The +52 Stool Explores Lesser-Known Wood Types As Sustainable Alternatives To Commercial Wood Species

Have you joined team stools over chairs yet? Well, if you haven’t then it is high time that you should! I truly believe stools deserve to be given way more credit than they get. Stools are often overlooked, maybe because they occupy minimum space, and aren’t really overbearing. But these traits are what make stools so great in my opinion! I mean, they’re compact, and a great space-saving furniture option for our modern homes. They are also super portable. And, a great stool design to add to your home would be the +52 stool!

Designer: Studio Plastique

Based in Brussels, Studio Plastique conducted extensive research on current timber designs and manufacturing and transformed that knowledge into a wooden step stool. Dubbed +52 stool, the furniture piece isn’t simply considered as furniture, the studio sees it as a ‘scenario’, via which the scope and potential of undervalued wood types as sustainable alternatives to the typical wood types can be explored and looked deeper into.

The +52 stool is produced using a variety of non-commercial woods such as elm, koto, willow, acacia, and birch which changes the weight, color, and texture of the stool. The stool was created by Studio Plastique as a solution to the overexploitation of forests that occurs currently in the wood production industry. The stool aims to tackle the complete lack of awareness surrounding lesser-known wood species that aren’t used in the design world.

“With +52 we would like to contribute to an alternative perspective on wood scenarios,” said the studio. “Through our collaborations with stakeholders in the field, we aim to highlight these problematics on the one hand, and on the other propose diversified scenarios.”

The +52 stool is manufactured in varying thicknesses to provide it with structural stability irrespective of the kind of wood it is made from, in turn, offering strength and functionality no matter what. The stool makes for an excellent fit for both casual spaces, as well as more formal spaces since it is a versatile and durable furniture piece that can merge harmoniously with contemporary spaces. The aesthetic of the stool is modern and minimal, and it would complement other furniture pieces well, without creating a stark contrast.