Asali Shelf
Handcrafted by Modernbuild in 005, Upper Savannah, Nairobi, Kenya
The Asali Shelf is an open three-tier shelving unit handcrafted in Kenya from cypress and board. The frame is cut and assembled by hand, with the uprights left in their natural tone so the timber does the decorative work. Small dark fixings sit flush at each joint, visible rather than hidden, which is a quiet record of how the piece was put together. Cypress forms the four corner posts and the horizontal rails, and three flat board shelves span between them. The timber shows a light honey colour with a soft, even grain running the length of each post. The shelves are finished in a plain white that reads as a clean band against the wood. Proportions are upright and narrow, with equal spacing between tiers and a low overall stance that keeps the top surface within easy reach. This shelving unit works against a wall in a living room, a hallway, or a home office, where the open back lets the wall colour show through. The lower tier takes woven baskets and folded throws, the middle holds books upright, and the top becomes a surface for a trailing plant or a small ceramic. Placed near a window, the pale shelves bounce daylight back into the room. Cypress is widely worked in Kenyan joinery workshops, where furniture is still built one piece at a time rather than pressed out in runs. Buying through Kamara means the shelf comes directly from the maker who built it, and small differences in grain and tone between units are part of that.
Price: KES 4,200
Material: cyprus , board
Dimensions: L 65cm × W 34cm × H 90cm
Availability: In Stock
Category: furniture