made by idontdobeige; when this piece is fully 'employed,' its true panache disappears.

I have never understood the appeal of this coat rack. I'm glad to learn that it was created for children--to me it looks like something that belongs in a preschool entryway or kid's bedroom. It also reminds me of those models of the solar system we used to make out of painted styrofoam balls.

If this were an Ikea product I am certain that a good number of people commenting that this is such a wonderful design would be saying "ugh Ikea, not again!".

Eames designs are nearly as ubiquitous as Ikea, the only difference being you might pay $20 for a coat rack at Ikea and $180 for an Eames coat rack, which is simply ridiculous.

I proudly and shamelessly paid $140 for mine and I love it; I could not be happier with the investment I made. It's one of my favorite pieces in my home. Totally worth every penny.

It's a bright and whimsical piece that works. Much like the Eames' themselves, it's fun and pratical. It's ok to have a little fun.

glad some folks aren't melting over this piece. design for design's sake. gimme an eames lounger. now you're talkin'.

OMG people will spend $80 on an ironic FREAKIN TEE SHIRT from Urban Outfitters - but somehow $180 for a coatrack is overpriced?