Float shelf release

(previously called drape shelf)

Float shelf is named for the effect of the reveal at the back which creates the illusion that the shelf is floating off of the wall. The rippled glass also gives the impression of a little lake on which to float your beautiful things.

I have been working on this design over the past few months, getting it ready for production. It's been quite a lot of work. The three parts all required separate molds, templates and jigs to produce. To the uninitiated, these may look like simple objects but each piece requires many time consuming steps to create.

Float shelf is a modular, wall mount shelving and display unit consisting of three separate parts; the steel mounting armature, reversible / interchangeable hardwood back, and slumped "starphire" glass shelf.



The steel mounting armature consists of the mounting plate, stainless steel shelf rods and cantilever support tabs. The mounting plate is pre-drilled with mounting holes to mount to studs for most applications but you may drill more if needed.

The solid wood backs are interchangeable and reversible. Each back is 3/4 inch solid wood with a wide chamfer border on one side and flat with a fine round over on the other. Backs come in a variety of species: cherry, paduk (top three photos) black walnut (bottom two photos). Other species are available on special order (price may vary depending on species) They may be ordered separately so you can change the wood back if you want a different look.

The glass shelves are slumped on a mold in a process known as kiln forming in the category of warm glass techniques. The process is pretty darned warm, 1425 degrees fahrenheit, to be exact. Some hot glass techniques are blowing and casting from a crucible at about 2200 degrees fahrenheit. Cold glass techniques include things such as stained glass, engraving and the like.

Since I first discovered glass kiln forming I have been excited about the possibilities of this medium. I like to use the more expensive "Starphire" glass which has a beautiful glacial blue tint. The lines are embossed on the glass by the mold and create some fascinating optical effects as you can see from the pictures.

Dimensions: Wood backs: 5.5 x 30 inches. Glass shelf: 25 inches wide and available in 8, 10 and 12 inches deep.

I will be developing more furnishings in this line soon so check in from time to time.

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I will be opening an online shop for the Zavadil line of designs in the near future

These pieces are available for purchase the old fashioned way by cheque or money order. Call 604 947 0800 during regular business hours (Pacific time). Shipping throughout North America. Shelves in stock ship within seven days of payment. Special orders ship within 14 days of payment.

Flat out

Somebody has been workin' hard. When not sleeping on honey's nasturtiums the scruffmuffin can be found impersonating:

1) a solar thermal collector
2) a hitachi excavator
3) Pigpen

I think she's resting up for the dog days of summer.

Drape shelf is here

This is a detail shot of the shelf. We are going to set up to do a full photo shoot in the next couple of days. I am very happy with how they turned out.

This one has a black walnut back. In the first run there are Walnut, Cherry and Paduk available. Wood backs have a flat side and a chamfered side so they can be reversed for a different look. You may also order a different species of wood back and change them at will.

I am also working on a new modular cabinet design which can be used as a shelf, table base, or stacked as a bookshelf. It will be in the same line as the Drape shelf. I will post some sketches here soon.

Stay tuned...

Clematis blogging

Just a little eye candy for you. This little clematis is growing up one of my holly topiaries. The land we are on was cleared about thirty years ago. The Federal Government was offering free land if you cleared it for farming! So one of the previous owners received 20 acres for cutting down a red cedar grove and bulldozing about one acre of the 20. So the next trees to come up were the Alders, then the hollies. There are still some of the old cedar stumps around down near the creek. One of them is hollow and you can climb up on it and look into it. You can just see the bottom where the stump opens into a small cavern well below ground level. In the winter there is an underground stream running through it. Creeepy! I'm quite sure that's where the bats live.
So, getting back to the hollies, they really seem to like it here because they are growing out of control. My solution to keep them at bay is to eventually turn them all into topiary. For now, I will keep it simple but my vision is for something akin to a Dr. Zeuss illustration.

Zeeble-blatt bushes and Toomby-snoot trees.

Drape shelf update.

teaser # 2: more bits and pieces.