Tag Archives: sofa

This New Sofa Compresses Like an Accordion (Fits in Your Cart)

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Remember when buying a sofa meant measuring doorways, hoping it would fit in the elevator, and bribing friends with pizza to help you haul it up three flights of stairs? Designer Yuqi Wang just made all of that obsolete with the Accordion Modular Sofa, and the concept is as brilliant as it sounds.

The whole design centers on one genius idea: what if you only needed one type of module to create any sofa configuration you could imagine? The Accordion does exactly that with a single base unit that compresses and expands like its musical namesake. Through an internal structure made from high-resilience foam, wooden side panels, climbing ropes, and adjustable knobs, each module can change its size and curvature to fit whatever space you’re working with.

Designer: Yuqi Wang

What makes this really clever is how it solves multiple problems at once. Traditional modular sofas usually require you to buy different shaped pieces (corner units, armrests, middle sections) and hope you’ve guessed right about what you need. With the Accordion system, you’re working with identical modules that transform as needed. Want a compact loveseat for your apartment? Use two modules. Need a sprawling sectional for your living room? Add more units and configure them however you like. The possibilities aren’t just numerous, they’re practically endless.

But here’s where it gets even better. Because these modules compress, the whole thing ships flat-packed in a way that actually makes sense. We’re talking small enough to literally place in a shopping cart and carry out yourself. No more waiting weeks for delivery windows or paying outrageous shipping fees. The compression feature dramatically cuts down on packaging waste, storage costs, and the carbon footprint of transportation. It’s the kind of sustainable design choice that doesn’t require you to sacrifice anything in return.

The inspiration came from watching an accordion player perform, where Wang noticed how the instrument’s bellows compress and expand with such fluidity. That rhythmic movement translated into furniture creates something that feels almost alive, like the sofa adapts to you rather than the other way around. The technical execution involved studying compression mechanisms from various industrial applications before landing on a prototype that was both simple and effective.

For anyone who’s moved apartments multiple times or likes to rearrange furniture seasonally, this is a game changer. Your sofa can literally grow or shrink with your needs. Hosting a party? Expand it. Need more floor space for a home workout? Compress it down. The adjustable knobs make reconfiguring straightforward enough that you won’t need tools or an engineering degree.

The design world has taken notice. The Accordion Modular Sofa won the Golden A’ Design Award in Furniture Design for 2025, one of the most prestigious recognitions in the field. This isn’t just a participation trophy either. The Golden award represents first-rate, outstanding design that genuinely advances the intersection of art, science, and technology. What’s exciting is that this isn’t some far-off concept. The sofa is scheduled to hit the market in October 2025, which means you could actually have one of these in your home soon. It represents a shift in how we think about furniture ownership, moving away from bulky investments that lock you into one configuration toward adaptable pieces that evolve with your lifestyle.

The Accordion Modular Sofa proves that innovative design doesn’t have to be complicated or precious. Sometimes the best ideas are the ones that make you wonder why nobody thought of them sooner. A sofa that compresses for transport, expands for comfort, and reconfigures endlessly from a single module type? That’s the kind of practical magic that makes design truly great.

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This Sofa Looks Like Stone Boulders But Feels Like Clouds

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There’s something beautifully contradictory about furniture that looks hard as stone but promises cloud-like comfort. That’s exactly what Mudu Studio has achieved with the Rokko Sofa, a design concept that takes inspiration from massive geological formations and transforms them into something you’d actually want to sink into after a long day.

Look at the Rokko series and you’ll immediately see the resemblance to smooth river stones or ancient boulders shaped by centuries of wind and water. But instead of cold, unyielding rock, these sculptural forms are generously upholstered cushions that capture the visual weight and monumentality of stone while offering the kind of comfort that makes you want to stay put for hours. The genius here is in that tension between appearance and reality, between what looks solid and immovable and what actually cradles your body.

Designer: Mudu Studio

The design plays with scale in an interesting way. These aren’t your typical sleek, minimalist cushions. They’re voluminous and bold, each one reading as a distinct sculptural element. Yet despite their substantial presence, the pieces don’t feel heavy or overwhelming in a space. That’s largely thanks to the contrast Mudu Studio creates with the base structure.

The frame options are where things get really interesting. The main collection features processed aluminum bases that are remarkably slender and airy. It’s almost like the massive cushions are floating, held aloft by these delicate metal structures. The visual lightness of the aluminum creates this wonderful illusion of defying gravity. You’ve got these boulder-sized forms that appear to hover just above the ground, supported by what looks like nothing more than bent wire (though obviously it’s engineered to be far sturdier than that).

For those who prefer a different aesthetic, there’s an alternative version with a podium base wrapped in stainless steel. This option grounds the piece more firmly, adding a sense of refined solidity that complements the cushions in a different way. Instead of floating stones, you get something more architecturally grounded, like sculptures placed on pedestals in a gallery.

The modularity of the system is another smart move. From the images, you can see everything from compact single-seaters to generous three-seater configurations. Some versions include wraparound armrests that echo the cushions’ rounded forms, while others keep things more open and flexible. The textiles shown range from earthy, tweedy textures that emphasize the geological inspiration to rich solid colors that take the design in a more contemporary direction.

What makes the Rokko particularly relevant right now is how it bridges multiple design movements. There’s definitely some postmodern playfulness in the exaggerated forms and the way different materials and aesthetics collide. But there’s also a nod to biophilic design, that growing interest in bringing natural forms and textures into our interiors. And the modular, configurable nature speaks to contemporary needs for flexible, adaptable furniture that can evolve with how we actually use our spaces.

The fabric choices visible in the renderings are particularly thoughtful. Those speckled, textured options genuinely evoke stone surfaces without being literal about it. They give the cushions visual depth and interest up close while reading as solid, substantial forms from a distance. It’s the kind of detail that elevates a concept from clever idea to genuinely covetable piece.

Right now, the Rokko exists as a concept looking for a manufacturer, which means these gorgeous renderings represent potential rather than reality. But that’s often how the most interesting furniture begins. Designers push boundaries with bold ideas, and the right manufacturing partner helps figure out how to translate vision into something people can actually purchase and live with.

For anyone who appreciates furniture that makes a statement without shouting, that brings sculptural presence without sacrificing comfort, the Rokko Sofa is definitely one to watch. It’s the kind of design that could easily become an icon if it finds its way to production. Those cushions that look like they were carved by ancient forces but actually cradle you in modern comfort? That’s the kind of paradox that makes design fascinating.

The post This Sofa Looks Like Stone Boulders But Feels Like Clouds first appeared on Yanko Design.

Iconic Female Designer Patricia Urquiola Upgrades Her Lowland Sofa With A Softer Composition

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Spanish designer and architect Patricia Urquiola is known for her eye-catching creations which are usually characterized by stained-glass panels or entire interior redesigns. She heavily focuses on modern style accentuated with feminine accents and intriguing elements. She is also known for her strong support of female designers. “Where women differ from males is in their flexibility, adaptability, and ability to multitask,” Urquiola said to Elle Decor in 2010. “We must be capable of surviving and even those two qualities—flexibility and adaptability—are extremely important to me in design.” And, she recently updated her Lowland Sofa for the Italian brand Moroso, giving it the name Loveland.

Designer: Patricia Urquiola for Moroso

Patricia Urqouila upgraded her Lowland sofa for the Italian brand Moroso, imparting it with a softer composition, and adorning it with a new name – Loveland. The three-seater sofa design adapts the previous design which was created in 2000. It features lower-positioned armrests, and a rounded backrest shape, which gives the sofa a gentler and more pebble-like appearance.

“The new design choices enhance the architectural qualities of the series while maintaining the sophisticated rationalist mood of this sofa, as a stand-alone piece or in a composition,” said Moroso. The Loveland sofa features a modernist steel base, which is paired up with warm and contemporary wood, and arranged at interesting sculptural angles.

Lowland was upgraded to Loveland to implement “a different approach to sustainability”. With Loveland, they eliminated developing a whole new product, and instead, they jazzed up a beloved classic to create an eternal and evergreen piece. There isn’t any unnecessary production or any additional waste. Resources are saved and minimized, as a pre-existing furniture piece is transformed and elevated. The Loveland sofa is available with or without armrests and can be upholstered in fabric or leather. You can choose between Honey, Tropical Wood, or Coffee finishes for the sofa’s wooden base.

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This Bold & Bulky Sofa Is Available In A Bauhaus Edition Referencing The Modernist Art School

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A beautiful piece of furniture can complete a room. It can be the final piece that makes a space come full circle, building a comfortable and cohesive haven, rather than a random area. Furniture pieces make or break a home, they add to the essence or soul of a home, hence one needs to be extremely picky while choosing a furniture design. The design should be a reflection of you, and what you want your home to be. When you place a piece of furniture in a room, it should instantly integrate with the space, creating a wholesome and organic environment. And, there’s something about unique, stunning, and well-done furniture design that completely wins my heart – for example the Cocoon sofa by Jens Juul Eilersen.

Designer: Jens Juul Eilersen for Eilersen

Designed by third-generation designer Jens Juul Eilersen for the Danish brand Eilersen in 2008, the Cocoon sofa is a comfortable and cozy seating design amped with all kinds of cushions to create an immersive nest-like space for users. The sofa was designed to imitate the feeling of retreating into a pupa. Recently, the brand launched three new multicolor variants of the Cocoon sofa, including an exciting Bauhaus edition that is a wonderful interplay of primary colors and geometric forms.

“As I played around with the idea of what it must feel like to be a caterpillar spinning silk, the image of a gigantic toy box arose,” said Jens Juul Eilersen. “A giant toy box with triangular cushions, lumbar cushions, head cushions, armrests, neck cushions – in fact, cushions of all shapes and sizes. It allows you to choose your own level of comfort while also having fun building and sitting on the sofa.”

The Bauhaus edition really caught my eye as it is pretty urban and cool. It combines a bunch of pastel and jewel shades of red, yellow, and blue which makes an interesting and strong reference to the modernist art school. An emphasis is also laid on the diverse shapes and sizes of the cushions. Besides the Bauhas edition, the sofa is also available in Bloom and Blues variants. The Bloom iteration uses shades such as green, pink, and yellow, while the Blues version is inspired by coastlines and calmness.

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