You think you need some new shelving for home. Do you do something simple with chipboard and angle brackets from B&Q, you you pop along to IKEA, or do you look for something more sophisticated?

I guess the first thing you should analyse is why you need the shelves.  If it is just to pile huge amounts of uncoordinated clutter on, then you are best to look for a cabinet where you can discretely close the doors on the chaos inside.  If it is something where you want to show individual, artistic and valuable treasures, perhaps collected from around the world, like a Renaissance Cabinet of Curiosities, then you might want something which is less utilitarian and is more aesthetic to complement your collection.

So, if you want a contemporary classic, the Aram Gallery in Covent Garden has been showing recent and innovative designs by 12 international designers to help you make your choice depending on the flexibility you want, the simplicity – or not – of design and what you are going to place on the shelves – all of which has, of course, to be coordinated and perfectly positioned.  Shelves here include the minimalist ‘T-shelf’ by Dimitri Bahler and the ‘Bow Shelf’ by Katrin Greiling, adjustable timber shelving by Mentsen, and Adam Guy Blencowe & Thor ter Kulve, shelving made from structural cardboard by PESI Studio, organic shelving by Odd Matter and Martijn Rigters, cabinets by Bram Kerkhofs and Sammi Cherryman, moulten glass shelves that are artworks in their own right by Silo Studio and, playful shelving where the simple top sits on an architectural base, and, most architectural of all, the ‘Palazzo’ and ‘Aqueduct’ by Matteo Pacella & Philippine Hamen.  These are not shelves for uncoordinated indiscriminate clutter….

Some of the designers have been shown in London before, in particular Silo Studio in 2015, with an entirely different style at the Jerwood.  It is always interesting to see how designers develop their style.