Picture wheeling your bike into your apartment, and instead of parking
it "in the corner" (and we all know it’s still in the way) or hanging
from some ugly hooks, placing it atop your bookshelf and having your
bike both out of the way and part of the decor. If you like this
picture, check out the furniture, designed by Manuel Rossel, that
doubles as bike storage.
Furniture Doubles As A Bike Rack
Rossel And His Idea
Manuel Rossel started working as a designer about 10 years ago, while he was still in college, and in 2010, he got his first design job at a workshop in Santiago, Chile. There he designed and built furniture. In 2013, he designed his first product catalog so that he could standardize his designs.
Rossel believes that through the design of an object, a designer can "improve the experience of living." He turns to art and sport as his inspirations for his furniture, and his line of bike furniture epitomizes his views of design.
Bike Furniture By Manuel Rossel
Sport, to Rossel, is the "highest expression of technical mastery," and Rossel himself is an avid cyclist. He says the idea for the bike furniture came to him one day when he was sketching bicycles. "Slowly I was crossing it straight to bikes lines, and those lines were shaping the furniture they are today."
In 2014, he made his first cabinet and developed 3 models. Now, he is working on expanding the line. The 2016 catalog features 8 models of bike furniture.
Bike Storage Furniture
Bike Furniture
From a couch, to a bookshelf, to side tables, this furniture is, in Rossel’s words, "A way to optimize space that’s scarce in urban centers. By itself, the furniture is a beautiful collection of modern pieces. It was designed with small, NY style loft apartments in mind, so not only is it modern and sleek, it is functional.
This furniture puts Ikea to shame with its combination of beauty and function. Each piece is made with special grooves cut in them. Just roll the bike into the grooves, and it will stand up on its own, transforming from a functional transportation and exercise tool into an aesthetic element of decor.
Bike In A Couch
Back Of Couch
Rossel’s bike furniture eliminates the need for hooks that clash with your decor, cumbersome pulley systems and complicated wall mounts. It will also help eliminate markings on your walls if you’re a "bike in the corner" sort of person.
This bike furniture also keeps your bike on display, and if you have a nice bike, its a great way to show it off. "I personally consider the bicycle to be a beautiful object," says Rossel.
Bike On A Shelf
While Rossel’s bike furniture was designed with small spaces in mind, it’s a great addition to any cyclist’s home, big or small. If you’re share Rossel’s ambition to "change the cult of the TV to one of the bike," then you’ll want to check out Rossel’s line here.
