Need Strut Help w/ Record Storage Ideas (remodel rel)
DrWu
4,021 Posts
We are about to jump off a major remodel in the near future. I am looking for some (visual) inspiration in designing an archway between the living room and dining room space that will hold books, albums, art, photos and assorted other tchotkes. We want it to be a real visual centerpiece for the first floor, something that grabs you. The house is a turn of the century American Four Square (see below example). Generally I try to stay with something that is period but given all the different items I am looking to incorporate I think I'll need to expand my options. Please post your most interesting shelving/architectural ideas.
PS I already have seen the AP Dwell photos.
PS I already have seen the AP Dwell photos.
Comments
http://freshome.com/2007/05/17/interesting-bookcase/
And then there's this: http://www.neatorama.com/2008/11/15/the-infinity-bookcase/
Or this: http://www.neatorama.com/2008/11/06/maze-bookcase-by-woodloops/
my dad's modular shelving system. if you're interested in a few pieces, i can put in a word.
O, I like that first one but it would not fit in the kind of home I am putting together. However, I like that kind of statement.
Some things I found today that gave me some ideas. The ceilings are 12 feet so I got some options.
I like this, and endless mobius strip of records.
Yes
I mentioned in another thread, we are doing something similar to this ^^ at our place but in HYSPAN which is super thick ply laminate they use for joists in construction. It's cheap in comparison to hard wood, lighter so it's easier to achieve a floating result and the ply edge properly finished looks trick.
I had another photo of this dudes set up somewhere, it climbs over his workspace and along some stairs but lost it. We tried to get a quote on something similar and prices were astronomical. 2mm powdercoated steel, anchored to studs extruding through PLYCEM so it looks like there are no supports........crazy. (looks bendy in the photo because it's a magazine scan, it's not)
I have loads of joinery related inspiration images, I'll post some.
1) Literally, like an arch? So that there will be a void in the middle that people can walk through?
2) You want this to essentially split the room, like a big divider in the middle of the space? Or would this also be along the walls instead?
In any case, if you have high ceilings, then really, I think any kind of shelving system you use that takes advantage of that height would be eye-catching on its own, regardless of the design you employ. I'm just imaging 12 foot high book/record shelves (with library ladder, natch). I was just at a house in LA where the main office had these huge, vaulted ceilings - at least 15' or higher - and the upper levels were ringed with books, with a library ladder set up on a circular track. It helped that they also had exposed beams with finished wood; gorgeous space.
Pim, thanks for the heads up about the ply. What kind of anchor system is need for it?
Who is your architect? I have the highest respect for Reiko.
Looks rad, but it would cause extra wear to the sleeves since you'd have to "lift" up records to get at the ones on the bottom of the stack instead of just flipping through them.
b/w
Wu, an archway system seems hard to pull off effectively. Are archway forms a common design in your house? What about a rectangular passage through the shelving, with one skinny row up top for books?
Fuck drawers, unless you live in an earthquake zone. This looks clean as fuck (minus the cheezy letter cards):
If you go the open 45 shelving route, I would recommend buying a bunch of these outer 7" sleeves, to give a consistent look to your shelving:
http://www.bagsunlimited.com/p-4167-7-vinyl-record-jacket-heavy-duty.aspx
^^ PRetty sure there are some cheaper ones. O-Dub, got a link for the ones you mentioned a while back? can't find them online.
Have to disagree w/ Musica though: I think drawers are absolutely the way to go - vertical filing is a pain in the ass to flip through with 45s.
But Dr. Wu - if you don't own a ton of LPs, then I'd primarily design your media gate/arch for books but keep the dimensions big enough to fit in LPs if necessary. Catering to 7"s - IMO - would create problems because you can't really get dual use unless you have a shitload of things shorter than 7.5" to put into the shelves where you don't end up putting 45s.
Personally, instead of an archway, I think you should do a vertical pillar bookcase, like this only up to the ceiling.
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2070/2278510937_f9bcf1b5e8.jpg
It'd divide the room visually - I mean, you'd have a goddamn book pillar in the middle of a room - yet be more space efficient. But hey, if you're really stuck on wanting an arch, this is one way to go: http://www.superstock.co.uk/stock-photos-images/463-6004
Have you worked with Reiko before?
@Musica, it's not an arch in the curving sense (though the existing arch does curve somewhat. It will likely be a square form.
Not sure I like the open shelf look for 45s in that space. Maybe in my office.
Had a good meeting with architect. Probably go with a series of boxes of varying sizes depending on the contents with sets of drawers on the bottom for the little vinyl. Double sided for greatest effect.
Odub, the second photo is probably close to how it will look in the end, depending on the trim out. My architect wants to carry the trim style (ceiling crown and 4" door trim) into the arch casing. We'll see in the end. The deck is gonna be sick.
I might install a drawer system for 45s on a couple of the shelves.
AS you can see, space is not an issue for me. I have 30inches on depth for the drawers. I really want to do the pull out drawer thing as it is much easier to file and dig through. I really dont want my 45s on shelves. Your case looks nice.
Hey Wu, as a designer/ builder you project intrigues me... The space looks to be 12' wide and 10' high. For starters if you can afford to leave the opening as big as the double door going out the back( minus the glass window), and centered on it I think it could look sharp. That would leave you ~ 80 squ ft of st space. If that's not enough then bring it a bit but to no less then 4', any smaller and you might as well put a door on it and call it a day.
If you go w/ 3' on either side make your drawers that width with dividers inside. Bigger drawers cost almost as much as small ones to make, if you think budget. If you make them 30' deep and they go up to your waste you may find it hard reaching the records up higher that would only need 12", though sliding ladder kills that problem. If your building a stud wall you could hide some of the depth of the drawers in the wall, and make them 20" deep and have them protrude 4" from the shelves above, better for access. Another reason for a stud wall is that you could use it to your advantage in your design: for example, I've drilled into studs before and inserted metal dowels (3/4 steel pipe) that I've then built floating shelves around, no need for supports.
Nice! What kind of materials did you use?
And for the 45 drawers, runners or no runners?
I still have two of those Target storage towers people were using (quite well, I must say) as 45 drawers. Been meaning to lash them to the one I already have and basically create a 3x3 "card catalog" style 45 cabinet. No place to put them until I get these rap records out the way though!
I used birch ply with iron-on laminate tape for the edges. Painted the insides glossy black and stained/poly'd the exterior. They have a 2" recessed base (hard to tell in the photo, especially cos they're painted black), which really helps.
It's basically three units screwed together - holds about 5000 Lps if it was full. Since the shelves are only 13" deep I probably wouldn't bother with runners. If Dr Wu is doing 30" shelves, they would be necessary I'd think.
do you have a sheet of 1/2" ply on the back of those shelves that you've anchored the horizontals to? Just wondering how you keeping the ply from sagging. Nice clean look, I like the black.
Wu,
here's another thought: I assume that the wax will be on the living rm side. Why not do something on the dining room side as well to take dishes, glasses, etc...? Here's why: if you have the 30" drawers on the bottom facing the Lv rm you could have the 12" shelves start at the 18 inch point of the depth of drawers facing the lv rm for the records and whatnot and in the opposite direction have 12" shelves facing the dining rm. So you end up with 24" of shelf ontop of 30" of drawer, so the drawers at most would only stick out 6 inches and it would be flush on the Dining Room side. 4 glass doors and you've got something slick on the Dining rm side.
I used 1/4" on the back. I was hoping that by using 3/4" that the shelves wouldn't sag too much, but I might end up putting in some dividers (alternating one/two per shelf).
No, the whole thing sits on three 2" recessed bases:
Now I have to figure out a better looking shim game, the floor is a bit uneven.