Gizmodo: Shelf

The WaSnake Shelf: It's Like a Personal Assistant That is Nailed to Your Wall

Sean Fallon — Thu, 08 May 2008 22:30:00 EDT

The WaSnake shelf concept by designer Jean Louis Frechin not only holds your stuff, it also features connectivity that allows it to display news from chosen RSS feeds and even SMS messages. Plus, the whole unit is highly configurable so you could find a spot for it on nearly any wall in your home.

All in all, I love the idea of packing more functionality into everyday objects, but I can't say that I agree with the artist's description of a "discreet," visual experience. There is nothing discreet about my naughty text messages being broadcast to everyone in the room. At any rate, it seems that the WaSnake will remain a concept for the time being. [Newlaunches]

Stairs Bookcase Actually Makes Me Want to Move to London

Jesus Diaz — Wed, 20 Feb 2008 11:20:52 EST

The image associated with this post is best viewed using a browser.Here's a great idea for anyone who loves books and doesn't have enough apartment space or a Kindle: a "secret staircase" made of English oak, lined with books left, right and center, leading to a loft bedroom in a Victorian 1898 apartments block.

The 70m2 apartment was remodeled by London-based Levitate Architects, who created "a new bedroom level and increasing the floor area of the flat by approximately one third." The staircase is both the way to access the bedroom and a perfect place to store books, movies or CDs. "With a skylight above lighting the staircase, it becomes the perfect place to stop and browse a tome," says Levitate's Tim Sloan, who also pointed out the unique structure of each step, allowing for anyone to comfortably sit down while picking a book. [Apartment Therapy via Boing Boing]

Wazz Shelf Hides Those Unsightly Speakers

Sean Fallon — Wed, 30 Jan 2008 18:30:23 EST

It seems that the trend these days is to go for a clean look by incorporating speakers directly into furniture and fixtures. In this case, designer Jean Louis Frechin disguises computer speakers as shelf supports. The unit is described as "a shelf connected to a computer that doubles as a device for audio diffusion and archiving digital music files (MP3)"—but further details are scarce and the exact nature of the connection is unknown. It appears to be wireless, which would certainly be necessary for a wall fixture of this type. At any rate, it looks pretty slick—a marketable concept for sure. [pan-dan via Apartment Therapy]

Sony Concedes Defeat With iPod-dockable CMT-BX20i and CMT-BX50BTi Shelf Systems

matt buchanan — Sun, 06 Jan 2008 19:30:00 EST

The Score iPod-dock shelf systems are about as dime a dozen as you get, but these actually are special: They're from Sony, the first iPod systems from them ever. Isn't this sorta tantamount to surrendering? The CMT-BX20i does the basics, and step-up CMT-BX50Ti adds Bluetooth to the same gear, for wireless streaming to other devices. But again: Sony iPod dock! The Rub: Pricey for being sorta bare bones, at $130 and $150 respectively.

Invisible Book Shelf Gets Cheaper

Jason Chen — Tue, 27 Nov 2007 13:55:57 EST

We wrote about this a long, long time ago, but the invisible bookshelf that magically props up your reading material is now available from ThinkGeek at $12.99—ten bucks cheaper than it was before. [ThinkGeek]

How to Build a Tetris Shelf

Jason Chen — Wed, 30 May 2007 15:00:08 EDT

We've shown you those Tetris shelves a couple times over the years now, but they're still really, really expensive to the point where you'd have to live inside it in lieu of an actual apartment. Here's how you can build your own on the cheap.

Instructables' guide to building your own Tetris shelves costs you only about $85 in wood ($200+ if you buy good wood), plus some more in parts. You'll need equipment like table saws and wood glue, so if you don't have that you might have to find a buddy who does. Just be careful not to line them up horizontally or else you're going to have to start all over. – Jason Chen

Project Page [Instructables]

DIY Gadget Charging Station

Travis Hudson — Thu, 26 Apr 2007 18:15:25 EDT

Sick of the cable clutter surrounding your gadget charging area? This is a fairly simple way to eliminate the cord clutter. Just pick up a couple of wooden blocks like seen above or any other apparatus that can be attached to the wall and have cords wrapped around. Wrap the cords creating a shelf and plug'er in. As long as you aren't trying to charge and hold a brick, the weaved cords should hold the device easily. –Travis Hudson

Battery Shelf [MAKE]

Thermador Liberty Shelf: Motorized Refrigerator Shelves Are Way Cool

Charlie White — Fri, 01 Sep 2006 12:09:35 EDT

As appliance manufacturers grope for techno-ideas with little success, Thermador creates an innovative design that could actually be useful: the Liberty Shelf, motorized refrigerator shelves that move up and down to accommodate items of various heights. Sure, you can do this manually, but have you tried it when the shelf is full of 40-ounce Colt 45s? It's damn near impossible, especially when half of those bottles have been emptied already.

The Liberty Shelf is part of Thermador's Freedom Collection of flush-mounted built-in-style refrigerators, and there are a lot more innovative features inside these fridges, too, such as halogen light towers, an electronic control panel similar to those in $5500 Sub-Zero refrigerators, and the Freedom Hinge that opens up to 115 degrees. All this coolness will cost you, though, between $3500 and $4300 depending on size and options. – Charlie White

Product Page [Thermador, via OhGizmo]

Design Concept: Illume Display Shelf

Charlie White — Tue, 25 Jul 2006 11:12:41 EDT

Chris Owens, an enterprising design student from North Carolina State University, created a shelf that's lit from beneath by LEDs. Pressure-sensitive switches embedded in the shelf turn on those lights when you place an object on them. Take a look at the video to see the design prototype in action.

Wouldn't this be great to have a bar made of these pressure-sensitive lights? The bartender puts your drink in front of you and the bar lights up. Neat. – Charlie White

Illume - LED Display Shelf [Tech E Blog]

Drip Shelf

gizmodo.com — Tue, 18 Apr 2006 13:23:39 EDT

The red version of the Drip Shelf would probably look more sinister than whimsical against a dark wall instead of a light one, but we think it's fun anyway. It's available in white as well, but we'd like to get the black one and put it up on a black wall, the better to match our soul.

Products - Drip and Puddle [Susan Bradley, via Design Spotter]

Mood Light Shelf

Charlie White — Mon, 10 Apr 2006 08:32:43 EDT

Mount this Mood Light Shelf from Generate Design vertically or horizontally and be dazzled by millions of colors that you can control with an RF remote. With ultra-bright LEDs inside, it's the newest member of the Mood Light collection. Available now for $229.

Product page Thanks, Michael!