Shocking Furniture and Tables You Need to See to Believe

Lots of furniture and interior design solutions are great and futuristic. Let's take a look at the most ingenious furniture in the world.

June 5, 2023・

11 min read

Whether you’re already a homeowner, dreaming up your future place or just curious about design, there are plenty of unique home decor ideas out there. From insane transformations to ingenious storage solutions, here are some shocking furniture and table designs you need to see to believe!

Baobab Table

Dining can be difficult when you’re having people over and there just isn’t enough room around the table, but the Baobab table can solve your problems and wow your guests, too.

This oval glass white table has a super-polished finish offset against a walnut wood base, and hidden beneath the surface is a rotating mechanism which can double your dining experience in a flash.

When fully extended, the table can comfortably seat 8 people, and like its namesake – the sturdy Baobab tree – this robust design will likely serve you for years. The table currently sells for $3495 from Expand Furniture and makes an impressive statement piece.

The ‘Gravity Balans’ Chair

The ‘Gravity Balans’ chair by Varier Furniture design takes everything you know about conventional seating and turns it upside down, almost literally, by providing an anti-gravity experience in your own front room.

The chair can support impressive positions without toppling backward, and when fully reclined the Gravity Balans elevates your legs above your heart, rocking you gently to your own breathing for optimum relaxation.

The unconventional design also supports the neck and spine and can double up as a kneeling chair suited to an office or home environment; but if you’re tempted by this weightless experience you’d better have $2500 to spare.

Staircase Storage

Limited space doesn’t always have to mean limited storage, and this ingenious design by Danny Kuo offers a whole range of compartments neatly arranged into a space-saving vertical stack.

With all manner of cupboards and drawers on offer the storage possibilities are endless, and if you’re on the shorter side you needn’t worry about reaching the top shelf because the bottom three drawers can be used as a sturdy staircase, too.

Spyndi

If you’re prone to changing your mind when it comes to home design then the Spyndi might just be the chair for you.

This successful Kickstarter invention has no fixed form or shape because you literally design it yourself in the comfort of your own home, using any combination of the 60-75 handmade wooden elements which can be easily attached to one another.

The concept was inspired by the human spine and is both super-flexible and strong enough to support human weight in any shape, so you can let your imagination run wild.

Canvas Furniture

Art lovers who can’t decide between a statement piece and more conventional furniture for their home can rejoice with the invention of this unique ‘canvas furniture’ by Tokyo-based YOY design studio.

At a distance, these quirky creations may look like high-quality art prints, but they double up as fully functioning seating by bringing the art to life. The sturdy hardwood and aluminum frame and elasticated fabric material are strong enough to support your bodyweight, creating a mind-blowing optical illusion; but it’ll set you back a hefty $1482 for the chair alone.

Hush Pod

Sometimes we just need to get away from the stresses of daily life, and what better escape than the super-cozy ‘hush pod’ designed by Brighton University graduate Freyja Sewell?

This womb-like soft cocoon is made from biodegradable felt and can also be cleverly folded in on itself to create a comfortable chair complete with hand-stitched cushions. Currently, withdrawing from the outside world into a handmade hush pod will cost $3700 though, so maybe hiding out in your bedroom is a cheaper alternative.

Minimax Table

If you’re short on space but also partial to a dinner party then fear no more, because the Minimax space-saving table has got you covered. With its trendy minimalist design, the small console table looks unassuming until it is effortlessly extended using a sliding rail and 5 extra panels which maximize its potential to seat up to 12 people for dinner, conferences or meetings.

Currently priced at $1100, the Minimax offers a highly functional way to make the most of even the smallest living space.

R.N.I Kinetic Tables

These unique coffee tables might look like something straight out of War of the Worlds with their tentacle-like legs, but these incredible designs by Chul An Kwak were actually inspired by careful studies of galloping horses.

The solid wood ‘R.N.I Table’ combines the typical static tabletop with some kinetic energy which makes it seem like they’re literally taking off from the ground. The dynamic designs were first showcased at Seoul design week in 2007, and each is a one-of-a-kind original piece of art.

Chuck Shelf

Designers are constantly inventing ways to re-think everyday objects, and Natascha Harra-Frischkorn has come up with a unique alternative to the typical bookshelf. Her design, the ‘Chuck Shelf’, comprises of 6 wooden slats held together by steel locking collars, which can be bent and shaped to store books of all shapes and sizes.

The wave-like formation gives the shelf a feel of motion meaning no one arrangement is ever the same, and this flexible shelving unit can really make a room pop while making it even easier to just pick up a good book.

Rising Furniture

Designer Robert van Embricqs has created a unique ‘rising’ formula which could revolutionize the interior design industry with its space-saving functionality and sleek design. Each piece in the collection, which includes a table, chair and side table, begins as a flat surface which can be instantly transformed into a practical piece of furniture.

Every individual wooden structural component has a part to play as it takes on a new organic form while maintaining a distinct sense of rhythm, and these exquisite rare latticework pieces can now sell for upwards of $5000 online.

The Wave Cabinet

Injecting dynamic movement into otherwise static furniture is also an approach taken by New York-based artist and designer Sebastian Errazuriz who has created the shape-shifting Wave Cabinet.

100 Baltic birch slats come together to form a piece of furniture capable of undulating and breaking like a natural wave. The cabinet can be pulled apart to reveal its contents, and although it’s only a concept piece for now it certainly offers a glimpse into the future of indoor storage.

The Abyss Table

Not every ingenious design has to have a trick up its sleeve, and this ‘Abyss Table’ is definitely enough to impress on its own. The mesmerizing concept by Duffy London design studio mimics the depths of the ocean with a 3D representation of a geological cross-section achieved by overlaying laser-cut sheets of wood and colored glass.

The earthy base literally looks like it’s holding a mass of blue water, and its bright cobalt hues definitely make it a statement piece. But only 25 pieces were made, which can each sell for around $25,000.

Soft Cabinets

If seriously wacky design is your thing then look no further than these ‘soft cabinet’ concepts by Dutch design studio Dewi van de Klomp.

These cartoon-like furnishings take a fantastical approach to the typical old-fashioned cabinet by reconstructing them from squishy yet sturdy rubberised foam which can support mugs, plates and books. The unconventional material cushions the objects as the cabinet droops and changes its shape.

‘Linger a Little Longer’ Table

This chic table-and-bench combo might not look like much at first, until you get up to leave that is.

The aptly named ‘linger a little longer’ 6-8-seater table is a concept from designer Jay Watson which adds a deceptive twist to minimalist design by finishing the solid hardwood piece with a deep black thermochromic finish.

Intended to reflect the effect we have on our everyday environment, the table reacts to the heat of any plate, mug or body part placed on it by leaving an ephemeral ‘watermark’ behind.

Flexible Love

Flexible Love is a sustainable furniture brand with a twist, as their 2D chairs can be stretched to unbelievable lengths suitable for seating 8-16 people when fully extended. The goal is to connect people through creative innovation, and the unique design definitely adds an element of fun to just grabbing a seat with its almost liquid-like properties.

The furniture is constructed from eco-friendly reclaimed wood carefully arranged in an intricate honeycomb structure which folds out like an accordion. The classic chair can currently be purchased for over $800, while the bench is around half of that price, but just imagine how satisfying they are.

Molo Urchin Softlight Lamp

If the Flexible Love chair is your cup of tea then take a look at the Molo Urchin Softlight Lamp which uses a similar honeycomb paper technology to turn a typically solid object into a completely mouldable material.

The delicate textile transmits a gentle glow which can be controlled by a dimmer switch, while its malleable properties mean it can be easily transformed to suit any room or purpose. It might just be the most expensive lamp you’ve ever bought, though, at a hefty $300.

Liquid Glacial Table

This stunning design by Zaha Hadid and Patrik Schumacher is almost unbelievable at first glance as its legs look like flowing vortexes frozen in time.

The transparent coffee table has been meticulously molded using plexiglass to reflect the complex fluid movements and subtle waves of water so that the surface literally almost looks inviting enough to take a dip in. An incredible one-of-a-kind table like this would definitely make a talking point at any dinner party, and the effect produced when light passes through it is simply stunning.

Mood Rocking Bed

When our ancestors envisioned the future, I wonder if they considered that we could take the concept of a rocking chair and adapt it into a fully functioning rocking bed? That’s exactly what this ‘Rock on / Rock Off’ mood rocking bed concept design by Joe Manus has achieved by encircling a double, queen or even king-sized bed within a steelwork frame capable of gently rocking its user.

With a waterproof canopy, the mood rocking bed is even suitable for outdoor use, but if you’ve had enough rocking for one day it comes with rubber stoppers too.

Heatherwick Friction Table

It seems like space-saving is the most sought-after solution where modern furniture design is concerned and there are a lot of options out there, but the Heatherwick Friction table still manages to stand out from the rest with its mind-boggling expanding capabilities.

Debuting at the London Frieze Art Fair week in 2017, the design wowed with its ability to change its proportions from a 1.8-meter round table to a 4-meter oval-shaped 8-seater. The friction table uses a simple lattice design cut with precision which can be easily expanded to suit any function, and it was shortlisted for the Dezeen design awards in 2018.

The Roll-Out Table

Another ingenious way to get more out of your standard table was thought up by designer Marcus Voraa who created the concept for a roll-out table. The ingenious invention was inspired by Voraa’s own desire to have a simple and easy fix when a few extra friends and family come over, and it takes the concept of folding tables up a notch with its ingenious ‘rolling technology’.

The tabletop length adjusts from 1.5 to 4 meters by turning a steel crank that unfolds extra beech panels and extending out foldable legs to create more seating room for any number of guests. Sadly, the roll-out table is still in development, but it would be a welcome addition to any contemporary home.

Pop-Up Furniture

Pop-up children’s picture books are truly amazing in their ability to hide entire 3D scenes between their pages, and the childlike excitement of unfolding them has been amplified by designers Liddy Scheffknecht and Armin B. Wagner with their pop-up furniture concept.

The impressive life-size furniture is carefully sandwiched inside flat-packed cardboard which is easily transportable for use on the go (if two people fancy carrying it around, that is). The possibility of a totally mobile office or meeting place is definitely attractive, but the logistics – like weather durability and its sheer size – mean it’s unlikely your Monday morning meeting will come in pop-up form anytime soon.

The Fletcher Capstan Table

Expanding tables can be truly amazing works of art and the Fletcher Capstan table is no exception with its incredibly satisfying size transformation. This luxury table manages to maintain its circular size while doubling its seating capacity through a complex system of interlocking panels arranged in a 12-pointed star shape which can be controlled electronically or manually.

The original idea was patented in 1885 by Robert Jupe, and designer David Fletcher has been developing and perfecting the design since 1997. The now fully functioning table operates by a layer of aluminum honeycomb at its core which allows the top to be turned 120 degrees during expansion. Each bespoke table contains around 962 components and only around 50 have been handmade, making them incredibly sought-after.

I hope you were amazed at these impressive furniture designs that certainly look futuristic. You might also want to read our article about ingenious home design solutions. Thanks for reading!