for the love of bikes: bike utility bench

Alas, my industrial design graduate thesis projects I presented to Pratt faculty and students last month. To start off, a bike-centric piece for the home...


The bike utility bench developed from a common dilemma faced by cyclists: where to store bike tools and paraphernalia that often clutter closets and entry ways. The bench creates accessible storage that easily adapts in small living environments... i.e. our NYC apartments!

Inspired by traditional sewing box, the storage compartments utilize simple wooden hinges which open outward. Once opened, each top surface panel slides inward along wooden dovetail joints to gain access to the interior compartments. As an unobtrusive storage unit, the bench can be placed in the front entrance of your home or pulled up to your kitchen/dining room table for additional seating - substituting the need for a couple of chairs.

To soften the impact of tools in the home environment, the compartments are lined with industrial felt padding. And keeping in the spirit of bike components, the fastener hardware for the hinges requires the same allen key used on your bicycle while a heart chain ring walnut inlay adorns one end ♥

Stay tuned for future thesis project postings this week...

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Top models & cyclists Sara Dierck and Ivey Lian
Two middle photos by David Steinvurzel
Bottom photo by Steph Mantis

www.vanessamarierobinson.com