Phil Dawes – Mantle Shelf in Corian®

"The project came about from my dissertation which looked at display vs. storage in the domestic environment. I came to the conclusion that people wanted to display items in their living rooms, but only so long as it didn't detract the amount of general storage available to them. So I came up with the concept of a display shelf that could replace the mantel piece in houses with false fires.

I chose Corian ® for two reasons, firstly I have a background in woodworking and the ability to work with a different material using many of the skills needed for woodworking was of great interest to me. Secondly the wide range of colours and patterns available meant that I could be very selective and get the perfect combination to make the piece stand out. The bright colours of the Corian ® act as a background to highlight the items displayed on the shelf, they also help draw people eye to the piece itself. The green section of Corian® slides open to reveal a small amount of hidden storage inside the shelf. As well as this there is a concealed drawer at the other end."

Done