Modular wooden bookshelf is inspired by Ryuichi Sakamoto’s vision

I’m always on the lookout for new furniture that will help me store and display all the knick knacks that I have lying around my house. Most of the time I choose those that are mostly functional and of course, affordable. But I’d also like to have some pieces that are decorative and can even look like sculptures or art pieces, even if they probably won’t hold a lot of my stuff. This modular wooden bookshelf would be a nice addition to my space, especially as it pays tribute to the late great Ryuichi Sakamoto.

Designer: Kengo Kuma for More Trees

The acclaimed Japanese composer and pianist founded design company More Trees to create products made by local craftsmen using materials found in local forests in Japan. But before he could make the dream a reality, he passed away a year ago in 2023. His long-time friend Kengo Kuma has now taken over the company and is making the dream a reality by unveiling 〇〇□ (Marumarushikaku), a modular wooden shelf made up of different shapes stacked together. It can also looks like an art piece because of its unusual look and concept so you have a decorative shelf as well.

The structure of this piece of furniture is made up of rectangular shelf boards and round pillar boards stacked on top of each other. You can arrange the round parts randomly between the shelves so you can create your own look and design. It may not look that stable at first glance but you can place things like books, plants, bottles, pots, and other knick knacks that you need to display in your living space. The boards have slots where you can place the round parts in so it becomes an actual shelf that can hold and partition your various items.

The rotating plates and multi-leveled shelves made from wooden materials from local forests can add an interesting and minimalist look to your office or living room. The modular wooden shelf will be unveiled on the anniversary of Ryuichi Sakamoto’s passing on March 28 at the Ace Hotel Kyoto. They will be stacked up to eight levels so you can see that it works despite its seemingly “fragile” appearance.

The post Modular wooden bookshelf is inspired by Ryuichi Sakamoto’s vision first appeared on Yanko Design.

Minimalist wooden furniture uses curved shapes to add storage spaces

Furniture takes up space, there’s really no getting around that. Of course, you need that space to actually use the furniture, but the furniture themselves aren’t always in use. You might not sit on those chairs or couches all day, and tables might be empty at certain points in time. During those moments, they might just be wasting space, so it sometimes pays to have them perform some other purpose, even if it means just looking pretty. That’s not to say you have to stop at looks, especially if such aesthetic furniture can also function as storage spaces, like what this collection of design concepts tries to achieve using nothing but simple curved layers of plywood.

Designer: Julian Topor

Partly thanks to the popularity of flat-packed products from the likes of IKEA, minimalist wooden furniture has become a popular choice in households. Their simple designs save space not only in packaging but sometimes also on the floor. Furniture, however, can also become a space to place some of your things, from books to accessories to even shoes. The KURVE furniture collection accomplishes this without having to resort to complicated construction or mechanisms, using only curves that wrap around an empty space to create a hollow nook for your stuff.

The throne-like KURVE chair, for example, has no legs but instead has a curved backless box for its bottom half. What makes its design particularly interesting is that the seat, backrest, and arms are all made from the same single sheet of layered plywood, just bent on the back and sides to create those support structures.

The KURVE Couch stretches out this concept, quite literally, to provide sitting for two. A central console splits the couch in half and provides a small area to place cups and phones, as well as a compartment below for things like the TV remote. The bottom of the couch is an even wider space for more things, whether or not they have business being there.

The table is admittedly the simplest of them all, nothing more than a wooden trapezoid to hold things above and below it. Its lengthy shape makes it more suited to be placed against walls rather than being a center table, perhaps somewhere near the front door so your shoes and keys can easily find a home for easy access next time you step out.

Last but not least, the KURVE Night Stand is also a trapezoid, just taller and narrower. Like other nightstands, it has a drawer, but this compartment is oddly located a little below the top. This creates yet another space for your things, maybe for a phone that you don’t want to tempt you while you’re resting.

The post Minimalist wooden furniture uses curved shapes to add storage spaces first appeared on Yanko Design.

Minimalist stool combines wood and webbing to create a fresh and fun look

We probably don’t always think about how chairs and stools look as long as they’re comfortable. After all, you don’t exactly see their visual design when you’re already sitting on them. You won’t always be sitting on a particular chair all of the time, however, and those moments when these pieces of furniture are empty can have an impact on your space’s overall ambiance. They can make or break the particular theme you’re going for or enhance the atmosphere inside a room. They can even be conversation starters, depending on how distinctive it looks. This stool, for example, might not look like the most comfortable or stable thing to sit on, but it’s hard to deny how it injects a bit of character into an area with its color combinations and raw vibe.

Designer: found/Founded

Compared to chairs, stools don’t seem to be inherently designed for long periods of use. They don’t have backrests or arms to make you feel comfortable, but they do make up for it by making it easy to sit down on one and then get up again quickly. It’s as if this kind of seat was made for more transient and very temporary situations where you just need a few minutes to rest or chat but never to lounge or work.

The KNOT Stool seems to take that image to the extreme. It is flat all around with nary a curved surface or corner that would have made it look more inviting. You can even directly see the layers of wood that make up its parts, giving it an almost brutalist aesthetic if not for the painted surfaces. Two slanted legs make up the entire support, but their thin profiles don’t really inspire much confidence.

It’s probably still a usable stool, but it seems to be designed more for viewing rather than sitting. The three wooden pieces can be painted in the same or different colors, for example. The decorative webbing strap that wraps around the top of the stool’s legs can also come in complementing or contrasting colors, not to mention being made of different materials.

The result is a stool that looks more fun than ergonomic and more decorative than utilitarian. Of course, it might still be possible to sit on it for a bit, or it can be used to hold other objects if you’re not that confident about its stability. Regardless of the purpose it will ultimately serve, the KNOT Stool is clearly not a typical stool, especially in the way it adds a bit of whimsical fun to your interior.

The post Minimalist stool combines wood and webbing to create a fresh and fun look first appeared on Yanko Design.

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

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.

The post This wooden stool offers a sustainable replacement for a common household product first appeared on Yanko Design.

Top 10 wooden furniture designs for lovers of this warm + minimal material

There’s something about wood as a material that instantly puts you at ease. Wood radiates a certain warmth, and sense of zen, that no other material can exude. And, sometimes a wooden piece of furniture is what your living space truly needs. I feel a well-crafted piece of wooden furniture can add a magical touch to even the simplest of living spaces! Minimal, clean, and almost always soothing, beautifully designed wooden furniture helps a space radiate an aura of warmth and calmness. They instantly make you feel at home. From a wooden arcade cabinet that puts a beautiful twist to a gaming classic to a minimal wooden sideboard with legs that can store your favorite books – these quintessential yet stunning wooden furniture designs are all you need in your home.

1. Wooden Arcade Cabinet

We’ve seen many of these “old school” designs surface in the past few years, thanks to successful “retro mini” revivals of popular consoles from a few decades ago. Of course, not all revivals have to stick to those same old designs, especially when there’s plenty of room to see these old giants in a new light. This arcade cabinet, for example, offers the same functionality as its predecessors but puts it inside a bare, minimalist wooden structure that looks stylish and perfect for a luxurious room.

Why is it noteworthy?

Unlike conventional arcade cabinets, this design can hardly be called a “cabinet” because of its shape. Instead of a large box, this arcade cabinet only has the outer “skin,” showing only the silhouette of the gaming contraption. In fact, it also has its sides left out so that you’ll only see the outline of its profile when seen from the sides. Unlike a typical cabinet as well, this interpretation has its back tapered a bit, streamlining the design and minimizing space.

What we like

  • It has plenty of curves that give it a softer personality
  • This arcade cabinet almost looks more like an art piece paying homage to the golden age of arcades

What we dislike

  • It’s still a concept!

2. The Diag Desk

This beautiful, minimal, and modern desk is called the Diag Desk. It’s built to optimize storage space while integrating storage elements such as removable leather compartments. As simple and minimal as the desk is, it doesn’t lack in functionality or practicality in any form.

Why is it noteworthy?

Considering its minimalist build, more space can be devoted to the desk’s tabletop, where most of the desk’s purpose is reserved. The Diag Desk from Polish designer Marek Błażucki is one kind of minimalist design that integrates storage systems into its build, ensuring that users have ample desk space while still keeping their necessary stationery within arm’s reach.

What we like

  • Integrates ample storage systems into its build
  • Ensures stationery doesn’t fall off

What we dislike

  • There are a lot of visually similar desks on the market

3. Onu

Australi-based Sabu Studio designed a series of lighting designs called ‘Onu’. The Onu series features a pendant, as well as a floor light – beautiful handmade specimens crafted from wood. Both the designs showcase a ‘split’, which in turn functions as the star feature of the products.

Why is it noteworthy?

Sabu Studio merged traditional woodworking techniques with a contemporary approach to design to create the Onu Series. The intriguing split timber section of the designs acts as a light source, one you can definitely not miss. The lights have been crafted from different types of wood – such as oak and walnut.

What we like

  • The design is an attempt on Sabu Studio’s part to further incorporate natural elements such as wood, into modern urban spaces

What we dislike

  • No complaints!

4. The Spacing Sideboard

The Spacing Sideboard is a simple wooden piece of furniture that is marked by two bright orange legs. These colorful legs are the star attraction of the sideboard! Because here’s the interesting part, Deniz has integrated the legs into the center of the sideboard, and also carefully left them hollow.

Why is it noteworthy?

The hollowness of the diagonal legs allows them to function as storage spaces! The amount of space is ideal to fit a book or two into it. Yes, you can’t place bigger items, such as say your laptop or even a really fat book in it, but it’s a genius storage solution to display a few of your favorite (normal-sized) books!

What we like

  • The sideboard also features push-to-open drawers that emphasize the length of the sideboard

What we dislike

  • Not the best storage option for smaller compact homes

5. Serpentin

The Swedish-based furniture designer Marc Hoogendijk wanted to create something that blends together technology and design. He created an indoor bench called Serpentin which gives us the illusion that it’s one continuous piece of wood.

Why is it noteworthy?

He says he likes using a methodology that “mimics the function of human-made objects” and then uses this on the furniture he designs. He calls this “technomimicry” and he applied it to this bench as well.

What we like

  • Inspired by tubes that are made from a continuous strip of paper wrapped around continuously, like what you see in toilet paper or liquor containers

What we dislike

  • The bench may not merge with the aesthetics of different kinds of home

6. The Leaning Chair

Many flat-pack furniture also come with an implicit benefit. In most cases, the separate pieces can be cut out from a single sheet of material, often wood or fiberboard, which minimizes the wasted material. At first brush, that almost seems like the key feature of the Leaning Chair set, and it’s definitely an important one. All three members of the set are CNC cut from the same 4×8 piece of plywood, and while there are still areas of the sheet that are unused and probably discarded, it’s still a lot less wasteful than conventionally assembled furniture.

Why is it noteworthy?

The set features a chair, an ottoman for your feet, and a side table to complete the setting. Like any flat-pack furniture, they can all be assembled without screws or tools. You don’t even need fasteners or glue to keep them together.

What we like

  • Sustainable + efficient design
  • Ready-to-assemble
  • Sturdier than it looks

What we dislike

  • Some people might actually be wary of this kind of assembled furniture, especially chairs that look a bit unstable on their feet

7. The Fly Armchair

This Golder Winner of the A’ Design Award, is an intriguing armchair created as a result of studies of deconstructivist compositions with the objective of building a product with disconnected elements that paradoxically result in a harmonious object. All its parts are contrasting elements, that somehow come together to create a seamless and minimal furniture piece called the Fly armchair.

Why is it noteworthy?

It’s a common assumption that a chair is a singular frame of wood, lined with cushions at strategic places to make seating comfortable. The Fly Armchair shatters that notion by, instead, opting for multiple disconnected pieces of wood that are magically connected by the cushions and armrests. The wood frame isn’t a singular cohesive unit but is rather a fractured form that’s united by an unlikely hero – the ‘soft’ cushion. To an extent, that too was true with the Eames Lounge Chair’s design, although Lima made a more conscious effort to adopt that style here.

What we like

  • Clean + minimal aesthetics
  • It’s almost as if the chair’s ‘actual’ frame is wearing a leather cloak, while the armrests, legs, base, and back panel are taking the credit for bringing the chair together

What we dislike

  • No complaints!

8. The Pessoa Table

Minimalist desks are great at sneaking organizational features into hidden nooks and crannies, but this striking work table has those compartments and spaces hiding in plain sight.

Why is it noteworthy?

Given the desk’s simple yet beautiful appearance, it might come as a surprise to learn that its form is actually inspired by three very different people with very different personalities. Or, to be more precise, the desk is named after the famed Portuguese writer Fernando Pessoa, whose different “heteronyms” (he doesn’t want to call them pseudonyms) have different and sometimes extremely conflicting ideologies. But almost like a metaphor for that situation, the Pessoa table still retains a unified appearance and beauty, just as all of Pessoa’s seventy-five heteronyms spring from the same man.

What we like

  • Minimal + vintage looks
  • Features two containers that float in the back panel

What we dislike

  • No complaints!

9. The Nodding Chair

As someone who loves to read, and read for long periods of time, I know that wooden chairs are the least comfortable ones to sit on while finishing a good book. And I’ve also tried to read while on a regular rocking chair and that made me dizzy since the constant big movements are a bit too much for my poor eyes. But staying put in a chair can still be uncomfortable and you need some type of motion while you’re reading. This product concept seems to be the perfect one for bookworms like me.

Why is it noteworthy?

While rocking chairs are good for relaxation, they’re not always good for floors and if you’re like me, for our eyes and peace of mind. The designer thought of a new way to have a chair that can be comfortable and still let your body have its range of natural motion while reading, resting, or even writing (if you’re used to that). The Nodding Chair can be tilted forward and backward, letting you make smaller movements that won’t make you too nauseous.

What we like

  • Creates less pressure on the floor so you won’t get marks and scratches
  • Allows the chair to move with you as you occasionally change positions while reading

What we dislike

  • The seat itself doesn’t seem to be that comfortable as it’s just plain wood and there’s no cushion

10. The Bogdan Collection

Bogdan Series Studiointervallo

Bogdan Furniture Collection

There is something about Italian furniture that sets it apart from others. We love that furniture design can be elegant, luxurious, and modern at the same time. That is for most of the contemporary pieces we are being introduced to, like the Bogdan Collection by Studiointervallo.

Why is it noteworthy?

The studio’s founder, Andrea Ghisoni, designed this series of furniture that includes a bench, a console table, a coffee table, and a side table. You may want the whole collection as every piece can go well with the minimalist aesthetics of your home. Every unit is made of a single carved solid linden wood and boasts a single line of color defining the shape and the perimeter.

What we like

  • Features colored milled-edge ribs for a bit of style and accent

What we dislike

  • No complaints!

The post Top 10 wooden furniture designs for lovers of this warm + minimal material first appeared on Yanko Design.

This beautiful wooden desk has subtle ways for you to organize your things

A desk doesn’t have to be barren and featureless to be considered minimalist, though some purists might argue that to be the case. Paring the furniture down to its essentials doesn’t necessarily mean there will be no room for the things you need to be on your desk, whether all the time or in passing. Of course, an owner has the freedom to make their minimalist desk as clean or as messy as they need it to be, but it will definitely be a big help if the desk itself helps in keeping things tidy. Minimalist desks are great at sneaking organizational features into hidden nooks and crannies, but this striking work table has those compartments and spaces hiding in plain sight.

Designer: Joao Teixeira

Given the desk’s simple yet beautiful appearance, it might come as a surprise to learn that its form is actually inspired by three very different people with very different personalities. Or, to be more precise, the desk is named after the famed Portuguese writer Fernando Pessoa, whose different “heteronyms” (he doesn’t want to call them pseudonyms) have different and sometimes extremely conflicting ideologies. But almost like a metaphor for that situation, the Pessoa table still retains a unified appearance and beauty, just as all of Pessoa’s seventy-five heteronyms spring from the same man.

The desk has a subtly vintage look, with its clear, flat surface and a panel that runs around its sides and back. That perfectly complements its natural beauty provided by the wooden material and simple lines and contours of the desk’s form. If not for the two containers that seemingly float on the back panel, the Pessoa desk would have been passed off as typical and ordinary wooden furniture.

The table, however, has a few non-obvious places to keep things that would otherwise clutter the top of your desk. Of course, there is a drawer that you might not have noticed until you see the seem that separates it from the rest of the desk. There is also a curved gap between the top of the table and the panel surrounding it, creating a space for objects like books, cables, and other trinkets. It’s supposed to be a metaphor for how the present connects the past and the future, but it could also be a metaphor for the unknown valleys where most of our stuff vanishes into.

The most interesting part of the desk might actually be the one that violates the principles of minimalism. That wooden tray and canister actually slide across the back panel thanks to a cutout. In theory, it could accommodate other accessories that fit that slot, opening the doors to more organizational containers and, to some extent, a less minimalist appearance. That unique rail system was meant to convey indecision, expansion, and breaking the rules, and it definitely projects a sense of contrariness when considered against the entire theme of the desk.

Already beautiful and functional on its own, the Pessoa writing desk becomes even more fascinating when you hear about the different and almost conflicting themes that informed its design. Those themes continue to the practical level, where the owner gets to decide whether to utilize all those secret containers and compartments or to keep the table completely clean of any unnecessary artifacts.

The post This beautiful wooden desk has subtle ways for you to organize your things first appeared on Yanko Design.

Revisit the ancient art of woodturning with this line of furniture that gives a modern take to traditional design!

“A different turn,” is a line of furniture pieces created by Koen Boersma from the art of woodturning, an ancient craft that’s Boersma revives through modern design and traditional tools.

The craft of woodturning has been around for centuries, but today, the art is slowly dying out. For as long as it’s been in use, the art of woodturning has varied in form over the years. Only requiring a few woodworking tools, like a lathe and cutters, woodturning can transform wood blocks into an array of different shapes and patterns. Returning to the ancient craft to design their new series of furniture, Koen Boersma created “A different turn,” a line of furniture produced from Boersma’s modern take on woodturning.

Starting out with a rectangular block of wood, Boersma spins each piece into alternating patterns of round and square shapes. Boersma describes the process, “When making this series, the rectangular shape of the starting piece was used, and patterns were developed from this shape.” Spurred by the Netherlands’ specific love for and connection to the craft of woodturning, Boersma turned to traditional tools and cultural building methods for the foundation of “A different turn.”

Beginning with a single, rectangular block of wood, Boersma creates undulating patterns to expose the wood block’s natural, unstained grooves and grains. In showcasing each block of wood’s natural grain, each piece of furniture is unique in its own light. Describing this in their own words, Boersma explains, “The patterns on the straight, black flat sides of the objects flow into the soft, round shapes of the turned away wood. A confluence of the designer’s signature, and the natural beauty of the wood itself.”

Designer: Koen Boersma

The post Revisit the ancient art of woodturning with this line of furniture that gives a modern take to traditional design! first appeared on Yanko Design.

This folding chair is inspired by origami and can be literally hung like clothes on a hanger!

Chair designs are the first category designers are told to explore because it is simple and yet the smallest of tweaks can make it innovative. Also, let’s accept it – you never get tired of looking at new chair designs! It could be a new material, a bold shape, maybe it has a dual purpose or something like KERF – a space-saving chair that you can literally hang up like clothing!

It can be called a stool or a chair, but KERF gives the otherwise rigid object warmth and flexibility. You can literally put it on a hanger and store it like clothing in a wardrobe which makes it stand out from its counterparts. When needed, simply open the fold and you can get a setup ready for your guests in a few seconds.

The intention was to enrich plywood, make it flexible and fold it like it was paper for origami art. KERF has been designed for small living spaces and for practicality, it is perfect for those living in urban apartments or shared spaces. It reminds me of Japandi style furniture or Scandinavian home decor with its warm and minimal aesthetics.

The unique chair gets its name from the technique of kerfing – it is the method of bending plywood by patterned cutting. It is only good for doing it once to achieve the desired curvature, but not suitable for repetitive, long-term bending because that would cause the veneer layer to crack. The kerfing technique can be optimized for the CNC milling process to save production time and cost.

The mood board for the project shows bending plywood with kerfing, flat-pack laser cut furniture, folding chairs, and interlocking leather belts – all of these come together in the final design as details. The chair us.es kerfing, the hinges are made from leather, it can be compactly packed and it has an origami-like silhoutte.

To make sure it was durable yet flexible, Hamza decided to use thick leather instead of hinges. This detail lets KERF withstand repetitive bending cycles while the alternative hinge (leather) can outlast the traditional hinge making it a piece of furniture that stays with you in the long run (its moving-friendly too!). KERF is definitely a wonderful example of how chairs can be simple while still adding on to the existing form and function!

Designer: Hamza Bavčić

Wooden Furniture designed with Japandi aesthetics to incorporate zen-like minimalism into your home!

I truly feel a well-crafted piece of wooden furniture can add a magical touch to even the simplest of living spaces! Minimal, clean, and almost always soothing, beautifully designed wooden furniture helps a space radiate an aura of warmth and calmness. They instantly make you feel at home. And, today a lot of designers are adopting ‘Japandi’ aesthetics when designing wooden furniture. So, what is Japandi? It is an amalgamation of the words Japanese and Scandinavian and marries Japanese and Scandinavian aesthetics. It is the artful blending of both Japanese and Scandinavian design. Add wood as the material of choice to this mix, and you have furniture designs that are not only aesthetically but functionally pleasing as well! Incorporate this collection of Japandi-inspired wooden furniture designs into your home, to create a living space that will truly feel like a safe haven.

Bjarke Ballisager’s Together and Apart Table uses a sawtooth cutout pattern to turn the unassuming wooden block into a table that can adjust its height on the fly! “The primary unit consists of two wedges that interlock at a saw-toothed surface, allowing them to fit together at any of many different levels”, says Ballisager, a New York-based designer and architect. The two wedges, made out of solid white oak, can be interlocked in a variety of ways, allowing the product to function as a stool, laptop stand, or even a bedside table, thanks to its ability to match the height you need.

The Flip chair and its inspiration were taken from the feel of sitting on the wind-strewn grass. An intriguing concept and an even more intriguing result! As Chen explains, “Translating the concept into a design vocabulary, we decided to use “flip” as the main axis. Through the flip, the bentwood is made to flow through gradual changes and generate vitality. Finally, the 3D model was drawn by GH to simulate various gradient states and output the detailed design.” The process of steam bending wood is a difficult process already, and the thickness of this piece of wood makes it even more trying. Given multiple trials and repeats, each piece of wood is bent in a unique way and the result is a chair that is also handmade and unique.

This timeless-looking piece is crafted from solid wood finished off with rounded corners that give it an organic form. “We got the three elements from deconstructing traditional wooden cabinets and immovable system furniture,” says award-winning furniture designer Chuang. MOON allows the user to have a flexible lifestyle as this one cabinet serves many different purposes thanks to its modular build. You can combine, assemble, and deconstruct it to fit your space or transform it from storage to seating. Just like the phases of the moon, the shape of this cabinet changes to fit different needs – in fact, it has a little circular cutout detail to symbolize that.

Sideboards are not thought of as dynamic or interactive but this furniture piece adds movement to the otherwise traditionally mundane design. It showcases a technical/mechanical approach to designing a sideboard and uses a combination of bearings + linkages for the sliding mechanism. The fun detail is that these are exposed and add more character to the piece. The front panel swivels over and the linkages push the drawer out. It’s crafted from maple and walnut wood with a glass top which gives it an evergreen aesthetic. The combination of woodwork and mechanics makes it an elegant vintage vibe.

Inspired by the shape of the ampersand, & Chair flows into a natural shape, handmade from a collection of sustainable materials like felt and ash wood. & Chair can be positioned in different placements to change its use‒from upright to horizontal, the & Chair changes function as it changes position. When placed upright, the & Chair morphs into a standing coat rack with ample drawer storage, where smaller items like magazines and umbrellas can be stored. Then, users can bring the & Chair down, allowing it to work as a coffee table with storage space made available through a slot-and-rack system, where magazines and coffee table books can be kept.

The Cat Chair from Myzoo was designed for the modern home so that your cat can enjoy their own play and rest areas without compromising the interior design of your living room or den. The Cat Chair is a hexagonal piece of furniture where your cat can rest and also explore. Made from pinewood and a high-density sponge, the Cat Chair features a small lower compartment with cubby holes on each side of the stool for cats to slink in and out of as they choose. The lower compartment allows room for the cat to hide away and relax in isolation, while the stool’s sponge cushion provides an open space for the cat to lounge or even sunbathe.

Bringing new life to the room divider, the designers at Molo, a design and production studio led by Stephanie Forsythe and Todd MacAllen, created their own rendition, calling it a paper softwall or folding partition, one that folds and bends, with the flexibility to be shaped in any curved or linear formation, and expands and contracts, like breathing. When expanded, the paper softwall is like a monolithic accordion paper organizer that is surprisingly lightweight and can easily change direction to define private spaces or supply dramatic backdrops for performances.

Soft Baroque designed the 005 Coffee Table for Vaarnii. The humbleness and sturdiness of pine are reflected through this delicate coffee table. The joints used to built traditional Finnish log houses were added for a decorative effect to this furniture piece. The minimal and clean Japanese aesthetics and Scandinavian functionality combine to create a simple yet beautiful table that is wholeheartedly Japandi.

With a name that perfectly describes the chair’s visual style, the Lattice Chair is an interesting single-arm chair made from interwoven strips of wood. Designed for comfort as well as for that interesting aesthetic, the chair comes with a single armrest, allowing you to sit with complete postural flexibility. Its cushion is made from high-quality Taiwanese bamboo strips, known for their excellent toughness. The result is a chair that weighs a mere 4 kilos but can take up to 120 kilos of weight.

Inspired by traditional Japanese Shinto Kumiki puzzles, this pair of nesting stools feature the Yosegi technique, which is the art of creating exquisite patterns using inlaid wood. TAMEN even utilized the Tsugite technique, which includes bringing together geometric wooden joints, resulting in 12 diamond-shaped columns that effortlessly merge together. Due to these wooden joints and unique columns, both the stools can be combined together to create one space-saving stool! This space-saver can be easily put away for storage. When separated in two, they also function as companion seats or footrests.

This furniture let you move apartments with ease by fitting inside a carton!

Urbanization and the exodus of human resources to metropolitan cities have resulted in an exponential rise in real estate prices. This has further ensured that space comes at a premium in these bigger cities where work and life take us. As a result, apartment and tiny home living have become a norm in such metros, and people rely on space-efficient furniture that they can use in their small space and transport easily when moving out. Living up to the demand, a South Korean designer has come up with the 120 Series furniture. While we wish this one piece of furniture could be used in 120 ways, the name is a clever play on the size of the moving boxes (120cm³).

Each design in this series can fit into a shipping carton (120cm³) without disassembling and then the tedious reassembly at the new place. Relocating is a tedious task; if you have moved from one locality to another or between cities, you’d know what I mean. Many urban dwellers sell off their furniture at throwaway prices because transporting bulky furniture is next to impossible. One of the solutions by the furniture industry is the introduction of transforming and space-saving designs. Though the 120 Series furniture isn’t foldable, it is designed in a manner that the stool can function as a basket horizontally or a side table – with wheels – it can double as a trolley. Each furniture unit in the collection, which primarily features seating, has nylon handles to amp up the portability. We have a trolley with detachable wheels, a stepping stool that doubles as a seat, and a basket stool to name a few. The basket stool comes with a yellow handle so we can carry its contents on moving day!

The 120 series can be packed and moved in cardboard cartons with other luggage; it’s that simple. The thoughtfulness of that design element is what makes this design so unique. The furniture is almost like LEGO blocks for your home – you can use them together or separately, but best of all, it does not force you to sell out. In fact, each of these designs can become your little piece of the known in an unknown home!

Designer: WooSeok Lee