INTRODUCTION
This one is a special one. After I watched @im_ericwang video on TikTok, I was never the same. That might be the only way to put it. I felt this way because not only did I admire and appreciate the creativity, innovation, and thoughtfulness of this chair and table collaboration, but I also felt in awe of all the things in our lives that are created with us at the forefront —the muse, if you will. I was like "I have never thought to combine these two essentials in this way before…how have we not thought of this earlier?! Such innovation!"
MY EXPERIENCE WITH STOOLS AND NIGHTSTANDS
In my childhood home, my family and I use colorful, plastic stools that you could get from your local, Asian grocery store. These have always served their functional purpose. When we're eating at the coffee table near the TV, the couch is a bit too raised to be sitting on while eating off the plate on the table. So these stools keep us at a height that is low enough for us to keep upright when eating from our plates. As for the kitchen island stools, these stools are essential because they're tall enough for the island. lol. It seems like my pain point without these stools would be the lack of ergonomic height while sitting at these tables. That's my experience with stools.
And a couple years ago, I was on a crazy hunt for an aesthetic, cute nightstand to add some flare to my bedside while being able to keep small belongings near me when I'm in bed. I looked on Ikea for a nightstand and was really contemplating over getting the one that looked like a tray table with a lifted edge and legs going straight down. I liked the simplicity along with the tray design.
I ended up not getting it. Why? It lacked something.
I like to keep my space open and minimalistic, and things that I add are very intentional. So since this Ikea nightstand didn't feel right, I couldn't justify adding it to my space. All this to lead into the next two things: an analysis on the true value of nightstands and stools and also what sets this quartet design apart from other nightstands or stools.
THE VALUE
Let's go into the two parts of this design. I would say that both of these are supporting pieces to add into a space. What I mean by this is that not too often are stools or nightstands the first thing that comes to mind when moving into a space. BUT. Only once moved in with the main pieces being a bed, a coffee table, a couch, do these two essential pieces have a bit more value.
Stools are great for individual seating, breaking up the space slightly. It sounds weird, but it almost gives the user a sense of independence or ownership of the space they're inhabiting in the setting. However, when all stools are used around one center piece like a table, there is still so much community and connection. Everyone, with their own stories and experiences as individuals, coming together to share en experience such as eating or playing board games. We have to appreciate this kind of dynamic that stools bring.
Not only do stools impact the energy of the place, but they also have practical value. There are tall, medium, and short stools made for different purposes. Taller stools are made for higher surfaces while shorter ones are used for close to the ground activities —something that couches and regular chairs have a hard time doing.
As for nightstands…this one is an interesting one. Although I have a white, wooden one that reminds me of something from Tinkerbell next to my bed at my childhood home, I don't have one at school. I want to say that the main purpose of a nightstand is to hold a couple things close to you for easy access, but some of them don't have too much surface area or cabinet space. So, it makes me think that another potential main purpose is for aesthetics. It makes a space look a little less empty. It adds some personality to the space depending on what style one purchases.
However, don't underestimate these two purposes. A nightstand is a subtle way to elevate a space. It displays things that represent you —a magazine or that browning banana peel. We all do that sometimes. I often feel like value is associated with how much something can help a user, but when it comes to a nightstand, I've convinced myself that it's simplicity and aesthetic are valuable in itself. If all things were "go big or go home" in a space, well…there would perhaps be imbalance.
THE ARCHITECTURE
Let's look at the design details. It's sleek. It's a pale natural shade called White Ash made from FSC certified hardwood, finished with a water-based coating. But don't fret! If this shade doesn't match the ambience of your humble, cozy abode, there are two other shades, Dark Brown and Black. There are a couple dimensions to consider: the two inner stools — 14in x 17in, the outer stools — 14.75in x 18in, and the entire stack altogether —14.74in x 19in (all pulled from the official website). I'm not a structural engineer, but I do wonder how the diameter of the outer stool is .01in longer than the diameter of the entire stack. Hm. Anywho — less than two feet tall, this quartet is a snug fit for that empty nook.
This design is decently self-explanatory. Showcasing an oval cut out near the bottom of all legs on one stool, this is the bottom of the night stand. And we'll discover why later. Any out of the two inner stools goes on top of this. While these stools go upside down, the last two stools complete the cylinder in the upright position. Now, remember the oval cut outs? Because this stool is upside down and the cut outs are now at the top, lifting the nightstand using these cut outs keep it all together for easy transport. Genius. Albert Einstein genius. It's compact and stays all in one piece until it's dismantled into four stools.
Next, the scalloped and polygon designs. The scalloped design features cylindrical legs while the polygon version features flat paneled legs. This small change makes a great difference in the overall energy of a space. A scalloped and bubblier design adds a soft, fun, and friendly texture to a space. A paneled design is a bit more formal, a bit more sophisticated. Overall, these two varieties mixed with the simple color and short arrangement allow it to be minimalistic and playful at the same time.
The stools do lack a back rest, so I can see how people wouldn't necessarily sit on these for too long. The nightstand is also one small surface 14.74in in diameter, so a concise amount of trinkets can be placed on this. I think this goes back to the simplicity of this quartet. It doesn't do too much. It's just giving natural and barebones with elements of seamlessness and joy. But it really is subjective and would highly depend on what a consumer is looking for.
The architecture is one of, if not the main, feature that sets this quartet apartment from other home furnitures. There are great nightstands out there. Even some that are fun and spunky. Other that are sleek and minimalistic. Some both. There are stools that are the perfect height for those intimate dinners at the coffee table. But how many of them incorporate both without having it be bulky or difficult to transport/dismantle? I haven't seen too many that turn a nightstand into not one, not two, not even three, but four stools. Please let me know if you spot some! I would love to check them out hehe.
Also, the more I look at it, the more it looks like something that came out of nature itself. The cylindrical design reminds me of a tree trunk. Call me weird, but I really like this interpretation. I'm always looking for ways to incorporate more hints of nature into my space as it feels more grounded and calming. This is not to be overlooked! Small details like this make the biggest difference in a room.
THE PRACTICALITY
As I was geeking over this quartet due to its duo purpose and compact nature, I also started to then think about how people would actually use this. I wonder if there is any user testing that would tell us which form consumers utilize more — the nightstand or the stools. I wonder this because let's say they were used equal amounts. If a consumer places things on the nightstand and wants to dismantle it into chairs, they have to constantly be moving their items off the counter space to somewhere else. Clutter! It's supposed to be a space to keep small clutter organized, but having to displace these items makes for more clutter elsewhere. Either on your bed our on your dresser.
I just think about the transition between these two states. Personally, I feel as if I'd be unmotivated to keep switching between the user unless that's the true intention that I'm using it for. If so, I'd probably opt to put nothing on the nightstand or else it would add extra steps to this supposedly easy process. But then this would be a bit plain with nothing on the surface space. I want to show my personality! My timer. My grimy retainers. My smol, thriving pearl succulent, hanging off the side of the nightstand. The reason I ask which form is used more is because if people do intend to use this in one form more than the other, then this issue isn't as prevalent.
There isn't too much that is unpractical about the stools. As I said before, stools are stools and they do the job whether they're plastic or of premium wood. This one just so happens to be some niiiice wood because the intention is to add to the aesthetic of a space.
REFLECTION
Reflecting on this, I think about how visual design is not the full story. It's a supporting piece to the full story. The most crucial part is the seamlessness and intuitive intention behind a product. Once a consumer is fully immersed in the product, does it have a neutral or positive impact in their everyday experience?
Anywho. The quartet. I think this is an innovative, clean, and fun way to add personality to a space. I've honestly never seen something like this prior. Just amazing how people can create and create new objects from existing ones as well. I would need to look into a bit more user feedback to see how people interact with this product. As I mentioned before, if a consumer were to utilize one form more than the other, then less issues regarding the transition from nightstand to stool would arise. However, the intention behind this design is so that both can be used and interchanged seamlessly.