Tag Archives: tables

Top 10 outdoor furniture designs to use this upcoming summer

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Being stuck at home during the pandemic really did teach us a few lessons. One, being, that you can actually do a lot at home, especially in your backyard! It definitely made us realize we shouldn’t underestimate our backyards, they can be locations of major fun, recreation, and relaxation…depending on how we do them up. You can turn your backyard into an ideal date spot for you and your partner, or host a barbecue party! We’ve curated a collection of furniture designs to help you transform these exciting ideas into a reality. These designs will turn your yard into the ultimate relaxation destination. We bet you won’t want to step out of your yard, once you introduce these furniture pieces to it. From a reimagined picnic table to a minimal Scandinavian outdoor chair that will weather over time – these furniture pieces will majorly transform your humble backyard.

1. The Mass Table

Designed by Australian designer Alexander Lotersztain for Derlot, the Mass Table is what you would get if you reimagined and recreated the stereotypical and, to be honest pretty boring picnic table.

Why is it noteworthy?

Alexander took the typical picnic table and transformed it into a unique flat-packed table in an almost fluorescent yellow color. Made from a sturdy combination of powder-coated steel and aluminum, the Mass table is ideal for both indoors and outdoors.

What we like

  • The designer drew inspiration from the iconic garden table and used it as a visual reference to design the Mass table. The table was designed to be minimal, sturdy, and contemporary

What we dislike

  • Can be used indoors, but we don’t think it would be a suitable fit

2. The Bungalow Luggage

Whether you’re backpacking, planning on fishing, or want to spend time at the lake, foldable and easy-to-carry furniture is definitely going to be on your top priority list. A collapsible furniture range that is relatively luxurious, ultra-lightweight, and packs up into a travel trolley you can tote after you; the Bungalow Luggage by designer Eunsol Lee sets the stage for unique camping experiences.

Why is it noteworthy?

There is no shortage of foldable camping chairs and tables out there. You could even pick a set of tables and chairs off the shelf but this idea of a portable furniture set has its own merits. Unlike the other metal rod collapsible furniture for the outdoors, this one designed for National Geographic is convenient to transport. Just fold up the two chairs and the table into their bags and the trio sits evenly inside a suitcase you can lug along. This ease of portability also comes in handy when you want to fit the furniture in the car’s boot.

What we like

  • Packed in a travel trolley-style sturdy case
  • The metal spokes aligned as hollow table legs become the base for a wooden plank tabletop

What we dislike

  • Seems uncomfortable for extended sitting hours

3. The Bello! Bench

Fjetland designed the Bello! bench for the aluminum producer Hydro. And what was his muse for this piece? You got it right – pasta, or to be more precise penne rigate!

Why is it noteworthy?

Informed by the design and form of pasta, the Bello! bench is a versatile piece of furniture that can be used indoors and outdoors. It’s been created from nearly ninety percent recycled and hundred percent recyclable aluminum.

What we like

  • Aluminum was the material of choice for Bello!, this instantly makes the bench sturdy, strong, and durable and not to mention lightweight

What we dislike

  • The shape of the bench is opposite to what we usually have, ergonomically speaking, which makes it difficult for sitting comfortably and could lead to a slipping sensation

4. Foldable Lander

Power stations help us carry electricity to the outdoors, tactical EDC helps us service in life-threatening situations, and chairs like the Foldable Lander make sitting much more comfortable in the outdoors.

Why is it noteworthy?

Designed to be compact and lightweight, the Foldable Lander measures a little over 13 inches in length when closed and weighs 2.8 lbs. Open it up, however, and it transforms into a comfortable chair with a backrest, capable of taking up to 100x its weight.

What we like

  • Bases itself on the principles of origami and the design of the Moon Lander’s four-legged landing mechanism
  • Compact enough to strap to your backpack and weighs less than a 6-pack of beer

What we dislike

  • Lack of multiple colour options

5. TableBag

For this year’s Milan Design Week, McDonald’s released a limited edition TableBag which serves as not just your takeout box but can also be turned into an outdoor table, provided you have a post to place it on.

Why is it noteworthy?

The takeout box doesn’t look like the usual one you get from the fast food chain. In fact, it is pretty big considering that you will turn it into a sort of table. Once you’ve unfolded your cardboard tabletop, it’s enough to fit in two sets of burgers and fries and cup holders for a pair of drinks as well. When you’re done using it as a table, you can bring it to a recycle bin since the entire thing is fully recyclable.

What we like

  • Recyclable + sustainable design

What we dislike

  • If you’re expecting this table top to be available at the McDonald’s near you, sorry to say that these were only for a few, lucky people who ordered through their app in Milan

6. The Chair-A

The Chair – A can be “half folded” into a form that almost resembles a “jigae” or a traditional Korean carrying tool. It is practically a frame that lets you load more things on your back without having to cram them into your backpack or have them dangling precariously from bags.

Why is it noteworthy?

This kind of tool has been used to easily transport loads of firewood, and its design hasn’t really changed at all in the past centuries. This chair, however, applies an A-frame design that makes the carrier look a bit more aesthetic while also providing more stability.

What we like

  • It folds completely flat so that it can be conveniently stored in cramped spaces
  • The arms do help shift the weight a bit to prevent strain and injury

What we dislike

  • Not very comfortable for prolonged use because of the fabric seat
  • Absence of a backrest

7. Plint

Italian design studio Pastina created Plint, a collection of urban furniture for Punto Design. Pastina describes Plint as “more than just a street bench”, and I wholeheartedly agree. The colorful and quirky pieces of this collection are a far cry from the dreary brown benches, we often see scattered around cities.

Why is it noteworthy?

Plint plays with diverse materials, geometrics, and visual perceptions, highlighting the interesting contrasts between them. This makes Plint anything but boring!

What we like

  • The base is modular, hence allowing each piece to be used individually, or to be combined with other pieces to create compositions of various lengths

What we dislike

  • The ridges on the surface help trap dust easily, which is a problem for outdoor/public furniture design

8. The PINCH Chair

Designed by Medium2 Studio, the PINCH chair is your typical and traditional plastic chair with a major redesign.

Why is it noteworthy?

Plastic stackable chairs are a pretty common sight these days, you see them almost everywhere, and you have been seeing them for ages galore. They’re practical and convenient, although they aren’t the most sustainable. However, Medium2 Studio decided to give the plastic chair a new look, creating a unibody and completely stackable plastic chair.

What we like

  • New and improved version of the traditional plastic chair

What we dislike

  • Not a sustainable option

9. The Böste Lounge Chair

Designed by Stefan Borselius for the Swedish furniture company Skargaarden, the Böste lounge chair is a minimal and sturdy lounge chair that is designed to weather over time

Why is it noteworthy?

The lounge chair is named after the designer’s hometown in Southern Sweden. It is inspired by the classic Westport Chair and is in fact, a Scandinavian version of it. The form of the chair is pretty unique, with the back and seat meeting at an interesting angle, which invites and welcomes users to sit in a gently reclined pose which is great for relaxing and socializing with family and friends.

What we like

  • Features a separate footrest that allows users to lie down fully and comfortably
  • Built using sustainably sourced teak

What we dislike

  • Aesthetically quite similar to other outdoor chairs on the market

10. Transforming Table

Sporting an industrial aesthetic with its powder-coated stainless steel and aluminum construction, the transforming table offers an environment that can quickly adapt to the owners’ needs.

Why is it noteworthy?

On the one hand, it functions as a standing table that creates an atmosphere conducive to quick discussions and meetings. On the other hand, it can also be a place for more relaxed conversations, with friends or families lounging over meals. You could, of course, also have only one side of the table opened with the two seats, leaving the other side free for wood, work, or other things.

What we like

  • The top of the standing table opens up in the middle and folds backward to reveal benches that can seat two people on each side

What we dislike

  • Transporting the table indoors and outdoors doesn’t seem too easy

The post Top 10 outdoor furniture designs to use this upcoming summer first appeared on Yanko Design.

Top 10 coffee tables to bring your Pinterest living room goals to life – HUB

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At Yanko Design, we believe in constantly innovating, creating, and evolving. It’s a philosophy that serves as a lifeline for us, and one of the results of this lifeline is the YD x KeyShot Inspiration Hub! The Inspiration Hub is our ‘ever-expanding encyclopedia’ of design work for you to participate in, to inspire designers, and to get inspired by. Created in collaboration with KeyShot, the Inspiration Hub is your one-stop space for inspiration where designers like you can submit your impressive designs and be awarded to stand out in the crowd and to inspire other like-minded designers.

To kickstart your journey and send some motivation your way, we’ve curated some of our favorite coffee table designs from the Inspiration Hub. These unique coffee table designs will motivate you to create something spectacular and submit the design, as a gateway to sharing it with the best of the design world. Additionally, we will also be picking our favorite Design of the Week, Design of the Month, and Design of the Year – every week, month, and year from the submissions on the Inspiration Hub. Keep an eye on our Instagram page and the Inspiration Hub to see if your design gets picked. Fingers crossed!

Click here to Download KeyShot Pro (Use Code ‘KSYANKOHUB’ during installation for full Pro + KeyShotWeb trial) to take your sketch from concept to render!

1. Tender

Designed by Joao Teixeira, this beautifully-designed furniture is called Tender, and it cleverly functions as a modern coffee table and bench. The unique design features a narrow tabletop with rounded edges that seamlessly blend with the marble base, creating a furniture piece that is smooth, luxurious, and multifunctional.

2. Sweep

Created by Hadas, this stunning coffee table concept is called Sweep. The translucent coffee table lives up to its name, with its sweeping form, rising up at one end, and curling at another. The designer envisioned it in three color palettes, but the transparent form factor was retained in all three, giving the Sweep coffee table an almost otherworldly and magical feel.

3. Silky

The Silky sofa is designed to be the ultimate modern modular sofa/coffee table. It is sleek and functional and aspires to bring both of these qualities to your living room. Looking like a bunch of Jenga blocks meshed together, the Silky sofa features a curved plywood base that functions as the core element of the sofa, and also as an integrated coffee table.

4. The Chonky Coffee Table

Designed by Frank Brunetti, the Chonky Coffee Table is the perfect name for this piece of furniture! It is chonky, chubby, and occupies a generous amount of space. Its stubby legs and multiple tabletops give the table a unique yet minimal aesthetic. The secondary tabletops on the lower section of the table, as well as the circular one on the primary tabletop, have been given different colors, creating a fun contrast.

5. The Compressed Coffee Table

Designed by Deniz Aktay, the Compressed coffee table concept arises from a basic and sturdy U-shaped metallic structure that was compressed into a rectangular form, providing it with an extra dose of stability and functionality. The Compressed coffee table as its name signifies occupies minimum space with its compact little body while providing as much functionality as a larger coffee table would.

6. Donatas Žukauskas’ Coffee Table

Designed by Donatas Žukauskas, this unique looking irregularly-shaped table features a wide and quirky tabletop supported by three conical legs that end in extremely thin feet that look like they could collapse and fall apart any moment. Its form has elements of both stability and irregularity as if challenging the mind to decide whether the table is steady or is ready to collapse on one end – which is exactly what makes the table so humorous and amusing, and a far cry from the table designs we see every day.

7. Hertz Coffee Table

What makes the Hertz coffee table pretty unique are the ‘peaks’ and ‘troughs’ that support the tabletop. These peaks and troughs have different heights and were built using polyester fiber creating a unique base on which the tabletop rests. The tabletop is built using glass and offers an interesting contrast in terms of material, texture, and color to the base.

8. Wormhole Coffee Table

This mind-blowing coffee table by Olivier Gomis attempts to convert the hypothetical wormhole into a physical manifestation. The shape of a table is already quite eye-catching on its own. It’s almost like a wooden plank that has been bent so that the two ends are on top of each other and then joined together by a double cone. These are then glued together with sheets of maple veneer in between, which give the appearance of those faint light lines that form the grid.

9. Basketball Coffee Table

Designed by Nigel Vmu, this unique coffee table is for all the basketball lovers out there! Crafted from walnut, the coffee table features a crisp and simple tabletop supported by three basketballs. Each element of the table has been curved from walnut, giving it a rich yet minimal aesthetic, that instantly commands attention.

10. The Cobra Table

Designed by Deniz Aktay, the Cobra Table is a snake-inspired sculptural table that features a rather intriguing meandering shape. The artistic side table has been amped with three storage levels. The different levels slither from the bottom to the top, much like a majestic king cobra! The base and the tabletop function as storage spaces, as well as the intermediate surface in between them. The table is a beautiful bright orange, which heightens its uniqueness and quirkiness.

Click here to Download KeyShot Pro (Use Code ‘KSYANKOHUB’ during installation for a full Pro + KeyShotWeb trial) to start creating your own design and submit the design to us to get featured on the Inspiration Hub and the Yanko Design Instagram Page.

The post Top 10 coffee tables to bring your Pinterest living room goals to life – HUB first appeared on Yanko Design.

How this beautiful wooden side table seems to hover in the air

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Furniture has long ceased being simply functional products that take up space in homes or offices. Given their very visible roles, they have also become decorative pieces that add to a space’s ambiance. This is especially true for chairs, sofas, and large tables like coffee tables, but even smaller items like side tables can have an impact on the overall appeal of the room. Some of these side tables use elaborate designs, unusual forms, or even showy colors, but those are not the only ways to grab people’s attention. There are times when simplicity works better, and this particular design uses extremely simple shapes and constructions to the point that the side table looks almost magical as if its top was simply hovering above the ground.

Designer: Jonas Herman Pedersen

Tables need to be steady and stable to be able to hold things, and that’s normally accomplished by having four or at least two even legs raising the tabletop up. Even for a table with a single “pillar,” that support is often located in the middle at the table’s center of gravity to help keep it from toppling on one side. The Stilk Side Table, however, throws convention out of the window, resulting in a design that seemingly challenges common sense when constructing tables.

Completely made out of wood, Stilk’s top rests on a thin monolith that stands not at the center but off to one side. Of course, balance is achieved through the counterweight, which is a pile of four thick wooden discs joined to the base of the monolith, also on a single side only.

The top itself isn’t a flat circle but has the edge attached to the stem folded up a bit. This makes the tabletop look like it’s hovering with nothing supporting it while also acting as a sort of locking mechanism when something heavy is placed on the table. Despite its simple design, Stilk actually has a secret function where the owner can adjust the table’s height by simply removing a small wooden rod and positioning the top on one of three available heights.

Stilk is an unconventional side table design that admittedly would make some people nervous about placing fragile objects on it. In a sense, its appearance creates an illusion of lightness and instability that definitely catches people’s attention without actually going beyond simple shapes and finishes. It’s an effective example of how challenging the status quo can lead to interesting and effective designs while still keeping things simple, minimalist, and beautiful.

The post How this beautiful wooden side table seems to hover in the air first appeared on Yanko Design.

These five different kinds of tables were built from seven different kinds of marble

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I believe that the secret to a great home is an excellent selection of tables – whether coffee tables, side tables, or even console tables. Tables function as the centerpiece of any room, hence you need to pick ones that truly liven up your home, and set the tone for it. And, once the perfect set of tables has been set, you can start building the rest of the space around it – a comfy sofa, exquisite lighting, and elegant decorative pieces. They are all brought together by the right choice of tables. And, last month at the Milan Design Week 2023, I came across an exquisite collection of tables that are the right fit for your home – the FIVE x SEVEN collection.

Designer: BUDDE x SolidNature

Furniture design studio BUDDE teamed up with SolidNature, the leading global curator and purveyor of fine natural stone to create the FIVE x SEVEN Collection. The collection was unveiled at the Rossana Orlandi Galleria, and it features – two side tables, two small coffee tables, and a console composed of three high tables. The exclusive furniture collection was built using marble cut-offs, transformed into these stunning furniture pieces.

SolidNature has an ever-growing inventory of stone off-cuts that can not be used, and end up going to waste completely. To help tackle this issue, they approached BUDDE to use the leftovers to create innovative, functional, and contemporary furniture pieces. Although visually similar, each of the five tables of the FIVE x SEVEN collection was built using seven different types of marbles that were selected, curated, and sourced from all over the world – this is also the explanation behind the name. Pretty cool, no?

Clean, precise, and vibrant, the refined FIVE x SEVEN furniture collections beautifully represent the colors, textures, and characteristics of each of the seven marbles. Each matte table was built using fifteen slabs of marble, carved out on four sides, to create a mesmerizing yet simple shape, that accurately captures the inner natural beauty of the stone without any frills or tassels. The color palette of the tables is warm, neutral, and vibrant – all at the same time, creating furniture pieces with a unique and strong identity of their own.

The post These five different kinds of tables were built from seven different kinds of marble first appeared on Yanko Design.

Stone-like tables made from recycled construction wood are inspired by Korean architecture

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Wood is a material loved by many designers and creators because of its natural beauty, its distinct texture, and its sustainability. The latter, however, doesn’t mean that there is no waste or damage to the planet involved, especially when the rate of use outpaces the rate of growth of trees. Wood is biodegradable, but it isn’t easily recyclable either. This is especially true for wood used during construction which often becomes useless after it has served its purpose. These tables, however, give new life to these discarded wooden beams, and they ironically take their inspiration and even their appearance from buildings made of stone and concrete.

Designer: Jongwon Lee

There are many ways to use wood in construction, but one of the most basic and most unappreciated types is PSL or Parallel Strand Lumber. These thick wooden beams are used as frames in architecture or interiors for walls. Their rough texture and raw appearance make them less ideal for any other purpose, and they’re often simply discarded when they’ve reached their end of life.

Primitive Structures is a table design that uses those exact same flaws and turns them into strengths and unique features. Every part of the table is made from used construction wood cut into uneven polygonal shapes. Discarded PSL wood often comes with holes made during construction, so these are filled with recycled wood chips to provide not only visual completeness but also structural safety.

The raw shapes of the legs and tops give the table a rather primitive character. Rather than hide the distinctive texture of PSL wood, they are made to stand out instead, making them resemble leaf veins or tiger stripes. This gives the table an almost stone-like appearance, and the arrangement of a slab sitting on top of tall stones is also reminiscent of ancient Korean dolmen or megalithic tombs. When the three-legged tables are stacked on top of each other, they even give the image of a Korean pagoda on a smaller scale.

Primitive Structures is an interesting design experiment on how an often ignored material can be re-recycled and down-cycled to produce something that almost looks like a piece of sculptural art. The tables’ primitive and stone-like forms exude a sense of power and strength, inspiring confidence in their use while also providing some peace of mind in knowing that this beautiful piece of furniture was made from the ground up to help heal the planet.

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Gorgeous gem-like coffee tables might make you feel like grabbing a soda

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It might not have been the original intention, but coffee tables have pretty much become more decorative than functional these days. Of course, they still serve as tables you put things on, including your coffee, but they are mostly designed to have more visual impact these days. It’s not unusual for this kind of table to have some eye-catching shape or color or both, acting as a center of attraction as well as a conversation starter. These glass-blown coffee tables are perfect examples of such furniture, capturing your visitors’ eyes, imaginations, and probably even appetites with their elegant forms, gem-like colors, and dynamic surfaces that may entice you to pour yourself a bubbly drink.

Designer: Yiannis Ghikas

A glass table might not be the most practical piece of furniture because of its fragility, especially if the entire table, including the legs, is made up of that material. Things get even more complicated if you’re attempting to make a sizable table out of a single piece of glass that is air-blown like traditional glass pieces. It’s that technical difficulty that makes the Soda coffee tables all the more impressive and mind-blowing, pretty much like a glass-blown art piece.

The production of such a masterpiece is no easy feat. It’s made upside-down, blown from a single glass volume, and shaped by no less than three master glassmakers. Complicating things further is that while the tabletop is a conventional circle, the stem is formed into three intersecting circles that resemble the petals of a flower. That unusual shape not only provides a beautiful form but also helps spread the weight around.

Unlike what you might expect from a glass table, the Soda coffee table isn’t completely smooth, at least not visually. The top has a hammered surface that seems to freeze ripples in time. It creates an impression of dynamism and almost literal vibrancy, almost like a colored drink that bubbles and ripples at the slightest movement. It reflects and refracts light in seemingly random and interesting ways as if the table is a gigantic drinking glass with soda trapped inside for eternity.

Soda is more than just an elegant coffee table. It’s also an exercise in pushing the envelope of a glass-blown design, especially when it comes to large proportions and complicated shapes. The result is a beautiful piece of furniture that’s no different from a piece of sculptural art that combines a play of light and colors that will surely make you the talk of the neighborhood.

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Standing table for collaboration unfolds into a picnic table for fun

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Different tables have different uses depending on their design. A dining table needs to be low enough to accommodate comfortable seating, while a standing table encourages more dynamic conversations with the lack of chairs. In most cases, you have to choose the right type of table for the right purpose, but there might be instances where you wish a single one could fulfill multiple functions instead. There might be a constraint on spaces, or you might prefer a more agile and adaptable environment. Whatever the reason might be, this ingenious transforming table offers those two functions in one, providing a high table for standing meetings and a picnic table for four for more informal gatherings.

Designer: Bert Masselus

Designing a foldable table with built-in seats isn’t exactly a walk in the park. Compared to a regular table with separate chairs, such a piece of furniture would need to tackle different areas of concern all at once. Not only does it need to actually fold and unfold properly, it also needs to be stable and comfortable. There’s also the matter of visual appeal, which is even harder to pull off when considering a table that changes forms depending on the situation.

That’s the kind of feat that the JoinTable accomplishes with aplomb. Sporting an industrial aesthetic with its powder-coated stainless steel and aluminum construction, the transforming table offers an environment that can quickly adapt to the owners’ needs. On the one hand, it functions as a standing table that creates an atmosphere conducive to quick discussions and meetings. On the other hand, it can also be a place for more relaxed conversations, with friends or families lounging over meals. You could, of course, also have only one side of the table opened with the two seats, leaving the other side free for wood, work, or other things.

JoinTable is deceptively simple, belying its nontrivial mechanism and difficult manufacturing. The top of the standing table opens up in the middle and folds backward to reveal benches that can seat two people on each side. Even in this opened form, the table retains a stable center of gravity. The folding mechanism is also rigid enough to hold the seats in place and keep them from completely folding backward after a certain point.

This transforming table design is meant to be used both indoors and outdoors, creating areas for collaboration and enjoyment without taking up too much space. There is, however, also a design that is practically limited for indoor use, or at least in places with plenty of walls. This “two-seater” configuration consists of only half the JoinTable attached to a wall, offering a temporary space for working or enjoying a sip of coffee or both, whether by your lonesome self or with a partner.

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Slithering sculptural table with smart storage surfaces is inspired by the king cobra

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If you’ve ever even remotely spent time in the design world on Instagram, then you’ve for sure come across Deniz Aktay. His simple, minimal, yet genius furniture pieces have slowly but surely taken the IG world by storm. The success of his designs lies in the fact that they’re oh-so-simple, elegant, and yet packed with massive functionality. The simplicity will almost make you wonder ‘Why didn’t I think of this?’, but unfortunately for us and luckily for Aktay, no one else can conjure these designs up except him. He’s created wonders – from a unique bookshelf that functions as a side table to a coffee table design with intriguing layers. And, we’re currently drooling over the Cobra table.

Designer: Deniz Aktay

As its name signifies, the inspiration behind the Cobra table was simple – it was a cobra. While designing the Cobra table, Aktay had the intention of creating something that is artistic and sculptural, but also functional. And the Cobra table checks all three of these boxes! The Cobra table could function as a small center table, or a more suitable side table. It doesn’t have much of a footprint, and it has a snake-inspired form that is accentuated by a rather meandering shape.

The smartly designed table features three storage levels. The different levels slither from the bottom to the top, much like a majestic king cobra! This gives the table quite a sculptural feel and a dynamic and free-flowing form. The base and the tabletop function as storage spaces, as well as the intermediate surface in between them. At first, you may assume that the surface in the center has no function, but Aktay has left no component of the Cobra Table useless. The three storage floors are excellent for storing books, magazines, documents, and other souvenirs. The topmost surface can also hold glasses or plates if you like snacking in your living room.

The table is a beautiful bright orange, which heightens its uniqueness and quirkiness. Aktay does prefer to utilize bright and bold colors for most of his designs, colors that you may not usually associate with pieces of furniture. The orange color he picked for this table is an example of that, but also an example of how a simple color can completely illuminate and uplift a design!

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Top 10 coffee tables designed to be the center of attention of your living room

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I believe that the secret to a great living room is an excellent coffee table. Coffee tables function as the centerpiece of a living room, hence you need to pick one that truly livens it up, and sets the tone for it. And, once the perfect coffee table has been set, you can start building the rest of the space around it – a comfy sofa, cute side tables, exquisite lighting, and elegant decorative pieces. They are all brought together by the right coffee table! And even coffee tables are getting more innovative, unique, and well-crafted by the day! From a quirky red cuboidal coffee table that effortlessly stores your books and magazines, to a coffee table that features a revolving handle to hold your glass or lamp – these exquisite coffee table designs are all you need to completely bring together your living room, and meet your interior design goals!

1. The Bookpet

Designed to be a ‘coffee-book table’, the Bookpet is a visually exciting coffee table, that also doubles up as an excellent storage space for your books and magazines. It showcases a sculptural shape that evolves from a double-bent cuboid.

Why is it noteworthy?

The cuboidal form of the furniture allows for a sturdy tabletop at one end, which functions as the coffee table part of the design. In contrast, the rest of the piece has been integrated with little slits and nooks that can perfectly hold your favorite books and magazines. Bookpet has a compact and space-friendly size, allowing it to be ideal for tiny homes, and modern apartments with space constraint woes.

What we like

  • Compact + space-saving design
  • It looks like a sausage dog!

What we dislike

  • No option to change the partition sizes to accommodate bigger book sizes

2. Vertushka

Named after Russian rotary dials, Vertushka puts a similar mechanism at the service of your coffee. An arm protrudes out of and over the table, creating a safe location to place a drink away from whatever else is on the table.

Why is it noteworthy?

Plus, it also frees up space for more of your stuff instead of forcing yourself to clear out an unobstructed space around your cup. That said, that’s not the only thing that this coffee table is able to do. That “handle” can revolve around the edge, giving you more freedom where to place your beverage.

What we like

  • The design also includes a multi-angle lamp to shed more light on what you’re working on without taking up precious table space

What we dislike

  • the design does not accommodate different drink holders

3. Donatas Žukauskas’ Coffee Table

There are some materials, both natural and man-made, that seem to be associated with certain emotions and concepts. Water, for example, can be calming and cleansing, while plastic is soft and pliable. Wood is warm and cozy, while stone, in its many forms, is cold and impersonal. These latter two might seem to stand on opposite ends, but they come together in a harmonious and even artistic way in this sculptural coffee table made of natural wood and new concrete-like material.

Why is it noteworthy?

The very shape of the table itself seems to convey this character of combining contrasting elements. The wide, irregularly-shaped wooden top is held up by three conical legs that end in very thin feet that seem to test fate. Its form has elements of both stability and irregularity as if challenging the mind to decide whether the table is steady or is ready to collapse on one end.

What we like

  • Recycled materials were utilized in creating this table

What we dislike

  • Aesthetics are a bit eccentric, and may not appeal to everyone

4. Studio Nuño’s Coffee Table

Studio Nuño designed a new type of joinery that it says reduces the assembly time down to just a few minutes while still maintaining structural strength to bear the weight of everyday use.

Why is it noteworthy?

You simply insert the legs into the slots beneath the tabletop, slide in a supporting piece, and screw that piece down with an Allen wrench. The legs come in three or four distinct pieces for the side table and coffee table, respectively, so there are no confusing angles or combinations to worry about.

What we like

  • Built using 100% recycled and biodegradable materials

What we dislike

  • Aesthetics are a bit too simple

5. Wormhole Coffee Table

Wormholes can hypothetically connect two disparate points in spacetime via a tunnel. And they’re quite commonly found in science fiction! And this mind-blowing coffee table by Olivier Gomis attempts to convert the hypothetical wormhole into a physical manifestation.

Why is it noteworthy?

The shape of a table is already quite eye-catching on its own. It’s almost like a wooden plank that has been bent so that the two ends are on top of each other and then joined together by a double cone. These are then glued together with sheets of maple veneer in between, which give the appearance of those faint light lines that form the grid.

What we like

  • A lamp was installed in the center of the hole, giving the table an eerie appearance in the dark

What we dislike

  • The downward curve means there is a chance for objects to roll inside

6. Oceanides

Designed by Alexia Mintsouli for UK studio Alexa Mint, Oceanides is a collection of tables made from sea plants and marble. The innovative collection includes a square coffee table and two round side tables. One of the side tables features four legs, while the other features a solid base.

Why is it noteworthy?

Peloponnesian Tortora marble was used to craft the base and legs of the table, while the brown-colored tabletops were built using a sea plant that imparts the table with a natural pattern variation.” The top of the tables are from the sea plant Posidonia Oceanica, one of the oldest living organisms on Earth,” said Alex Mint. Until recently, the sea plant was disposed of as waste, but now it has a newfound purpose.

What we like

  • Sustainable + eco-friendly design

What we dislike

  • The tables seem more suited for the outdoors than the indoors

7. The Dune Table

This beautiful center table concept is designed to make people feel at peace – with the help of loose sand. You don’t need to visit a beach or travel to a desert to enjoy the sensation of this, you can now do it in the comfort of your own home with the Dune table!

Why is it noteworthy?

The Dune table’s name makes clear its inspiration, which might not be immediately apparent simply from its form. Unlike a gently sloping dune, the table’s base rises and falls in an almost random pattern. This creates shapes, edges, and corners that wouldn’t be ordinarily possible with natural dunes. Along with its blue hue, however, it gives the table an almost mystical and otherworldly character that only adds to its soothing visual.

What we like

  • The tabletop also follows this amorphous design, forming an irregular shape rather than a typical circle or ellipse. It gives a perfect view of the man-made dune underneath, serving both functional and aesthetic duties

What we dislike

  • Without knowing the materials used, its difficult to get a real-world feel of the object

8. The Circus Coffee Table

Much like its name, the Circus coffee table is an intriguing concept designed to bring people together in an active, interactive, and chaotic manner. Unlike conventional coffee tables, the circus coffee table is quite tall, and it can be used as a regular desk if need be.

Why is it noteworthy?

The table’s jumble of shapes and materials is almost chaotic, just like a circus. You have a predominantly wooden table with metal components that add functionality to the table. The large circular hole in the middle turns the disc into a donut and reveals two triangular shapes that form the legs of the table. Instead of a solid cylindrical base, the table has metal bars and doors on opposite sides, creating further contrasts in terms of design.

What we like

  • Designed to be the center of attraction
  • Can function as a regular desk too

What we dislike

  • Some people may not like the unconventionality of the design

9. The Cloth Coffee Table

The Cloth coffee table is characterized by a curved bookstand that functions as the table’s centerpiece. The rather curvy personality of the table is seen throughout its bulky bold. The coffee table perfectly strikes a balance between boldness and elegance, beautifully integrating soft and loud elements.

Why is it noteworthy?

Doing minimalism before it was cool, Japanese and Scandinavian share a lot of common design principles, including a focus on warmth, groundedness, and a subdued color scheme for an overall calming effect. With aim of merging these principles together to design Cloth, Teixeira hoped to find a “balance between boldness and elegance, depending on the angle.”

What we like

  • An artful blend of Japanese and Scandinavian design philosophies
  • The curved bookstand is a distinguishing feature

What we dislike

  • Weighty/bulky design

10. The REVERSE Coffee Table

The REVERSE coffee table is not simply a coffee table, it also functions as a side table. You can reuse the same base and same table surface to alternate between the two kinds of tables.

Why is it noteworthy?

The only thing that changes is the middle support structure that determines how high the table can be. Simply reverse its orientation and you can either raise or lower the table, switching between its two functions. The one caveat is that the table’s height seems to be fixed in both situations, with no room for slightly raising or lowering the tabletop.

What we like

  • Doubles up as a coffee table and side table

What we dislike

  • Switching between the two modes can be complex and time-consuming

The post Top 10 coffee tables designed to be the center of attention of your living room first appeared on Yanko Design.

Modular table pivots to turn from work desk to dining table to social space

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The past years’ new work-from-home arrangements made people realize how limited their options are when it comes to setting up a dedicated working space. This problem, however, isn’t new to those occupying smaller places, like just renting a room or living in single-person households. More often than not, the same table they use for eating is one they’d use for doing other kinds of work or vice versa. It’s terribly easy to make that happen by keeping the table’s surface clean, but it doesn’t leave much room for flexibility, much less for aesthetics. This table design concept turns this multi-purpose setup into something like a puzzle game, where pieces fit into different places, depending on what you want to use the furniture for.

Designer: Hyun Ju Ko

Modular desks and expanding tables are nothing new, but they have become even more popular as people try to rethink their use of one of the most common pieces of furniture in homes. Ideally, you would have different places for work and eating, but that’s a luxury not everyone can afford when floor space is at a premium. That doesn’t mean, however, that you can’t have distinct modes using the same table, and the FTP design concept does exactly that by making you turn just one part to go from working to eating or maybe both.

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Short for “Finding Turn Point,” the FTP table looks like a regular rectangular piece of furniture, except for a half-circle that seems embedded in its top. That orange circle isn’t just visually distinct from the rest of the black table, it is actually a separate part that can be moved around and away from the rest of the table. Moving this shape around and changing its position becomes both a symbol and a ritual that can help your mind shift to a different kind of activity, whichever one you decide to associate with its position.

For example, you can use the table either as a desk or a dining table when the half-circle is flushed perfectly because you might want to have access to a whole and unbroken surface. Turn it to the left or right, and you can have something like an equivalent of a corner desk, where you can place different, unrelated materials on different sides. You can also pull out that part of the table and put it against any edge, extending the table’s reach for another person to join you at work or for meals.

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Of course, you aren’t exactly getting more table space, just moving things around to accommodate different activities and tools, from laptops to tableware. In the absence of separate tables for different purposes, the modular and shape-changing design can be a good cue to help your mind changes modes as well, setting up invisible yet palpable boundaries between work and personal life without losing precious floor space to another piece of furniture.

The post Modular table pivots to turn from work desk to dining table to social space first appeared on Yanko Design.