Reconfigurable Shelving System Debuts with Powder-Coated Frames
A new arrival on the Australian furniture scene is set to shift expectations around domestic storage. The system, which consists of powder-coated steel frames and interchangeable timber shelves, was officially launched this month at a small industry gathering in Osborne Park. Designed for homeowners, architects and interior designers who want flexibility without committing to built-in joinery, the offering responds to a clear demand for furniture that adapts as living arrangements shift.
The launch comes at a moment when many Australian households are reconsidering how their rooms are organised. Open-plan living, hybrid work and the rise of the multipurpose spare room have all placed pressure on storage that can no longer be assumed to be fixed. Modular shelving, in this context, offers a way to respond to those pressures without tearing out walls or commissioning custom cabinetry for every change.
A Modular Approach to Domestic Storage
At its core, the system is built around a single repeating bay. Each bay is a powder-coated steel frame, bolted together at the corners, with shelves that slot into fixed positions along the uprights. Because the frames are bolted rather than welded, the entire structure can be dismantled, reconfigured or relocated without specialist tools. A two-bay unit in a Perth apartment can become a three-bay wall in a Sydney terrace, then a single shelf over a desk in a studio in Brisbane.
The designer behind the system, who trained at Curtin University and previously worked with a joinery firm in Fremantle, has spoken about the influence of Australian floor plans on the design. Houses in this country often present long, narrow rooms or unusually deep window reveals that resist standard shelving widths. The system addresses that by offering three frame heights and two widths, allowing combinations that fit awkward corners as readily as they fit conventional stud walls.
For designers specifying the product for clients, the appeal is partly about specifying less. Rather than drawing up a custom shelving wall for each project, practitioners can present a single catalogue of parts and a small library of configurations. That shift reduces lead times on smaller projects and keeps drawings leaner — a quiet benefit that has been welcomed by studios used to producing extensive joinery documentation.
Configurations and Dimensions
The system is sold as a series of base kits, each of which can be extended with additional bays and accessories. To help readers compare the available formats, the comparison below summarises the three most commonly specified arrangements. Prices are listed in Australian dollars and exclude delivery, which is calculated separately for regional and remote postcodes.
| Configuration | Frame Height | Frame Width | Number of Bays | Shelf Count | Indicative Price (AUD) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Single Tall | 1800 mm | 900 mm | 1 | 5 | $890 |
| Double Wide | 1200 mm | 1800 mm | 2 | 8 | $1,640 |
| Low Run | 600 mm | 2400 mm | 3 | 6 | $1,720 |
Each row represents a different way of working with the same components. The Single Tall is intended for hallways, alcoves and as a substitute for traditional bookcases in living rooms where ceiling height is generous. The Double Wide suits dining rooms and studies, where the extra span accommodates a mix of books, ceramics and decorative objects. The Low Run is the most flexible of the three: it can sit beneath a window in a Victorian-era terrace in Melbourne, double as a television plinth in a coastal apartment in Scarborough, or serve as a long, low display surface in a gallery-style entry.
Beyond the base kits, the maker offers add-on modules: a drawer unit, a closed cabinet with a flap door, and a small desk attachment that converts the lower shelf into a workstation. These modules use the same fixing points as the standard shelves, so they can be added or removed without disturbing the rest of the structure.
Powder-Coated Frames for Harsh Climates
Powder coating has been chosen over liquid paint for reasons that go beyond aesthetics. The process applies a dry polyester or epoxy powder electrostatically, which is then cured under heat to form a continuous skin over the steel. That skin is more resistant to chipping, fading and salt exposure than conventional wet paint, which matters in coastal suburbs from Cottesloe to Coogee where sea air accelerates corrosion.
The frames are finished in five standard colours — Chalk, Olive, Stone, Ink and Terracotta — all developed in consultation with a colour studio in Adelaide. The palette has been deliberately restrained, leaning toward tones that pair with both blonde timbers and the darker spotted gum flooring common in Perth renovations. For projects that require a specific finish, the maker offers a colour-matching service for orders of ten or more bays.
Timber shelves are available in three species: Tasmanian oak, blackbutt and a locally sourced marri. The marri option, in particular, has been popular among designers working on renovations of post-war homes in the western suburbs, where the timber's warm, varied grain reads as a counterpoint to the cooler steel frames. All timber components are sealed with a hardwax oil, which can be refreshed on site rather than requiring a trip back to the workshop.
Sourcing, Lead Times and Stockists
Manufacturing is based in a small workshop in Welshpool, where the steel is cut, welded and coated in-house. Frames are produced in batches and held in stock for the most common configurations, while less common combinations are made to order with a current lead time of around four weeks. For regional deliveries — including parts of the Kimberley, the Pilbara and Tasmania outside Hobart — freight can extend the timeline by an additional week.
The system is available directly through the maker's website and through a handful of design retailers in Perth, Sydney and Melbourne. Trade pricing is offered to registered architects and designers, who can also request samples of the powder-coat finishes and timber species for client presentations. For the broader public, a small showroom is open by appointment in the Osborne Park industrial precinct, where visitors can see the frames assembled and ask questions about specific configurations.
A specification sheet, including CAD blocks and a Revit family, has been prepared for practitioners and is available on request. The maker has signalled that an updated catalogue covering the new drawer and desk modules is expected before the end of the year, in time for the spring edition of Contemporary Wine In Design.
Where to Specify the System
For architects and interior designers, the system slots neatly into projects where custom joinery would be over-specified or where a client wants the option to take the storage with them when they move. It also pairs well with other considered elements in a kitchen or laundry, particularly where cabinetry finishes need to align with appliance hardware. A useful primer on that broader conversation is the recent guide to matching appliances to cabinetry published on the site.
For homeowners, the appeal is more immediate: a piece of furniture that can be assembled in an afternoon, adjusted over the years, and dismantled when the household moves on. Several early adopters have reported reconfiguring their units within weeks of delivery, adding a bay here, removing a shelf there, as the realities of daily use became clearer.
The maker is also in conversation with a number of boutique hotels and short-stay operators across Australia about supplying larger runs of the system in standard colourways. That commercial interest, while still at an early stage, signals confidence in a product that has been designed with longevity in mind.
Beyond the Studio
The launch arrives as part of a broader programme of activity from the Contemporary team, who continue to publish long-form features, project profiles and industry coverage alongside product news. Readers who want a fuller picture of the local design scene can find that coverage alongside the full editorial archive and information about upcoming events on the platform.
Outside the studio, the team keeps an eye on a broader range of cultural and lifestyle stories that intersect, however loosely, with the design community. Among recent reads that have circulated internally is a piece on European casino welcome offers — a curious detour from the usual beat, prompted by a colleague who had been researching comparative bonus structures for a separate project and shared the write-up over coffee.
The team will be present at the next Contemporary Wine In Design, where the new shelving system will be on display alongside a small number of other local launches. Tickets for the event are released in limited numbers, and registrations typically open several weeks in advance. For practitioners and enthusiasts who would like to see the shelving in person, the evening offers a chance to handle the frames, inspect the finishes and ask questions of the maker directly.
The new shelving system is available to order now, with stock of the most common configurations ready to ship from the Welshpool workshop. Architects, designers and homeowners can request samples, specification documents or a quote through the maker's website, and a small selection of assembled units is on view at the Osborne Park showroom by appointment. For those interested in following the wider conversation around Western Australian design, the platform's broader coverage — including project profiles, industry events and the ongoing build-up to Contemporary Wine In Design — continues at contemporaryau.com. Whether the priority is specifying a single shelving bay for a compact apartment or sourcing a full run for a commercial fitout, the system offers a practical and adaptable starting point.
