Wood has been the material of choice for furniture designers for ages galore. And no wonder! There’s something about wood that instantly adds a sense of zen and calm to any living space it is placed into. It puts your mind at ease, while managing to radiate a feeling of warmth and tranquility. It’s a minimal material that holds a strong personality without any additional frills and tassels. And I truly believe a well-crafted piece of wooden furniture can add a magical touch to even the simplest of living spaces. Minimal, clean, and almost always soothing, beautifully designed wooden furniture helps add the ultimate finishing touch to a room. And we’ve curated a collection of wholesome wooden furniture designs for you – from a minimal stool inspired by chess pieces to a desk that transforms from a work of art into a functional table.
1. The Flow Wall Desk
This innovative and mesmerizing piece of furniture is called the Flow Wall Desk, and it’s an excellent choice of office furniture for smaller spaces. It is both functional and decorative while maintaining a simple design philosophy. It is sustainable too!
Why is it noteworthy?
When the Flow Wall Desk is “stored” and folded away, it looks like a minimalist and interesting piece of art on your wall. And once you unfold it, it looks like a spiraling caterpillar and can then transform into a desk where you can work, read, or write in your journal.
What we like
- Multifunctional design
- Sustainable design
- 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
2. The Rook Stool
The Rook stool is quite an interesting stool design by Ross Gardam, and it is inspired by chess pieces! If you look at the stool closely enough, you’ll find interesting similarities to the pieces you find on a chess board.
Why is it noteworthy?
The designer drew references from the shapes of decorative wooden chess pieces for the Rook Stool. The stool utilizes simple elements that have been placed at unusual but intriguing angles and intersections to create a sculptural appeal.
What we like
- Inspired by chess pieces
- Available in three types of solid wood
What we dislike
- Doesn’t look too comfortable to sit on for long durations of time
3. The Nice Chair
This rather unique-looking chair is called the Nice Chair, and it is designed to be a disassembled chair. In a day and age, where space-consuming furniture is a complete mismatch for our modern-day apartments, the Nice Chair is created to occupy minimum space and assemble and disassemble with ease.
Why is it noteworthy?
The Nice Chair can function as an ordinary chair to sit on, or as a rocker that moves back and forth. The rounded bottom edges of the chair enable it to rock back and forth, creating a mesmerizing lull that can guide anyone to sleep. You can also slide a tabletop between the ridges on the arms of the chair, to convert it into a workspace.
What we like
- Multifunctional furniture design that can switch between two different modes
What we dislike
- There is no way to stop the chair from rocking while working
4. The Cubicle
Designed by Form Us With Love and + Halle, the Cubicle is an interesting “bench and wall system” designed to simulate the experience of working with your back to the wall in open-plan workspaces.
Why is it noteworthy?
It is designed to replicate and mimic the particular qualities that people seek while searching for seats in an open indoor workspace like a library or a co-working space. It perfectly simulates this very specific experience!
What we like
- Available in different variations, but the main essence of the design is maintained
- Built using as few materials as possible
What we dislike
- Space-consuming bulky design, suitable for larger and open spaces only, hence making it a limited design
5. The Work Series II Table
The Work Series II Table is a long and minimal table built by the British furniture brand Another Country, by merging timber and recycled plastic, to create more sustainable products for offices.
Why is it noteworthy?
The Work Series II table is a thoughtfully-designed furniture piece equipped with a frame made from eucalyptus wood. A tabletop insert made entirely from recycled yogurt pots by Welsh manufacturer Smile Plastics is fitted into the wooden frame.
What we like
- Sustainable + eco-friendly design built using recycled and renewable materials
What we dislike
- Large and long design that will not work/fit well in smaller office spaces
- No option for personal customization
6. The KNOT Stool
This uniquely designed and good-looking stool is called the KNOT Stool, and it is flat all around with neither a curved surface nor a corner. Various layers of wood were used to make up all its parts, imparting the stool with a brutalist aesthetic that is toned down because of the painted surfaces.
Why is it noteworthy?
The three wooden pieces can be painted in the same or different colors. The decorative webbing strap that wraps around the top of the stool’s legs can also come in complementing or contrasting colors, not to mention being made of different materials.
What we like
- Adds a whimsical + fun element to your interiors
- Clean, minimal, and compact design
What we dislike
- Seems to be designed more for viewing rather than sitting
7. The Alcântara Chair
The Alcântara Chair was designed by Álvaro Siza for the Portuguese brand MOR, and it displays the beauty and practicality of plywood, which is often considered a simple material, and not given much attention to after a certain point.
Why is it noteworthy?
With the Alcântara Chair, Siza wanted to shine a light on this material’s simplistic and sheer beauty. The chair is made up of slim planks of plywood that have been arranged perpendicularly to form a seat, armrests, and backrest.
What we like
- Showcases the beauty of plywood
- Made from plywood which is a sustainable material
What we dislike
- The aesthetics of the chair are a bit boxy and boring
8. Eclipse
This rather intriguing-looking chair is almost skin and bones, and it has a lightweight form that evokes a sense of lightness in whoever views it. But at the same time, it functions as a stable seating platform, which invites you to sit and relax on it.
Why is it noteworthy?
This mesmerizing chair is built using rattan wood, creating a decorative yet functional furniture design. Called Eclipse, the chair has a unique and unconventional design, which sets it apart from other boring chairs on the market. Two vertical circles arch over the seated person, making it a design that serves more than just an aesthetic purpose.
What we like
- Made from rattan wood
- Designed to be a thinking chair, that inspires you to indulge in deeper thoughts
What we dislike
- Probably wouldn’t survive too long outdoors given its wooden construction and very minimal protection from both sun and rain
9. Live Edge
This collection of storage furniture is called Live Edge, and it was designed by Beomsuk Ko in an effort to celebrate the natural grain of the wood.
Why is it noteworthy?
The furniture collection includes a glass cabinet, a walnut TV stand, and a freestanding shelving unit. All the pieces in the collection are beautifully designed with a minimal yet attention-grabbing appearance.
What we like
- The front panels of the stand truly allow the natural grain of the walnut wood to shine through
- A beautiful celebration of the natural texture of wood
What we dislike
- Large, bulky, and space-consuming pieces not suited for smaller homes
10. The Intension Design Tripod Standing Desk Pro
The Intension Design Tripod Standing Desk Pro can be assembled and disassembled within seconds. It is a unique furniture design built from walnut, birch, or black wood, and is ideal for those who work from home in small office spaces.
Why is it noteworthy?
The Intension Design Tripod Standing Desk Pro weighs only 13 lbs and is a brilliant product for traveling or setting up without any assistance. You can utilize the desk to work, play board games, or as a permanent fixture in your house.
What we like
- You can adjust the angle of the desk to flat or at an incline to maximize comfort
What we dislike
- Not a very aesthetically pleasing design