The String Shelf Alternative You Didn’t Know: Meet Its Dutch Cousin
There’s a reason the String Furniture system became iconic.
Designed in 1949 in Sweden, it introduced something quietly radical: a shelving system that felt almost invisible… light, modular, endlessly adaptable.
But what many people don’t realize is this: There’s another version of this story. Less famous. Just as beautiful.
Do you see any difference below?
The Dutch Cousin: Tomado
Well, on the left side, is the famous String, Swedish modular wall shelving system, while on the right is its Dutch cousin, Tomado developed in the late 1950’s by Adriaan Dekker, and now exposed in the Stedelijk Museum in Amsterdam.
Same philosophy:
thin metal uprights (one single line for the String system vs double arch for the Tomado system)
floating shelves
modular composition
But a slightly different soul.
Where String feels Scandinavian calm, Tomado leans into something a bit more playful, more graphic — sometimes even more modernist.
And historically, the two coexisted — not as copies, but as parallel interpretations of the same post-war design language.
Why It’s a Beautiful Alternative (Not Just a Cheaper One)
This is where your positioning changes everything. Choosing Tomado isn’t about saving money, it’s about choosing a slightly different story, less “deja vu”
More accessible pricing
A stronger mid-century character
A rarer, more “insider” & sharp feel
Even today, you’ll find vintage Tomado systems at surprisingly reasonable prices compared to String.
It’s less mainstream, and that’s part of its charm.
The One Trade-Off: Fewer Options
Where String Furniture shines is modular perfection:
multiple wood finishes
extensive configurations
evolving system over decades
Tomado is simpler.
fewer colorways available today
more often found vintage than newly produced
less modular extension in modern retail
But that constraint can also be freeing. And paradoxically, some options are bolder and more modernist:
like the primary colors version, still available today.
the copper version is a nod to the brand's history
and the wine rack version can be very useful ☺︎
You don’t build endlessly.
You compose — like placing objects in a still life.
A Quiet Design Secret
Some pieces don’t need to be reinvented, they just need to be rediscovered.
Choosing Tomado over String isn’t a compromise, it’s a shift in perspective.
From iconic… to personal.
From expected… to quietly distinctive.
So, if you are ready to embark on this Dutch adventure, you can find it here
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Each selection is carefully curated with an independent eye,
guided by a desire to highlight thoughtful, timeless and inspiring pieces.
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