The Strings Stool is a furniture design by Yuna Yamashiro that received an A' Design Award in the Furniture Design category. Inspired by the strings of the traditional Okinawan sanshin instrument, the stool features blue cords stretched across parallel grooves in a molded plywood structure. The cords create storage space for books, notebooks, and other small items held in place through tension. The stool is formed from multi-layer plywood bent into a continuous curved shape using a custom mold and pressure-forming process. A central opening is incorporated into the seat surface.
The stool measures 500 millimetres wide, 300 millimetres deep, and 450 millimetres high. Outward-angled legs create a trapezoidal profile and allow multiple units to nest and stack. Exposed plywood layers remain visible along the edges of the structure. The cords are anchored at the base with knotted eyelets and can be removed and replaced when needed. Different cord colors can be installed without modifying the wooden frame.
Cord Storage Stools
The Strings Stool Features an Integrated Cord Storage
Trend Themes
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Tension-based Storage — Elastic cord systems embedded into furniture create compact storage surfaces that reduce the need for added compartments while preserving lightweight, open-form designs.
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Customizable Furniture Accents — Replaceable cords, colors, and soft components introduce low-cost personalization models for seating and home goods without requiring changes to core structures.
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Nestable Small-space Seating — Stackable silhouettes with integrated utility support flexible living environments where furniture must shift between seating, storage, and space-saving display.
Industry Implications
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Furniture Design — Material-efficient structures that combine seating and storage point to new product categories centered on multifunctional, visually distinctive everyday objects.
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Home Organization — Hybrid furnishings with built-in item retention blur the line between decor and organization, creating alternatives to standalone bins, shelves, and storage accessories.
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Sustainable Manufacturing — Repairable cord elements and durable molded plywood frames extend product life cycles through modular replacement rather than full-item disposal.