Client:
Personal
Year:
2023
Type:
Product
About the project
How can design encourage people to keep their products for longer?
This project explores how personality, emotion, and adaptability can strengthen the bond between people and the objects they own. By understanding the emotional drivers behind product attachment, the aim was to create a multifunctional stool that users value enough to keep, reducing unnecessary replacement and supporting more sustainable patterns of consumption.
the why
This project explores how personality, emotion, and adaptability can foster lasting attachment, keeping products in use longer and reducing waste. Guided by existing theories on emotional durability and user connection, the focus became a multifunctional stool that evolves with its owner through thoughtful form, adaptable elements, and a strong sense of identity.
experiementation
From quick sketches to tactile studies, the exploration phase tested how form, material, and mood could work as one to foster deeper attachment.
Rough drawings mapped out early possibilities, while simple form models helped evaluate proportions and presence. The CMF direction drew from my personal environment, observing the interplay between home and nature, and capturing it through photography and physical mood boards. This connection to nature became a central thread, grounding the design in forms and textures that feel both familiar and enduring.
Testing & feedback
Shaping the final direction through feedback and material testing.
Scale models were used to refine proportions, while user feedback guided the CMF palette, focusing on what felt calming, timeless, and worth keeping. Material testing explored how each surface influenced emotional response, leading to a considered combination of American Oak, Kvadrat Zero upholstery, powder-coated steel, and cork. Cushion prototypes ensured a seamless connection between modular elements, balancing comfort with adaptability.
Final Design
A stool designed to last, in both form and feeling.
'Place' combines solid craftsmanship with emotional durability. Its soft geometry and natural materials evoke familiarity, while modular cushion tops invite personalisation over time. Designed to adapt with its owner and integrate effortlessly into any space, the stool stands as both a functional object and a long-term companion in the home.
