Tag Archives: Chair

This Chair Looks Like a Material Swatch Book

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You know those material swatch books at fabric stores where every color fan out in perfect rainbow order? Designer Fatih Demirci apparently looked at one and thought, “What if that was a chair?” The result is the Kartela Chair, a concept design that turns the humble material sample into something you’d actually want to sit on.

Let’s be real. Most furniture design either plays it safe with neutrals or goes so wild that you’d only see it in a modern art museum. The Kartela Chair manages to walk this delightful line between practical and playful. Looking at it feels like stumbling upon a design secret, where function meets whimsy in the most unexpected way.

Designer: Fatih Demirci

The concept is brilliantly simple yet visually striking. The chair features layers upon layers of cushioned upholstery stacked together, creating this incredible rainbow effect along the edges. Each layer represents a different color or texture, much like flipping through pages in a designer’s sample book. It’s the kind of thing that makes you do a double take. From one angle, you see a sophisticated seating piece with a clean, minimalist frame. From another, you catch those vibrant cascading layers that give it personality and depth.

What really gets me about this design is how it celebrates the materials themselves. Usually, upholstery is hidden away, tucked and stapled underneath where no one sees the construction. Demirci flips that script entirely. Here, the layers become the main event. Every fold, every color transition, every texture is on full display. It’s like the chair is saying, “Hey, look how I’m made, and isn’t it beautiful?”

The Kartela Chair comes in different colorways, which honestly makes it even more fun. There’s a lime green version that practically vibrates with energy, perfect for someone who wants their furniture to make a statement. Then there are softer pastel combinations in lilacs, blues, and creams that feel more serene but still maintain that playful edge. And for those leaning toward earthy vibes, there are warm tones in mustards, tans, and terracottas that bring all that visual interest without overwhelming a space.

The frame itself keeps things grounded. Slim metal legs in either white or black powder coat give the chair an airy, almost floating quality. It’s a smart move. With all that cushioned drama happening above, a heavy base would make the whole thing feel clunky. Instead, the minimal structure lets those colorful layers take center stage while still providing solid support.

From a practical standpoint, this concept is interesting because it challenges how we think about customization. Imagine being able to choose your layer combinations like picking nail polish colors. Want more blues? Go for it. Prefer a monochromatic fade? That works too. The design naturally lends itself to personalization in a way that most furniture doesn’t.

There’s also something nostalgic about the aesthetic. Those tufted buttons on the seat and back cushions give off vintage vibes, like something your cool aunt might have had in her 70s living room, but updated for today. It’s retro without being costume-y, which is a hard balance to strike.

Of course, this is still a concept design, which means we’re looking at rendered images rather than something you can order online tomorrow. But that’s part of what makes furniture concepts so exciting. They push boundaries and make us reconsider what’s possible. Even if the Kartela Chair never makes it to mass production, it’s already done its job by sparking conversation and inspiring other designers to think outside the traditional furniture box. Whether this chair ever graces showroom floors or remains a digital darling, Fatih Demirci has created something that makes people smile. And in the end, isn’t that what good design should do?

The post This Chair Looks Like a Material Swatch Book first appeared on Yanko Design.

Furniture That Dances: The Moon Series Reimagines Seating

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There’s something almost poetic about furniture that moves. Not in the literal sense, but in the way it invites you to play, rearrange, and reimagine your space. The Moon Series from Craft of Both and MADE does exactly that, and honestly, it’s one of the most captivating furniture concepts I’ve seen in a while.

Picture this: a chair that unfolds like a Chinese paper fan, its pleated form spreading out in a graceful arc. That’s the essence of the Moon Series, designed by Christina Standaloft and Jay Jordan. The collection features two core pieces, the Moon Chair at 60 degrees and the Moon Bench at 120 degrees, both built on radial geometry that gives them this incredibly sculptural quality.

Designers: Christina Standaloft, Jay Jordan

What makes these pieces special isn’t just how they look (though they’re absolutely stunning). It’s how they work. The designers describe the interaction as a “meditative fan dance,” which might sound a bit flowery until you actually see someone adjusting the modules. There’s something genuinely calming about sliding those pleated panels along the wooden framework, customizing the backrest to exactly how you want it. It’s tactile design at its finest.

The modularity here goes way beyond what we usually see in flexible furniture. Each piece can be constantly redefined, changing both its physical form and the amount of space it occupies. Want more privacy? Add modules. Need a more open feel? Remove some. The radial structure means every adjustment changes not just comfort but the entire aesthetic of the piece.

But here’s where it gets really interesting. When you start combining multiple Moon Chairs or Benches together, you’re essentially creating sculptural landscapes in your living space. The arrangement of those fan-like elements determines everything: how the pieces orient toward each other, how much privacy each seating area has, the comfort level, and the overall visual impact. It’s like being handed a set of beautiful building blocks and being told to go wild.

The technical execution is impressive too. Those 60-degree and 120-degree angles aren’t arbitrary. They’re precisely calculated to allow the pieces to connect and configure in multiple ways. A full circle is 360 degrees, so you could theoretically arrange six Moon Chairs or three Moon Benches to create a complete circular seating area. Mix and match them, and the possibilities multiply exponentially.

What strikes me most about the Moon Series is how it bridges Eastern and Western design sensibilities. The inspiration from Chinese paper fans brings this delicate, almost ceremonial quality to the pieces. Yet the execution feels very contemporary, with clean lines and that minimalist aesthetic we’ve come to associate with modern Scandinavian or Japanese design. The wooden slats radiate outward like sunbeams, and those pleated paper or fabric panels catch the light beautifully.

There’s also something refreshingly honest about the design. You can see exactly how it works. The structure is exposed, the modularity is obvious, and the craftsmanship is on full display. In an era where so much furniture hides its mechanics behind upholstery and veneers, this transparency feels almost rebellious. From a practical standpoint, this kind of modular system makes a lot of sense for how we actually live today. Smaller spaces, frequent moves, evolving needs… furniture that can adapt alongside us isn’t just clever, it’s necessary. But the Moon Series doesn’t sacrifice beauty for function. If anything, the functionality enhances the beauty.

The partnership between Craft of Both and MADE brings together thoughtful design philosophy with production expertise, and it shows. These aren’t concept pieces that will never make it past the design blog circuit. They’re real, functional furniture that you could actually live with. I keep coming back to those images of someone adjusting the fan modules, their hands gently pulling the pleated material into place. There’s an intimacy there, a personal relationship between user and object that most furniture just doesn’t offer. Your Moon Chair becomes uniquely yours through how you configure it, day by day, mood by mood.

The Moon Series offers something different when we’re used to flat-pack sameness. It’s furniture that invites participation, rewards creativity, and somehow manages to be both statement piece and practical seating. That’s not an easy balance to strike, but Standaloft and Jordan have done it with grace.

The post Furniture That Dances: The Moon Series Reimagines Seating first appeared on Yanko Design.

Atlanta Airport Has Chairs Made From Campus Trash. They’re Gorgeous

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There’s something quietly radical about sitting in a recycled Adirondack chair while you’re waiting for your flight at the world’s busiest airport. Plastic Reimagined transforms locally sourced plastic waste into full-scale seating prototypes, bridging design education, material research, and civic infrastructure at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, and honestly, I can’t stop thinking about how clever this is.

Here’s what happened. Assistant Professor Hyojin Kwon, founder of the research-oriented practice Pre– and Post–, developed this through a graduate design research studio at Georgia Tech’s School of Architecture, where students took a very practical question and turned it into something beautiful. What if all that plastic waste from campus could actually become something useful again?

Designer: Hyojin Kwon (curator and instructor)

Graduate students collected post-consumer HDPE and PLA from campus makerspaces, waste collection streams, and local recycling facilities. Think about that for a second. The plastic cups from the student union, 3D printing scraps from late-night projects, all that everyday campus detritus that usually ends up in a landfill. Instead of being tossed, the materials were shredded, pressed into sheets, milled with CNC routers, or cast into volumetric forms.

What I love most is that they didn’t try to hide the recycled nature of these pieces. Surface variations, including marbled color patterns and irregular textures, were retained as integral elements of the final designs, so each chair has this gorgeous, swirly aesthetic that screams “I used to be something else.” The imperfections became the personality.

The project started modestly enough. It was first exhibited at Atlanta Contemporary from June to September 2025, where a series of Adirondack chairs and collective seating elements were presented as both design artifacts and material propositions. But then it went public in a bigger way. During SITE 2025 at the Goat Farm Arts Center, the chairs were installed across the 12-acre property during a one-night arts festival and encountered by over 4,000 visitors who could actually sit on them, touch them, use them in the wild.

Now comes the really exciting part. Plastic Reimagined transitioned into a long-term civic setting as part of TRANSPORT | Transform | TRANSCEND, a year-long exhibition partnership between Georgia Tech Arts and Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, installed in Terminal T and on view through November 2026. That means millions of travelers from around the world will see these chairs, and maybe pause long enough to wonder about their own relationship with plastic waste.

As Kwon noted, “These post-consumer materials were coming from our campus, our students’ everyday life. By repurposing them, we created meaningful research outcomes.” There’s something deeply satisfying about that circularity. The students created the waste, then figured out how to give it a second life as functional furniture that other people can actually use.

The individual pieces have names and personalities. There’s Vincent, with its hand-shaped forms and marbled surfaces. There’s Modu-Chair, built from cubic modules that echo quilting patterns. And Framework, a translucent lattice structure that reimagines what an Adirondack chair can even be. Each one asks the same question in a different way: what if we stopped seeing plastic as garbage and started seeing it as potential?

Across its transitions from gallery to festival to global transit hub, Plastic Reimagined argues for sustainability as infrastructural literacy rather than aesthetic signaling. This isn’t performative environmentalism. It’s practical, tangible, and sitting right there in the airport terminal where anyone can plop down and rest their feet.

This project proves something I’ve always believed: the best design solutions come from constraints, not abundance. When you have to work with what’s already there, you get creative in ways you never would with unlimited resources. These Georgia Tech students turned their campus waste stream into a civic contribution, and now their work is literally supporting weary travelers at one of the planet’s busiest crossroads.

The post Atlanta Airport Has Chairs Made From Campus Trash. They’re Gorgeous first appeared on Yanko Design.

This Wicker Collection Looks Like the Forest Came Indoors

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There’s something magical about watching an ancient craft transform into something that feels utterly contemporary. That’s exactly what happens when you encounter Whispers of the Wildwood, a new collection from Hyderabad-based design studio The Wicker Story. Designer Priyanka Narula has taken the humble art of wicker weaving and turned it into something that feels like poetry you can touch.

Wicker has been having a moment lately. You’ve probably noticed it creeping back into the design world, showing up in Instagram-worthy cafes and carefully curated living rooms. But here’s the thing: most wicker pieces still carry that nostalgic grandma’s-porch vibe, charming but predictable. Narula decided to throw that playbook out the window.

Designer: Priyanka Narula for The Wicker Story

Instead of sticking to traditional furniture forms, she looked to the forest itself for inspiration. The collection draws from the organic chaos of nature, from meandering rivers that never quite go straight to forest canopies that filter light in a thousand different ways. There’s the gentle sway of wild grasses caught in the breeze, the textured warmth of tree bark, the unpredictable curves of branches reaching toward the sun. Each piece in the collection becomes a memory of these natural moments, frozen in woven form.

What makes this collection so compelling is how it pushes wicker beyond what we think it can do. These aren’t just chairs and tables with a nature-inspired twist. They’re sculptural pieces that happen to be functional, blurring that increasingly fuzzy line between art and design. The textures are incredibly fine, elevated through contemporary silhouettes and details so subtle you might miss them at first glance.

Take the Pagdandi wall unit, for example. The name itself evokes narrow forest paths, those meandering trails worn by countless footsteps over time. The piece captures that same sense of organic movement, of following where nature leads rather than imposing rigid geometry. It’s the kind of design that makes you stop and look twice, wondering how something woven could feel so fluid.

The earthy tones throughout the collection feel deliberate but never forced. Instead of reaching for trendy neutrals, Narula stays true to the materials themselves, letting the natural warmth of wicker shine through. It’s a celebration of what the material can do when you really understand it, when you’ve spent years researching and experimenting with traditional weaving techniques and then finding ways to push them forward.

This approach makes sense when you learn more about The Wicker Story itself. Founded by Narula in 2018, the studio has built its reputation on research-driven design that respects Indian weaving craft while refusing to let it remain static. It’s not about preservation for preservation’s sake. It’s about honoring the skill and knowledge of traditional artisans while asking what else is possible, what new forms and expressions might emerge when you give craft room to evolve.

The timing feels right for a collection like this. We’re living in an era where people are craving authenticity and connection to natural materials, but nobody wants their space to feel like a museum or a rustic cabin. We want pieces that acknowledge our contemporary lives while bringing in warmth and texture and that ineffable quality of something made by human hands. Whispers of the Wildwood hits that sweet spot perfectly.

What Narula has created isn’t just furniture. It’s a reminder that the best design often comes from deep observation of the world around us. The forest doesn’t use straight lines or perfect symmetry, yet it creates compositions that feel balanced and beautiful. By channeling those organic rhythms into woven forms, this collection brings a piece of that wildwood serenity into our built environments.

For anyone who loves design that tells a story, that carries meaning beyond pure aesthetics, this collection deserves your attention. It proves that traditional craft can speak to contemporary sensibilities, that wicker can be sculptural and sophisticated, and that sometimes the most innovative design comes from looking not to the future but to the timeless patterns of nature itself.

The post This Wicker Collection Looks Like the Forest Came Indoors first appeared on Yanko Design.

This Wicker Collection Looks Like the Forest Came Indoors

Posted on by

There’s something magical about watching an ancient craft transform into something that feels utterly contemporary. That’s exactly what happens when you encounter Whispers of the Wildwood, a new collection from Hyderabad-based design studio The Wicker Story. Designer Priyanka Narula has taken the humble art of wicker weaving and turned it into something that feels like poetry you can touch.

Wicker has been having a moment lately. You’ve probably noticed it creeping back into the design world, showing up in Instagram-worthy cafes and carefully curated living rooms. But here’s the thing: most wicker pieces still carry that nostalgic grandma’s-porch vibe, charming but predictable. Narula decided to throw that playbook out the window.

Designer: Priyanka Narula for The Wicker Story

Instead of sticking to traditional furniture forms, she looked to the forest itself for inspiration. The collection draws from the organic chaos of nature, from meandering rivers that never quite go straight to forest canopies that filter light in a thousand different ways. There’s the gentle sway of wild grasses caught in the breeze, the textured warmth of tree bark, the unpredictable curves of branches reaching toward the sun. Each piece in the collection becomes a memory of these natural moments, frozen in woven form.

What makes this collection so compelling is how it pushes wicker beyond what we think it can do. These aren’t just chairs and tables with a nature-inspired twist. They’re sculptural pieces that happen to be functional, blurring that increasingly fuzzy line between art and design. The textures are incredibly fine, elevated through contemporary silhouettes and details so subtle you might miss them at first glance.

Take the Pagdandi wall unit, for example. The name itself evokes narrow forest paths, those meandering trails worn by countless footsteps over time. The piece captures that same sense of organic movement, of following where nature leads rather than imposing rigid geometry. It’s the kind of design that makes you stop and look twice, wondering how something woven could feel so fluid.

The earthy tones throughout the collection feel deliberate but never forced. Instead of reaching for trendy neutrals, Narula stays true to the materials themselves, letting the natural warmth of wicker shine through. It’s a celebration of what the material can do when you really understand it, when you’ve spent years researching and experimenting with traditional weaving techniques and then finding ways to push them forward.

This approach makes sense when you learn more about The Wicker Story itself. Founded by Narula in 2018, the studio has built its reputation on research-driven design that respects Indian weaving craft while refusing to let it remain static. It’s not about preservation for preservation’s sake. It’s about honoring the skill and knowledge of traditional artisans while asking what else is possible, what new forms and expressions might emerge when you give craft room to evolve.

The timing feels right for a collection like this. We’re living in an era where people are craving authenticity and connection to natural materials, but nobody wants their space to feel like a museum or a rustic cabin. We want pieces that acknowledge our contemporary lives while bringing in warmth and texture and that ineffable quality of something made by human hands. Whispers of the Wildwood hits that sweet spot perfectly.

What Narula has created isn’t just furniture. It’s a reminder that the best design often comes from deep observation of the world around us. The forest doesn’t use straight lines or perfect symmetry, yet it creates compositions that feel balanced and beautiful. By channeling those organic rhythms into woven forms, this collection brings a piece of that wildwood serenity into our built environments.

For anyone who loves design that tells a story, that carries meaning beyond pure aesthetics, this collection deserves your attention. It proves that traditional craft can speak to contemporary sensibilities, that wicker can be sculptural and sophisticated, and that sometimes the most innovative design comes from looking not to the future but to the timeless patterns of nature itself.

The post This Wicker Collection Looks Like the Forest Came Indoors first appeared on Yanko Design.

This Doughnut Chair Has One Bite Missing, and That’s Your Seat

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Most chairs are clearly assembled objects, with legs, a seat, and a backrest, all stacked and joined together. Sculptural lounge pieces sometimes flip that script and feel more like a single volume that has been carved or sliced. Chunk is a concept that leans into that second approach, imagining seating as a doughnut with a bite taken out rather than a frame with cushions bolted on, treating furniture as something you edit rather than assemble.

The designer imagined a chair that looks like a doughnut with a chunk removed. The missing piece becomes the seat and the opening for the backrest, while the rest of the ring wraps around in a continuous loop. The concept is less about novelty and more about seeing how far a single looping form can be pushed into something you can actually sit in, where the absence of material defines the place for the body.

Designer: Liam de la Bedoyere

Both the seat and backrest share the same oval cross-section, but as the base curves up to become the backrest, that oval quietly swaps its length and width. It is wide and low where you sit, then gradually becomes tall and narrow as it rises behind you. The section never breaks; it just morphs along the path, which gives the chair a sense of motion even when it is still and empty.

The “bite” creates a bowl-like seat that cradles the hips and thighs, while the rising loop offers a relaxed backrest rather than a rigid upright. The proportions suggest a low, lounge-style posture, closer to a reading chair or a corner piece in a living room than a dining chair. The continuous curve encourages you to lean back and sink in, not perch on the edge ready to stand again.

A near-cylindrical form can look like it might roll away, but the geometry and internal structure are tuned to keep the center of gravity low and slightly behind the seat. The base is subtly flattened, and a denser core at the bottom would keep it from tipping forward when someone leans back. The result is a chair that looks precarious from some angles but behaves like a grounded lounge piece once you sit.

The monolithic upholstery, a textured fabric that wraps the entire volume without obvious breaks, reinforces the idea of a single chunk of material. The form reads differently as you move around it, sometimes like a shell, sometimes like a curled leaf, sometimes like a coiled creature. It is the kind of chair that anchors a corner or gallery-like space, inviting you to walk around it before you decide to sit down and settle in.

Chunk uses subtraction as its main design move, starting from a complete ring and then removing just enough to create a place for the body. For a category that often defaults to adding parts, there is something satisfying about a chair that feels like it has been edited down to a single, looping gesture, with one decisive bite turning an abstract volume into a place to rest, read, or just sink into for a while.

The post This Doughnut Chair Has One Bite Missing, and That’s Your Seat first appeared on Yanko Design.

This Modular Chair Transforms Into 3 Designs With One Sphere

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Remember when you were a kid and every toy was an invitation to build something new? Designers Sihun Lim and Hyeonggyun Han are bringing that same playful spirit to furniture with their PLA modular chair concept, and honestly, it’s the kind of design that makes you wonder why all furniture isn’t this fun.

The PLA project is built around a simple but brilliant idea: what if you could customize your chair the same way you’d snap together building blocks? At the heart of each design is a spherical connector module that acts like a universal joint, letting you attach different seat backs, legs, and structural elements to create wildly different chair styles. It’s furniture that refuses to be just one thing, and in our era of tiny apartments and ever-changing aesthetics, that flexibility feels genuinely exciting.

Designers: Sihun Lim, Hyeonggyun Han

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What really sets this concept apart is its unapologetic space theme. Lim and Han didn’t just create modular chairs; they created modular chairs inspired by the cosmos, and that choice transforms what could have been a purely functional exercise into something that sparks imagination. The three main designs (cleverly named O1-P, O2-A, and O3-L) each take inspiration from different space exploration imagery, turning everyday seating into conversation pieces.

The O3-L sunbed takes inspiration from satellites orbiting in space, complete with distinctive panels that evoke solar arrays. The design has this wonderful industrial edge to it, with metal connecting elements that create visual interest while serving the practical purpose of holding everything together. When viewed from above, it really does resemble a satellite, right down to the way the components radiate from that central spherical hub.

Then there’s the O2-A chair, which draws from Saturn’s iconic silhouette. When you look at it from the side, you can see how the designers translated those distinctive planetary rings into flexible curves that wrap around the central sphere. The result is a chair that feels both organic and architectural, with legs that flow in elegant arcs. It’s the kind of piece that would look equally at home in a sleek office or a retro-futuristic cafe.

The O1-P stool channels the moment a lunar rover touches down on the moon’s surface. The body of the rover becomes the seat, while the landing legs translate into the stool’s four individually configurable legs. It’s that perfect intersection of form following function and function following fantasy. You can practically imagine Neil Armstrong’s voice as you pull up a seat.

 

The color palette is another smart choice. Instead of playing it safe with neutrals, the designers went bold with electric blues, coral pinks, and eye-popping lime greens. These aren’t colors that fade into the background; they’re colors that announce themselves. Combined with the metallic silver pipes and connector elements, the chairs have this retro-futuristic vibe that feels fresh rather than dated. It’s very “The Jetsons meet contemporary Scandinavian design.”

Beyond the aesthetic appeal, there’s something genuinely progressive about the modular approach. We live in a world drowning in disposable furniture, where a wobbly chair leg often means the whole thing ends up in a landfill. With the PLA system, you could theoretically swap out broken parts, reconfigure your setup as your needs change, or completely transform your chair’s personality with new modules. It’s furniture that grows with you rather than becoming obsolete.

The designers describe PLA as embracing the concept of “Universe,” suggesting infinite possibilities for decorating and shaping according to imagination. That might sound a bit grandiose, but when you look at how the same central sphere can anchor completely different chair personalities, the metaphor tracks. It’s about giving users creative agency over their environment, letting them become co-creators rather than just consumers.

Of course, this is still a concept design, which means we can’t run out and buy one tomorrow. But that’s actually what makes projects like this so valuable. They push the conversation forward about what furniture could be, challenging both manufacturers and consumers to think beyond the static pieces we’ve accepted as normal. Whether or not the PLA system ever makes it to production, it’s already succeeding at its most important job: making us reimagine the everyday objects in our lives as canvases for creativity and play.

The post This Modular Chair Transforms Into 3 Designs With One Sphere first appeared on Yanko Design.

These Lightweight Foam Chairs Could Finally Fix Public Seating

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You know that feeling when you’re at an outdoor concert and your back is screaming after 30 minutes on those unforgiving metal benches? Or when you’re at a community event, desperately wishing you could just shift that heavy concrete seating a few feet over? Yeah, BKID Co clearly knows that feeling too, and they’ve designed a concept that could potentially solve it.

Meet Form&Foam, a conceptual modular seating system that’s basically the opposite of everything we’ve come to expect from public furniture. Instead of being rigid, heavy, and impossible to move without a forklift, these proposed chairs would be soft, lightweight, and surprisingly adaptable. The secret ingredient? EPP material, which stands for expanded polypropylene if you want to get technical about it.

Designer: BKID Co

What makes EPP so special is its trifecta of practical benefits. It’s shock-resistant (meaning it can take a beating and bounce right back), it’s genuinely soft to sit on, and it weighs next to nothing. That last part is crucial because it would transform these chairs from static objects into something more like building blocks for public spaces. Anyone could pick one up and rearrange the seating configuration on the fly.

The design comes in multiple variations, but the star of the show is the “Lean” model, which has this wonderfully relaxed recline to it. Looking at the concept images, you can immediately tell this isn’t your grandma’s folding chair. The textured surface has this almost fuzzy, pixelated appearance in vibrant colors (that speckled red is particularly eye-catching), and the form itself curves in ways that actually seem to understand how human bodies work.

Here’s where the concept gets really interesting. BKID Co isn’t just proposing another chair design. They’re imagining an entire philosophy about how public seating should work. The idea is that different events call for different postures and different social dynamics. Their “Sit” chair would encourage upright, formal posture, perfect for city council meetings or lecture-style events. Meanwhile, the “Lean” version invites you to kick back a bit, ideal for casual concerts or relaxed community gatherings.

This isn’t just aesthetic flexibility; it’s behavioral design in action. The furniture would literally shape how people interact with spaces and with each other. Want to create a more formal atmosphere? Bring out the upright chairs. Hosting a laid-back music festival? Break out the lean-back models. It’s public space planning that actually thinks about the humans using the space.

The practical benefits extend beyond just comfort and flexibility. Traditional public furniture has some serious maintenance issues. Wooden benches rot, metal rusts, and concrete cracks. All of that means constant repairs and replacements, which drain municipal budgets. EPP foam, on the other hand, is incredibly durable and weather-resistant. It won’t rust, rot, or splinter. And because it’s shock-absorbent, it’s actually pretty difficult to damage in the first place.

There’s also something refreshingly playful about the design concept. Public furniture tends to be brutalist and unwelcoming, partly by design (hello, hostile architecture). But Form&Foam takes the opposite approach. The soft, tactile quality and bright colors make these pieces feel approachable and friendly. They look like something you’d actually want to sit on, not something designed to make you uncomfortable after 15 minutes.

The modularity factor shouldn’t be underestimated either. These chairs could be arranged and rearranged to create different seating configurations. Line them up in rows for a presentation, cluster them in circles for discussions, scatter them casually for an open-space vibe. The lightness of the material means event organizers (or even attendees) could reshape the space as needs change throughout the day.

What BKID Co has envisioned here feels like a small but significant rethinking of how we do public spaces. It asks why public furniture needs to be permanent, heavy, and uncomfortable when it could be adaptable, accessible, and actually pleasant to use. In a world where urban designers are increasingly thinking about how to make cities more livable and human-centered, concept proposals like Form&Foam feel like a step in exactly the right direction.

Whether this concept makes the leap from design portfolio to actual parks and plazas remains to be seen. But sometimes the most innovative design isn’t about reinventing everything from scratch. It’s about taking something we all use and asking, “But what if it didn’t suck?” Form&Foam asked that question about public seating, and the answer turns out to be pretty compelling.

The post These Lightweight Foam Chairs Could Finally Fix Public Seating first appeared on Yanko Design.

5 KeyShot Renders With Lighting So Perfect, You Wish They Were Real Products

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There’s something magical about watching a design concept come to life before it ever physically exists. That’s the power of KeyShot Studio, the rendering software that lets designers test their wildest ideas, play with materials and lighting, and present their visions with stunning photorealistic clarity. For those of us who obsess over beautiful objects and dream about perfectly curated spaces, KeyShot renders are like candy for the eyes: they show us what could be, all wrapped up in gorgeous visuals that make us think, “I need that in my life right now.”

This collection of KeyShot-rendered concepts proves that the best designs don’t just look good; they solve real problems with style and wit. From furniture that fits in a suitcase to clocks that respect your rental deposit, these five concepts showcase how designers are reimagining everyday objects through a minimalist lens. Each piece started as an idea, was meticulously crafted in KeyShot, and emerged as something we’re genuinely excited about. Whether you’re a design collector, a function-obsessed minimalist, or someone who just appreciates when smart meets beautiful, these concepts will make you fall in love with the art of possibility.

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1. Carousel Chair by Alessandro Pagura

When I see that a piece of furniture needs to be assembled if I buy it, I immediately back away because I am not the brightest when it comes to following instructions and using various tools. But if the promise is that it’s as easy as building a Lego set (which isn’t always that easy TBF), I might reconsider. The Carousel Chair concept by Alessandro Pagura promises that all you need is an Allen key to set it up and that it’s actually pretty accessible.

The pieces are made from standard plywood and off-the-shelf hardware, and once put together, you get a simple and minimalist chair with clean, rounded lines and a distinctive segmented backrest. The curved seat design is probably meant to make your tush a bit more comfortable even when sitting on it for a long time. This isn’t just eye candy for your space but ingeniously practical. The entire chair breaks down and tucks neatly into a suitcase, requiring only an Allen key for assembly. No complex instructions, no specialized tools, no stress. It also brings the spirit of DIY accessibility, democratizing furniture design and making it more open and shareable through open-source CNC plans.

2. Wall Clock by Marc Senar

Say goodbye to wall damage and hello to effortless style with this genius suction-mounted wall clock concept. Crafted from smooth, durable plastic with an organic, pebble-inspired silhouette, this timepiece is a renter’s dream and a perfectionist’s best friend. No screws, no drill holes, no dust clouds, and definitely no noise: just peel, press, and you’re done. The innovative suction system adheres securely to any smooth surface, making it perfect for bathroom tiles, kitchen backsplashes, or glossy bedroom walls where you’d never dare break out the power tools.

Envisioned in soft, sophisticated colorways including crisp white and warm amber orange, this concept clock brings a playful yet refined touch to any space. The clean face features easy-to-read numerals with contrasting hands (love that pop of orange!), while the gently curved form adds sculptural interest without overwhelming your aesthetic. Whether you’re decorating a rental apartment, refreshing a spa-like bathroom, or simply avoiding another DIY disaster, this design concept shows how functional pieces can respect both your walls and your sanity. Time-telling has never looked this stress-free.

3. RW Tea Candle by Design in Depth

Roll the dice on ambiance with this clever candle holder concept that takes the gamble out of mood lighting. Inspired by the iconic shape of a gaming die, this sleek metallic cube features the classic dot pattern on its sides while the top surface holds three tea light candles in perfectly positioned wells. Crafted with a sophisticated matte finish, it’s a playful nod to chance and risk, but the only thing you’re betting on here is creating the perfect cozy atmosphere. No odds, no stakes, just pure flickering flame and conversation-starting style.

This design concept transforms an everyday object into sculptural art that’s equal parts functional and fun. The geometric precision and minimalist aesthetic make it a stunning centerpiece for modern interiors, while the cheeky dice reference adds personality and edge. Imagine it gracing your coffee table during game night, adding drama to a bookshelf display, or bringing unexpected whimsy to a sophisticated dinner setting. For collectors who appreciate design with a sense of humor and anyone who loves when form meets witty function, this dice candle holder concept proves that the best designs know how to play.

4. Ennea Light by Have Not

The Ennea Light concept reimagines illumination as pure geometry, where nine perfectly arranged spheres create a mesmerizing grid of light and shadow. Supported by sleek chrome legs that give it an almost whimsical stance, this sculptural lamp is designed to be as versatile as it is beautiful. The genius lies in its dual personality: face it toward a wall and it becomes soft ambient lighting that bathes your space in a dreamy glow, or turn it forward to showcase those glowing orbs as a statement art piece. Available in glossy black, pure white, or luminous configurations, each sphere works in harmony to create depth and visual rhythm that feels both futuristic and timeless.

This design concept embodies minimalist philosophy through mathematical precision and balance. The name “Ennea” (Greek for nine) celebrates the power of repetition and order, where individual points of light unite into a cohesive plane that feels greater than the sum of its parts. Perfect for design collectors who appreciate the intersection of form and function, or anyone drawn to pieces that transform a room’s entire atmosphere. Whether perched on a sideboard, bedroom shelf, or modern console, the Ennea Light concept proves that sometimes the most captivating designs are built on the simplest foundations: perfect spheres, precise spacing, and the magic of light.

5. SETTIME by Design Woork

This SETTIME concept reimagines how we experience the passing of time through ultra-minimalist design that’s more art object than alarm clock. With its sleek circular profile and impossibly thin silhouette, this timer device distills functionality down to its purest essence. The face features a clean, uncluttered surface with subtle controls tucked discreetly along the side, while the overall form takes inspiration from a perfectly balanced water droplet. Available in sophisticated monochrome options of deep black or crisp white, the concept comes in packaging as elegant as the product itself, with a beautifully simple line drawing that captures the device’s graceful proportions.

Designed for those who appreciate when technology knows how to disappear into the background, this SETTIME concept would be equally at home on a minimalist desk, modern kitchen counter, or serene bedroom nightstand. The ultra-slim profile means it takes up virtually no space while making maximum visual impact, proving that timekeeping devices don’t need to shout to be noticed. For design collectors who value restraint and refinement, or anyone tired of cluttered, over-designed tech, this concept shows how beautiful simplicity can be when every element serves a purpose. Time, distilled to its most elegant form.

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This Furniture Trick Makes Flat Wood Look Curved With Zero Waste

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Have you ever wondered why ergonomic furniture costs so much? Here’s a secret: creating curves that actually fit the human body is ridiculously complicated. Our bodies are all soft lines and organic shapes, but transforming hard materials like wood into those comfortable contours usually requires serious craftsmanship, expensive machinery, or both. Designer Minhwan Kim just cracked this puzzle in the most elegant way possible, and the design world is taking notice. Layer, his recent furniture project, just won Red Dot’s prestigious “Best of the Best” award for 2025.

The genius of Layer lies in how it rethinks an old problem. Traditional curved furniture typically means either steam-bending wood (labor-intensive and temperamental) or carving from solid blocks (hello, massive waste). Some designers have experimented with parametric structures, which use flat sheets cut into specific patterns that can be assembled into three-dimensional curves. It sounds perfect in theory, but there’s a catch. These designs often waste huge amounts of material because the cutting patterns don’t efficiently use the available sheet space. You end up with gorgeous furniture and a dumpster full of expensive scraps.

Designer: Minhwan Kim

Kim’s approach flips this wasteful equation. Layer uses an optimized parametric system that minimizes material waste while creating furniture that looks like it was sculpted rather than assembled. The process starts by digitally breaking down a 3D curved surface into individual layers. Think of it like those topographic maps that show elevation through contour lines, except here each line becomes a physical piece of wood. These intersection curves are then aligned and processed into solid wood components that stack together to create the final form.

The beauty of this system is visible in the finished pieces. That curved seat you see isn’t molded or carved. It’s actually dozens of thin wooden layers precisely cut and stacked, creating a fluid, organic surface that perfectly supports the human form. The wood grain flows across the surface like waves, emphasizing the layered construction rather than hiding it. It’s functional sculpture that actually works as furniture.

What really makes this project special is how it bridges digital design and traditional craftsmanship. The parametric modeling happens on a computer, allowing Kim to optimize every cut for minimal waste. But the actual fabrication involves real woodworking, real routers and sanders, and actual human hands assembling each layer. You can see this in the workshop photos where curved wooden ribs are being clamped together, sawdust coating the workbench, showing that even cutting-edge design still requires getting your hands dirty.

The manufacturing process is surprisingly straightforward once you understand the system. Standard flat plywood sheets get CNC-cut into the calculated patterns. Because the system is optimized, the pieces nest together on the sheet like a jigsaw puzzle, using nearly every inch of material. These flat pieces are then processed into their final curved profiles through careful routing. Finally, they’re assembled layer by layer, each piece fitting into precisely calculated positions until the complete three-dimensional form emerges.

This isn’t just clever for its own sake. In an era when we’re increasingly aware of material consumption and waste, Layer demonstrates how thoughtful design can be both beautiful and responsible. The furniture industry generates enormous amounts of waste, particularly in custom and high-end pieces. By optimizing material usage from the digital design phase, Kim shows that sustainability and aesthetics don’t have to be competing values.

The finished stool in the exhibition space looks deceptively simple. Its dark wood surface curves gently to cradle the body, the layered edge visible like the pages of a closed book. Nothing about it screams “innovative fabrication technique” or “award-winning design.” It just looks like a really nice piece of furniture you’d actually want in your home. And maybe that’s the highest compliment you can give any design: it solves complex problems so elegantly that the solution becomes invisible.

For anyone interested in where design and technology intersect, Layer represents an exciting direction. It shows how computational design tools can enhance rather than replace traditional craft, and how constraints like material efficiency can inspire creative solutions rather than limiting them. Sometimes the most innovative designs aren’t about flashy new materials or radical forms, but about finding smarter ways to work with what we’ve always had.

The post This Furniture Trick Makes Flat Wood Look Curved With Zero Waste first appeared on Yanko Design.