Those who live in relatively small houses or apartments (like me) are always looking for furniture and appliances that are meant for spaces like that. And while a lot of the products we do find are just concepts or prototypes, it’s nice to dream of getting things like these in my place. Well, if they ever get made into actual products of course. But a seat that can double as storage that can be turned into a shelf? I’m all for this.

Designers: Jeonghwan Shin and Hyunbin Yang

When you hear the word Rubik, it brings to mind something that can be turned whatever which way and can still be functional. Well, the Rubik Stool is somewhat like that as it can be “turned, flipped, and combined” so you can use it for whatever purpose you may have in your house. The furniture is specifically designed for spaces that cannot accommodate a sofa or shelves to store books, magazines, and other smaller knick-knacks.

If what you need is somewhere to sit, you can have it upright with the seat on top. But you can also use the underlying part as storage for things like shoes, magazines, or whatever it is that you don’t mind being under your seat. If you want it to become a mini shelf, you just flip it over and now you have two layers where you can place books, toys, plants, or even some decorations. It’s not exactly modular but it can serve multiple purposes.

The prototype they made was made from banded plywood with a patterned wood film finish. Hopefully, this is sturdy enough to hold an actual grown human being who will sit on it, maybe even for a prolonged time, although it doesn’t seem to be made for long sitting. The Rubik Stool does look pretty decorative and should fit in with your wood aesthetic, if and when it gets made into something you can actually buy.