Brian Brazil and his significant other, Mandy, are big fans of the Big Lebowski and regularly quote the film. In a classic scene in the movie, ‘the Dude’ is upset about his rug getting stolen, claiming that it “really tied the room together.” After adding a set of Modern Shelving shelves to their basement, Brian and Mandy can relate as their shelves really do complete the space. Here, Brian shares what attracted them to Modern Shelving, what the ordering process was like, and what the couple likes about their shelves.
What were you in the market for when you were first looking for shelves?
My significant other, Mandy, and I were looking for a product that was well made, had great reviews, had a mid-century look, and had the option to customize.
Where in your home were you planning to use the shelves?
We remodeled our basement space over the course of a year or two (time is weird during the pandemic). We re-painted the walls (went from a burnt orange to a cool light tinfoil blue/grey) and had the old carpet removed. A professional come out to install tile flooring (a neutral slate color). Mandy redesigned the room to be a work-from-home space. We added a cool, light colored rug and light wood grains. This made the space feel less like a dungeon.
It’s a mixed-use space: Her work office in one area, her sewing/crafting area in another area, and my painting station in one corner. It is also a nice sitting/TV room. And when friends and family come to visit, we can throw down a few air mattresses for them if our guest room is full.
How did you discover Modern Shelving?
We were originally looking for wall shelving for the basement. IKEA no longer was making their Svalnas bamboo wall shelving which was reminiscent of Scandinavian shelving systems. We stumbled across Modern Shelving while doing ‘research’ online and then noticed Modern Shelving on Instagram. We kept going back to look at your shelving components and we were impressed.
Did you go with a custom or stock option?
Stock. 3 Bay PAL 97 DOL Special with Base Cabinets
What was your ordering process like?
With a stock item it was a very easy process of ordering and trusting everything would work out. And it did. It supports a good amount of weight, looks pretty, and measured correctly for studs. If ya know ‘righty tighty left loosy’ the systems are relatively easy to put together.
How did the install go?
I did install the shelving myself. Mandy was able to assist me when it wasn’t a one-person job. It definitely took some thoughtful time and effort, but overall, the experience was pretty user-friendly.
What do you store on your shelves?
We currently have the shelf filled with our old books, a little collection of Communication Arts magazines, nostalgic memories, photos of family, tchotchkes, knickknacks, and old toys.
How do your shelves complete your space?
The shelving really ties the room together. Our home isn’t large and lacks storage. This allows us to display our sentimental items in a fun and functional way. It just looks ‘cool’.
Are you happy with how they turned out?
We are very pleased with the quality, functionality, and the look!
What do your friends/family think of your new shelves?
They already think we are super rad, but the shelving leveled up our coolness level.
Anything else?
The extra cabinets under the shelving are super handy to hide the things we don’t want displayed. We use those spaces for Mandy’s yoga mat and other small exercise equipment. We have our holiday wrapping supplies in the cabinets. There’s also a catchall cabinet that we should probably sort through someday.
