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Claire Brown
Description of Project
My aim was to transform IKEA’s FROSTA stool it into a wall-mounted shelving solution for a child’s room to address the issue of freeing up valuable floor playing space in a young person’s bedroom.
To develop a bookshelf, I used a grid system, with each coloured square representing a book. Rather than extending horizontally and requiring more wall space, I explored building vertically. To avoid excessive height, I overlapped the grid, allowing books to be layered by increasing depth rather than width.
Hacking IKEA FROSTA Stool into Wall-Mounted Shelving
Inspired by Alvar Aalto’s woven Armchair 406, I introduced a secondary material. I recreated Aalto’s woven pattern using strips cut from the iconic blue IKEA bag. This humorous and unexpected feature reflects a postmodern influence, referencing IKEA’s vivid blue brand identity in contrast to the modernist construction of the bookshelf.
Two straight sections of the stool legs form a crossbar. Thin slots allow the woven element to be threaded around the bars and heat-sealed in place for durability. To support books, I tightened the weave where they sit to prevent them catching in the gaps. If required, this section can be replaced with a reusable fabric insert secured with Velcro or snap fasteners. Alternatively, it can remain open to create a clean, modern, slim-line shelving option.
The symmetrical design celebrates FROSTA’s timeless bent laminated birch plywood L-leg curved form and layered construction, and is suitable from infancy to adulthood due to its secure wall mounting and adaptability.
About me
T217 has helped me develop new skills in SketchUp and digital sketching while building design essentials knowledge to help me work towards my BDes.