SHELVES

Shelves

In a furnishable environment, both at home and in the office or shop, if there is a need to organize, display or store items or books, and the wall is completely empty, we can think about inserting a shelf or bookshelf. But if we do not have other free walls to use or, on the contrary, we have a wall that is only partially furnished and we want to use it to complement it with other elements, certainly a shelf or a composition of many shelves and shelves, that suits us! The furniture shelf is derived from the architectural elements of the same name that can be scratched in a horizontal shelf protruding from a vertical wall in order to support protruding loads as well, which, as in architecture, perform the function of both transmitting cargo and decorative. The system is also simplified and slimmed down in the furniture resulting in the least loads, and the weights are directly supported by the shelf and then transferred to the wall thanks to connecting elements called shelf supports. And as in architecture, where the shelf has been known since the Neolithic as the basic element of the structure, e.g. arches, balconies or battlements, the present furniture shelf can permanently connect the shelf and its contents to a solid wall, either by means of visible shelf supports or by means of invisible elements. fasteners such as screws and dowels, which must be discreetly attached to the wall.

Shelf: a creative line that supports, organizes and equips

Thanks to the freedom of composition that distinguishes them, shelves perfectly use the walls, adding valuable additional space to the organization of space and giving creativity to the surfaces themselves, which in the presence of shelves and wall shelves are like real white sheets, on which new and creative furniture can be designed. Over the centuries, driven by the fundamental need to bear loads, the shelf has come in all shapes and sizes and has tested the resistance of many materials, characterizing different styles or adapting to them in a discreet and versatile way. Indeed, due to the simplicity of the concept behind its operation, the shelf is one of the most used furniture pieces in any environment, from home to workplace, from commercial spaces to archives, warehouses to the most technical environments, becoming one of the most popular items also Do-it-yourself, where both custom-made DIY shelves and the most defined design shelves proposed by different furniture brands can be the basic material that will give the finished works a personal and creative character.

Forms and materials of shelves for of all functions and combinations of furniture

By combining various elements, the load-bearing function of shelves and shelves also acquires its final form, responding at the same time to the structural, organizational and aesthetic need, like few other elements of modern furniture. For this reason, racks are indispensable equipment solutions in any environment: in fact, they allow you to store and permanently display various items, easily organize them in a modular perspective, optimizing the available space, both by blinking at the most extreme design and by moving undisturbed and adapting with balance , sometimes even in camouflage, for stylistically defined situations. Straight, curved or flexible shelves, cubic, cylindrical or rectangular shelves, long or short shelves, light or massive shelves, rigid or durable shelves, shelves are probably the simplest and at the same time the most versatile piece of equipment available to companies, architects and end consumers to furnish, where simple forms or a combination of them can be discarded in every possible style to create the desired design. In fact, the material, along with shape, style and color, is the essential creative ingredient in a furniture shelf recipe. Just as it has learned all shapes and sizes over the centuries, the shelf has also tested the resistance of many materials. And so, from the most traditional shelves made of wood, stone and metal, today we have come to an increasingly inventive and sophisticated design of lightness, embodied in metal shelves, also obtained by bending sheet metal and thus an optimized production process. From the simple, modular construction of simple shelves or wall cubes and shelves made of plywood, MDF and chipboard, through the warmth and reassuring, massive impact of natural, multi-layer and solid shelves, to the preservation of only wooden aesthetics in veneered or laminated wood shelves. Daughters of transparency and lightness again are crystal and glass shelves, which everywhere ensure that the continuity of the walls and surfaces is not lost, so that the gaze cuts them vertically and horizontally, to go further, into closer or farther environments, to perfectly hang objects and books outside. Fantasy and new creativity then appear in new ceramic shelves, in solid surface and natural stone countertops, and above all in contemporary and minimalist marble shelves, often in continuity with other furniture and accessories, or in endless shapes of plastic shelves, including those with recycled plastics or many extremely resistant and lightweight composite materials, or shelves made of cement, plaster and plasterboard, to winding shelves suspended on fabric and leather shelves. The material and solidity of the shelf support the shelf load. On the other hand, the method of installing shelves adapts to the specific wall available: for example, built-in shelves perfectly use the recesses in the walls, and the protruding shelves fit almost anywhere, and finally in load-bearing walls or in any case sufficiently strong, you can opt for shelves with hidden fastening where the shelf supports are not visible, and the final furniture design is cleaner and more minimalist. An extreme example of this is the use of cantilevered stairs from the wall to use parts of them as a shelf or bookcase. Finally, in addition to simple open shelves, there are more and more combined drawers that turn the shelf into an object complete with furniture.

Styles and icons: design hidden between shelves, bookcases and shelves

Among the styles that have created the most realistic standards in the design of a modern shelf, we will surely find the Scandinavian style, with classic Swedish bookcases with numerous posts for wall or floor mounting on which you can lean or fit more shelves, spacing them apart as you wish. Swedish-style modular shelving units have created an iconic system, practically developed by almost all manufacturers of living room furniture and wall systems thanks to its lightness, essence, modularity and ease of assembly. A simplified and even easier version is the nautical-style shelf, in which the shelf supports are made of ropes or ribbons of durable fabric hung on the wall or ceiling, and the shelves, supported between a knot or spacer and the other, tighten the structure due to their own weight and lifted loads. A cutting-edge icon that embodies the very essence of "flexibility"; design shelf, it is Bookworm by Kartell, where the creativity of the famous Israeli designer and artist Ron Arad, combined with the technology of industrial plastic extrusion, brings to life a very revolutionary shelf design, because it is a real bookcase made of a single long shelf flexible and adaptable to various shapes so to get a lot of figures dictated solely by personal creativity. Bookworm is actually a curving bookcase that takes the desired shape between the fixing points while providing strength and functionality.

Shelf and office: the perfect pair!

A shelf, a simple unit, infinitely more complex systems, it is able to adapt to indoor and outdoor spaces, but it is calm at home and in the office, as well as in new hybrid environments that are designed for home and other work. Experience an increasingly friendly aspect of the work environment, even in the most technical and functional declensions. And in the office, racks are the main extensions of shelving and document systems, as well as operating tables and work islands, often already integrated with built-in systems, even the most technical, thus integrating more discreetly, from lighting systems to cable routing, to wireless charging surfaces to use the lines designed on the walls to hide the technical compartments, resulting in perfect harmony and order. Brackets, shelf supports and shelf supports, which in their most important form have the shape of a triangle or the letter "L", together with the screws and dowels necessary for assembly, are a necessary complement and accessories to this piece of furniture. They can be combined or integrated with shelves to be attached to the wall and make them able to hold and carry even large loads of books and various items onto the wall.

Where to install the shelf? One essential object for all environments

Classic shelves as well as modern and designer shelves and shelves are now available in an almost infinite variety of shapes, materials, styles and colors, perfect for any home space, from the living room to the office, from the bedroom to the children's room, from the kitchen to the bathroom, to service and outdoor areas. The same versatility thus multiplies the endless possibilities in terms of the environment in each of the purposes of using the same environment, from private space to public space, from work to business. In fact, if in the living room or studio, wall shelves or wall shelves very often become home to books, collections and decorations, thus supporting relaxation or homework, in a more specific and equipped space, such as a home theater or listening corner , bookshelves can easily and discreetly place and organize various projection, acoustic diffusion and operation functions of various devices in a simple and unobtrusive way, exactly where they are needed. In the bedroom, shelves provide shelter for books and spotlights, sometimes becoming one with the light thanks to the integration of lighting inside, in continuity with the bed, to be increasingly an alternative to classic bedside tables, which can also become a complementary solution. The shelf also becomes an indispensable element in the bedroom, but also in the hall, creating the necessary corner of the wardrobe, as well as a complete wardrobe. In the children's room, the shelves will mainly accommodate toys and boxes of all sizes to introduce a sense of order from an early age through the shelves themselves, which are part of the "game". The shelves in children's bedrooms will then gradually meet the needs of the school, studio and hobbies and all the passions that will develop with them. On the other hand, kitchen shelves and shelves are primarily used for "accessories" such as small appliances that in the kitchen will inevitably accumulate over time to support the daily activities of preparing meals, but the shelves can also be equipped with dishes, containers for dry food, baskets for vegetables and fruit, containers for spices, spices, cookbooks or, for more "digital" chefs, the shelf will be the perfect place to put a smartphone or tablet on which you can follow the recipe step by step or further, which distract attention with a compilation music or film during preparation and waiting between the oven and the stove. Shelves with integrated lighting are very common, even in the kitchen, but there are also foldable wall shelves that come in handy for those who need an additional tabletop that can be pulled out or folded if necessary. If we are thinking of more traditional kitchen shelves, especially for homes in a classic, rustic or antique style, we cannot forget about the shelves traditionally made for storing and displaying dishes: plates. Bathroom shelves, in an environment where there is usually no free space on the ground, taking into account the presence of sanitary facilities and the necessary space for movement, sometimes become, along with hooks, open wall furniture and hanging cabinets, necessary to provide the bathroom with the necessary surfaces to store multiple containers and bottles needed for body washing, body care and makeup. A distinction can therefore be made between shelves for small bathroom appliances such as hair dryers and electric toothbrushes, preferably with an electrical outlet nearby or with a built-in one; shelves for storing brushes; make-up shelves, as if reinterpreting a classic toilet; shelves for personal fragrances and deodorants for the environment; waterproof shelves for showers or supporting baths, washbasins and bidets, to the necessary shelves for towels, soap dishes and toothbrush holders, even here there are shelves for books when you want to spend a few minutes relaxing in the bathroom. Just like in a bathroom, even in a laundry room or service room, a shelf is essential to add function and the resulting functionality to the essence of the space. For example, on a washing machine or in a tub, the shelf allows you to use detergents and washing additives without unnecessarily moving the bottles with wet hands around the room. In a corridor or entrance hall, bridge shelves between opposite walls or corner shelves between adjacent walls can be useful allies for suspended ceilings and high-level shelf connections, creating interesting aesthetic solutions, even hidden. A wardrobe shelf, with hooks under the shelf and in its infinite variations, is one of the most common pieces of equipment in the hall or hall, where saving space does not allow you to easily close jackets, bags and shoes in the wardrobe for a change, after returning home or where existing wardrobes are not sufficient to accommodate new guests. Creating shelves on an outer wall or on a porch wall can then be a viable alternative to creating a greenhouse wall or supporting a hobby of gardening with a hardware support surface. Similarly, in a warehouse, workshop or garage, tool and glove racks are sometimes the only way to use walls that can see the presence of boxes, work tables, or the same parked vehicles on the ground. On the shelves, everywhere, everything really finds its place, and above all it does it with class!