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.
This table from Studio Uli Budde has a lot to be in love with. It is elegant, compact and loaded with functionality. The piece is a logical combination of coffee table, side table, and magazine rack. The central island is a practical surface for placing coffee, plates, sketchbook, or laptop. The area that wraps around is a storage space for books and magazines. The outside rim also serves as a bookmark when taking a break from reading. Simple and unobtrusive aesthetic of the reading table makes it perfect for the living room, bedroom or waiting room. The piece comes in two sizes.
I can never get enough book and bike storage, and when I see these things combined – it’s Christmas. Bookbike by BYografia is a clever hybrid, addressing both your reading and riding needs. The piece is comprised of two parts – one features shelves for your books, another – a hook for your bike. And because the rack is adjustable, it can accomodate a bike of any size. The base is equipped with adaptable legs to ensure the stability of the structure. I also quite like the somewhat retro feel of this design. Bookbike comes in chalk white and gray antracite.
Instead of letting your favorite, memorable or otherwise significant books gather dust in the back of your bookcase, why not show them off, creating a beautiful decorative arrangement? This was the idea behind Miriam Aust‘s bookshelf, which is built around the books you choose to display. ‘A quite arbitrary number of shelf boxes in different heights, cutting and turning round each, are forming this shelf. Every crate is oriented in its height and depth on a pair of books and forms an individual frame for it. Put into grooves, with an extended lid each, the books are forming small hinged storage spaces in the shelf,’ – explains the designer. With the growing popularity of electronic reading, books are pushed further and further into realm of purely aesthetic pleasures. And this beautiful and nostalgic project is a pleasure indeed.
If you have piles of books growing on the floor around every seat – congratulations. You are a proud bookworm, and you will love this piece. Le Bouc was created by Mathieu Gabiot in collaboration with Speculoosbook, graphic design company specialised in editorial design. The piece is dedicated to books in all forms and sizes. It supports them, open or closed, keeps them available at all times, whether you are in your office, drawing room or garden. Small enough for a small room, Le Bouc is versatile and mobile. The piece can also be a very useful and attractive addition to a desk – something many of us chase for.
