[Photo: Courtesy of Element Designs]
These elegant options are adaptable, innovative, and easy to install.
“Spaces are getting smaller, and open living and working concepts are much more popular,” says Beata Klecha, vice president of marketing at Element Designs. “Shelving is a necessary storage solution, and the aesthetics are becoming more important, along with flexibility.”
Whether it’s a thin stainless steel finish frame around a glass etched shelf or an oil rubbed bronze finish with overlay detail, Klecha says details like these speak to the quality of an application. “The increased attention to detail is something we see a lot of in European interiors that’s making its way into the North American market.”
Aluminum and glass have been popular in Europe for decades, but that trend only started to arrive in the U.S. more recently. “Element Designs was founded 15 years ago with the intention of bringing contemporary aluminum frame glass cabinet doors to the North American market,” Klecha says. From there, the company saw a demand for high-quality shelving, unveiling °eluma LED shelving in 2007. °eluma’s aluminum frame with LED lighting was the first of its kind and won several awards. Today Element Designs offers everything from adjustable shelving systems to floating cube options. “We partner with kitchen and closet cabinet manufacturers in the residential markets. We also work with the A&D community and developers on a wide variety of commercial projects. We fill the void with high-quality aluminum and glass components.”
These are some of the benefits of Element Designs’ °e Shelving, °eluma LED shelves, °eCubed, and °eSquared (new in mid-2019).
FROM OUR MAR+APR 2019 ISSUE
The preferred publication of leading green professionals.
The tasteful lighting inside the °eluma LED shelf lends it an immediate distinctiveness. [Photo: Courtesy of Element Designs]
Easy to Install
Element Designs’ systems are easy to install across the board. The °eluma LED shelves come fully assembled with plug and play components that work well in closets and home bar environments, so you can highlight what matters to you. “It’s an easy way to add a wow factor,” Klecha says. °eCubed, seen primarily in kitchens but also in offices, was also designed as an easy to install, open shelving solution. It also offers a much quicker installation time. “Rather than a cabinet shop having to build an open shelf, shelf by shelf system, this comes pre-assembled and ready to install,” Klecha says. Swapping out items on the shelf and need more room? °e Shelving is easily adjustable, so you can move shelves vertically in seconds if needed.
Energy-Efficient
In addition to offering LED options, Element Designs’ aluminum and glass are recyclable. “We strive to make sure all the materials we use in our manufacturing process are environmentally friendly,” Klecha says. That goes all the way down to water-based paint, chosen because it won’t emit VOCs. All byproducts are also recycled, going back to the raw material manufacturer for reuse.
Element Designs’ products are virtually fail-proof when properly installed. [Photo: Courtesy of Element Designs]
Durable
Aluminum and glass last longer than materials like wood or laminate. °e Shelving has extraordinary strength, as the load is distributed through the product’s back wall. It can also be installed on a variety of substrates, whether drywall or brick. “It’s been used at several universities, where faculty load their shelving with wall to wall, floor to ceiling books,” says Margaret Reynolds, product designer with 21C Systems, who developed °e Shelving. “The product has never had a failure at point of installation. We feel very proud of it quite honestly; not every shelving product can say that.” While install is simple, it’s typically completed by a professional to guarantee best results.
Innovative
When Reynolds, an art collector, struggled to find elegant shelving that would allow her to easily swap out art pieces, she created her own. It was the impetus for °e Shelving. “We found there was a tremendous need for it in the institutional market,” she says.
All of Element Designs’ solutions continue to be developed to meet specific needs. “We’re contacted because a particular issue exists,” Reynolds says. Products like the °eluma LED shelving were ahead of their time. The °eluma carries light through its entire surface, unlike most illuminated cabinetry, where only the perimeter of a cabinet is lit. °eluma emits a soft, even glow throughout the system with LED inserts, and it won’t emit any heat or UV rays. “It’s safe to use with perishable items like wine and alcohol and food products,” she says. It’s very popular in the hospitality industry in restaurants and bars.
“It’s a shelving system that wants to be seen,” says Beata Klecha, vice president of marketing at Element Designs. [Photo: Courtesy of Element Designs]
Versatile
Aluminum is not only lightweight and flexible—it pairs well with other materials. °eCubed is at home across design aesthetics, as the floating system offers a clean look that’s especially popular in residential kitchens. “You can use it with a variety of glass inserts or with wood shelving,” Klecha says. “It can be attached to a wall with the proper support, or it can be a standalone unit.” While standard sizes are offered, °eCubed can be customized, too.
Color & Finishes
If one of the many standard colors don’t suit you, Element Designs also offers custom color matching for their backpainted glass shelving options. The aluminum comes in several finishes, including anodized, powder coat and specialty coat metallic finishes. “We’re able to produce these shelving systems in beautiful gold, copper, or bronze finishes that speak to the warm metallic trends we’re seeing,” Klecha says. In early 2019, Element Designs launched new specialty coat finishes—brass, copper, modern bronze, and arctic silver. “The new finishes offer end users the ability to add rich, elegant finishes into their spaces to enhance residential and commercial interiors.”
