Designer Spotlight
Poul Cadovius designed furniture to hang on the wall. His Royal System of 1948 was one of the world's first wall-mounted furniture systems. Its principle was to move furniture off the floor and onto the walls, leaving more space and light in the room.
He followed it with System Ultra in 1957, the Pia Chair in 1959 and System Cado in 1960. Today DK3, based in Vejle, Denmark, holds the licences for all four.
Pia Counter Stools at a wall-mounted System Cado desk. Tap a dot to shop each piece.
From Upholsterer to Manufacturer
Cadovius trained as an upholsterer and took an interest in design early on. In 1945 he founded his own furniture manufacturing company, Royal System, and three years later he designed the shelving system that carries its name.
He saw a challenge in heavy furniture that took up a lot of floor space. As he put it, "Most of us live on the bottom of a cube." Putting the walls to use as well as the floor, he said, gives a lot of space to live on.
Cadovius was an entrepreneur and innovator, and he took out more than 400 patents over his career. He owned a boatyard and developed building materials and fibreglass components, including a mushroom-shaped bus shelter that is well known in Denmark.
Royal System, 1948
Royal System starts with a solid wood rail fixed to the wall, in lengths of 27.6", 39.8" or 78.7". Shelves hang from the rails on hangers in brass or stainless steel, and cabinets hang beside them. Both can be moved up or down at any time.
The shelves are 31.5" wide and come in two depths, 9.4" and 11.8", along with a magazine shelf with an angled front and a desk shelf 23.6" deep. Cabinets come with three drawers, push doors, a bar and desk drop-front, or sliding doors in wood, glass or rippled glass. An LP storage cabinet holds records and a record player.
In the fifties and sixties Cadovius made Royal System in his own factories in Denmark, and it was produced under licence in more than thirty countries. In the sixties it was known as the shelving system with up to 16 million combination options.
These ready-planned configurations come in walnut with brass hangers, and the 3 Bay and 2 Bay also come in oiled oak with stainless steel. Rails and shelves are sold on their own in six finishes, and cabinets in up to six, depending on the type.
System Ultra, 1957
The award-winning System Ultra is based on the same design principles as Royal System, and it is defined by its ultra-thin, moulded veneer shelves with a refined wave-shaped edge profile.
The shelves are 28.3" wide, in two depths, with a magazine and shoe shelf and a shelf with an integrated clothes rod. Cabinets have sliding doors, or are open with an adjustable shelf or a drawer. System Ultra is made in oiled oak or walnut, with brass hangers on rails in three lengths.
System Cado, 1960
System Cado was Cadovius's first shelving system made entirely in wood. Royal System and System Ultra carry their shelves on hangers in brass or steel, while System Cado uses wooden brackets. The frame of each cabinet has a bevelled edge, which adds a distinctive lightness to the system.
Cadovius considered it one of his most exclusive and successful designs. The rails come in oiled oak, soaped oak, smoked oak or walnut, with shelves in two depths and a desk shelf. Cabinets come with push doors, drawers, sliding doors in wood or glass, or a drop front on its own or with a mirror and shelf.
The System Cado Sideboard mounts each cabinet directly on the wall with hidden brackets, without rails.
The Pia Chair
Cadovius is best known for his shelving, and in 1959 he added a dining chair. He wanted a chair in the spirit of the fifties that was light in weight and in look, made with as little material as possible without giving up detail or comfort.
The Pia Chair stands on thin, conical solid wood legs. The back legs are hand-sanded round at the top, and the front legs are finger-joined. The backrest is moulded, and the seat is hand-woven paper cord, which takes two hours to weave on each chair.
It comes in oiled, soaped, smoked and black lacquered oak, and in walnut. The Pia Counter Stool carries the same leg details at counter height, with a footrest and a seat 25.6" high.
Royal System Today
In 2009, DK3 founder Jacob Plejdrup approached Cadovius, then 98, about bringing Royal System back, and it took some time to persuade him. DK3 reintroduced the system in 2010 and showed it at the Salone del Mobile in Milan in 2013.
Each bay of shelves hangs between two rails, so two bays need three rails. DK3 recommends a maximum load of 33 lbs per shelf and professional installation. On Royal System, since brass is softer than steel, shelves with brass hangers are expected to warp more than shelves with steel hangers.
DK3's new parts are not compatible with Royal System parts made before 1985.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who was Poul Cadovius?
Poul Cadovius was a Danish designer and manufacturer, born in 1911. He trained as an upholsterer, founded his furniture company, also named Royal System, in 1945, and designed the Royal System shelving in 1948. System Ultra followed in 1957, the Pia Chair in 1959 and System Cado in 1960. He held more than 400 patents.
What is the difference between Royal System, System Ultra and System Cado?
All three hang their shelves and cabinets on wall rails. Royal System uses hangers in brass or stainless steel, and its rails and shelves come in six finishes. System Ultra has ultra-thin, moulded veneer shelves on brass hangers, in oiled oak or walnut. System Cado uses wooden brackets and was Cadovius's first shelving system made entirely in wood.
Who makes Royal System today?
DK3 holds the licences for Royal System, System Ultra, System Cado and the Pia Chair. DK3 founder Jacob Plejdrup approached Cadovius in 2009, and Royal System was relaunched in 2010.
Can new Royal System parts be added to a vintage system?
Not to a system made before 1985. DK3 states that its new parts are not compatible with Royal System parts made before then.
How much weight can a shelf hold?
DK3 recommends a maximum load of 33 lbs per shelf, and the same on an open drop-front cabinet. Shelves may deflect slightly over time, and on Royal System, shelves with brass hangers are expected to warp more than shelves with steel hangers.
Rails, shelves and cabinets for all three systems are sold separately, alongside the ready-planned Royal System configurations.
To plan a configuration, use DK3's online configurator or contact our design studio.
Featured in this post
