Being stuck at home in the pandemic really did teach us a few lessons. One, being, that you can actually do a lot at home, especially in your backyard! It definitely made us realize we shouldn’t underestimate our backyards, they can be locations of major fun, recreation, and relaxation…depending on how we do them up. You can turn your backyard into an ideal date spot for you and your partner, or host a barbecue party with the best grill in the market! We’ve curated a collection of product designs to help you transform these exciting ideas into a reality! These products will turn your yard into the ultimate relaxation destination. We bet you won’t want to step out of your yard, once you introduce these products to it. From a tiny modular tabletop grill that makes outdoor cooking fun to outdoor stools and a table that can be stacked together like a totem pole – these designs will majorly transform your humble backyard.
1. The +Base modular griller
When people think of cooking outdoors, they often presume it’s all about grills, mostly because it’s the most common type of cooking you can’t conveniently do indoors. Of course, that’s probably not the only kind of food you’d want to eat, but other styles of cooking would require other cookware and, consequently, a larger space. The +Base modular griller, however, supports almost any kind of cooking you’d want, from frying (teppanyaki), smoking, stewing, grilling, or even keeping wine warm.
Why is it noteworthy?
Made by a small family-owned Japanese factory that specializes in sheet metal fabrication, the All-in-One Grill is carefully designed to maximize the limited amount of space available, like small grooves on the grill’s frame that keep the skewers in place. The wooden base that protects tables from the grill’s hot bottom also acts as a lid when the griller has to be stowed away.
What we like
- Let’s you cook in seven different ways
- Simplifies outdoor cooking
What we dislike
- No complaints!
2. The Bungalow Luggage
Whether you’re backpacking, planning on fishing, or just want to spend time at the lake, foldable and easy-to-carry furniture is definitely going to be on your top priority list. A collapsible furniture range that is relatively luxurious, ultra-lightweight, and packs up into a travel trolley you can tote after you; the Bungalow Luggage by designer Eunsol Lee sets a stage for unique camping experiences.
Why is it noteworthy?
There is no dearth of foldable camping chairs and tables out there. You could even pick a set of tables and chairs off the shelf but this idea of a portable furniture set has its own merits. Unlike the other metal rod collapsible furniture for the outdoors, this one designed for National Geographic is convenient to transport. Just fold up the two chairs and the table into their bags and the trio sits evenly inside a suitcase you can lug along. This ease of portability also comes in handy when you want to fit the furniture in the boot of the car.
What we like
- Packed in a travel trolley-style sturdy case
- The metal spokes aligned as hollow table legs become the base for a wooden plank tabletop
What we dislike
- No complaints!
3. The Tomori Lantern Kit
Designer Yuji Yanagisawa envisioned the Tomori Lantern Kit. Rather than providing a ready-made lantern, Tomori is actually a kit that lets you quickly set up a lantern and then quickly put it away when you no longer need it. The best parts about this lantern kit are that it takes up almost no space when collapsed and can also use any conventional flashlight that can fit inside its clamps.
Why is it noteworthy?
The base of the kit is a foldable cardboard piece that serves as the flashlight holder and stable structure of the lamp. The kit comes with a rather nondescript LED flashlight that you can use on its own when not docked inside the lantern. In fact, the cardboard base can hold any cylindrical flashlight that is less than 30mm in diameter and 160mm in length. This means that you can use the same flashlight for the lantern as well as for typical uses, or you can have a set of backup flashlights when one’s battery goes empty.
What we like
- The entire kit, excluding the flashlight, folds down to a flat A4-sized package, perfect for stashing in bags or drawers, ready for use in an emergency
What we dislike
- No complaints!
4. The LIPOWER Mars-2000
Meet the LIPOWER Mars-2000, a beer-cooler-sized power station that gives you up to 2000W of power no matter where you are. Whether you’re camping outdoors, spending a cool evening at the beach, going on a road trip, or even taking your camera and drone on a day-long expedition for work or casual photoshoots, the LIPOWER Mars-2000 is a pretty capable portable power source that’s equipped with EV-grade LFP batteries for sustained power no matter what your requirement.
Why is it noteworthy?
The 1460Wh power station weighs 35.5 lbs (16.1 kilograms) and comes with built-in handles that let you load it on the back of a car and carry it pretty much anywhere you want. The LIPOWER Mars-2000 offers 10 different ports to charge/power a whole slew of devices, including 3 110V AC ports, 3 12V DC ports (including one car outlet), 3 USB-A ports (including one USB3.0 port for fast charging), and one USB-C port that outputs 60W, making it perfect for phones, tablets, and even laptops.
What we like
- There’s also an input for plugging solar panels into the LIPOWER Mars-2000, charging it via solar energy up to 80% in 5 hours, according to its makers, LIPOWER
What we dislike
- No complaints!
5. The NEW JOY Collection
The NEW JOY collection of outdoor furniture immediately strikes one as unconventional from the first time you see it. In terms of both form and material, the design is inspired by round tubes or pipes that you’d see in public facilities. Although they can be painted with different colors, there is still something inherently raw with their appearance, especially with the use of simple lines and circles to form the structure of the benches and tables.
Why is it noteworthy?
The table, for example, is meant to be used while standing up, but that isn’t exactly unheard of. What makes it different is that you’re supposed to stand on a round platform that you can rotate with your feet. This way, you can twist your body or keep moving even while you’re working on your laptop or talking with other people. It does raise some concerns about whether such motions are actually safe, especially outdoors where one could fall on pavement or hard ground when caught off-balance.
What we like
- The NEW JOY’s simple design and use of easily accessible materials make it easy to produce and distribute
What we dislike
- No complaints!
6. Totem
Just like its namesake, Totem resembles something like a totem pole that has five distinct segments stacked on top of each other. When disassembled, four of these segments function as stools you can sit on, while the fifth and top section serves as a table. Except for having the table on top, there is no specific way to arrange these pieces, making cleanup almost like a game rather than a chore.
Why is it noteworthy?
Both the stools and the table look to utilize black metal frames, hopefully, powder-coated rather than painted. Thick, drum-like cushions provide the actual seat for the stools, while the low table’s surface is made of multiple slats of wood. The standard setup has four stools and one table, but the combinations can be as few as two stools and a table.
What we like
- Space-saving design
- Creates a way for people to gather at a moment’s notice while also giving the space a distinctive look when not in use
What we dislike
- No complaints!
7. The Threefold
This modular furniture brings to the users a lounger they can lay back on with support, or it can instantly transform into a low stool for the aged who cannot sit cross-legged on the ground. And when you want to keep your food or a board game you’re carrying along, the Threefold can become a sturdy table. A perfect companion for picnics and camping, the Threefold construction is supported by stretchers and is safe and secure to use.
Why is it noteworthy?
There is frankly no dearth of adaptable furniture for picnics, camping, and outdoor events, but the Threefold presents its own use case, courtesy of its incredible versatility and effortless, timesaving flip in form. This is essentially true since the traditional mats we carry outdoors are limited in form. The fabric mats would offer more comfort, versus a semi-wooden mat like the Threefold, however, it has limited application. If you’d have realized, it excludes a section of users who cannot sit on the ground for convenience and comfort, compelling you to carry an additional folding chair. The conceptual Threefold outdoor furniture here extends adaptability to each individual’s needs in one useful unit.
What we like
- Transforms into a lounger, stool, and coffee table
- Safe + sturdy design
What we dislike
- Not very aesthetically pleasing
8. The Outlaw Bike
What if you could ride to work on a bike and disassemble it at the destination to reassemble it as an armchair to sit on in the meeting room? It is not easy for industrial designers to create a product disguised as a completely different idea. This is how the Outlaw Bike was born in Brazil though. We can argue, and you will read further why, that the bike is designed as an awareness campaign against the Brazilian tax regime, but it is in fact a project that will have many minds latching onto the idea for industrial gains.
Why is it noteworthy?
The bicycle, a design by Cardoso Cycles for a collaborative awareness drive by Talent Marcel and Bicycling Magazine, can be disassembled instantly to be assembled into an armchair and a table. The idea is to draw the Brazilian tax authority’s attention to the tax burden that affects the sales of bicycles in the country.
What we like
- The furniture or bike is made from the same parts and same material. It’s only that they are assembled differently
What we dislike
- The design might seem unnecessary to some
9. The OO Stool X Plasticiet
Meet the OO Stool X Plasticiet. The limited-edition series is a fresh take on the flat-pack stool. It’s a more sustainable version as it is made of plastic waste.
Why is it noteworthy?
The OO Stool X Plasticiet can be flat for packaging and transportation. It can also be considered by Ikea as the original OO stool. The latter was also considered environment-friendly as it was made using CNC from different kinds of materials like a wood, bamboo, plastic, single board, and reclaimed doors.
What we like
- Flat-pack design
- Beautiful colorful pattern
What we dislike
- No complaints!
10. The Tripster
Dubbed the Tripster, this unique portable chair from Trippy Outdoor is a convenient little piece that you can stash in your garage or the back of your car and pop out whenever you need it!
Why is it noteworthy?
I had to stop myself from calling the Tripster a foldable chair because honestly, it doesn’t really fold. Built with a unique yet incredibly simple assembly mechanism, the Tripster effectively plugs in and out, going between what’s essentially a comfortable high-back outdoor chair, and two easy-to-store pieces of wood.
What we like
- Creates a seating device that travels exceptionally well, and is a breeze to set up
- Lightweight form
What we dislike
- No complaints
