The String shelving system was designed by Swedish architects Nils Strinning and his wife Kajsa, in 1949.
They designed it to enter a competition to design a new bookshelf that was easy to set up, adjustable and extendable. It went on to win the competition.
Today, String Shelving is a design classic and lives up to its strapline: “Modern since 1949”. It has sold more than any other piece of Swedish furniture and is today loved around the world by modern design appreciators. The reason? It’s affordable and adaptable; there is a String Shelves configuration that would work in any room.
To complement the original String elements are smaller pieces such as the Pocket Shelving for those with less space or new to buying modern furniture. We’ve put together a guide to help you find that perfect configuration for your home. The possibilities really are endless.
String Shelving is easy, put simply it is a modular shelving made from lengths of wood held in place by two ladder supports.
There are two types of panels, floor and wall. Floor panels are three heights 85cm, 115cm and 200cm with a depth of 30cm. Wall panels have two heights, (50cm and 75cm) and have two choices of depth (20cm and 30cm).
When you’ve chosen the panels then you can add any combination of shelves, drawers, cabinets and more.
String Shelving is so simple to assemble and its elements can be easily move and re-positioned.
Where is the shelving going to go?
How much space have I got?
Measure to see how much room you have.
What is it you need to display/store?
Do you want it on show or not?
What material/colour would fit best with decor in your house/space?
What material is compatible with the room?
Eg for a bathroom don’t choose a wood veneer finish.
Does it need to be adaptable for the future?
Planning your String Shelving configuration has never been easier, you can use the String system 'Build your own' configurator here on our website.
It’s so easy to use.
Just drag and drop in the bits you need and you can create the system perfect for you.
You can play with materials and colours and then when you’ve perfected it you can order parts on our website or send the plan through to us and we can send you an invoice.
Need samples? Email us and we can get them sent to you.
With String shelving, you can rethink, remake, replace, or rebuild whenever you like.
A String shelf can be turned into a sideboard. Or a place for your TV set.
Maybe you’d like to use String shelves to create a wall of storage featuring lots of books and an integrated, foldable table?Alternatively a compact design, tailor made by you to hold your music player and computer?
The String Shelving System means you can store things behind doors or put them on display.
click here to shop string for your living room
Buying smartly to increase storage in halls and rooms can really stand out as well as provide functional ways to live better every day.
To help order cluttered spaces in our home perforated metal shelves with the option of adding hooks and rods, tilted shoe shelves that easily help you get rid of five pairs of shoes and heaps of products designed to optimise every hallway shelf.
Even with limited hallway space where you can only fit the tiniest of hallway shelves you will have lots of storage when adding hooks for your bags, rods and coat-hangers for your coats and bowl shelves for all the little things like keys, wallet and headphones.
click to shop string shelves for hallway
As your child is getting older and accumulates more things, you can just continue building out your String combination and add more storage space. By just adding one wall panel or floor panel plus three shelves to your existing shelving solution, you buy yourself a whole lot of storage space.
We always have a lot of fun when creating kids’ room solutions, which we think shines through in the images. The mindset when figuring out the most inspiring kids room solutions is storage, storage and storage.
Another aspect of furnishing your kids’ room with String is the fact that they can bring the shelving solution with them when moving out. A little piece of home to help them settle in when they move out for the first time.
click to shop string shelves for kids
With galvanised shelves and panels your outdoor shelving system withstands any weather.
With such tough material you will have a natural place to keep your garden tools, pots and other rough objects. Not only this but your outdoor shelves will grow even more beautiful with time and end up with a beautiful patina.
click to shop outdoor string shelving
You can create a storage system for any size of bathroom and to suit your storage needs. With its mirrored cabinet door and towel hanging you don't need anything else than String bathroom cabinet. The configuration includes a set of 3 organisers in a variety of sizes that attach to the side panels where you wish.
click to shop string bathroom
Choose between shelving combinations consisting of either wall panels or floor panels, or a mix of the two. On the panels you can add storage with cabinets and drawers or display space with our shelves. Add a folding table for that extra seating space ideal for narrow or smaller kitchens. Also add as many rods, hooks, knife holders or hanger racks as you need in organise your kitchen.
click to shop string shelving for your kitchen.
String have helpfully created assembly videos to help with the installation of your string system.
When considering where your shelving is going to go, think about the type of wall, whether its solid to plasterboard, whether its flat and weight it will be with the contents on the shelves too. It's always best to check with an expert.
The String cabinets need assembling so you need to decide whether you can do this yourself or need help. The max weight advised for the 78cm wide shelves is 15kg and for the 58cm wide is 25kg.
