Ideas modernas para estanterías – Mansion Global

Each week Mansion Global tackles a topic with an elite group of designers from around the world who work on luxury properties. This week we look at how to install shelving that wows.

Shelves are often simply seen as a storage solution—their look and feel utilitarian. But shelving needn’t be an afterthought—with a bit of ingenuity and imagination, they can become a distinctive design element.

“We’re accustomed to seeing straight lines in a bookshelf, but this should be challenged,” said designer Paul Cocksedge of London-based Paul Cocksedge Studio. “There are no set rules—as long they can provide the structure necessary to hold books or other objects.”

For modern shelving ideas that marry form and function, follow these tips from the design pros.

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Rethink the Expected

“Shelves strike a balance between functional and architectural objects, and as a designer, they’re fascinating for that reason. They’re an object that you either hide and embed into a wall, or you completely reinvent. The challenge of a bookshelf is about recreating it and showing people that holding books can be done in a way you’ve never imagined.

“My approach is to push materials to the limit and find a new, perhaps unexpected angle. The thinnest piece of glass can be much stronger than you think.

“Shelving depends on what you want to show to the world, and how you share your space with others. It’s good to think about whether you want your book collection to become a talking point, and part of your social interaction, or hide it away in different room.

—Paul Cocksedge of London-based Paul Cocksedge Studio

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Think About Overall Design Scheme

“You can vary materials, use of color, have them be floating or with brackets, or even use them to add a sculptural quality to the room.And you can customize shelves in any way you want.We personally love floating shelves with no visible brackets. It’s a really clean and modern look and seamless method where your shelves seem like they are an extension of the wall and not really a shelf.

“For a contemporary look, there is wood, glass and metal.You have to decide how you want your shelves to function. …You can go sleeker, shinier and even more industrial.If you want a more organic look, try a shelf with a live wood edge.You want the shelves to be in harmony with the rest of the furnishings in the room where they are.

“What you decide for your shelves can affect the concept of the entire design.If you want to be bold, color is a great way to do it.If not, you might want to stick with neutrals or something more industrial like metal.Glass shelves are perhaps the most versatile because they just reflect what is on your shelf.”

Built-in wood floating shelves create interest and play off the decor in a home designed by Michael Violante of Violante & Rochford interiors.

Built-in wood floating shelves create interest and play off the decor in a home designed by Michael Violante of Violante & Rochford interiors. Wendy McEahern

—Michael Violante of Violante & Rochford interiors based in Santa Fe, New Mexico

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Have a Unique Perspective

“We often put in artwork, books, sculptures, objects, plants, et cetera.We think of it as curating a wall, and we give [a shelf] space to breathe.

“If you decide a room needs a library, then it’s about creating shelves and stacking them full of books, which is also very interesting. We did this at the lobby of our Cleveland Street project where we added a sliding ladder and had a double-height bookshelf.

“We look at interiors from a spatial point of view, the different levels at which your eyes meet a feature wall, and the overall affect and ambience we are trying to create.For example, for a recent project at the Park Crescent development in London, we were dealing with double-height ceilings and needed to bring the attention up. We wanted large-scale artwork on the walls, so we made stone back, timber shelves with brass flexible doors. Within the bedroom, we created a headboard that incorporated shelving, which was subtly lit as a mood setter.”

Black timber floating shelves with brass sliding doors create a feature wall in this home designed by Dara Huang of Design Haus Liberty.

Black timber floating shelves with brass sliding doors create a feature wall in this home designed by Dara Huang of Design Haus Liberty. Simon Brow

—Dara Huang,Founder Design Haus Liberty in London

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Consider the Function

“First, ask yourself what the function of theshelvingis. For example, if it’s a floating shelf above a bar you may want to consider glassshelvingand illuminate it. This gives a great opportunity to add an edge detail of metal and illuminate the glass. Before adding a shelf to your space, the function should drive the materiality. We love mixing materials, which can create an interesting shelving structure, such as wood and metal or Lucite and metal.

“Adding an interesting color to a room that is overall neutral can bring in a fun element.

“Think about the way a built-in shelf will feel versus a floating shelf. Built-ins can read a bit heavier and are mainly used in a study or library. They are the workhorse ofshelving,meaning they can carry a lot of weight and function structurally. Sides are provided to hold the books or objects in place versus floating where they are typically more decorative.”

Barely-there floating glass shelves add modernist detail in a room designed by Stephanie Sarkies of Pembrooke & Ives.

Barely-there floating glass shelves add modernist detail in a room designed by Stephanie Sarkies of Pembrooke & Ives. Stephanie Sarkies of Pembrooke & Ives

— Stephanie Sarkies, Design Director, at Pembrooke & Ives in New York City

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