When I worked as a food stylist in photo studios, I came to appreciate the endless ways apple boxes could be used. These wood boxes in graduated sizes have handles routed out at the ends, making them easy to move around for whatever need came up: a model could stand on one to make her taller…the photographer could use one as a step stool to reach her high view camera…three or four could stack to become platforms for surfaces like marble or wood…
They can be quite stylish looking, especially when painted and worn to a fine patina like the ones at top.
Le Courbusier used them as seating and other functions in his spare cabin in the south of France…
A post at Core 77 about making your own apple boxes made me want a set to use as step stool, sitting stool, small table, table base, ledge or stand for books or objects. Too busy to make my own, I was happy to find I can buy them at photo stores like B&H. This nesting set packs four into the footprint of one to conserve space.
The boxes are “unfinished,” so you can use them as-is, or oil, varnish or paint them. I find the “beat-up” look of the vintage painted boxes really beautiful and curiously furniture-like.
Vintage apple boxes at top from Mary Howard Studio Props & Set Services
