Shelfium Multifunctional Furniture

Press Kit

Unique Properties

Shelfium is a tool that allows you to create a wide range of shelving units and custom furniture in unique designs. Shelfium can be combined with any material and is particularly good at combining various elements (e.g., drawers). Its uniqueness lies in recycling and upcycling, so you can create furniture made from recycled materials or even a very luxurious assembly. It's up to you and your personality and preferences.

Dimensions & Packaging

Shelfium is made by CNC milling solid oak, which is treated with hard wax oil. The basic Shelfium has a cross-section of 30 x 20 mm and lengths of 400, 520, and 640 mm. The stainless steel bar elements have lengths of 90,180,270 and 360 mm and are joined together to form the final length. Their surface is unified by sandblasting or by additional metallic coating. Standard shelf parts are made of toughened glass, solid wood, or chipboard. Plexiglas, MDF, or PETfelt can be used as side parts.

Tags

tool, furniture, shelves, clip, wood, modular, creative

Production Technology

The elementary principle is to create a spatial structure using a Shelfium, which connects the bar element to the shelf. You can freely enclose the structure in this way by adding side/rear panels and sliding doors.

Design Challenge

The most challenging part was the simplification of the form to the minimum necessary, to ensure "rigidity" while maintaining maximum simplicity and using the smallest possible volume of different materials. Secondly, to test the combination of different types of joints.

Project Duration

The initial idea was conceived in 2018, but the actual development of the project did not begin until 2021 and lasted for approximately another 3 years. The project was developed in Bratislava in cooperation with local suppliers.

Operation Flow

Shelfium offers different approaches:
- You can buy a ready-made kit that is made from recyclable materials as much as possible, with all parts being separately purchasable and repairable.
- You can buy Shelfium separately, or you can buy individual parts and have the other parts made by local suppliers, or you can alternate by recycling and upcycling from your existing sources, according to the principles outlined above.

Everyone can decide how big their environmental and social impact will be.

Research

Shelfium is a set-up. It is the result of a search for a tool that is modular not only in space but also in time and at the same time can change its character while maintaining its DNA.
Modularity is not only understood as plug and play but it is extended by the individuality of the user.

Basic principles:
use as little material as possible
use the strengths of the materials used
create an open system

Inspiration

The idea originated from the need to create storage space from available materials and items. However, it was necessary to invent an element that would unite everything into one object. This element became "Shelfium." It is primarily designed for the creation of storage spaces such as libraries, shelves, lowboards, and so on. However, with a touch of imagination and creativity (an open mind), it can transform into a coat rack, room divider, flower stand, and many other things.

Image Credits

Image #1: Photographer Boris Németh, 2023
Image #2: Photographer Katarína Šendulová Bako 2021
Image #3: Photographer Boris Németh, 2023
Image #4: Photographer Katarína Šendulová Bako 2021
Image #5: Photographer Boris Németh, 2023
Video Credits: Slovak Design Center

Patents

Trademark SHELFIUM 2022 melismichalko.sk s. r. o.
Copyright design belong to melismichalko.sk s. r. o., 2021

Colors of Shelfium Multifunctional Furniture