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Chair shelving

Inspiration: Reed Space (151 Orchard St between Rivington and Stanton Sts; 212-253-0588, thereedspace.com)

Jeff Staple is reliving his adolescence. His blog, todarrinhudson.com, is named after a high-school pal whom he “had to one-up all the time,” and his Lower East Side store, Reed Space, pays homage to his art teacher, Michael Reed. There are other school-age touches in the space, such as clotheshung on monkey bars, and kiddie chairs used to shelve books and magazines. “We needed Reed Space to be completely adaptable for the various art exhibitions we host,” Staple says. “So that’s how we came up with our iconic chair wall. It’s become our logo.”

Materials needed:
• 15 Gulliver chairs ($14.99 each, at Ikea, 1 Beard St at Otsego St, Red Hook, Brooklyn; 718-246-IKEA, ikea.com)
• A laser level
• A two-by-four that runs the length of your display (approximately 4 ½ feet wide)
• 15 two-pronged coat hooks ($2.98 each, at Home Depot, 40 W 23rd St between Fifth and Sixth Aves; 212-929-9571, homedepot.com)
• A drill

STEP BY STEP

1. Assemble each chair.

2. Use the level to mark the desired placement of the bottom row of five chairs. Nail the two-by-four to the wall at the mark. This will prop up the legs of the bottom row so the chairs sit flat. Note: Position the chairs side by side so that that each chair touches the one next to it.

3. Drill the hooks into the wall using the provided screws. Place the first hook wherever you want it so that the chair hangs two feet above the ground, or five feet), then use your level to ensure that each subsequent hook is the same height.

4. Hang the center of your first chair on the hook, and repeat.

5. Measure out the placement for the next row, making sure the bottom of the new row rests on the top of the chair below it. This will ensure the entire finished product is level.

6. Repeat steps 4 and 5 for additional rows.

7. Decorate the chairs with coffee-table books or flower vases.

—Gwen Jones

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