Top 10: Modular Shelving Systems

Modern & Modular. Everyone needs storage in small spaces. Whether it's used for displaying our precious collections or hiding all our clutter. Or maybe both! For this Top Ten we've gathered some old favorites and exciting, newer options. (You've got to love the Bouroullec brothers!)...

High-end
• Ronan & Erwan Bouroullec's Self System for Vitra.
• Deiter Rams' Vitsoe 606 Universal Modular Shelving.
• Jasper Morrison's Oak Table Modules for Cappellini.

Middle-of-the-road
• Tetrad from Brave Space.
• Time to come out of the closet? elfa.
• Anna Castelli Ferrieris' Componibili Storage Units for Kartell.

Accessible
• Peter Marigold's Make/Shift.
• IKEA's standard IVAR Shelves
• Doron Lachish's Cubits and Cubitec for Design Within Reach...

We left most IKEA products off of this list beacuase while modular in theory, they rarely stand up to disassembly and reinterpretation.

Personally, we use Cubitec and Componibili.

Additionaly, Topdeq has a few options but nothing that blew us away. While we'd love to include Philippe Nigro's Sans Titre, it appears to be just a prototype. We're fully expecting MUJI to make this list in the Accessible category when they open their first U.S. flagship store!

Comments (4)

AS4 shelving from Atlas Industries. Just lovely, it will be my first purchase when I win the lottery.

Any thoughts on smartfurniture.com? I've got a modular shelving set that I purchased from them a couple of years ago and it's great! You design your system using their graphics package on the website, where you drag and drop components to get exactly what you want. They then figure out how many connectors you need, and then you buy it. Easy! Also, they offer shelves which are shallower depth than most others I found, which was exactly what I was looking for.

The Cubitec is a good idea but just too plastic for me. I am looking for modular shelving made out of wood. Preferably I would like to be able to see it before I buy it. The only thing I have seen to date is a product from the Door Store which is $400 for little unit to $700 for a larger one. I am talking about the Stiletto and the Diamond bookcase. Also Pier 1 has a stacking T shelf but again seems overpriced for the size. But if I cant find anything else I might break down anyway. I would even be willing to stain unfinished wood if I can find it. Anyone have any ideas where I could find this in the 5 boroughs?