I’m interested in knowing whether the IKEA Platsa shelves are available in an open design. By that, I mean shelving systems that are not fully enclosed—no doors and no closed fronts—but rather open compartments or shelves that allow space for decoration, books, or other items. I find the PLATSA series quite flexible overall, but the catalog mostly shows versions with doors or with boxes inside. Has anyone had experience with this or can confirm if the shelves can be purchased fully open, or if you generally have to modify them yourself to have an open design?
The PLATSA series was designed by IKEA as a versatile wardrobe system, primarily based on modular cabinet units with doors and drawers. A fully open design, like classic shelving units, is not officially offered. However, the system can be assembled without doors to create semi-open solutions – the back panels can also be omitted if desired, allowing for the look of open shelving. Such modifications require a certain level of DIY experience.
I recently considered designing PLATSA shelves as open units because I prefer a more airy feel in furniture. While browsing the IKEA forum, I noticed that most users either use doors or get creative themselves. Although there is no purely "open" shelving system within PLATSA, some users mention removing the doors and possibly using boxes or baskets for storage. Personally, this compromise encourages me to come up with my own solution when IKEA doesn’t offer exactly the open design you want.
I can only confirm this. Officially, the PLATSA modules are designed for closed fronts, meaning doors and drawers. If you want a more open design, you either have to forego doors yourself or use other systems. Another tip: combinations with other open shelving systems can help achieve the desired effect without losing stability.
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