Design Classic: The Lema Booken Bookcase
Designers: Yael Mer and Shay Alkalay, 2013
Details: Lacquered-ash and oak bookcase, £559, Raw Edges for Lema
Known for their edgy yet playful creations, eclectic design duo Yael Mer and Shay Alkalay, aka Raw Edges, played with the idea of the book transcending its function as an object to become something altogether more innovative, multifunctional – and impossible to ignore.
Thus with Booken, your most treasured tomes move out of the background to become a design feature in their own right, banding together on a series of oak bookmarks to work not only as a nifty, hanging library, but a stylish side table and shelf for resting your cup of tea, specs and, er – headspin – book of the month on.
While a horizontal rather than vertical library takes a bit of getting used to, soon you won’t want anything else – just think, no more neck ache craning to find the right book and, thanks to the built-in bookmarks, no more losing your place or resorting to the sinful practice of thumbing-down pages.
The name Booken comes from the idea that the book becomes the constituent material of an object. In the same way that ‘wood’ becomes ‘wooden’, ‘book’ becomes ‘booken’. Genius.
Of course, the temptation would be, as here, to colour coordinate your histories of modern design, making Booken not merely a hanging library but a statement art installation.
What a novel idea!
Be The First To Know
The Livingetc newsletter is your shortcut to the now and the next in home design. Subscribe today to receive a stunning free 200-page book of the best homes from around the world.
The homes media brand for early adopters, Livingetc shines a spotlight on the now and the next in design, obsessively covering interior trends, color advice, stylish homeware and modern homes. Celebrating the intersection between fashion and interiors. it's the brand that makes and breaks trends and it draws on its network on leading international luminaries to bring you the very best insight and ideas.
-
How to Organize your Bathroom for a Better Morning Routine — 6 Steps for a Seamless Start to the Day
The ease of your morning routine can have a huge influence over the rest of the day, so make sure you optimize you space for a stress-free start to the day
By Lilith Hudson Published
-
5 Trees You Should Prune in Your Backyard in February — 'It Makes Much Sense to Cut These Ones Back Now'
If you think pruning trees is best left to spring, think again. These trees all could use some cutting back now for several very important reasons
By Hugh Metcalf Published