Freestanding shelf units, such as this handsome, late 1960s / early 1970s one, are versatile pieces as they negate the need for built-in shelves. Designed by R Bennett for G Plan, as part of his popular Form 5 range that launched in 1967, he took inspiration from his Scandinavian contemporaries. And you can see that here… clean lines, midcentury simplicity, form and function. Tall but shallow, this model features an upper cupboard, an adjustable shelf, a drinks cabinet and a lower cupboard – combining lots of hidden storage with display surfaces. This unit would work well in the alcove by a chimney breast, and its unfussy, parred back design means it won’t compete with furniture from other genres or woods of different tones.
