Fold-Out Mural Cleverly Combines Wall Art With Functional Shelves

Can’t decide whether to put up a mural or a shelf up on a wall?  A mural can give the room so much character, but a shelf will prove especially useful for adding storage in that area.  These innovative Fold Out shelves let you skip having to call that choice, bringing both fixtures in one single mounted unit.

Created by Chicago-based designer Mark Kinsley, Fold Out consists of a mural painting sectioned off into multiple panels.  Each panel is mounted individually, with a fold-out mechanism that allows it to convert into a wall shelving after one simple motion.

The designs he had on display consisted of murals divided into 20 sections each, creating a 5 x 4 grid of separate panels.  You can keep all panels folded in for a complete mural, pull them all down to create four full rows of shelves or have individual sections serve as shelves while others remained as a visual display.  It’s a clever way to add functional art into your home, all while having the versatility to serve different purposes.

It’s not yet for sale, but I can’t imagine many furniture makers passing up the opportunity to manufacture such a clever creation.  The panels themselves don’t even have to show sectioned-off paintings, possibly working even as blank slates or picture frames.  Good money is on the Fold Out going on retail within a year or two – it’s just brilliant.

[via iNewIdea]