Shelving is as unavoidable as human need for collecting things. Ordinary shelving, however, is possible to avoid. Consider this piece from Opulent Items and see for yourself. Justly called Contemporary Flexi Shelving, this modular collection can fit any space. The units are sold separately and can be compiled into various configurations. The choice of two sizes allows for an exciting visual variety. Each circle comes with a level base, that stabilizes the items displayed. The piece can be used as a shelving unit, a room divider, or both.
It is that time of year again, when the Imm Cologne (one of the biggest furniture fairs in the world) is in full swing. It started three days ago and will end this weekend; and some sneak peeks have already began to emerge. Here is one jewel I could not let go unnoticed – the Rewrite desk, created by GamFratesi design group for Ligne Roset. The concept of this piece goes beyond aesthetics and ergonomics. The desk is build around the phycological aspect of the writing process. A wooden table is surrounded by a soundproof and light resistant ball, made out of walnut and Kvadrat Divina wool. The user feels secure in this work bubble, even if the room is full of people. A lacquered metal box is attached beneath the desk to hide electrical cables and transformers. The shape is both traditional and surprising. And because it is so secluded in its own space, the desk can be located anywhere in the room without interfering with the overall design scheme. Rewrite has already been displayed as a prototype at the Danish Museum of Art and Design in Copenhagen.
These unusual bookshelves belong to an emerging French designer Adrien De Melo, who very deservingly called her creation Upside Down. Weightless, modular, transparent, suspended from the ceiling, these pieces truly give a new dimension to the idea of book storage. Each shelve consists of five simple components: translucent inflatable cushions, stainless frameworks, lifting straps, maintenance pins and fixing accessories. The units can be organized into different configurations. The Upside Down bookshelves are currently on display at Galerie BSL in Paris.
Update: Designer clarified that the shelves were ordered as a special command from Louis Vuitton Malletier to equip their cultural space, 7th floor of the Champs-Elysées building. The Upside Down shelving is exhibited at the Pavillon des Arts et du Design in Paris until April, 3rd. And if you are lucky enough to be in Milan for the Salone del Mobile’11 – do check out SPAZIO ROSSANA ORLANDI exposition. These shelves will be there!
If you live in a shoebox apartment you know how problematic formal dining could be. Having a full size dining table is especially difficult, unless it can go off duty and perform other tasks between entertainments. The Unfold Table, created by a Danish designer Mathilde Witt Mølholm, will do that for you. Inspired by the art of paper folding, this piece can take four different shapes to accomodate any party. The sides of the tabletop are color-coded for contrast and also to indicate level change. The legs slide in and out to support the transformation.
Show me someone who owns enough book storage, and I will show you a liar (or a philistine). Unfortunately, traditional bookcases are heavy, permanent and expensive. You cannot easily get more of them to accomodate your latest literary shopping spree. Designer Dany Gilles came up with an unusual solution to this problem. He created DIY modular cardboard bookcases that are cheap and easily movable. The product arrives to you as a kit of parts, from which you assemble sturdy display boxes. The elements interlock to create a bookcase unit or stand alone as structurally independent pieces. Made entirely from recycled scraps of cardboard, the storage system is also eco friendly. It is not water friendly, however, but that is its only flaw.
Source: Dornob
No matter how much we strive to humanize our home, there is one thing that often poses a problem – a universally dreaded file cabinet. And in spite of abundance of consumer products, the pickings of new ideas are slim. For the most part when it comes to file storage, we are reduced to three choices: heavy and bulky, ugly and office-like or seemingly practical and plastic. Jill Allyn Peterson, a young New York designer, created something different. This piece is called Flat File and represents an elegant alternative to a traditional file cabinet. Light-weight hanging files made from birch plywood and organic upholstery fabric are shipped flat and assembled without glue or screws. Easy on the eye, laser-cut, low-impact and biodegradable, Flat File is as modern and efficient as a file cabinet can be. Before the digital age eliminated the very idea…
This candy-colored beauty is a collaborative effort of designers Igor Solovyov and Dzmitry Samal. A chair and a chaise lounge in one – a chair longe. The transformation occurs as the ‘lounge’ part slides under the seat via two railing mechanisms located on its sides. The gap in the middle is not only an eye-pleasing accent, it accommodates the steel handle that locks the chair in its position. Fun and robust, this piece fits perfectly in today’s rapidly changing environment. It can be displayed and used in its full lounging glory or ‘tucked in’ for low key gatherings or simply to clear some space.
Its name is Mons. It was created by the Spanish designer Romualdo Faura as an alternative sink for kids. Aside from its cool design, the piece boasts many child friendly features. The shape of the sink is ergonomically correct and allows a child to reach water and the soap dispenser more easily. The base is enclosed to prevent splashes; the absence of sharp edges makes Mons safe; motion sensors control (and therefore save) water. The piece is made out of Duralmond (biodegradable and recyclable crushed almond husks), an environmentally friendly and sustainable material. Duralmond also allows for any color. Hence, Mons can be tailored to your child’s taste, no matter how capricious. And who knows, maybe it fulfills the ultimate task and makes washing hands fun.
Here is an idea, striking in its simplicity – a coat rack when you need it, an easy to store plank of wood when you don’t. No more piles of guests’ coats in your bedroom during dinner parties. An elegant solution from the Swiss designer Carlo Clopath, called Gardaroba, allows us to deal with the known outerwear situation with grace. The setup process is easy – just slide hooks and legs into the slots. When disassembled, the piece takes only a few square inches of storage capacity. And that is what we, small space dwellers, want to hear…
A single strip of curved plywood was all that was needed to make this home office. Designed to fit even the smallest of spaces, this workstation by MisoSoup studio, incorporates a working surface and a shelving unit in one unusual layout. By wrapping shelves around the desk, designers not only saved some inches, but also made the unit more enclosed and secluded. The bamboo laminated plywood is flexible and light, which makes it a perfect material for the job. Bamboo is also a rapidly renewable material. So, what we see here is an environmentally sustainable design. Not just an eye candy.
