Edward J Wormley was born in 1907 in a small town outside of Chicago. While in high school, he took a correspondence course from the New York School of Interior Design. After graduating he attended the Art Institute of Chicago. Once his three years of study at the school were complete, he began training in interior design at Marshall Field & Company. He was soon designing for the Grand Rapids furniture firm of Berkey and Gay. Wormley's work for the company included reproductions of 18th century English furniture. In the early 1930s, Edward Wormley took a trip to Europe that broadened his interest in design.

Shortly thereafter, Wormley became a major designer for the Dunbar Furniture Compa...