Seeing String shelving in galvanized steel is a bit like discovering that two dear friends of ours have fallen in love. First created in 1949 by Swedish architects Nils and Kajsa Strinning, the modular system was the winning prize in a publishing company’s design contest for an affordable, flat-pack bookshelf. The concept, two ladder-like metal side slats that hold tiers of shelves, was both simple and eminently adaptable; over the years, it’s morphed into an array of great-looking storage solutions.
Classic String shelves are made of powder-coated steel components that can be arranged and added onto in a number of ways. The recent addition of a version in galvanized steel—the rustproof metal that old-fashioned buckets and watering cans are made of— means the units can be put to all sorts of outdoor uses. Take a look.
Above: String Galvanized Floor Shelving is ideal in a potting shed. Available in the US from DWR, the system is sold as build-your-own shelving: shown here, a free-standing, three-tiered unit, $455, with several add-ons.
Above: A wall-hung version of the design. DWR’S String Galvanized Wall Shelving starts at $295 for a single bay unit; a two-bay unit, such as the one shown here, is $545 with two shelves (additional shelves sold separately).
Above: Available in an array of dimensions, the components are made of “aluzinc”: steel coated in moisture- and rust-resistant aluminum-zinc.
Above: The shelves make an ideal companion to an outdoor grill. Metal hooks are available for hanging tools and accessories.
Above: Go to String Furniture to peruse versions of the shelves put to use all over the house, and to use the company’s Plan Your String System tool. Also see our post: The Classic String Swedish Kitchen.
For more outdoor furniture we like, see: