Could you use a little more storage space in your bedroom, living room, kitchen, or hallway? Most people I know in the city could. I have recently developed a wall-mounted cabinet concept for Wine on Deck, made specifically to organize life in a small living space. And I’m looking for people to try it out.
It’s called AirCab. Yes, a bit Apple-y. But the name is descriptive. AirCab is for people who value modern style, want to make the most from limited space, and are searching for that magic combination of quality and economy. Essentially, for people like my friends and me.
My goal with AirCab is nothing less than a complete re-think of this classic cabinet design, which harkens all the way to the birth of modernism, back in the 1920s.
Now, some things can’t be improved upon: the shape and proportions are classic. Same for the aircraft-grade plywood and exposed edges.
But some things can be improved, and it’s with these things I got to be creative.
I chose sliding doors because they don’t take up any more space open than closed. But I found that typical sliding door mechanisms are expensive and unnecessary. Rather than use plastic or aluminum track, I cut two 1.25mm grooves, and fit each door with four 1mm brass fins. Doing away with the track lowers the materials cost of AirCab by abouit $20, serious money for a product I want to price around $100. And the doors run quite smoothly on the brass fins especially when I shave a little caranuba wax into the grooves.
Another feature I think people will appreciate is the way AirCab mounts to the wall. Installation isn’t complicated – just screw the one-piece bracket to the wall using the pre-drilled holes, slide AirCab onto the bracket, and screw the back plate to the wall. AirCab sits flush on the wall, hiding everything. This method is typical of kitchen cabinets, and I don’t know why you would use any other design, it’s so simple.
I am building AirCab with the highest grade of birch plywood available, using Festool Domino biscuits to joint the case, and Titebond III wood glue, the most effective and expensive in its class. Which is another way of saying that purchasing an AirCab is an investment that will last for generations.
I plan to offer more products to fit into the AirCab platform: inserts for holding wine glasses, for example. You can get an AirCab either finished in tough polyurethane, or sanded smooth, ready for painting.
I am currently testing AirCab in real-life situations, both in my daughter’s new bedroom, as well as in the homes of friends. If you need more storage, now is a good time to invest in an AirCab. During this testing phase, buyers get a good discount on the product (40%), and the option to trade in your prototype for an updated version after 3 months. If you are interested in helping me develop AirCab, please contact me using the form in the sidebar. Email is the only way to buy an AirCab right now. It will be listed in the catalog after the testing phase is complete.
- Handles are routed into the 1/2″ plywood doors. I like the exposed plywood case edge – so long as it’s good quality plywood.
The left door can hide the handle on the right door, so I drilled a round pull that's hidden when the doors are in their normal position
The Door Store, a custom furniture boutique and landmark between Central and Harvard Square in Cambridge, MA, is now carrying the AirCab.
