Online design studio Hem is breaking ground in more ways than one this London Design Festival. First of all, they are opening their a bricks-and-mortar space in Covent Garden's Seven Dials. Secondly, they are one of the 10 Designers in the West Wing at Somerset House. Last but not least, they are unveiling their chain shelving, designed by Japanese design studio Nendo.
It is this out-of-the box project which catches our attention now. In a Wallpaper* video exclusive, Oki Sato explains the process behind his modular shelving unit and genius behind the design. 'When design gets this simple,' he begins, 'detailing is important. We were able to work on the small details, find the best materials and best solutions.’
It is important not to confuse ‘simple’ with basic however. Its minimalist design carries an understated appeal and the variety (of colours, combinations and finishes) on offer prevents the aesthetic from going stale. Instead, the creative reins are handed to the customer.
'The boxes lock together to look like a chain, [which is] extremely flexible [and] brings out the creative side of the user.'
The line fuses simplicity with customisation using the online configuration system, enabling customers to choose from a plethora of designs and colours. The boxes, open-ended on one side, connect by utilising a Hem designed proprietary system, which allows a variety of unique units: from a solid set to a lighter, spaced out one; sized simply as a bed table or into wall-spanning checkerboard cases, with a selection of six different colours and finishes perfect for any room.
The elegant boxes are open on one side, allowing for simple, yet appealing, storage space
The proprietary system developed by Hem allows for a variety of customisation, allowing to space them out or create the minimal, closed design...
... or a lighter, spaced out one
INFORMATION
Hem’s pop-up shop will be open from 19 September - 31 January 2016 at 9 Earlham Street, London WC2H 9LS; www.hem.com
-
Inside Lily Allen and David Harbour's maximalist Brooklyn townhouse, now on the market for $8 millionThe former couple have listed their Billy Cotton-renovated Carroll Gardens brownstone, which has been immortalised in Allen’s new album ‘West End Girl’
-
This refined Manhattan prewar strikes the perfect balance of classic and contemporaryFor her most recent project, New York architect Victoria Blau took on the ultimate client: her family
-
This is your chance to invest in some ultra-rare Maison Margiela Tabi bootsPart of the new ‘Tabi Collector’s Series’, these one-of-a-kind Tabis are adorned with 8,000 hand-embroidered beads, sequins and metallic shards – an ode to the pioneering split-toe style, introduced by Martin Margiela in 1989
-
Step inside Faye Toogood's intimate cabinet of curiosities at PAD LondonFor PAD London 2025, (until 19 October) Faye Toogood presents The Magpie’s Nest with Friedman Benda
-
Rajan Bijlani opens his Primrose Hill home for ‘Electric Kiln’In his London home – once the studio of ceramicist Emmanuel Cooper – Rajan Bijlani stages ‘Electric Kiln’, uniting Frank Auerbach, Lucie Rie and Cooper in an intimate reflection on the creative spirit of postwar London
-
These are the design exhibitions to see in London during Frieze WeekWe round up the best design events happening in London in conjunction with Frieze Week 2025: discover collectible design and craft across the city
-
Aram Gallery spotlights a pioneering material that could be upholstered furniture’s less toxic futureAt Aram Gallery for London Design Festival 2025, eight designers experiment with EcoLattice’s 3D-printed foam to showcase the material’s comfort, creativity, and everyday use
-
These benches are made from £2.5m worth of shredded banknotesYou could be sitting on a fortune this London Design Festival, as the Bank of England Museum explores the creative repurposing of waste with furniture made from decommissioned banknotes
-
Material Matters: Grant Gibson reflects on his popular design fair, about to open at LDF 2025As Material Matters returns to London Design Festival from 17-21 September, we catch up with founder Grant Gibson to learn more about crucial material conversations in contemporary design
-
London Design Festival 2025: live updates from the Wallpaper* teamFrom 11-21 September, London is celebrating design in all its forms. Here's the latest news, launches and other goings-on from London Design Festival 2025, as seen by Wallpaper* editors
-
A family home turns into an immersive exhibition space for London Design FestivalCeramicist Emma Louise Payne displays design in domestic surrounds for group show ‘The Objects We Live By’
