Blast from the Past: 10 Flat-File Cabinets

Antique Wood Flat File Cabinet

There’s nothing particularly remarkable about a standard file cabinet — in fact, one might argue that the piece has no place inside a home, but rather, should be relegated to the confines of a proper office.

But perhaps exceptions could be made for the flat-file version of the storage classic, which has traditionally been used to house art and architectural drafts (and, way back in the day, metal imprint blocks for letterpress machines in old-school print houses).

There’s just something visually satisfying about the long, lean drawers stacked atop one another in perfect order, only tall enough to hold the most important of documents and supplies.

So today, we’ve rounded up ten examples of flat file cabinets, from the retro-modern piece to vintage finds and modern takes on the mid-century original. Feast your eyes on these flat-file cabinets and let your inner geek smile.