There’s something delightful about a design that makes you reconsider the mundane. We walk past umbrella stands every day without giving them a second thought. They’re just there, practical and forgettable, tucked into corners doing their quiet work. But what if an umbrella stand could be more than a utilitarian afterthought? What if it could be playful, sculptural, and bold enough to earn a spot in your entryway not despite being an umbrella stand, but because of it?

That’s exactly what Liam de la Bedoyere achieved with Grid, a minimalist umbrella stand that looks less like household furniture and more like a three-dimensional puzzle that escaped from a modern art gallery. The Essex-based industrial designer, who runs Bored Eye studio specializing in furniture and imaginative everyday objects, took inspiration from wine racks to create something that reimagines how we store our rain gear.

Designer: Liam de la Bedoyere

At first glance, Grid is pure visual joy. The bright yellow tubular frame weaves and loops through space, creating a geometric lattice that seems to defy its own simplicity. It’s the kind of object that makes you stop and trace the lines with your eyes, following how each rounded bar intersects and overlaps with the next. The design sits somewhere between functional sculpture and architectural model, compact enough for a small apartment yet striking enough to anchor a statement entryway.

The genius lies in how Grid holds umbrellas. Rather than forcing them into rigid slots or letting them jostle for space in a cylindrical container, this design cradles each umbrella at multiple points throughout the three-dimensional grid structure. You can slide an umbrella through at various angles, and the interwoven frame naturally supports it. The result is something unexpectedly organic: umbrellas become part of the composition, their handles and shafts creating new visual lines that play off the yellow framework.

According to the designer’s concept, Grid includes practical considerations that keep it from being merely decorative. The flat-pack construction means it arrives unassembled and space-efficient, while the powder-coated finish gives it durability and that eye-catching color depth. There’s a removable drip tray hidden at the base to catch water from wet umbrellas, solving the age-old problem of puddles forming on your floor. Even compact umbrellas get their moment, with a top peg designed specifically for them.

What makes Grid particularly appealing for design enthusiasts is how it exemplifies a broader movement in contemporary product design: the idea that everyday objects deserve creative consideration. We’re living in an era where people curate their living spaces more intentionally, where Instagram-worthy interiors have raised the bar for domestic aesthetics. Grid fits perfectly into this cultural moment, offering something that’s both genuinely useful and worth photographing.

The modularity adds another layer of interest. While the concept shows a singular yellow unit, you can imagine how multiple Grid stands might work together, creating larger installations that blur the line between storage and art installation. Picture an office lobby with several units in different colors, or a cafe entrance where the umbrella stand becomes a talking point rather than an eyesore.

There’s also something refreshing about seeing a designer tackle such an overlooked category. While the design world often focuses on chairs, lighting, and statement pieces, the humble umbrella stand rarely gets this kind of attention. De la Bedoyere’s approach suggests that no object is too ordinary to benefit from thoughtful design, that even the things we interact with for mere seconds can enhance our daily experience.

The post When Function Meets Whimsy: Grid Transforms the Umbrella Stand first appeared on Yanko Design.

You know that metal umbrella stand gathering dust in your entryway? The one that’s been repurposed into a catch-all for tennis rackets, dog leashes, and that broken tripod you keep meaning to fix? Yeah, that one. Designer Aishwarya Ajith looked at this universal furniture problem and asked a brilliantly simple question: why do we need a permanent umbrella stand when rain is seasonal?

Enter Coilo, an umbrella stand that challenges everything we assume about furniture. It’s not a traditional stand at all. Instead, it’s a rollable mat that transforms into a temporary umbrella holder only when you actually need it. When the skies clear and your umbrellas are tucked away, Coilo returns to its flat form, practically disappearing from your space entirely.

Designer: Aishwarya Ajith

The concept is rooted in what Ajith calls “situational furniture,” objects that exist only when needed and remain visually unobtrusive the rest of the time. It’s a refreshingly honest approach to design that acknowledges how we actually live rather than clinging to outdated notions of what furniture should be.

The inspiration came from observing life in compact spaces, particularly in Indian hostels and shared dormitories where every square foot matters. In these environments, people routinely lay out mats on the floor for group discussions and social gatherings. During monsoon season, wet umbrellas demand immediate attention, dripping all over entryways and creating puddles. But once the rain passes, that urgency evaporates. So why should the solution take up permanent real estate?

Coilo’s design is deceptively simple yet remarkably clever. The mat is crafted from flexible, water-resistant EVA foam that can be rolled into a cylindrical form. Thanks to a simple joint system, the coiled structure achieves surprising stability without requiring complex mechanisms or hardware. Supporting flaps button together in a distinctive pattern that gives the stand character and allows it to accommodate umbrellas of varying heights.

The base plate deserves special mention. It’s made from terracotta clay, a material choice that’s both practical and thoughtful. Terracotta is naturally absorbent, wicking away moisture from wet umbrellas rather than letting it pool on your floor. It’s the kind of detail that reveals genuine problem-solving rather than purely aesthetic decision-making.

What makes Coilo particularly fascinating is how it fits into broader conversations about sustainable design and conscious consumption. We’re living in an era where urban apartments are shrinking, minimalism is trending, and people are questioning whether they really need all the stuff previous generations accumulated. Coilo doesn’t just save space; it challenges the assumption that furniture must be static and permanent.

This philosophy resonates especially with younger generations navigating shared living situations, frequent moves, and smaller living quarters. Students in dormitories, young professionals in co-living spaces, and anyone dealing with limited square footage will immediately grasp Coilo’s appeal. It’s furniture that adapts to your life rather than demanding you adapt to it. The visual design also breaks from traditional umbrella stand aesthetics. Those buttoned flaps create a sculptural quality that makes Coilo a conversation piece when deployed. It looks intentional and interesting rather than purely utilitarian. When rolled flat, it could easily pass as a decorative floor mat or yoga mat, maintaining a presence without announcing itself as single-purpose furniture.

Ajith’s exploration opens up fascinating possibilities for the future of home furnishings. What else could transform and disappear? Could we design coffee tables that fold into wall art? Dining chairs that become storage? Desks that morph into room dividers? Coilo represents more than just a clever umbrella solution. It’s a prototype for how we might rethink everyday objects in an age where flexibility, adaptability, and space efficiency matter more than ever.

The post This Umbrella Stand Disappears When You Don’t Need It first appeared on Yanko Design.

There’s something quietly revolutionary happening in the world of everyday objects, and it starts with something as humble as where you put your umbrella. Arihant Israni and Anoushka Braganza have created InBetween, a piece that challenges our assumptions about what functional design can be. It’s not just a place to stash wet umbrellas. It’s a whole vibe.

Let’s be honest: most umbrella stands are afterthoughts. They’re plastic cylinders hiding in corners, collecting dust and forgotten receipts. But what if that neglected corner could hold something beautiful? What if the act of coming home on a rainy day could feel a little more intentional, a little more like a ritual worth noticing?

Designers: Arihant Israni and Anoushka Braganza

That’s where InBetween comes in. The design is built around flowing loops that curve and connect, creating this continuous rhythm that feels almost hypnotic. It’s sculptural in a way that makes you stop and look twice. The loops aren’t just aesthetic choices, they’re functional, too, each one cradling an umbrella while creating negative space that gives the whole piece a sense of movement. Even when it’s sitting still, it feels alive.

The designers say the form is inspired by the idea of transitions, those moments between leaving and arriving, between chaos and calm. And honestly? You can see it. There’s something about the way the curves flow into each other that captures that feeling of moving through your day, of pausing to shake off the rain before stepping into your space. It’s design that understands that our homes aren’t just backdrops. They’re where we reset, where we breathe.

Now let’s talk about the base, because this is where things get really interesting. It’s made from Diatomaceous Earth, which sounds incredibly science-y but is actually just fossilized algae. And here’s the genius part: it’s naturally porous and absorbent, which means it soaks up all that rainwater dripping off your umbrella without you having to do anything. No puddles, no mess, no gross waterlogged mats that smell like mildew after a week. The material is also antimicrobial, so it resists mold and odor naturally. It dries fast, stays clean, and if it ever needs refreshing, you just give it a light wipe or a gentle sanding. That’s it. In a world where everything seems to require constant maintenance and upkeep, there’s something deeply satisfying about a product that just works quietly in the background.

But beyond the practical magic, there’s a conceptual layer here that makes InBetween feel special. The base becomes this mediator between outside and inside, between the storm you just walked through and the calm you’re entering. It’s material intelligence meeting emotional design, and it works on both levels.

Visually, the stand fits into almost any space. The minimalist aesthetic and organic geometry mean it doesn’t scream for attention, but it definitely holds its own. Whether you’re living in a sleek modern apartment, a cozy studio, or something in between (pun intended), it adapts. The deep, muted burgundy tones in the images give it warmth without being loud. It’s the kind of piece that elevates a space just by existing in it.

What really gets me about InBetween is how it reframes something we barely think about. We’re so used to design being about big statements, about the couch or the coffee table or the art on the wall. But what about all the little moments? What about the act of setting down your umbrella when you get home, shaking off the rain, taking a breath before you move further into your day? InBetween turns that mundane gesture into something worth noticing. It’s a reminder that thoughtful design doesn’t have to be loud or expensive or complicated. Sometimes it’s just about paying attention to the details, about understanding that every object in our lives has the potential to be more than just functional.

In a culture obsessed with productivity and optimization, there’s something radical about slowing down enough to appreciate the poetry of an umbrella stand. InBetween proves that even the most ordinary objects can become opportunities for beauty, mindfulness, and a little bit of wonder. And honestly? We could all use more of that.

The post This Looped Umbrella Stand Soaks Up Rain and Looks Like Art first appeared on Yanko Design.