The Un-tidy side table by Milan based designer Kostantia Manthou provides a clever and unexpected extra storage for various reading materials. Thanks to its accordeon-like leather pocket, the piece expands, creating a bookshelf between two surfaces. Perfect as a bedside table and a reading chair companion, Un-tidy is flexible and can store as much or as little as you like. The item comes in a variety of finishes and several colors of leather.
(via designboom)
Since we’re on the subject of interesting room dividers, here is another one I couldn’t pass by. B-OK is a space-saving alternative to the usual bookshelf, created by Italian designer Marica Vizzuso. The piece unfolds into a screen and folds back into a tower, depending on your preference and space limitations. B-OK is also fun – instead of stacking books side-by-side, you pile books on top of one another into a variety of slots. ““Why do you place books in a conventional way when you can have both an amusing and aesthetically interesting alternative?” – aptly asks the designer.
This minimalist shelf by Carme Pinós studio caught my eye. Made out of 2mm thick piece of steel, the Moni shelf is folded and attached to the wall, creating multiple configurations. The piece reminds me of Umbra’s famous Conceal shelf. Here too – the storage becomes visually overtaken by the stored items. “Moni’s receptacle form facilitates easy storage of books and objects, and takes on a weightless appearance as the number of books grows.” – designers explain. The piece is available in three depths – 20cm-25cm-30cm, and two finishes – vanished and coated.
Everyone who follows this blog is aware of my book storage fetish. Here is another item I couldn’t pass by – the Slotted System Bookcase by Book/Shop. Ideal for a desk or a windowsill, this portable bookshelf is designed to fit a large variety of books – from small paperbacks to large art books and lps. Made in California of natural birch ply, each piece is cut and trimmed by hand to ensure an exact fit, then matte clear-coated, edge-banded, and hand rubbed with a light finish of natural beeswax. The result is gorgeous, practical and mobil. Perfect for those actively perused books you need to have in front of you at all times.
This beautiful minimalist panter, called hanabunko made me look. Produced by Japanese company 224porcelain, the piece dicguises itself as a book. It even comes with its own book cover… A beautiful way to add greenery to any shelf and save space.
(via Spoon & Tamago)
Who can resist cool book storage? Not me. This lovely project, called Book Rack, was designed by Danish studio Agustav. The principle is simple – 12 pins/bookmarks hold your tomes attached to the wooden rail. The pins are removable and can be rearranged to meet your needs. The books rest on a small wooden plate so the pages stay intact. The plates can be moved back and forth on the bottom of the book to control the height of which the book hangs, making it possible to line different sized books up in a straight line. Elegant solution.
Here is another attractive holder for the active piles of books, otherwise creating visual clutter and blocking the passages between your furniture (mostly speaking for myself here). The piece, called Lesefutter (which can be translated as “reading matter”), was created by Italian design studio Covo. Its function is to provide space for the favorite books and magazines you want to keep in reach – beside your sofa, your table, your bed or wherever you are in need of some brain food. The inspiration for this design came from the archaic form of an animal’s manger. Clever. The piece offers a built-in bookmark and comes in black and white.
This little item, aptly called Buchtisch (German for Book Table), by Germany based design firm Studio Voigt Dietrich is a lovely companion to a reading chair. Small in size, it can fit in any space, even a tiny one. The unusual shape of the piece allows you to use it as a side table, book storage and also a bookmark. It will hold your teacup as well as your curent page. A nice idea for any ‘active reading’ you might have scattered across the room.
(via Stilsucht)
Read vs. unread bookshelf idea is not new, but Australian designer Robert Stadler executed it so beautifully, it made me look. The Origami-like object is made of aluminum composite and folded into a clever W-shaped structure, allowing us to divide the books into two stacks.
Here is how the designer describes it: “‘Transitory bookshelf’ points out a well known dilemma – books are piling up at home because we lack time to read them. This object combines two inclined platforms which help us to handle the situation : the ‘read!’ section reminds us that we should take time to read; the ‘read.’ section’s purpose is to digest books we have recently read before they disappear into the jungle of our main bookshelf.”
The Transitory Bookshelf is shown at the Milan Design Week till April 22nd.
Avid readers – rejoice. The Eli shelf by Tel Aviv based Studio Ve is designed specifically for your active piles. Instead of scattering the books you are currently reading around the apartment or leaving them in heaps near your sofas and chairs – you can neatly store them on this mobile shelf. This temporary housing for your active library can be easily moved, it will save your precious tomes from damage and free some valuable floor space.
