Creo by raumplus is the shelving system for everyone – and every use

Looking back can be amusing: if you’ve been a design journalist for some 25 years as I have, you will have seen numerous trends come and go. In the mid-1990s, for example, some of my colleagues predicted a 'disappearance of things' in the near future, and this catchy phrase became a popular expression.

People thought the onset of digitalisation would soon mean doing without physical objects and analogue storage media. Well, they were not entirely wrong with this forecast – but a look at current living and working spaces reveals that it has not come true to quite the extent that some expected.

After all, digitalisation has given rise to numerous new objects that today’s users need to have at hand: cables, for example, Wi-Fi boxes, smartwatches and stations for wireless charging. And it was not foreseeable at the time that countertrends would emerge, despite all the digitalisation. People are increasingly listening to vinyl records again or writing with classic writing instruments in elegant notebooks.

As a passionate collector of books and international design magazines, I became a specialist in shelving systems almost by accident – because anyone who owns and treasures photo books and reference works needs plenty of storage space. In other words, shelving that keeps things tidy. And of course, the decisive factor is how it looks in the given room when filled.

A cleverly conceived and beautifully formed modular shelving system called Creo has recently been launched by raumplus. Founded in 1986, the Bremen-based company specialises in cabinet systems that are as practical as they are elegant. In addition, the raumplus range also includes room dividers, sliding doors and shelves, allowing highly individualised interior solutions to be created – for home environments as well as office spaces.

Today, raumplus is active in 70 countries, and architects, interior designers and end-users can experience and examine the Bremen company’s products in detail in some 200 showrooms. They will appreciate the timeless straightforward lines of Creo just as much as its flexible construction: its slender aluminium profiles can be configured in portrait or landscape format and combined with coloured modules.

Whether as a high unit or sideboard, media furniture, wardrobe or eye-catcher in the home office, Creo combines functionality with visual lightness, creating not only efficient storage space but also presentation areas for objects of personal significance. Creo then becomes a stage for the display of record players, vases, framed family photos or small sculptures that complement Creo’s thoroughly artistic standards.

Made of black anodised or champagne-hued polished aluminium profiles, its frame can be fitted with various shelves and elements to suit individual wishes and the intended use: open and closed box modules with one or two doors, drawers, various back panels, a clothes rail and a desktop are available.

The surface finish options range from the latest lacquer shades to contemporary decors and translucent glass variants – making it possible to put together a Creo unit with just the right features and aesthetic details and supplement it with other Creo products if you wish. Or completely restructure it should there be changes in the office context, such as if new teams are formed, or if there’s simply a desire to make room for new things at home.

Particularly with such conversions or expansions, it is the manufacturing quality that counts – and the quality of the materials used. This is precisely where raumplus scores points. Here, 'Made in Germany' stands for sustainable quality and durability, even under heavy loads. And the fact that raumplus manufactures its products in Germany is also recognised and appreciated internationally.

An attestation of German quality is provided by the 'Furniture Made in Germany' seal introduced in 2020, whose stringent criteria are defined by the German Institute for Quality Assurance and Labelling (RAL). To earn this designation, construction, assembly and quality testing must take place in Germany, as well as the majority of the manufacturing processes relevant for product quality.

Compliance with these criteria is monitored by the German Furniture Quality Association (DGM) on behalf of the German Furniture Industry Association (VDM). raumplus was awarded the seal in a total of five product categories, which further strengthens the already high level of trust in the brand.

As I think we can all agree, it’s good that things haven’t disappeared. They will continue to have their place on the surfaces and in the drawers of Creo – and will be easy to find when you need them.

© Architonic