Tag Archives: stools

Foldable stool and desk concept is a low-cost solution to school furniture problems

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While most people recognize education as a basic human right, the painful truth is that, just like many other rights, it isn’t universally available everywhere. There is always a resource problem, from books to teachers to even rooms to hold classes in. While that last one might sound superficial compared to the lack of books, a good and comfortable environment can go a long way in improving children’s reception to lessons. In some cases, a permanent classroom isn’t even an option, so makeshift rooms are the only recourse. Of course, that still requires proper desks and chairs for use, but you don’t have to go overboard with these. While cheap plastic furniture sounds like the easiest solution, this design concept shows an alternative that isn’t only more sustainable but also more flexible when it comes to storage and portability as well.

Designer: Claudio Larcher

In areas with no fixed rooms designated as classrooms, being able to move around or clear out desks and chairs is just as important as having school furniture at all. Typical tables and chairs are single solid pieces that are difficult to move around, not to mention keeping them in storage. A good portion of time is wasted in setting and cleaning up such rooms, presuming they even have rooms or furniture. Even simple school furniture can be expensive, and cheap plastic options have hidden costs that actually make them more expensive in the long run.

Paco y Paco is a design concept that tries to check all the right boxes for a low-cost school furniture solution that is also sustainable and, to some extent, fun. Both the desk and the stool share the same basic shape of wooden planks connected in a row. The basic idea is for these to fold into trapezoidal form, with the two sides serving as legs while the middle one is the actual tabletop or seat. When no longer in use, they can lay flat for easier carrying and storage until their next use.

The design of the furniture is also quite interesting in how it uses ropes as the primary mechanism to fold or collapse the two. Many people, kids included, will be familiar with such cords used to loosen or tighten bags. A wooden ball acts as the stopper to keep the knot from slipping, while metal grommets keep the rope from fraying. With perhaps the exception of the rope, the entire desk and chair could be made from 100% sustainable materials that can be easily made or procured anywhere.

It’s probably arguable whether such a furniture design is going to be comfortable, but for schools or villages with meager budgets, it’s definitely better than nothing. Perhaps a bigger question is the stability of the design, especially the chair, given how a rope is probably the only thing that will keep it from collapsing beneath a child’s weight.

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This outdoor furniture collection is made from recycled plastic but feels and looks like wood

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I wholeheartedly believe that stools deserve to be given way more credit than they get. Stools are often overlooked, maybe because they occupy minimum space, and aren’t really overbearing. But these traits are what make stools so great in my opinion! And a stool and table collection that recently grabbed my attention is Nardi’s Stack stool and Combo table. Designed by Raffaello Galiotto, Italian furniture brand Nardi launched a stool and table collection that features a linear design complemented by strips of wood.

Designer: Nardi

Crafted from 100 per cent recyclable regenerated polypropylene, the furniture collection has been designed to look like traditional timber furniture. Lightweight and sturdy, both the stool and table can be easily lifted, handled, and transported from one location to another. And the fact that it has the appearance of wooden furniture only adds to its list of pros! The furniture pieces are also completely weatherproof, making them excellent for outdoor use.

The stool comes in two variants – Mini and Maxi. Both of them are stackable, and occupy minimal space once they have been set aside and stored. The stools feature a unique spiral form, which allows them to interlock with one another, creating a rather minimum and compact footprint. “The spiral design is not a mere aesthetic whim, but the search for a shape that perfectly meets the need for rotational stacking, going beyond the classic design of the outer strip,” said Raffaello Galiotto.

The table is called Combo, and it features a sturdy round top supported by four narrow legs. You can opt for a taller table, which is called the Combo High. The Combo High has been equipped with an extension component, which allows it to be extended. It can be positioned on top of the legs. The tabletop has been crafted by Nardi in such a manner, that it maintains a perfect rigidness, that is unaffected by the passage of time, and exposure to elements such as wind and water.

“With a linear design and thick sections inspired by strips of wood, the Stack stool, and Combo table stand out for their sturdiness, safety, and ergonomics,” said Nardi.

The furniture pieces are available in the ‘Terra’ finish. The name has been coined due to the earthy brown and matte texture of the finish. Terra has a rather vintage-like effect to it, further defined by tonal streaks marked through the plastic. Unlike conventional stools and tables which have a rather smooth finish, the Nardi collection features a rough texture much like wood.

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Top 10 well-designed stools that are the smarter alternative to chairs

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I’m at a point in my life where I’m team stools over chairs, and I truly believe stools deserve to be given way more credit than they get. Stools are often overlooked, maybe because they occupy minimum space, and aren’t really overbearing. But these traits are what make stools so great in my opinion! I mean, they’re compact, and a great space-saving furniture option for our modern homes. They are also super portable. And, we’ve put together a collection of stool designs that not only provide a healthy seating experience while promoting a good and stable posture but most of them are created from sustainable materials as well. From a sculptural multifunctional stool made from wood to a wild stool that invites nature into your space – these well-designed stools are the furniture pieces you need to add to your home.

1. The Plastic Translation Stool

Called the Plastic Translation Stool, this intriguing stool design attempts to reinterpret the lines of a plastic stool, creating a form that is similar and yet completely unique, allowing the wooden stool to possess its own unique character.

Why is it noteworthy?

The wooden legs alone, however, won’t be enough to offer the same stability as the plastic counterpart, so an additional element had to be added. This element comes in the form of Birch plywood buttresses. These buttresses distribute some of the force evenly across the beechwood legs, which, in turn, hold the buttresses together. The result is increased architectural stability and visual amplification, which gives the design an upgraded look.

What we like

  • Doesn’t require screws or nails to be assembled
  • A more sustainable option to the plastic stool
  • It’s like a fun design puzzle

What we dislike

  • Options to customize the stool are currently missing

2. The Fels Stool

The Fels Stool by OUT stands out from most of the stools on the market as they’re quite aesthetically pleasing. They’re a stark contrast to the boring wooden stools we usually see in homes. They have a sculptural appeal to them, and they’re also multifunctional!

Why is it noteworthy?

The Fels stool is excellent for a variety of reasons. It’s been crafted from wood, making it a sustainable and eco-friendly piece of furniture. Secondly, although it is built from wood, it looks as if it’s been carved from stone! This instantly gives the stool a rather sophisticated and luxurious look to it, despite being made from a simple material – wood. It looks more like a sculpture than a piece of furniture, to be honest.

What we like

  • It functions as a side table as well
  • Looks like it’s been carved from stone

What we dislike

  • The stool may be too bold and quirky for some people

3. The CONECTO Stool

The CONECTO stool looks like a pretty ordinary stool when in reality it is not. It consists of two half cylinders joined at their flat side. These halves can be used in a modular fashion, allowing you to create bigger stools that can accommodate and hold more people.

Why is it noteworthy?

Joining the two halves on their curved side allows a square “cover” to be put on top for a more traditional stool. Putting half a cylinder on one side extends it a bit for a more comfortable arrangement, but adding yet another half on the opposite side creates an oblong bench. If, on the other hand, you put three full cylinders together in a triangular formation, you can have a bench that can accommodate as many as three people.

What we like

  • Modular and flexible design
  • A mix of brutalism and minimalism

What we dislike

  • No complaints!

4. The Balanco Stools

The Balanco stools were designed during the pandemic to provide kids and adults with something to play and engage with! Besides being interesting playthings, the stools are great seating options, inspired by rocks and boulders. You can stack the stools in different forms and patterns, in turn creating art in the process.

Why is it noteworthy?

The idea for the Balanco stools came from the Japanese practice of stacking pebbles to create towers. Traditionally, the pebbles mostly consist of rounded forms, designers Lisa Lai and Joel Wong decided that chiseled rock-like shapes would create more visual dynamism while offering a variety of flat surfaces that are ideal for stacking and layering.

What we like

  • The poufs are deceptively light
  • The individual surfaces remain relatively flat, so they stack on each other rather beautifully
  • Inspired by rocks and boulders

What we dislike

  • Made from felt, there is a higher chance of staining this design

5. Wild Stool

Spanish designer Jorge Herrera and Spanish company Greenarea created a cylinder-shaped low stool with a transparent base that holds a miniature natural landscape. The unique stool brings nature into interior spaces with no maintenance needed. It allows you to enjoy nature indoors!

Why is it noteworthy?

Equipped with a natural wooden base, Wild Stool is available in three different seat options – birch, oak, or upholstered seat in sustainable Gabriel fabric for added comfort. The minimalistic design draws attention to the little garden inside the stool and also lets the seat blend seamlessly with existing furniture in your living space. Simple yet unexpected, this terrarium-turned-stool enlivens the space with wonders of the wilderness and gives you a comfortable seat as well.

What we like

  • Adds an element of nature to your living space
  • Natural objects such as rocks and sea shells can also be added to create a terrain that provides you with a sense of comfort, tranquility, and inspiration

What we dislike

  • No complaints!

6. The Tie Stool

The Tie Stool is made up of three bent plywood strips that effortlessly lock into one another, creating a tripod form that is comfortable to sit down on. Besides its unique design, the sheer simplicity of the stool, and the use of minimal materials make the stool quite a beauty.

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

  • Its compressed design means it needs a tabletop to add more space on the stool

7. The Flightable Closet

The Flightable Closet is a pretty interesting concept as it is not just a suitcase but is also a mini closet (as the name states) with a clothes rack. It can even function as a stool in case you would need one while at the airport or in the room where you’re currently staying.

Why is it noteworthy?

The idea is to make your carry-on suitcase more than just an accessory where you try to fit in as many clothes and toiletries as possible. It is conceptualized both for frequent travelers and those who are living in small spaces and need extra space for their stuff.

What we like

  • The telescopic handle of the suitcase can also serve as your clothes rack
  • Multipurpose design
  • Perfect for frequent travelers and those who are living in small spaces and need extra space for their stuff

What we dislike

  • Need to test the actual weight it can withstand when an actual life-size prototype will be created

8. The Rubik Stool

The Rubik Stool can be turned, flipped, and combined, to create a versatile furniture design that you can use for whatever purpose you may have in your home. It is specially designed for homes that cannot hold space for a sofa or shelves to store magazines, books, and other items.

Why is it noteworthy?

If what you need is somewhere to sit, you can have it upright with the seat on top. But you can also use the underlying part as storage for things like shoes, magazines, or whatever it is that you don’t mind being under your seat. If you want it to become a mini shelf, you just flip it over and now you have two layers where you can place books, toys, plants, or even some decorations. It’s not exactly modular but it can serve multiple purposes.

What we like

  • Unique seat + shelf concept
  • The furniture is specifically designed for spaces that cannot accommodate a sofa or shelves

What we dislike

  • It’s still a concept!

9. The Bond

Bond Stool 2022

Bond 2022 Designer

This is just a stool, but its particular purpose is to make two persons live in unity. How? You open the stool system and separate the parts to seat two persons. Some people will probably not understand the point because the stools are too close, but the Bond can be perfect for couples who change residences frequently.

Why is it noteworthy?

If you and your partner love going out, you can sit together on the stools while you wear your shoes and before you head out the door. Bond is just to be closer to one another because, you know, some couples just can get enough of each other. The Bond stool system also features some storage space inside. You can put anything inside, like maybe your shoes or your laptop. Likewise, you can probably put there your purse or just about anything you don’t want to forget.

What we like

  • The Bond is mainly made of wooden material, so you know it’s durable enough to withstand the test of time
  • Space-saving form
  • Allows you to get closer to your partner

What we dislike

  • Standalone design that cannot be added on or increased

10. Rice Husk Stool

This reading stool is ‘rice-inspired’, which basically means that rice husk became the designer’s inspiration and material for this product. Agriculture is not something that is usually linked with furniture, so this stool is really quite a special one.  The round shapes of the actual chair seat and the stand itself give off a “harmonious emotion” between the bionic design and the human who will be sitting on it.

Why is it noteworthy?

When it comes to sustainable materials, he proposes using a mix of rice husk and carbon, breaking them down and mixing the materials together, and then using perfusion molding to shape it into the final chair design. The seat surface itself is made from braided straw but with the rice husk used as the base for the cushion. At the bottom of the stool, the straw is used as well. This brings the idea of sustainable design full circle, so to speak.

What we like

  • The stool looks like a sculpture with an agricultural spin to it
  • Sustainable + eco-friendly design

What we dislike

  • As a reading chair, it looks uncomfortable to be sitting in for a long period of time

The post Top 10 well-designed stools that are the smarter alternative to chairs first appeared on Yanko Design.

This sculptural multifunctional stool is made from wood but looks like it’s carved from stone

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Honestly, I’m team stools over chairs, and I think it’s high time you guys shift to the other side as well! Although stools are overlooked way more than they deserve to be, they’re actually super functional and ergonomic furniture designs. They’re compact, and a great space-saving furniture option for our modern homes. They are also super portable! But I will admit, the stools available on the market aren’t the prettiest brunch. But this is where the Fels stool by OUT greatly differs!

Designer: OUT

Designed by the German brand OUT, the Fels stool is excellent for a variety of reasons. Firstly, it’s been crafted from wood, making it a sustainable and eco-friendly piece of furniture. Secondly, although it is built from wood, it looks as if it’s been carved from stone! This instantly gives the stool a rather sophisticated and luxurious look to it, despite being made from a simple material – wood. It looks more like a sculpture than a piece of furniture, to be honest. And thirdly, it can also be used as a side table!

“Fels is a form study that requires a special amount of time and sensitivity in the production process,” said OUT. “As in sculpture, the associative form is gradually worked out of the material.” The brand says that Fels was created by combining three major elements – nature, craftsmanship, and “the Berlin State of Mind”. They wanted to revamp wood and provide it with a refreshed sense of perspective and appearance, by treating it the way one would stone.  They managed to give wood an exciting makeover while retaining the characteristics about it that everyone loves so much for ages galore!

The Fels stool has been specially handcrafted in Germany, using wood that has been sourced from sustainable forests. This also manages to add more points to the sustainability section of the stool! The stool’s funky aesthetics have been further amplified by providing it in a range of diverse and bold colors, which allow the wood grain to comfortably show through. It can also be ordered with a natural finish. The Fels stool’s unique and playful form and the choice of contemporary colors definitely make this stool a quirky yet fun buy!

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This modular concrete stool blends contrasting elements in a brutalist package

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Concrete is not something you’d immediately associate with flexibility and comfort, especially as applied to chairs and tables. The material is great for making outdoor furniture that remains rooted in place until they’re damaged beyond use and repair. They often have fixed forms, too, considering they’re not the easiest things to move or change anyway. That, however, means lost opportunity in shattering expectations and pushing the envelope of what you can do with the material. Fortunately, not everyone is easily intimidated by concrete’s rough demeanor, and this modular stool system demonstrates what’s possible when you start playing around with shapes, colors, and materials.

Designers: one J, Jeongjin Ko, Jinsu Du, Keetae Kim (Superkomma)

In its most basic configuration, the CONECTO stool looks like any ordinary cylindrical stool with a colorful top. That, however, is an illusion, given that the seemingly whole concrete base is actually two half cylinders joined at their flat side. You might take for granted how this “half shape” can be used in a modular fashion, but almost like LEGO, they can become the building blocks of larger stools that can accommodate more people at once.

Joining the two halves on their curved side allows a square “cover” to be put on top for a more traditional stool. Putting half a cylinder on one side extends it a bit for a more comfortable arrangement, but adding yet another half on the opposite side creates an oblong bench. If, on the other hand, you put three full cylinders together in a triangular formation, you can have a bench that can accommodate as many as three people.

1

Part of the CONECTO’s modularity is thanks to the acrylic top that joins different pieces together. This material also provides a striking contrast to the concrete base, creating a visually interesting outdoor furniture design. Where concrete is cold, raw, and rough, the translucent acrylic top is softer, colorful, and alive. The stool, whether alone or with others, provides a mix of brutalism and minimalism that could attract people to look and even sit.

The concept for CONECTO’s design also has sustainability as its goal from the get-go, using high-strength UHPC concrete with no harmful compounds. It the future, it is planned to also make use of recycled waste materials, creating an ecosystem that is not only free in its flexibility but also free from negative effects on the environment.

The post This modular concrete stool blends contrasting elements in a brutalist package first appeared on Yanko Design.

Camber envisions chairs and benches made from a single sheet of metal

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Furniture is so critical and so common in our lives that few of us probably give a second thought to how they’re made. As long as they serve their purpose and look good, tables, chairs, and other pieces of furniture might as well be made from alien material for most people. Unfortunately, the materials and processes used to make these essential products have started to chip away at the health of the planet for the sake of keeping humans comfortable. Designers have started to become more aware and conscientious of this problem, and they have started to put their creativity to work in solving it. In addition to using sustainable materials right from the start, another potential answer is to reduce the amount of waste that results from the manufacturing process, like a single sheet of metal that is then cut and bent to form a sharp-looking chair.

Designer: Paul Coenen

Even the simplest piece of furniture sometimes uses multiple parts. A table will be made of at least four legs attached to a tabletop, and those connections might require screws or other means to keep the table from falling apart with the slightest weight. With conventional furniture designs, these parts are often cut out or formed at different times from different materials, a process that often yields wastes bits and pieces that can no longer be used anywhere else.

Some furniture designs have become a bit smarter by attempting to utilize every inch of a single sheet of wood or metal, but those might still need extra parts to connect them together. A more efficient way would be to just use the whole sheet and nothing else, but it’s also more challenging to create visually appealing designs. You might think it’s a simple case of folding metal, for example, but making it usable while also looking good is actually harder than you might think.

Camber is an attempt to check all those boxes by cutting and bending a single sheet of stainless steel to form seats you’d want to look at as much as sit on. Rather than simply bending two ends to form legs, the design actually involves making two angular cuts where the folds would happen before actually bending down the legs. This creates not only a more interesting design but also adds some stability to the bench or stool’s legs.

Sanding gives the seats a reflective yet matte surface, removing the need for any harmful coating. It’s an almost perfect complement to the designer’s SST mirror, which uses the same single-sheet principle, except that the surface is polished to the point that it becomes more reflecting. Stainless steel might not be the most environment-friendly metal, but its longevity ensures that these chairs and benches should last far longer than other types. Camber is simple, almost brutalist in its appearance, but its appeal goes beyond looks, offering a design that isn’t only efficient but also, in some odd way, charming in its own right.

The post Camber envisions chairs and benches made from a single sheet of metal first appeared on Yanko Design.

This wooden stool offers a sustainable replacement for a common household product

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No matter what part of the world you’re in, you’d probably come across a plastic stool that is employed for different purposes around the house. Of course, it is primarily a seat, but sometimes it’s also used as a makeshift side table for holding tools while you work around the house. Some more daring people even use it as an ad hoc ladder, though that largely depends on the build and stability of the stool. No matter the purpose, this kind of stool has become so ubiquitous that it could be one of the most common uses of plastic in the market. Of course, such a stool doesn’t need to be made from plastic, and this design translates that into wood with some additional quirks that make it stand out.

Designer: Antoine Laboria

Wooden stools are easy enough to make, but one that has the durability of the common thermoformed plastic stool presents a few more challenges. It gets even more complicated if you try to recreate the unique and somewhat iconic form of the plastic original, a form that doesn’t translate cleanly to wood. Throw in some requirements about sustainability, and you’ve got quite the design puzzle.

Thanks to thermoforming, plastic stools often have contours and curves that would be impossible to recreate on wood except through carving. That is definitely a possible solution to recreating the plastic stool faithfully, but it is also expensive and impractical, unlike these sundry pieces of furniture. The Plastic Translation Stool design tries to reinterpret the lines of the plastic stool instead, resulting in a form that is somewhat similar yet also unique, giving the wooden stool its own character.

Those legs alone, however, won’t be enough to offer the same stability as the plastic counterpart, so an additional element had to be added. Birch plywood buttresses distribute some of the force evenly across the beechwood legs, which, in turn, hold the buttresses together. These interlocking parts provide not only architectural stability but also visual accents to what would otherwise be a plain-looking stool.

Unlike a thermoformed plastic stool that comes as a single piece, this wooden reinterpretation has to be assembled together. It doesn’t require screws or nails, though, making the assembly easier and the packaging simpler. It is, after all, supposed to be a more sustainable option to the plastic stool, and such an alternative would need to not only be made from sustainable materials but also be sustainable right to the very end.

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These outdoor stools and table stack together like a totem pole to save space

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Being able to sit outdoors with friends and family is always a great time, but the setup and cleanup can be quite a chore. Not everyone has a large enough space to accommodate both people and furniture. Having to take out chairs and tables every time you need them could also be a considerable hurdle to an enjoyable day under the sun. That is the reason why there has been a rise in interest in modular or portable furniture, especially those that can be kept outdoors. In terms of function, Totem is such a type of solution that lets you save time and space in setting up a quick outdoor gathering, but it also does it in a creative way that makes its inactive form a great outdoor decoration as well.

Designer: Robin Delaere

Most people would probably like to have wide, open spaces to lounge in or socialize with friends, with seats and tables that deliver comfort while providing decor as well. Unfortunately, not everyone has the luxury of space, even for keeping this outdoor furniture when not in use. That shouldn’t be a deterrent, however, for enjoying the sun and fresh air, especially when there are creative ways where you can stack these chairs or stools when not in use and make them look good, too.

Of course, there are plenty of stackable chairs in the market, but those often pay no attention to appearances. Some might not even be designed to be comfortable, simply offering a space-saving solid piece of plastic you can sit on. In contrast, Totem offers comfort, charm, and space efficiency, all in one tall package that splits into three to five pieces.

Just like its namesake, Totem resembles something like a totem pole that has five distinct segments stacked on top of each other. When disassembled, four of these segments function as stools you can sit on, while the fifth and top section serves as a table. Except for having the table on top, there is no specific way to arrange these pieces, making cleanup almost like a game rather than a chore.

Both the stools and the table look to utilize black metal frames, hopefully powder-coated rather than painted. Thick, drum-like cushions provide the actual seat for the stools, while the low table’s surface is made of multiple slats of wood. The standard setup has four stools and one table, but the combinations can be as few as two stools and a table.

The idea of stackable chairs isn’t exactly revolutionary, but it takes just a little imagination and creativity to turn it into something unique and memorable. Individually, each piece has a simple yet functional design, but their true glory comes from their combined height. The space-saving Totem deserves to be a staple of any patio or garden, creating a way for people to gather at a moment’s notice while also giving the space a distinctive look when not in use.

The post These outdoor stools and table stack together like a totem pole to save space first appeared on Yanko Design.

Top 10 smart stool designs to perfectly replace chairs

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Stools are probably the most overlooked type of furniture there is. You will almost always find them, forgotten and barely used, in some corner of our homes. When truth be told, they’re much more functional and ergonomic than they are given credit for! They’re compact, and a great space-saving furniture option for our modern homes. They are also super portable! This collection of stools not only provides a healthy seating experience while promoting a good and stable posture but most of them are created from sustainable materials as well. It’s time to cast aside chairs, and maybe adopt stools as your preferred seating medium. From a stool made using agriculture-based materials to a set of contemporary mini stools – these furniture designs have converted me into Team Stools for sure!

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. Rice Husk stool

Agriculture is not something that’s not necessarily associated with furniture. But for this designer that was looking for materials for sustainable designs, agricultural waste, specifically rice husk, became his inspiration and material. So the design of the reading stool became rice-inspired as well, with the round shapes of the actual chair seat and the stand itself giving off a “harmonious emotion” between the bionic design and the human who will be sitting on it.

Why is it noteworthy?

When it comes to sustainable materials, he proposes using a mix of the rice husk and carbon, breaking them down and mixing the materials together, and then using perfusion molding to shape it into the final chair design. The seat surface itself is made from braided straw but with the rice husk used as the base for the cushion. At the bottom of the stool, the straw is used as well. This brings the idea of sustainable design full circle, so to speak.

What we like

  • The stool looks like a sculpture with an agricultural spin to it
  • Sustainable + eco-friendly design

What we dislike

  • As a reading chair, it doesn’t seem to look like something that you would sit in for a long period of time

3. The Stool .03

We’ve seen our fair share of stool concepts and prototypes, and, more often than not, these often come in wood, plastic, or even stone. The ones that are made from metal often convey smooth curves and forms to contrast with the material’s often cold appearance. There are times, however, when sharp edges and corners, visible nuts and bolts, and overlapping sheets of metal present a more interesting visual experience, especially when it’s associated with a certain theme. That’s what this steel stool prototype brings to the table, metaphorically speaking, with a design that would perfectly fit in a sci-fi, cyberpunk, or even dystopian movie set.

Why is it noteworthy?

The Stool .03 throws all those conventions and expectations out the window to create a piece of furniture that appeals to a certain aesthetic taste while still promising stability when someone does sit on it. It wholeheartedly embraces its metallic nature and makes no effort to hide it, looking unpolished yet at the same time refined. Its polygonal surfaces and triangular shapes call to mind designs used on TV and in games when portraying sci-fi or futuristic objects. Alternatively, it also looks like an alien craft with its three wings folded in a state of rest, ready to expand and lift off at any moment.

What we like

  • Different and unique form
  • Made by cutting steel sheets using a laser

What we dislike

  • Not sure if it’s comfortable enough to sit on for hours or even a few minutes

4. The OO Stool X Plasticiet

OO STOOL x PLASTICIET Limited Edition Designer

OO STOOL x PLASTICIET Limited Edition Series

The studio behind the OO Stool has teamed up with another group to develop a new version. Meet the OO Stool X Plasticiet. The limited-edition series is a fresh take on the flat-pack stool. It’s a more sustainable version as it is made of plastic waste.

Why is it noteworthy?

The Reduce, Reuse, Recycle campaign is going places. 56 Hours Studio came up with the product using material from a chocolate factory. Specifically, polycarbonate molds used for the chocolates in the factory have been used. The molds were gathered, shredded, melted, and then compressed into solid sheets. The company Plasticiet produced the material post-industrial plastic waste.

What we like

  • The OO Stool X Plasticiet can be flat for packaging and transportation
  • Like the original version, this one doesn’t need any tool to assemble—only the hammer that is cut from the same sheet

What we dislike

  • No complaints!

5. 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

6. The Mini Stools

Napp Studio Mini Stop

Napp Studio Mini Stop

The Mini Stools by Napp Studio are modern versions of the stool chairs usually seen in Asia. Stools are common in everyday settings where people gather to talk and just be with one another to catch up on stories. These stools are ready for another round of stories wherever you are in the world.

Why is it noteworthy?

The small stools are redesigned into something more multi-functional and contemporary. It’s also undeniable they have a major aesthetic appeal. The seats don’t look the same as each differs from the rest. Napp Studio knows contemporary design and can deliver stools using three kinds of solid wood. The Mini Stools appear they are made using different objects. They’re just made of wood in different shapes and sizes. The natural wood finish is used and complemented by green paint on some parts.

What we like

  • Each stool is designed after a word: lean, tread, lay, and stamp
  • Modern versions of the stool chairs usually seen in Asia

What we dislike

  • No complaints!

7. The Rool

The Rool or Rocking Stool doesn’t look to be the most comfortable or stable of stools but it does look pretty. It looks more like a museum piece or a decorative stool for a designer house. What’s unique about its functionality is that it is designed to rock like a rocking chair but this time, from side to side. It can be soothing for some who like a rocking motion or who would prefer to sit on something that is not stationary.

Why is it noteworthy?

The stool is made from plywood but the three pieces are designed to bend “artfully” to give not just a unique design but to also bring that rocking functionality. We previously covered something called a Nodding Chair where it’s the seat that’s rocking and not really the whole structure of the chair itself. The Rool doesn’t employ that same design as it’s the whole thing that will be rocking. So it will have some impact on the floor eventually.

What we like

  • The three pieces of plywood are designed to bend “artfully” to give not just a unique design but to also bring that rocking functionality

What we dislike

  • Aesthetics can be considered a bit simple

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. The Flightable Closet

The Flightable Closet is a pretty interesting concept as it is not just a suitcase but is also a mini closet (as the name states) with a clothes rack. It can even function as a stool in case you would need one while at the airport or in the room where you’re currently staying in.

Why is it noteworthy?

The idea is to make your carry-on suitcase more than just an accessory where you try to fit in as many clothes and toiletries as possible. It is conceptualized both for frequent travelers and those who are living in small spaces and need extra space for their stuff.

What we like

  • The telescopic handle of the suitcase can also serve as your clothes rack
  • Multipurpose design

What we dislike

  • Not really sure how much actual weight it can withstand when an actual life-size prototype will be created

10. The Rubik Stool

When you hear the word Rubik, it brings to mind something that can be turned whatever which way and can still be functional. Well, the Rubik Stool is somewhat like that as it can be “turned, flipped, and combined” so you can use it for whatever purpose you may have in your house. The furniture is specifically designed for spaces that cannot accommodate a sofa or shelves to store books, magazines, and other smaller knick-knacks.

Why is it noteworthy?

If what you need is somewhere to sit, you can have it upright with the seat on top. But you can also use the underlying part as storage for things like shoes, magazines, or whatever it is that you don’t mind being under your seat. If you want it to become a mini shelf, you just flip it over and now you have two layers where you can place books, toys, plants, or even some decorations. It’s not exactly modular but it can serve multiple purposes.

What we like

  • Unique seat + shelf concept
  • The furniture is specifically designed for spaces that cannot accommodate a sofa or shelves

What we dislike

  • No complaints!

The post Top 10 smart stool designs to perfectly replace chairs first appeared on Yanko Design.

Smart stool designs that’ll make you ditch chairs for good

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Stools are probably the most overlooked type of furniture there is. You will almost always find them, forgotten and barely used, in some corner of our homes. When truth be told, they’re much more functional and ergonomic than they are given credit for! They’re compact, and a great space-saving furniture option for our modern homes. They are also super portable! This collection of stools not only provides a healthy seating experience while promoting a good and stable posture but most of them are created from sustainable materials as well. It’s time to cast aside chairs, and maybe adopt stools as your preferred seating medium. From a rocking stool to a stool which is a seat + shelf concept – these furniture designs have converted me into Team Stools for sure!

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 Stool .03

We’ve seen our fair share of stool concepts and prototypes, and, more often than not, these often come in wood, plastic, or even stone. The ones that are made from metal often convey smooth curves and forms to contrast with the material’s often cold appearance. There are times, however, when sharp edges and corners, visible nuts and bolts, and overlapping sheets of metal present a more interesting visual experience, especially when it’s associated with a certain theme. That’s what this steel stool prototype brings to the table, metaphorically speaking, with a design that would perfectly fit in a sci-fi, cyberpunk, or even dystopian movie set.

Why is it noteworthy?

The Stool .03 throws all those conventions and expectations out the window to create a piece of furniture that appeals to a certain aesthetic taste while still promising stability when someone does sit on it. It wholeheartedly embraces its metallic nature and makes no effort to hide it, looking unpolished yet at the same time refined. Its polygonal surfaces and triangular shapes call to mind designs used on TV and in games when portraying sci-fi or futuristic objects. Alternatively, it also looks like an alien craft with its three wings folded in a state of rest, ready to expand and lift off at any moment.

What we like

  • Different and unique form
  • Made by cutting steel sheets using a laser

What we dislike

  • Not sure if it’s comfortable enough to sit on for hours or even a few minutes

3. 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

4. The Rool

The Rool or Rocking Stool doesn’t look to be the most comfortable or stable of stools but it does look pretty. It looks more like a museum piece or a decorative stool for a designer house. What’s unique about its functionality is that it is designed to rock like a rocking chair but this time, from side to side. It can be soothing for some who like a rocking motion or who would prefer to sit on something that is not stationary.

Why is it noteworthy?

The stool is made from plywood but the three pieces are designed to bend “artfully” to give not just a unique design but to also bring that rocking functionality. We previously covered something called a Nodding Chair where it’s the seat that’s rocking and not really the whole structure of the chair itself. The Rool doesn’t employ that same design as it’s the whole thing that will be rocking. So it will have some impact on the floor eventually.

What we like

  • The three pieces of plywood are designed to bend “artfully” to give not just a unique design but to also bring that rocking functionality

What we dislike

  • Aesthetics can be considered a bit simple

5. 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!

6. Rubik Stool

When you hear the word Rubik, it brings to mind something that can be turned whatever which way and can still be functional. Well, the Rubik Stool is somewhat like that as it can be “turned, flipped, and combined” so you can use it for whatever purpose you may have in your house. The furniture is specifically designed for spaces that cannot accommodate a sofa or shelves to store books, magazines, and other smaller knick-knacks.

Why is it noteworthy?

If what you need is somewhere to sit, you can have it upright with the seat on top. But you can also use the underlying part as storage for things like shoes, magazines, or whatever it is that you don’t mind being under your seat. If you want it to become a mini shelf, you just flip it over and now you have two layers where you can place books, toys, plants, or even some decorations. It’s not exactly modular but it can serve multiple purposes.

What we like

  • Unique seat + shelf concept
  • The furniture is specifically designed for spaces that cannot accommodate a sofa or shelves

What we dislike

No complaints!

7. The Front Stool

Front Stool Design

Front Stool Launch

The Front Stool combines two stools in different materials and thicknesses. The wooden part can either be Walnut or Cypress while the other part is made of High-Density Poly Ethylene (HDPE) material and comes in four color options—Light Gray, Crimson Red, Blue Green, or Dark Gray. It comes packed in a small rectangular box with separate pieces secured and organized.

Why is it noteworthy?

i Woong Cha noted the importance of designing for a smaller space. A small household cannot hold many items, so a functional shape is preferred. The Front Stool comes with a modern and intuitive design that fits right at the entrance. It’s more than just a stool as it also works as an umbrella stand and support for when you need to put on or take off your shoes.

What we like

  • Functions as a stool, footrest, and umbrella stand
  • You can easily assemble it yourself

What we dislike

  • It’s still a concept!

8. The Axis Stool

Designed to guarantee comfort and instantly increase concentration and physical fatigue, the Axis stool is, according to the designer, the first ergonomic stool created from sustainable materials. The stool is intended primarily for the demanding needs of a flexible office environment, for which, it is made lightweight and stackable – two essentials of a modern office where space comes at a premium.

Why is it noteworthy?

In addition to its ergonomic design, sustainability is at the Axis’s core. The seat is made from injection molding bio thermo-polymer, which makes it a biodegradable and recyclable seating unit for the greener offices of the future. To create more impact with little mechanical intervention, the entire stool – the base and the seat – are held together using a single screw. The convenient manufacturing makes it possible that the specially engineered seat on the top can tilt in any direction so the users don’t feel the pressure while leaning from one desk to another. The base and the seat are placed inches apart from each other to allow 360-degree tilting without friction between the two components.

What we like

  • Comfortable enough to let you work efficiently for long hours
  • Eco-friendly

What we dislike

No complaints!

9. Rattan Stool

First impressions really quickly – did you think this was a whisk or folded spaghetti? I thought spaghetti but maybe I am just hungry. This rattan stool stood out to me because of its visually curiosity-evoking design. Is it comfortable? Probably. Is it cool? Absolutely.

Why is it noteworthy?

This stool explores the malleability of rattan as a material in furniture design, we are so used to seeing it in a checkered woven form that the noodle-like seating of this piece becomes a testament to how we can use often overlooked materials unconventionally to push boundaries. As the world moves towards a sustainable future, so must design.

What we like

  • Innovative use of Rattan
  • Quirky spaghetti-inspired aesthetics

What we dislike

  • It may not be comfortable to sit on for long periods of time

10. The TAKEoSEAT

Folding stools are nothing new, but few actually try to hide the fact that people are carrying something meant to be sat on. In contrast, the TAKEoSEAT flattens down to something that looks like a large portfolio, or at least a stylish bag made of felt. You won’t look odd carrying it around, nor would the seat look out of place in an office space. Designer KRETHO positions this portable stool as a perfect part of an agile arsenal, allowing people to just pick up their seats and move around as needed. No more rearranging furniture or sweating over a heavy chair.

Why is noteworthy?

This folding design is admittedly not exactly novel, but what TAKEoSEAT adds to the table is a bit of environmental focus. Each stool is made from PET felt, which is felt that comes from those plastic bottles that we use and throw away without giving a second thought about where they end up. PET bottles undergo a special process (that does, unfortunately, use up water and energy) that results in a material that feels familiar to the touch while also strong enough to support a load of 130 kg. Plus, the TAKEoSEAT itself is recyclable, too!

What we like

  • Created from PET felt
  • Extremely portable

What we dislike

  • Folding designs are quite common these days

The post Smart stool designs that’ll make you ditch chairs for good first appeared on Yanko Design.