Description

Stylish and functional, this is a classic mid century String shelving system designed by the Swedish designer Nils Nisse Strinning. The upright ladders allow the teak cabinets and shelves to be positioned wherever required. This is a very versatile piece of retro furniture. Scandinavian String systems are a true mid century design classic and are very highly sought after today.

This system features two bays with six shelves, a two drawer desk, a drinks cabinet and a storage cabinet with sliding doors. In addition, there is a lighting unit that sits above the desk unit and provides illumination for reading and writing. Remember that the cabinets, desk and shelves can be moved around and set at different heights to suit your needs.

The String system combines upright ‘ladders’ that support shelves and cabinets, which sit on steel rods that hook onto the rungs of the ladders. One of the great benefits of the String system over its Danish counterparts is that it doesn’t need to be attached to the wall. The whole set up breaks down easily when it needs to be moved and is so simple to rebuild.

Swedish architect-designer Nils “Nisse” Strinning (1917-2006) is best known for his minimalist and cost-effective String Bookshelf System and his versatile designs in plastic. Born in Kramfors in 1917, Strinning studied architecture at the Royal Institute of Technology in Stockholm (KTH) from 1940 until 1947. As a student, he—along with the Swedish engineer Arne Lydmar—conceived a way of coating steel wire with plastic. Using this method, Strinning designed the Elfa Dish Rack (1946), which found worldwide success decades later. Today, the dish rack is produced by the Swedish storage company of the same name.

In 1952, Strinning founded both String Design AB and Swedish Design AB. The following year, String Plex was launched, along with a standalone shelving system, which Strinning is rumored to never have liked. In 1955, the String Shelf was exhibited at the H55 Helsingborg Exhibition. Easily reproduced, it was subjected to flagrant copywriting. In 1961, Sweden’s Supreme Court ruled in favor of Strinning, and the shelf was patented.

Over the course of his career, Strinning and his wife designed a variety of plastic objects, such as the Vispi Bowl (1951), as well as other free-standing and wall-mounted shelves in various sizes, including the Kam Bookshelf (1968), which received the Excellent Swedish Design Award from Svensk Form in 1993.

The lock doesn’t work on the drop down drinks/storage cabinet however it operates perfectly well as the magnetic catch is still in place to hold the door in place when closed.

H218cm – W158cm – D45cm