Flat-packed designs are really quite intriguing! They’re portable, easy to put together and occupy minimum space. And, this innovative technology is now being introduced to almost all kinds of product designs! From foldable chairs to pet houses, there’s nothing that cannot be flat-packed. These designs, not only rate high on space efficiency, but also eliminate the usage of heavier space-consuming designs. They are definitely functionally and ergonomically beneficial, but they also possess minimal and clean aesthetics, that allow them to harmoniously blend with any living space. Flat-packed designs are extremely easy to move around from one place to another – without having to do any heavy lifting and carrying.
1. 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
2. Pagoda
Shanghai-based Stellar Works teamed up with American design studio Bassam Fellows to come up with an East meets West kind of chair that can fit your dining room, your office pantry, or your indie cafe.
Why is it noteworthy?
Pagoda is inspired by both the cafe culture in Shanghai during the 1920s and the cafe chairs from Vienna in the 19th century. Aside from the fact that it’s well-designed, it’s also pretty convenient to assemble it as there are only six parts in the package.
What we like
- Inspired by the cantilevered, upward-curving gates of pagodas in Asia
- You can choose from different finishes depending on the motif of your home or business space
What we dislike
- No complaints!
3. The Folding Kettle
The Folding Kettle comes with a flat-pack design that opens up rather cleverly, expanding its volume while creating a kettle that’s stable enough to stand vertically on any surface.
Why is it noteworthy?
“Due to its unique storage structure, the capacity of this travel-friendly folding kettle after unfolding is approximately 1.2 liters”, says C60 Design’s team lead Chu Wenbao. “It has three main characteristics: simple operation, easy storage, and a minimal aesthetic.” The kettle’s travel-friendly design borrows a lot from a travel iron. It’s compact when you need it to be, and functional when opened. It also has a detachable cable that allows you to connect it to a power outlet to heat water wherever you are.
What we like
- Features a flat-pack design making it completely travel-friendly
What we dislike
- No complaints!
4. Fold and Rescue
Designed to make rescuing human lives efficient, the Fold And Rescue lifeboat flips closed while in storage, thanks to its origami-inspired form.
Why is it noteworthy?
The inspiration for the Fold And Rescue came from the paper boat itself, showing how inspiration can travel in both directions. Unlike an inflatable lifeboat that poses the danger of deflating or not inflating correctly, the Fold And Rescue is made from a naturally buoyant material, and just needs to be opened to be used. In its folded form, it occupies a third of its original space and can be stacked together. When needed, just open the boat out and you’ve got two seats that can comfortably fit 4-6 people.
What we like
- It comes with a self-locking mechanism built into the benches, so the boat never accidentally closes shut when open
What we dislike
- No complaints!
5. The Storm Lamp
The beauty of the Storm Lamp by Julia Kononenko is that there isn’t any method to its mad design. The lamp comes with a variety of laser-cut wooden panels that can be arranged/oriented in any way you like because as its name suggests, the Storm Lamp is all about beauty in chaos. Looking almost like an abstract tornado, the lamp is entirely made from flat pieces of laser-cut plywood that are either left plain or painted black.
Why is it noteworthy?
When assembled together, they create a 3D form using the Gestalt visual law of continuity. Moreover, the jagged edges themselves illuminate to look like chaotic lightning strikes, reinforcing the product’s inspiration!
What we like
- The lamps are available in both hanging and floor formats
- The jagged edges themselves illuminate to look like chaotic lightning strikes
What we dislike
- No complaints!
6. Puffa
Creation of industrial designers Yin-Yu Lo and Trinna Wu, this accessory takes flat packaging as the core idea for portability. I like the idea of having the option to carry a comfy sofa to the next camping trip or the leisurely beach day on the weekend.
Why is it noteworthy?
The duo has designed the urban sofa using 3D weaving distance technology in the inflatable structure. This production method keeps the middle surface of the sofa flat with a stable supporting force that prevents eventual sagging with such inflatable products. It can be inflated instantly without much hassle, and the stiffness level of the seat and cushion can be adjusted as required. When it needs to be transported to another place, deflate Puffa and easily carry it on public transit or store it in the car’s boot.
What we like
- The sofa folds to the size of a yoga mat, making it ultra-portable in nature
- It will never sag like other inflatable sofas
What we dislike
- The transparent/neon colour scheme may not appeal to everyone
7. The O TRL
What the world needs more of is minimal and elegant furniture like the O TRL by Annabella Hevesi. Annabella created this tray table as a versatile piece of furniture – use it to store your stationery, kitchen knick-knacks, or as a makeshift desk in work from the home emergency scene – the pure and minimal aesthetics of this design make it a perfect match everywhere.
Why is it noteworthy?
The trolley has a slim and sleek silhouette and is constructed using a black MDF board, powder-coated steel, and rubber. Do not be fooled by its humble looks; this tray can bear its fair share of weight and move around smoothly, given its large weight-bearing wheels.
What we like
- Can bear weights
- Moves around smoothly
What we dislike
- The design looks a little frail
8. The Stair Cubby
The Stair Cubby, as it was christened, can be assembled without the use of tools, with tabs simply going into slots and held down with pegs. The cubby is designed to sit on two steps of stairs, but the panel on the back can slide up and down to adjust to different stair heights. The storage has five open-access cubbies for shoes, books, and any other item that can fit inside, keeping things organized and out of harm’s way.
Why is it noteworthy?
Staircase bins need to take into account the particular shape of stairs, but not all stairs are made equal, so they have to be a bit more flexible or at least configurable. Given how in-demand these storage solutions might be, they also need to be durable and sustainable. These two product design students from Nottingham Trent University in the UK hit both birds with one sheet of plywood.
What we like
- Can be assembled without the use of tools
- Great for homes with space constraints
What we dislike
- We’re not sure how well it would hold heavier objects
9. Nook
Designed in two different sizes, Nook is a collection of desk and room dividers made from disused Just Booth cardboard shipping containers. Amidst busy offices, distractions can come at any moment. Conceptualized as a means for workers to get quiet concentration time, the collection of smaller dividers can be configured on desks to create a small working zone.
Why is it noteworthy?
It’s said that it takes a little over twenty minutes to get back to work after a distraction. Whether you’re working from home, in your local coffee shop or in a busy office–distractions are everywhere. Designing a means for privacy, Just Booth is a Polish acoustic pod brand that develops sound booths where you can retreat for privacy during the workday. Following a competition held by Just Booth and the Academy of Fine Arts in Łódź where designers were asked to repurpose Just Booth cardboard boxes, Patrycja Gorzela designed Nook.
What we like
- Super lightweight and slim
- Sustainable design
What we dislike
- Could be easily damaged
- Not sure how suitable it is for long-term use
10. staxxiom
With laser-cut pieces of wood that simply interlock to create your design, staxxiom is building on IKEA’s DIY culture by making their furniture more efficient, more eco-friendly, and as simplified as possible. That last part works in staxxiom’s favor too, because the simplified design gives their furniture a unified, wonderfully minimal aesthetic, along with the added benefit of being ridiculously easy to build too.
Why is it noteworthy?
The table’s design is just a 3-part assembly, featuring two wide interlocking leg panels and a surface on top… along with tiny coupling blocks that plug into the gaps to hold the design together. staxxiom’s shelves and stools work the same way too – with parts that just interlock together, and coupling blocks that fill in the gaps. More often than not, you don’t even NEED a manual because even a child could assemble it, and the assembly process is about as time-consuming as making a paper plane.
What we like
- This unique approach to designing furniture benefits all the stakeholders in the product’s cycle
- You can disassemble and reassemble your products too if you plan on shifting houses
What we dislike
- No complaints!
