I never thought I could get excited about track shelving. But never say never, right?
I’ve been looking around at shelving for my office (I’m totally claiming that room, by the way). In all likelihood, something from Ikea will be making an appearance, but I ordered a catalog from Vitsœ and have become mildly obsessed with its simple practicality.
Dieter Rams designed the “606 Universal Shelving System” (an E-track modular shelving concept) in 1960 and the Vitsœ catalog is makes a brilliant case for starts-cheap-but-gets-exorbitant-quickly modular system, saying that the biggest complaint they get from customers is that they wish they had bought it sooner. Then they suggest starting small–a shelf here, a track there–and adding over the years. After all, it’s a system that has been around for decades–virtually unchanged–and isn’t going anywhere. Moreover, you never have to leave it behind if you move, so it can adapt and grow with any space you like.
In use at libraries, offices, shops, and in homes, it’s likely that you’ve seen the shelving system somewhere before.
Still, I think it’s fair to call it “aspirational” shelving: while it’s true that you can start off by spending relatively little, we priced out a wall and quickly closed the catalogue.
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