We often underestimate the importance of great office furniture! When in reality we really shouldn’t. We spend the majority of our day sitting on our office chairs or typing away on our desks whether we’re working in our home office or a corporate one. Hence, these pieces of furniture need to be not only comfortable but ergonomic, and aesthetic as well. And we’ve curated a collection of furniture designs that meet all these criteria. From a coffin-inspired office chair to a foldable cardboard desk – these innovative furniture designs are not only great for maintaining a healthy posture, but are also super comfy to work on, and will perfectly match the interiors of your modern office. Enjoy!
1. Coffin Office Chair
Are you someone who absolutely despises your dead-end corporate job, well then, we may have found the chair for you! Shaped like a coffin, this wooden chair recently took the internet by storm. A Twitter user shared it on September 7th, and everyone who’s downright fed up with their jobs completely resonated with it.
Why is it noteworthy?
The conceptual coffin chair perfectly represents all the dreaded emotions employees feel throughout the entirety of their workday. It reflects the feeling of doom one experiences, as they have to sit through another pointless meeting that could have been an email.
What we like
- Inspired by Rene Magritte’s painting titled The Balcony (1950)
- Perfectly captures the feeling of having a dead-end job
What we dislike
- While it is a crazy concept, the design is not sized to adjust to various sizes
2. The Flow Wall Desk
The Flow Wall Desk is a great piece of office furniture for those spaces that aren’t quite large. It’s the kind of furniture piece that is both functional and decorative, but at the same time maintains a rather simple design philosophy and is sustainable as well!
Why is it noteworthy?
The Flow Wall Desk is something that might be able to fit all of those requirements for a piece of furniture. When “stored” and folded up, it looks like a piece of art on your wall with its minimalist, geometric shapes. Initially, it’s a flat canvas and when you unfold it, it looks like a “spiraling caterpillar” and you realize that it is turning into a desk where you can work, read, or write in your journal.
What we like
- Multifunctional design
- Sustainable
- Features a flatpack form
What we dislike
- Folding and unfolding the desk whenever you need to use it means we can’t have a constant setup
3. Finding Turn Point
This table design concept turns this multi-purpose setup into something like a puzzle game, where pieces fit into different places, depending on what you want to use the furniture for.
Why is it noteworthy?
Short for “Finding Turn Point,” the FTP table looks like a regular rectangular piece of furniture, except for a half-circle that seems embedded in its top. That orange circle isn’t just visually distinct from the rest of the black table, it is actually a separate part that can be moved around and away from the rest of the table.
What we like
Moving this shape around and changing its position becomes both a symbol and a ritual that can help your mind shift to a different kind of activity, whichever one you decide to associate with its position
What we dislike
- Red being a strong colour, the table needs to have more neutral options for personalisation
4. Refold
Laptops these days don’t really work on laps, at least not comfortably. You can take a foldable desk along with you, but most of those are heavy, awkward, cramped, or all of the above. Refold solves all of that, except perhaps the awkwardness, using a material that is familiar to many DIY projects: cardboard.
Why is it noteworthy?
With just a few pieces that can fold down into a relatively thin rectangle, you can have a standing desk or a sitting desk, or both; anywhere there’s space for you to set up your ad hoc workspace.
What we like
- Features a triple-weaved, cross-paneled design that allows the table to hold a laptop, a monitor, and more
What we dislike
- Cardboard isn’t also good with liquids, but an optional waterproof top gives you some peace of mind while also giving the desk a distinct white accent
5. The Axis Concept
With this more mechanical standing desk concept, you can enjoy the benefits of a healthier working lifestyle without breaking your back or your bank.
Why is it noteworthy?
The Axis Concept uses a simple axis mechanism, hence the name, to move the larger desk surface up or down as needed. As a bonus, part of the desk actually remains in position and is a good place to put items you’re less likely to move, like supplies or desk organizers. It can even be a temporary bookshelf that stays in the back of your desk when sitting or beneath the table when standing.
What we like
- The simplicity of this system means that manufacturers can keep the number of parts and materials down to a minimum
- Sustainable materials can be used since it has no need for electronics or even plastics
- Replacement parts could be easier to purchase, too, presuming owners themselves can’t make those out of standardized design
What we dislike
- The setup remains difficult to maintain in case of multi-monitor setup that requires more wires and connectivity
6. D-Tach
D-Tach is a versatile stool that transforms into a small workspace designed to accommodate today’s mobile work culture. With each day, our world seems to become more and more mobile. Mobile offices, working from home, and freelance careers are increasing in popularity as we move away from corporate offices. With work culture making such a big shift towards mobile lifestyles, our home offices and furniture should reflect that.
Why is it noteworthy?
Industrial design student Andrew Chang decided to create a chair that fits the bill. D-Tach is a modular stool design that functions as a traditional office chair, only to disassemble into parts that provide a small working space on the go.
What we like
- Transforms into a small workspace
- Fits into most modern offices
What we dislike
- We’re unsure how comfortable would the small workspace be to actually work in
7. The ZooZoo Collection
Adding an element of warmth will surely help employees to ease into their new work routine, after spending more than a year working from home. And a great collection of furniture could really help with that – such as the ZooZoo collection by Narbutas.
Why is it noteworthy?
Designed by Annie Lee for the workplace furniture brand Narbutas, the ZooZoo collection includes an intriguingly high coffee table and a complementing pouf. The sleek coffee table is 27.2 inches tall and features a metal base, as well as a smooth top. The coffee table is available in two sizes, and the metal base can be customized to the color of your choice. The collection also includes a series of matching poufs available in a variety of colors and textiles. The poufs are accompanied by cushioned seats.
What we like
- The entire collection is available in a single color, or a two-toned option, hence allowing it to suit diverse interior spaces
- The poufs can be neatly stowed under the coffee tables, and also boast handy storage nooks to hold books, folders, and other miscellaneous items
What we dislike
- Not ergonomically for working long hours
8. Iko
“A levitating sphere, a focused capsule, a refuge for the senses” are just a few of the things Ivo Andric prefers to call his design rather than simply a ‘hanging chair’. After all, the Iko doesn’t look or feel like your traditional chair. Designed like a nest of a weaverbird, this little hanging cocoon provides a neat enclosed space to lounge in, allowing you to take a reclusive break right within your office.
Why is it noteworthy?
Iko is made using a few well-curated materials. Its outer frame is crafted from wooden elements that are machine-made and surface-treated by hand, with metal rod internal cores. The rods provide rigidity, the wood gives Iko its classy appeal, and the negative triangular spaces are filled with wool-covered acoustic panels that absorb sound.
What we like
- Almost every aspect of the Iko (barring the metal) is designed with natural materials
What we dislike
- It may not merge with the interiors of a modern office
9. The FLO Concept
When you’re working all day at your desk, the last thing you need is a chair that makes the work even more tiresome, not to mention actually dangerous to your health. The FLO concept tries to change the equation by designing the casual swivel chair as a more visually whole shape. Of course, the chair is actually made of different parts that you do have to assemble, but once connected, it would seem as if the chair came out of the factory as a single piece, except for the base and swivel cylinder, of course.
Why is it noteworthy?
This design allows the eyes to smoothly follow the contour of the chair like flowing water, hence the name. Perhaps almost as a side effect, the overall design of the chair looks futuristic and something from a utopian office. The sleek form and twisting structures of the armrests and the bent shape of the backrest give it an almost otherworldly appearance, definitely not something that would fit in today’s office settings.
What we like
- Visually striking
- The structure of the chair is actually designed to provide more stability and durability, especially when leaning back
What we dislike
- The shape of the backrest itself might not be that comfortable after long hours of use
10. The HÅG Capisco Chair
The HÅG Capisco chair ergonomic office seat is an innovative chair design that’s been amped with a variety of active sitting options, that ensure you don’t have to sit still all day long! It pairs perfectly with standing desks, or desks with an adjustable height. It comes in twelve different upholstery options, as well as three different color options.
Why is it noteworthy?
The chair works well for all kinds of people. Whether you’re a fidgety personality who loves to move around, or someone who enjoys stretching and practicing yoga – this chair works perfectly for everyone! It supports any seating position you may occupy – whether you sit backward, sideways, kneeling, cross-legged, squatting, or more.
What we like
- Adjustable height – 15″ to 40″
- Supports a maximum weight of 250 pounds
What we dislike
- The chair’s quirky form may not merge harmoniously with modern office spaces
