Cool Shelving; media Storage by artinsteel
This all started several years ago after a house move. I was looking for shelves for my ever expanding CD and book collections and was not impressed by what I saw on the market, hence my adoption of 'Coolshelving' which became a business entity in it's own right.
The original design was inspired by Joseph le Cornu's kites designed in the early 1900's. Proof that design inspiration can come from anywhere.
Most of the shelves I saw were bulky and limited in capacity and downright ugly, and for a decent sized system very expensive.
There was no flexibility in design and little quality work available; bearing in mind that we are not only displaying the contents but also the shelves themselves. This led to me designing my own storage system. I wanted a feeling of light, space and elegance. I wanted to use steel and I chose to braze all of the joints because it is the most simple and clean means of joining metal and the nicest looking. This makes a feature of the materials used rather than hiding them.
I also feel that a media collection; especially music is almost a window into the individual's mind. Many people are digging their CD collections out of storage and putting them on display while listening to them online. I personally find it more enjoyable to use a CD than just use Spotify. It is also much easier to find a specific album on a shelf. Image below shows my CD collection
Typically I supply my shelving units in soft wood, using Swedish Redwood from sustainable sources, this is protected with three coats of Danish oil and I can stain them to your requirements.
I can also offer a range of hardwoods, please contact me direct for more details.
Below is a set of book shelves I made for a customer.
The first picture shows them after installation detailing the construction techniques. I like to use as light a construction as possible to avoid the heaviness typically found in this type of installation.
Next we have a close up shot of the structure; in this you can see the brazed joints and the way the shelves are butted up against the wall. For taller shelves I like to add short legs. Partly for support and also to 'tie' them in to the floor. The frames
are brazed together, polished then lacquered to provide a durable finish
Next picture shows how the wall fixings are hidden, a simple part of the installation process, instructions and all fixings are supplied.
Finally a photo of the bookshelves once filled. A tidy installation with a contemporary feel that integrates well with an older dwelling
Here we have before and after shots from a customer with an out of control CD collection. Here we have how he was living before ordering his shelves.
Gruesome really
After some backwards and forwards communication we worked out the area of storage needed; roughly 100 CD's per metre of space and how to fit it into the living space. we finally came up with this storage system. A vast improvement
This installation was also configured to fit DVD's as well as CD's.
This type of flexibility is easy to build in at the planning stage. There are numerous custom options, overhanging shelves as above, angled ends as on the bookshelves or short ends to allow maximum storage. On my own shelves I always cut the ends short.
If you don't fancy drilling your walls I can provide a Ladder style of shelving that leans against the wall. Simple to install, stable and can be easily moved. These incorporate a lip along the back to stop the books sliding off and have rubber feet that rest on the wall to protect paint.
For shelves made in the style shown I have a fairly simple pricing structure based on overall length of the shelving system when made in softwood. Prices start from £85.00 per metre for a basic set of bookshelves with diagonal braces. So the unit pictured below at 1.2m long with six shelves gives a total length of 7.2m for a cost of £576. Without the diagonal braces e.g. for CD's we are looking at £75.00 per metre.
This gives a rough guide for pricing, there are numerous options that can be discussed as part of the commission process. For example Hardwoods, radiused shelf edges, different shapes to shelf ends are all possible
I can make shelving units at any length, and I have a calculator that works out how many supports are needed to avoid problems with saggage. I think a sagging shelf is a truly tragic sight.
The supports can either take the form of the frames illustrated above; or in the middle of a length can be concealed behind the shelves themselves. This can just be seen in the photograph below. This allows for a length od about 2m with no visible support.
Next we have a customer in Switzerland shot of a set of bookshelves I made to fit into an old timber framed house, a nice mix of contemporary style with classical architecture and a nice display of symetry
Finally a pair of matching custom units for another music lover, including space for about 1500 CD's, his favourite vinyl and his HiFi system.
This is not intended as an all encompassing list, more a collection of examples of solutions I have made over the years.
Whatever storage needs you have I am sure I can address them with style