Interview about Season Stool, winner of the A' Furniture Design Award 2022
The Season stool was inspired by the living habits of millennials. For people who are moving to a big city, renting an apartment is very common. The consumers prefer to buy simple, multifunctional and portable furniture that provides them with more flexibility and freedom no matter where they live. The Season stool is also available in multiple colors and finishes that easily infuse a variety of different interior styles.
View detailed images, specifications, and award details on A' Design Award & Competition website.
View Design DetailsThe Season Stool was designed while I was living in Chicago, a city with high rent, especially for recent graduates and young professionals with only a few years of work experience. With a limited budget, it can be challenging to afford spacious apartments in urban areas, so maximizing the use of smaller spaces becomes essential. Living where every square foot matters makes multifunctional furniture indispensable. The Season Stool addresses this need by providing storage in a way that keeps living spaces uncluttered and visually cohesive.In my opinion, millennials tend to value minimalist, clean aesthetics with a strong emphasis on sustainability and practicality.
Harmony in design can sometimes be challenging to achieve, but the modular design approach helps address this issue. When I think about applying different functions to a single object, my first priority is to ensure visual consistency. Once that is established, balancing the different functions becomes more manageable. To maintain both aesthetic appeal and practical usability, I had to carefully balance structural integrity with form.
By sourcing materials from certified sustainable forestry, I ensure that the wood used in the stool comes from responsibly managed forests that prioritize biodiversity and reduce deforestation. Additionally, using low-formaldehyde materials helps to create a healthier indoor environment by reducing harmful emissions, contributing to both the well-being of the users and the planet. It’s a holistic approach to sustainability—considering not only the environmental impact during production but also the long-term effects on the user and the space it inhabits.For me, environmentally conscious design goes beyond choosing sustainable materials; it’s about integrating durability, recyclability, and health-consciousness into every piece.
First, I define the problem I am trying to solve. Then, I establish the stool's fundamental characteristics. I wanted it to have a simple form, yet be rich in purpose. The goal was to keep the design minimalist to avoid clashing with other elements, while still allowing it to enhance the space. To ensure the stool complements various interior styles, I kept the lines clean and the details minimal. At the same time, we offer a variety of finish options for customers to choose from. After the initial concept, I focused on refining the details—small, thoughtful touches like rounded edges for comfort and subtle joins that add visual interest without disrupting the overall simplicity.
Unlike traditional storage solutions that often rely on simple latches or covers, the leather pull provides an inviting, ergonomic interface for accessing hidden storage. It offers a natural tactile connection between the user and the object, adding a sense of elegance and craftsmanship to the piece.
During COVID, I noticed a shift in people's needs for multifunctionality, adaptability, and comfort in their living environments. This led me to rethink the design of the Season Stool, with a focus on maximizing storage capacity while keeping mobility and ease of use at the forefront.
Ergonomics played a crucial role in the design of the Season Stool. For example, the stool’s height, seat diameter, and shape were carefully calculated to ensure optimal comfort and proper use. However, the dimensions were slightly off after the product was made.
The wooden base features rubber-cushioned metal glides for easy mobility and floor protection, which are not visible unless you flip the stool. Additionally, a special anti-abrasion coating has been applied to ensure that, even with repeated movement. The coating also prevents scuffing and wear, helping to maintain the stool's aesthetic over time.
As an interior designer, furniture plays an important role in interior spaces. Though small, it has significant characteristics and reflects the designer’s design philosophy, showcasing how they apply these principles to objects. From an interior architecture standpoint, I focused on the stool’s functionality, ensuring it serves more than just as a seat. Modern urban living demands furniture that can adapt to multiple needs within small spaces, and the Season Stool is designed to meet this need by incorporating hidden storage. This practical element stems from my understanding of spatial efficiency and the importance of multi-functional furniture in contemporary interiors.
I envision the design evolving in several ways to meet the future challenges of urban living while maintaining its core principles of flexibility and functionality. Flexibility and functionality will always be at the heart of the design, but in the future, we may need to emphasize modularity and customization to better adapt to various living spaces and user needs. Sustainability and eco-friendliness will remain key considerations, and we could explore the use of more recycled materials or eco-friendly manufacturing processes. Last but not least, integrating more technology into the design will also be essential to enhance its functionality.
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