Tag Archives: flatpack

Flatpack furniture designed to perfectly integrate into micro-living setups

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Flat-packed designs are really quite intriguing! They’re portable, easy to put together, and occupy minimum space. And, this innovative technology is now being introduced to almost all kinds of product designs…including furniture! From foldable chairs to pet houses, there’s nothing that cannot be flat-packed. These designs, not only rate high on space efficiency, but also eliminate the usage of heavier space-consuming designs. They are definitely functionally and ergonomically beneficial, but they also possess minimal and clean aesthetics, that allow them to harmoniously blend with any living space. Flat-packed furniture is also a major boon when you’re moving houses. You can easily ship all your furniture from one home to another, without having to do any heavy lifting and carrying. Flat-packed furniture designs are truly the future!

1. Pagoda

Shanghai-based Stellar Works teamed up with American design studio Bassam Fellows to come up with an East meets West kind of chair that can fit your dining room, your office pantry, or your indie cafe.

Why is it noteworthy?

Pagoda is inspired by both the cafe culture in Shanghai during the 1920s and the cafe chairs from Vienna in the 19th century. Aside from the fact that it’s well-designed, it’s also pretty convenient to assemble it as there are only six parts in the package.

What we like

  • Inspired by the cantilevered, upward-curving gates of pagodas in Asia
  • You can choose from different finishes depending on the motif of your home or business space

What we dislike

  • No complaints!

2. That Stool

Small stools can come in handy anywhere. From empty art studios to crowded offices, stools can make the simple difference between sitting on the floor and having a seat. They especially come in handy when they’re designed for easy assembly and storage. Developed by Alondra Elizalde, That Stool is a flatpack DIY small stool designed with easy assembly to provide a practical means of having a stool anywhere, at any time.

Why is it noteworthy?

That Stool is comprised of only a few parts: a seat rest, five legs, a couple of star-shaped spindles, and some connecting nuts and bolts. All contained within a flatpack corrugated cardboard box, the parts of That Stool are easy to assemble with no additional hardware required. Following the imprinted instructions on the underside of That Stool’s top cover, users will first attach each leg to the corresponding screws on the star-shaped spindles. From there, connecting fasteners secure the legs and spindles in place, providing a sturdy bolster for the seat rest to mount.

What we like

  • Assembled in only four steps without any additional hardware
  • Can be used anywhere, at any time
  • You can build it yourself!

What we dislike

  • Looks like any other regular stool on the market

3. The Storm Lamp

The beauty of the Storm Lamp by Julia Kononenko is that there isn’t any method to its mad design. The lamp comes with a variety of laser-cut wooden panels that can be arranged/oriented in any way you like because as its name suggests, the Storm Lamp is all about beauty in chaos. Looking almost like an abstract tornado, the lamp is entirely made from flat pieces of laser-cut plywood that are either left plain or painted black.

Why is it noteworthy?

When assembled together, they create a 3D form using the Gestalt visual law of continuity. Moreover, the jagged edges themselves illuminate to look like chaotic lightning strikes, reinforcing the product’s inspiration!

What we like

  • The lamps are available in both hanging and floor formats
  • The jagged edges themselves illuminate to look like chaotic lightning strikes

What we dislike

  • No complaints!

4. Puffa

Creation of industrial designers Yin-Yu Lo and Trinna Wu, this accessory takes flat packaging as the core idea for portability. I like the idea of having the option to carry a comfy sofa to the next camping trip or the leisurely beach day on the weekend.

Why is it noteworthy?

The duo has designed the urban sofa using 3D weaving distance technology in the inflatable structure. This production method keeps the middle surface of the sofa flat with a stable supporting force that prevents eventual sagging with such inflatable products. It can be inflated instantly without much hassle, and the stiffness level of the seat and cushion can be adjusted as required. When it needs to be transported to another place, deflate Puffa and easily carry it public transit or store it in the car’s boot.

What we like

  • The sofa folds to the size of a yoga mat, making it ultra-portable in nature
  • It will never sag like other inflatable sofas

What we dislike

  • The transparent/neon colour scheme may not appeal to everyone

5. The O TRL

What the world needs more of is minimal and elegant furniture like the O TRL by Annabella Hevesi. Annabella created this tray table as a versatile piece of furniture – use it to store your stationery, kitchen knick-knacks, or as a makeshift desk in work from the home emergency scene – the pure and minimal aesthetics of this design make it a perfect match everywhere.

Why is it noteworthy?

The trolley has a slim and sleek silhouette and is constructed using a black MDF board, powder-coated steel, and rubber. Do not be fooled by its humble looks; this tray can bear its fair share of weight and move around smoothly, given its large weight-bearing wheels.

What we like

  • Can bear weights
  • Moves around smoothly

What we dislike

  • The design looks a little frail

6. staxxiom

With laser-cut pieces of wood that simply interlock to create your design, staxxiom is building on IKEA’s DIY culture by making their furniture more efficient, more eco-friendly, and as simplified as possible. That last part works in staxxiom’s favor too, because the simplified design gives their furniture a unified, wonderfully minimal aesthetic, along with the added benefit of being ridiculously easy to build too.

Why is it noteworthy?

The table’s design is just a 3-part assembly, featuring two wide interlocking leg panels and a surface on top… along with tiny coupling blocks that plug into the gaps to hold the design together. staxxiom’s shelves and stools work the same way too – with parts that just interlock together, and coupling blocks that fill in the gaps. More often than not, you don’t even NEED a manual because even a child could assemble it, and the assembly process is about as time-consuming as making a paper plane.

What we like

  • This unique approach to designing furniture benefits all the stakeholders in the product’s cycle
  • You can disassemble and reassemble your products too if you plan on shifting houses

What we dislike

  • No complaints!

7. The Stair Cubby

The Stair Cubby, as it was christened, can be assembled without the use of tools, with tabs simply going into slots and held down with pegs. The cubby is designed to sit on two steps of stairs, but the panel on the back can slide up and down to adjust to different stair heights. The storage has five open-access cubbies for shoes, books, and any other item that can fit inside, keeping things organized and out of harm’s way.

Why is it noteworthy?

Staircase bins need to take into account the particular shape of stairs, but not all stairs are made equal, so they have to be a bit more flexible or at least configurable. Given how in-demand these storage solutions might be, they also need to be durable and sustainable. These two product design students from Nottingham Trent University in the UK hit both birds with one sheet of plywood.

What we like

  • Can be assembled without the use of tools
  • Great for homes with space constraints

What we dislike

  • We’re not sure how well it would hold heavier objects

8. Tri-Round Chair

Yunjae Lee, a Seoul-based product designer has taken to birch plywood and CNC-milling to design and construct a chair with three rounded legs, requiring no additional tools or hardware for assembly.

Why is it noteworthy?

Before assembly, Yunjae Lee’s Tri-Round Chair breaks down to eleven separate pieces– reminiscent of IKEA projects. From the looks of it, the eleven pieces of Tri-Round Chair have been CNC-milled to fit into one another like a 3D puzzle. The chair’s center support structure is comprised of two wooden pieces that rest on the ground, providing stability for the chair from the ground up. One longer beam intersects and runs perpendicular to those two boards to connect additional support side legs that cradle the chair’s main seat and backrest. The complex interlocking formation of the Tri-Round Chair ensures stability and a solid structure.

What we like

  • Each piece of Tri-Round Chair seamlessly connects with one another to form a finished product that feels familiar
  • By joining each separate component together, Tri-Round Chair finds support through a complex interlocking building method

What we dislike

  • No complaints!

9. Float

Float is a flatpack cat tower with built-in scratching pads that can be assembled in just a few steps. Keeping cats entertained is a losing game. With all of the toys we buy for our feline friends, they still seem to prefer the armchair for scratching and balls of yarn for chasing. But then, that rare piece of furniture comes along made specifically for them that becomes their favorite spot for a midafternoon cat nap.

Why is it noteworthy?

Amounting four levels, Float is a flatpack cat tower with integrated features like scratching posts and movable seat rests. Following a client’s specifications and criteria, Teixeira designed Float so that it would blend into any modern home. Taking on a Scandinavian-inspired overall look, Float achieves a minimalist profile through natural, unstained wooden rods as well as cool, gray felt cushions.

What we like

  • Scandinavian-inspired aesthetics
  • Designed to optimize functionality and versatility
  • Height can be adjusted

What we dislike

  • No complaints!

10. Nook

Designed in two different sizes, Nook is a collection of desk and room dividers made from disused Just Booth cardboard shipping containers. Amidst busy offices, distractions can come at any moment. Conceptualized as a means for workers to get quiet concentration time, the collection of smaller dividers can be configured on desks to create a small working zone.

Why is it noteworthy?

It’s said that it takes a little over twenty minutes to get back to work after a distraction. Whether you’re working from home, in your local coffee shop or a busy office–distractions are everywhere. Designing a means for privacy, Just Booth is a Polish acoustic pod brand that develops sound booths where you can retreat for privacy during the workday. Following a competition held by Just Booth and the Academy of Fine Arts in Łódź where designers were asked to repurpose Just Booth cardboard boxes, Patrycja Gorzela designed Nook.

What we like

  • Super lightweight and slim
  • Sustainable design

What we dislike

  • Could be easily damaged
  • Not sure how suitable it is for long term use

The post Flatpack furniture designed to perfectly integrate into micro-living setups first appeared on Yanko Design.

Flatpack furniture designed to perfectly complement the tiny home movement

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Flat-packed designs are really quite intriguing! They’re portable, easy to put together, and occupy minimum space. And, this innovative technology is now being introduced to almost all kinds of product designs…including furniture! From foldable chairs to pet houses, there’s nothing that cannot be flat-packed. These designs, not only rate high on space efficiency, but also eliminate the usage of heavier space-consuming designs. They are definitely functionally and ergonomically beneficial, but they also possess minimal and clean aesthetics, that allow them to harmoniously blend with any living space. Flat-packed furniture is also a major boon when you’re moving houses. You can easily ship all your furniture from one home to another, without having to do any heavy lifting and carrying. Flat-packed furniture designs are truly the future!

1. That Stool

Small stools can come in handy anywhere. From empty art studios to crowded offices, stools can make the simple difference between sitting on the floor and having a seat. They especially come in handy when they’re designed for easy assembly and storage. Developed by Alondra Elizalde, That Stool is a flatpack DIY small stool designed with easy assembly to provide a practical means of having a stool anywhere, at any time.

Why is it noteworthy?

That Stool is comprised of only a few parts: a seat rest, five legs, a couple of star-shaped spindles, and some connecting nuts and bolts. All contained within a flatpack corrugated cardboard box, the parts of That Stool are easy to assemble with no additional hardware required. Following the imprinted instructions on the underside of That Stool’s top cover, users will first attach each leg to the corresponding screws on the star-shaped spindles. From there, connecting fasteners secure the legs and spindles in place, providing a sturdy bolster for the seat rest to mount.

What we like

  • Assembled in only four steps without any additional hardware
  • Can be used anywhere, at any time
  • You can build it yourself!

What we dislike

  • Looks like any other regular stool on the market

2. The Stair Cubby

The Stair Cubby, as it was christened, can be assembled without the use of tools, with tabs simply going into slots and held down with pegs. The cubby is designed to sit on two steps of stairs, but the panel on the back can slide up and down to adjust to different stair heights. The storage has five open-access cubbies for shoes, books, and any other item that can fit inside, keeping things organized and out of harm’s way.

Why is it noteworthy?

Staircase bins need to take into account the particular shape of stairs, but not all stairs are made equal, so they have to be a bit more flexible or at least configurable. Given how in-demand these storage solutions might be, they also need to be durable and sustainable. These two product design students from Nottingham Trent University in the UK hit both birds with one sheet of plywood.

What we like

  • Can be assembled without the use of tools
  • Great for homes with space constraints

What we dislike

  • We’re not sure how well it would hold heavier objects

3. Float

Float is a flatpack cat tower with built-in scratching pads that can be assembled in just a few steps. Keeping cats entertained is a losing game. With all of the toys we buy for our feline friends, they still seem to prefer the armchair for scratching and balls of yarn for chasing. But then, that rare piece of furniture comes along made specifically for them that becomes their favorite spot for a midafternoon cat nap.

Why is it noteworthy?

Amounting four levels, Float is a flatpack cat tower with integrated features like scratching posts and movable seat rests. Following a client’s specifications and criteria, Teixeira designed Float so that it would blend into any modern home. Taking on a Scandinavian-inspired overall look, Float achieves a minimalist profile through natural, unstained wooden rods as well as cool, gray felt cushions.

What we like

  • Scandinavian-inspired aesthetics
  • Designed to optimize functionality and versatility
  • Height can be adjusted

What we dislike

No complaints!

4. Nook

Designed in two different sizes, Nook is a collection of desk and room dividers made from disused Just Booth cardboard shipping containers. Amidst busy offices, distractions can come at any moment. Conceptualized as a means for workers to get quiet concentration time, the collection of smaller dividers can be configured on desks to create a small working zone.

Why is it noteworthy?

It’s said that it takes a little over twenty minutes to get back to work after a distraction. Whether you’re working from home, in your local coffee shop or a busy office–distractions are everywhere. Designing a means for privacy, Just Booth is a Polish acoustic pod brand that develops sound booths where you can retreat for privacy during the workday. Following a competition held by Just Booth and the Academy of Fine Arts in Łódź where designers were asked to repurpose Just Booth cardboard boxes, Patrycja Gorzela designed Nook.

What we like

  • Super lightweight and slim
  • Sustainable design

What we dislike

  • Could be easily damaged
  • Not sure how suitable it is for long term use

5. The Storm Lamp

The beauty of the Storm Lamp by Julia Kononenko is that there isn’t any method to its mad design. The lamp comes with a variety of laser-cut wooden panels that can be arranged/oriented in any way you like because as its name suggests, the Storm Lamp is all about beauty in chaos. Looking almost like an abstract tornado, the lamp is entirely made from flat pieces of laser-cut plywood that are either left plain or painted black.

Why is it noteworthy?

When assembled together, they create a 3D form using the Gestalt visual law of continuity. Moreover, the jagged edges themselves illuminate to look like chaotic lightning strikes, reinforcing the product’s inspiration!

What we like

  • The lamps are available in both hanging and floor formats
  • The jagged edges themselves illuminate to look like chaotic lightning strikes

What we dislike

No complaints!

6. The O TRL

What the world needs more of is minimal and elegant furniture like the O TRL by Annabella Hevesi. Annabella created this tray table as a versatile piece of furniture – use it to store your stationery, kitchen knick-knacks, or as a makeshift desk in work from the home emergency scene – the pure and minimal aesthetics of this design make it a perfect match everywhere.

Why is it noteworthy?

The trolley has a slim and sleek silhouette and is constructed using a black MDF board, powder-coated steel, and rubber. Do not be fooled by its humble looks; this tray can bear its fair share of weight and move around smoothly, given its large weight-bearing wheels.

What we like

  • Can bear weights
  • Moves around smoothly

What we dislike

  • The design looks a little frail

7. FLUP

Who isn’t fascinated by transforming furniture designs? I love watching how furniture can serve multiple purposes by simple actions like a pull of a string or folding of a flap. My latest love in the realm of (furniture) transformers is FLUP – a multifunctional furniture piece that is both a rug and a seat! Furniture designs like FLUP are perfect for smaller living spaces, especially with the growing tiny house movement.

Why is it noteworthy?

In the unfolded position, FLUP works like a conventional mat or rug on which we can sit or step without interrupting the movement of people through the space. It transforms from plane to volume, from floor to space while changing the function with its shape. In the folded position, it works as a piece of minimal furniture – it can be used as a pouf, an auxiliary seat, a footrest, a nightstand, etc.

What we like

  • Transforming design
  • Space-saving
  • Ideal for tiny homes

What we dislike

  • Doesn’t rate high on aesthetics

8. The Tie Stool

The Tie Stool’s beauty lies in its sheer simplicity – not just design but also materials. The stool comprises three bent plywood strips that conveniently lock into each other, creating a tripod form that you can easily sit on. The design could easily expand to accommodate more strips to create a 4-legged (or even 5-legged) stool, but the dynamic nature of having a tripod format really gives the Tie Stool its appeal. I don’t know about you, but I can’t unsee the Google Drive logo in the stool’s design!

Why is it noteworthy?

Fabricating the Tie Stool would require a few simple steps. The three plywood strips can, in fact, be split into 6 total parts (you can see the parting lines). The individual parts are formed using high pressure and temperatures that cause the plywood to bend and retain its shape, and cutting/finishing processes are performed on the parts to make them interlock into one another.

What we like

  • The entire stool can potentially be flat-packed and shipped to customers
  • It’s stackable

What we dislike

No complaints!

9. Listón

Listón is a modular shelving unit that uses a system of cable ties and wooden slats to form an endlessly re-configurable and sustainable furniture piece. The cable tie system allows users to create infinite configurations of varying sizes and shapes for essentialist shelving units that will look good in any room. Replacing hardware and tools, the cable ties systems provide secure fastening for each module that comes with Listón.

Why is it noteworthy?

Many designers are approaching new furniture and appliance designs with sustainability being the driving force. Adding his design to the mix, architect, and designer Guille Cameron Mac Lean developed Listón, a new type of furniture system that uses cable ties and wooden slats to configure modular storage units.

What we like

  • The system of cable ties and wooden slats significantly reduces the amount of packing goods needed to ship the furniture system by 18 times in comparison to other flatpack furniture

What we dislike

  • The wooden slats and cable ties could break
  • Not the most aesthetic furniture design to add to your living space

10. The Atlas

Your backpack is as much a part of your apparel as your coat is or your cap or sunglasses for that matter. As a society, we’ve come to accept keeping bags on the floor, and having their bottom surface collect dust and dirt over the years. You wouldn’t do it with any other part of your outfit, so why is it okay to keep your bag on the floor? That’s a question the guys at Addio Design Collective found themselves asking too. With that very design brief, they created the Atlas Backpack Stand – a new category of furniture that serves the purpose of a side-table as well as a stand for hanging your backpacks, so they don’t have to touch the floor.

Why is it noteworthy?

The Atlas isn’t a conventional side-table. It comes almost with the proportions and shape of an easel, sporting an A-shaped frame. It comes with a slightly inclined design too, keeping the stand stable and preventing it from tipping over due to your bag’s weight. On top, two tiny hooks let you hang your backpack, bag, duffle, suitcase, purse, or tote, while a flat surface acts as a storage area for your phone, AirPods, sunglasses, etc. It’s a stand designed around your backpack and your EDC and can sit perfectly near your work table.

What we like

  • It suspends your bag above the ground, keeping it from getting dirty
  • Makes it easy to access stuff inside your bag without having to bend down

What we dislike

  • A bit of a niche product – may not appeal to everyone

The post Flatpack furniture designed to perfectly complement the tiny home movement first appeared on Yanko Design.

The components of this table lamp were CNC-milled for precise and interchangeable assembly

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The BN! is a modular, customizable table lamp that’s constructed from CNC-milling techniques to ensure precise and interchangeable assembly.

Timber toys, like Jenga and burr puzzles, depend on precise fittings and even edges to fulfill their purpose. Much like those timber toys, wooden product designs that are CNC-milled maintain a symmetrical and unified structure to ensure seamless assembly and operation. CNC-milling also allows designers to keep the number of building materials to a minimum.

Designer: Baliza Norte

From wooden figurines to timber homes, CNC-milling is trusted as the means to format components and cut them down to their most precise angle. The BN! Lamp designed by Baliza Norte, an architecture and interior design project, is constructed using CNC-milling techniques for an assembly process that doesn’t require any hardware or tools.

BN!, a lamp named after the company that designed it, is a tabletop lamp constructed from sheets of plywood that were pre-fitted to fit into each other without the need for extra hardware or tools. Delivered in a flatpack design, when disassembled, BN! Lamp perfectly fits in a 28 x 28 cm square and can easily be packed for shipping or transporting.

Using modern CNC technologies, each component of BN! Lamp “is intended to be a playful object which can be easily assembled or disassembled, it subtlety evokes a timber toy.” Since each module of the BN! Lamp is fitted for precision, each one can be replaced when necessary. The modular and interchangeable configuration of BN! Lamp also allows users to choose the brown color scheme, giving the lamp an air of bespoke appeal.

The post The components of this table lamp were CNC-milled for precise and interchangeable assembly first appeared on Yanko Design.

These sustainable DIY flatpack cabin kits let you build your dream off-grid cabin with your own two hands!

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Backcountry Hut Company released a collection of DIY A-frame cabin kits that allows buyers to build their own cabins without construction permits and little to no heavy machinery.

For the past couple of years, spending the winter months in an A-frame cabin somewhere in a snow-covered forest has been at the forefront of our minds. While we’re all itching for a wintry escape, the feasibility of building our own cabin always feels just out of reach. While prefabricated cabins and campers-turned-tiny-homes are exciting options if you’ve got the funds, Backcountry Hut Company designed a more cost-effective answer for the rest of us. Designing a collection of DIY off-grid cabin kits, Backcountry Hut Company made the cabin of our dreams a reality in four different models.

Each cabin ‘system,’ comes prefabricated in a flat-pack layout that can be assembled either by amateur or professional builders depending on the model. System 00 is described as Backcountry’s “essentialist A-frame shelter.” Stocked with only the essentials, System 00 measures 10’x10’ and was designed to welcome living spaces such as a single bedroom with room for one sleeping bunk, a meditation studio for yoga, or an open space for working on art.

Backcountry’s smallest cabin, System 00 was designed to be self-assembled by a team of four to five builders within a week. Requiring no heavy machinery, System 00 is the only cabin from Backcountry’s catalog that does not require a construction permit.

System 01, the older sibling to Backcountry’s essentialist A-frame cabin, comes in at 18.5’x10’, providing more than enough space for a family or group of friends to live comfortably with enough space for living and sleeping. With the right set of professional builders, System 01 can be put together with little to no mechanical assistance in less than one week. The type of cabin that Goldilocks would call, “just right,” System 01 strikes the perfect balance between tiny living and spacious ceilings.

System 02, the largest cabin design from Backcountry is their most customizable. Rising to two stories, System 02 also measures 18.5’x10’, providing more than enough space for a couple of bedrooms and accompanying ensuite bathrooms. Each cabin is built to withstand all weather elements and conditions, including rain, snow, sleet, and hail.

Inspired by Nordic sauna culture, Backcountry was sure to include a DIY kit for those who’d prefer more of a tiny spa to a tiny cabin. System S is Backcountry’s representative sauna structure, measuring 8’x10’. Lined with sustainably sourced cedar, Backcountry customers can rest assured each cabin design is first built with timber that has been certified by Forest Stewardship Council. While the beds are left to the smaller cabins and the larger System 02 home, up to six adults can sit back and relax in System S to enjoy the sauna’s Tylo Sense Pure 8 heating system.

Designer: Backcountry Hut Company

The post These sustainable DIY flatpack cabin kits let you build your dream off-grid cabin with your own two hands! first appeared on Yanko Design.

This DIY flatpack van conversion kit makes it easy to transform your van in a mobile camper overnight!

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VanLab creates high-quality, flatpack DIY van conversion kits just like IKEA furniture kits so anyone can turn their van into a mobile camper.

You just finished Nomadland and you’re looking for a way to turn your car into a fully-equipped camper like Fern’s, but getting the job done is no easy feat. It can get costly and knowing which materials are worth splurging on usually requires an expert’s eye. Nowadays it feels like we’re all considering a mobile lifestyle and New Zealand-based company VanLab is making that possible. Turning each of us into expert camper van outfitters, VanLab constructs DIY flatpack van conversion kits à la IKEA so anyone can transform their vans into mobile homes.

Now available for shipping in the US, VanLab’s flatpack van conversion kits require only two electric screwdrivers and can be assembled inside your van between three and six hours, then all that’s left to do is configure the wiring. Like IKEA furniture, VanLab’s conversion kits can be built by anyone; no carpentry experience is necessary. Speaking to the ease of assembly, VanLab founders note, “Absolutely anyone can build this kit. All the holes are pre-drilled and the panels are pre-cut. All you need to do is follow the simple instructions in the manual provided and screw the panels together.” Constructed from Baltic Birch plywood, the wooden panels come pre-finished and are designed to fit together like puzzle pieces so anyone can give rise to their van outfittings with ease.

VanLab’s conversion kit dedicates space in each camper for a full-size bed with integrated storage and an ergonomic kitchen with a countertop or worktop space. Each kit can be customized for your preferred size and spatial needs. For instance, the kitchen can either remain as an open countertop or be outfitted with cut-outs for a sink, cooler, and refrigerator. Since each kit includes all the tools, instructions, wood panels, hinges, screws, door magnets, and hatches necessary to turn your van into a mobile home, you’ll only need to take care of extra amenities like a portable toilet and leisure batteries for things like laptop and smartphone charging.

Designer: VanLab

Each kit can be customized to fit your van’s size and spatial requirements. 

With integrated shelving and storage, VanLab makes van conversion kits to maximize available space in your van!

Each kit comes with pre-finished wooden panels and pre-drilled holes so each piece fits together like a puzzle.

The kits think of everything you might to make your mobile lifestyle feel like home.

The kits come with countertops that can either remain open for extra countertop space or come with pre-cut holes for sinks and refrigerators.

Just like IKEA furniture packs, VanLab’s conversion kits come in flatpack designs.

This dynamic cabin expands + adapts its frame using sliding support rails for multiple configurations!

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Following his ever-popular Garden House with Cabin Anna, Dutch designer Caspar Schols built a versatile flatpack home whose frame changes with the weather on guided support rails the same way we change clothes to match the weather.

Nothing has taken the world by storm in recent years quite like tiny cabins. Following stay-at-home orders, our backyards suddenly had endless potential and we went searching the web for our own private oases that could arise in the comfort of our own backyard. But Caspar Schols, the architect behind Cabin Anna, was doing it before it was cool. Way back in 2016, Cabin Anna began as a backyard Garden House for his mother. Fast forward to 2021 and Cabin Anna is one of the most talked-about cabins today, featuring a structural frame that can be peeled away and zipped back up to adapt to changing weather and types of activities.

Constructed from two separate ‘shells,’ as outer walls, Cabin Anna’s exterior layers can slide away on support rails to reveal different configurations of the cabin for changing weather. When the weather dips below freezing and the wind starts blowing, Cabin Anna stands as a single unit to keep you from the cold. As a single unit, Cabin Anna appears as a traditional wood cabin in the forest where guests and residents can write, read, sleep, or have a movie night. Once the cold night passes and the morning sun comes, Cabin Anna’s wood trusses can retract from the cabin’s glass frame to create a transparent living space in the cabin’s center or on its right-hand side, functioning as a sort of glass-enclosed sunroom. Then, when the hotter months roll on, the cabin’s innermost glass frame can slide away to create an entirely exposed center room for sunbathing, outdoor sleeping, and general relaxation. Also equipped with the bare essentials, Casper Schols integrated rooms for a shower, toilet, bathtub, complete kitchen, and space for a couple of beds. Cabin Anna can also be made to order for off-grid living, complete with a fire-heated boiler, a solar power grid, and a water waste treatment system.

After completing work on his mother’s Garden House, Schols set out to build a “sellable, fully inhabitable house, as a flatpack that could be built and rebuilt anywhere in the world,” as he describes it. Cabin Anna gets the job done and then some. Describing Cabin Anna’s versatility and changing framework, Schols notes, “The inner wall consists of a framework of wood and glass and is separated from the roofed wooden outer wall. By shifting the shells, different setups are possible to align with your mood, the occasion, or weather conditions. Just like the way you adjust your clothes.”

Designer: Casper Schols

Depending on the weather, Cabin Anna is designed to change with it.

Cabin Anna is built with multiple layers of glass and wooden trusses, that peel away and slide back together when necessary or just for fun.

The natural finish of Cabin Anna gives it an organic, cozy feel especially come night.

One of the many amenities included with Cabin Anna is a spa in the home’s center, where layers of the framework can peel away to reveal an exposed centerpiece. 

The guided support rails make it easy for residents to transform Cabin Anna all on their own.

Beneath the frame of wooden trusses, Cabin Anna features a glass house that’s revealed once the wooden trusses slide on the support rails. 

On warmer days, Cabin Anna’s centerpiece can completely open up to the outdoors. 

Top 15 flat-packed designs that reimagine how to ship & store everything from automotive to architecture!

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As the world grows smaller, physically and metaphorically, we need product designs that save space, are easy to store and portable, especially as our lives have become more flexible with remote work taking over. This is why flat-packed designs intrigue me because they check all of these boxes! But when you think “flat-pack”, the only thing that comes to mind is packaging and that is why I wanted to curate a list that showed that pretty much anything can be flat-packed – scooters, tiny homes, electric vehicles, pet shelters, photobooths, furniture, and more. The following list has 15 designs spanning over multiple verticles that showcase just how versatile this design principle can be. These designs not only rank high on space efficiency but also eliminate the usage of heavier space-consuming designs. They are functional, ergonomic, minimal, modular and just outright brilliant!

ooo

It’s worth noticing how the OO Stool does such a great job of combining sustainability along with technology and a pinch of heritage. Made from a single board of bamboo plywood, the stool is CNC machine-cut in a way that integrates every single aspect of the stool into its design. Everything you need to build the OO Stool sits within that flat-packed jigsaw puzzle of bamboo pieces, minimizing waste by using as much negative space as possible. The legs form the outside, while the dual-layered seat of the stool sits on the inside, with the negative space being filled by tiny rectangular pieces that help lock the stool in place, and even a bamboo hammer to help assemble the stool! The OO Stool uses absolutely no glue, screws, or nails… just really smart designing and Japanese joinery techniques.

plus

How cool would it be if we could roll up our furniture just like we roll up our clothes to save space right? Well, designer Richard Price kind of make it happen by creating Plus+ – a flat-packed furniture system that maximizes living space and minimizes storage space! Plus+ fits your needs and comes with multiple configurations. The flexible furniture system increases its likelihood to adapt by using a snap-together frame with a joint system across the whole range. The modular design can be easily be assembled and upgraded with new features or additional accessories which enables it to grow with your needs or new spaces.

Products can be functionally beneficial and aesthetically beautiful without having to be complicated. Fold Lamp proves just this. Destined for a life within a domestic dining room, the magnesium lamp is elegantly suspended from the ceiling, introducing a gentle glow to the room. However, elegant aesthetics aside, it’s the consideration to the manufacture of the product that makes this project so intriguing. Constructed out of a single piece of magnesium that has been efficiently metal-stamped, Fold Lamp doesn’t require any additional hardware! So, what benefit does this have? Well visually distinctive form aside, in the unfolded orientation, it can significantly reduce shipping expenses from international manufacturers!

Created using merino felt wool and birch wood, the Wool Lodge is a safe haven of sorts for your pet. You can arrange and form the flat-packed structure by yourself easily. The lodge features merino felt roof, with the rest of the structure being made from wood. Defleur’s lodge basically has two functions. Spacious enough to fit your cat’s litter box, the lodge shelters the box within its structure. Your cat can sneak away, and pee or poop in privacy, away from any prying eyes. On the other hand, you can install a soft cushion or mattress instead of a litter box in the lodge. This creates a personal space for your pet, it could be a cat or a doggo on the smaller side! Whenever your pet wants to simply relax and getaway, they can hop into the shelter, safe from any external noises or extreme temperatures.

spinel

This flatpack design unfolds into a layered lamp! Spinel is a hanging light designed to be easily transformed. The main goal was to create a product that didn’t take up too much space and was also sustainable. “Our responsibility as designers is to produce objects that occupy the smallest possible volume. The purpose is to use the least amount of raw material, producing long-lifespan objects that can be easily recycled,” says Guille Cameron. The origami-like form is minimal, elegant, and certainly unique. Unfolding the lamp adds a dynamic layer to the product and the wooden design itself is a warm addition to any space.

foldio3

With the Foldio3, tongue-tantalizing photographs are just literally a portfolio case and 10 seconds away. While most traditional photo set-ups comprise a room full of equipment and hours of setting up, the Foldio3’s innovative design puts all of that into a small flat-packed case that can fit right under your arm. Open it out and assemble it using the magnetic locks and you have yourself a studio-grade lightbox for your product photography. On the top of the box are 3 LED strips too, negating the need for those massive bulky studio lights. The Foldio3 comes with two backdrops too, black and white, depending on the kind of shot you need. You can even use your own green backdrop for those green-screen applications.

The Folpen is tinier and more compact than your usual pen, however, what sets it apart are its components. The pen comprises of an ink refill and a plastic sheath. Surrounded by a ribbed plastic sheath, resembling the covers used to protect our iPads and tablets, the refill is enveloped by the sheath, forming the pen’s body. With the sheath folded around the refill, it snuggles comfortably within and only its much-needed nib peeks out. On folding it, the cover forms a triangular flat-packed structure around the refill, creating a pen with an ergonomic form that is easy to hold and operate, as well as to carry around. The end of the cover has been equipped with a magnet, so you simply wrap the folded pen onto a book, and it attaches itself to the book instantly.

This minimal and elegant piece by Annabella Hevesi called the O TRL lets many of us living in tiny spaces enjoy the luxury of having a movable cart. This tray table is a versatile piece of furniture – use it to store your stationery, kitchen knick-knacks, or as a makeshift desk in work from home emergency scene – the pure and minimal aesthetics of this design make it a perfect match everywhere. The trolley has a slim and sleek silhouette and is constructed using a black MDF board, powder-coated steel, and rubber. Do not be fooled by its humble looks; this tray can bear its fair share of weight and move around smoothly, given its large weight-bearing wheels. Sleek, versatile, and fun, this tray table defines the blueprint of what functional furniture design must be like, a 2020 version of Bauhaus, if you will.

Jupe is a portable off-grid shelter that flatpacks so you can pick any spot on the planet and pitch your tent. The futuristic silhouette is inspired by Stanley Kubrick’s 2001: Space Odyssey which explains the aluminum pole frame and glowing Firesist fabric exterior which also make it suitable to withstand different climate conditions. Designed by a team of multidisciplinary experts from across the housing, architecture, and engineering industries, including former SpaceX, Tesla, and AirBnB, Jupe is the best in the game. It can be assembled in hours and gives you a 111-square foot space featuring tall ceilings, finished Baltic birch wood floors, a queen bed, and a storage area – think something right in the middle of a tiny home and glamping pod. Mobility is at the core of the design and hence chassis foundation has been created in a way that involves no decking or foundation to be built which makes the shelter adaptable to any terrain, level or not, and leaves the land minimally disturbed.

Höga is a vehicle that adapts IKEA’s winning philosophy of production, packaging, and practical use to give the users a comfortable ride that’s highly functional. This is intertwined with Renault’s advanced mobility platform to create an urban commuter with sustainability in mind. The vehicle’s body is recycled into other products after its lifecycle keeps the waste to a minimum. Design inspiration for the practical commuter comes from the classic Bauhaus principle of clean and purposeful design. The car ships right out of reusable crates to cut on transportation costs, and once it reaches the destination, the containers are reused to ship back broken furniture. Just like IKEA, Höga can be assembled by one person in few hours thanks to its simple LEGO-like attachable frame elements in a perfectly symmetrical design. There are 374 total parts and 114 individual parts, but don’t worry the instructions are easier than those of IKEA!

Switch is designed to make commuting in the city easier and solve the troubles one faces like the frequency of public transport, crowded parking, and poor infrastructure. Currently, you have electric rideshare scooters that are popular in urban settings like Bird, Lime, and Yugo but they come with an added responsibility of parking and crowding the sidewalks. It’s different from its competitors because it is truly portable. The flat-pack mechanism allows you to just fold it up and carry it along even if you’re walking or using a public transport service, you won’t have to worry about loading it and unloading it. It has a sleek build that blends in with your lifestyle and is as easy as carrying a backpack. The scooter comes with a fingerprint-enabled unlock button which is located below the handlebar. One of the coolest features is how the accelerator and brake pedals have been incorporated into the handlebar – it simplifies the user experience and interface!

The Lu chair folds without effort and can be carried around easily. A lot of designs we see are foldable but even after folding not easy to carry around or takes too much time to fold. Made up of plastic, this makes the mechanism work perfectly. As Lu explains, “Many times we find ourselves having to put away objects, perhaps to make room, perhaps to clean the house and sometimes even to take them with us, but above all for furniture of a certain level it is always very difficult. This is where “Lu chair” was born, a dining chair suitable for different types of target, from the most elegant and sophisticated with an eye to detail but also to a younger, fashion-conscious audience. The design is innovative and elegant at the same time and the name “Lu” derives precisely from “luggage” because of its ease of being resealable and transportable wherever you want.”

World’s first paper disposable razor unveiled in Japan! This gives a completely new meaning to the word ‘papercut’! Paper Razor is a sustainable alternative to disposable plastic razors. It is crafted from water-resistant paper like the ones used in milk cartons and it can also withstand temperatures up to 104°F (40°C) in case you like to shave with warm water. The razor weighs 4 gms and only 5 mm thick thanks to its all-paper body with a metal blade-head on top. Designed to be flat-packed, the single-use razor comes completely unfolded and can easily be put together in seconds by folding in the sides and the top to create a rigid, ergonomic razor with a grippy handle. Its origami-inspired design gives it as much strength and maneuverability as a plastic razor while minimizing the use of plastic by as much as 98%. The result? A razor that can be easily flat-packed and shipped, used and then disposed of…safely, of course.

singlemoldchair

Chair 1:1 was born after a rigorous 5 year long design process that gave us a mountable/demountable chair whose every piece was molded in one go. This optimized the mold size, speeded up production, and reduced waste drastically when compared to a traditional chair. “It is sold just as it comes out of the mold, bypassing several steps; it will be the buyer who will complete the process: this is what we call hyper-seriality,” says the designer duo. “When looking at the Chair 1:1, it is inevitable to have a blast from the past, remembering the boxed toy kits. There are no screws nor bolts: assembly is effortless + quick. Mounting an object makes a bond with it and makes you feel its full value; it builds an affection that stops you from getting rid of it.” The fastening elements of the individual parts are made to be easily producible and extremely resistant. It has been designed to be easily stored, shipped, and transported – 26 boxed up chairs take up only 1 square meter which is the key to increasing online sales as well as shipping sustainably!





This cardboard chair is 100% recyclable, biodegradable, and easy to assemble! The MC 205 Cardboard Chair can be flat-packed and requires no tools to put together – something better than puzzles for game night? There were 13 prototypes before the MC 205 was finalized and now the company has released MC 207 which has been tweaked to be more comfortable. The team has also built upon the chair by adding more furniture like couches, tables, and counters made with the same principle. Imagine this but in the shape of the Iron Throne!

This wooden cabin comes in a flat-pack DIY kit so you can assemble your own tiny holiday home!

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Cabin-design company Den has launched a flat-packed, kit-of-parts for a steeply pitched cabin, known as an A-frame, that can be assembled in just a few days.

The 115-square-foot (10.68-square-metre) Den Cabin Kit has slanted wooden walls with a large triangular window. It is designed to be an ideal guest house, yoga studio or study.

Prefabricated in New York, the kit has pre-drilled holes and includes everything from the wooden structural parts that lock together, to bolts and even door hardware – details Den said make the project stand out from other flat-packed structures.

“Under the hood – or roof, ha – we have components that are cut with CNC precision, a design that slots together intuitively, and a kit so complete even the door hardware is included so you won’t need to make any trips to the hardware store,” the New York-based team told Dezeen.

“The cabin bolts and screws together and all the holes are pre-drilled making for fast assembly.”

Den Cabin Kit is designed to be built with minimal equipment including a ratchet set, a power drill, a ladder, step ladder and a staple gun. Flat-packed materials arrive stacked according to the order in which they are needed during the build, as part of an ambition to make construction as easy as possible.

“If you don’t have any construction experience you can certainly make up for it with tenacity, and a few friends to help you with the job,” Den explained.”Building something even as easy as this still requires some hutzpah mind you,” the company added. “You need to be comfortable on a ladder a story off the ground to set the ridge cap and screw in the roofing panels, and you and your friends (or team) need to be careful with the large windows while setting them in place.”

Den suggests novice builders employ a contractor to bolster the structure if it is being built on a sloped site, or in an area with harsher weather, and also to help set foundations – which it likens to the same basic requirements as a shed. The cabin is intended to touch the ground lightly so it can be disassembled and rebuilt elsewhere, and constructed without nails for the same reason.

Despite its light touch, the team said the cabin is still robust and well-insulated in harsh weather conditions. “Even though it’s ‘semi-permanent’ in this regard it’s no less a building and can withstand the harshest elements, with four-season compatibility,” it explained.

Owners can choose from three types of exterior cladding: either black Forest and silver Alpine metal or cedar shingles. They can also add a propane heater provided by Den.

Designer: Den

This pet house is designed like an accordion with silicone and magnets so it can be flat-packed!

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Most people avoid using pet houses in their homes because it takes up too much space and they can’t tuck it away like they can with the pet beds. But Accordio is here to solve that dilemma, it is a portable, flexible, accordion-like pet house that can be expanded for your pet’s use or flat-packed away if you have guests over!

Accordio’s form drew inspiration from the designer’s niece who had a silicone bowl plate. “I was intrigued by its flexibility and portability. After some research, I found that silicone also has a fascinating collapsible feature, which was later adapted into a foldable house,” explains Seong. The unique pet house is a study in portable pet furniture. The silicone makes it super lightweight and gives it a distinct collapsible feature. Silicone not only makes it easy to carry along for outdoor activities or travel but is also very easy to clean. Accordio can be compressed into 1/6th of its full size by pushing both sides. The fabric cushion included conveniently fits into the collapsed form for portability.

The biggest challenge was keeping the pet house in a flattened shape when it is collapsed. Seong explored several ways like as snap buttons, straps, and more. But amongst all of them, magnetic frames were chosen to be the ideal final solution because they provided structural stability as well as visual clarity. There are a total of eight magnetic frames in Accordio’s structure and each magnetic frame is reinforced for stability. When collapsed, these frames adhere to each other and keep it compact.

Accordio Pet House by Yongwook Seong is Winner in Pet Supplies and Products for Animals Design Category, 2020 – 2021.

Designer: Yongwook Seong

This sustainable interlocking system lets vendors reuse, reshape, and reduce the stall waste at festivals

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Picture this, you are at a festival that is bustling with stalls – you are trying different food, shopping for little items, taking pictures of the experiential booths. But have you ever come back to the scene after the festival is over? After the festival is over it is basically a giant waste site of all the dismantled temporary stalls. Plexus was designed to eliminate the waste generated by these exhibitions without taking away from their charm!

Vendors never really re-use the stalls as they might have a different need in terms of sizes and themes depending on the event. However, constantly investing in new stalls not only creates waste but is also costly. Plexus is a waste-reducing prototype that was made keeping in mind the needs of vendors as well as the environment. The unique construction of Plexus reminds me of tazzos. It is a network of two components – nodes and connectors – that lets you make 1000 stall variations with different shapes and sizes. The adaptable system is designed on a cellular automata model and can be flat-packed in crates for easy shipping. “Cellular automata are mathematical models designed to construct the complexity of natural systems displayed in a diverse naturally occurring phenomena. This complexity model consists of simple systems resulting in dynamic field behavior when interacting with each other,” explains the team.

Plexus draws inspiration for its amorphous frame from nature from the lattice-like body of a Venus flower basket giving it an easy plug-and-play feel. “It is designed as an intricate network, whereby a series of simple components, based on aggregation principles, can result in a new design of the display booth for every exhibition, and also a new brand image. Designed as a universal model, this system can adapt to nonstandard stall sizes and to a differentiated product range,” said Britta Knobel Gupta and Amit Gupta, Founding Partners, Studio Symbiosis.

Events like festivals, fairs, and exhibitions are where vendors can market their product directly to the consumers – it is a place ripe with opportunities for business. With Plexus, vendors can reduce waste drastically without changing the way they participate in these events. Since it is reusable and can be molded into different forms which allow vendors to keep things fresh and creative without adding on extra costs.

Designer: Studio Symbiosis