January 5, 2025 by Bubaki Design

Living Room Collection

We’re designing and making a collection of bespoke living room furniture that challenges conventional forms and functions. Each piece emerges from deep research into how people actually use domestic spaces, combined with computational design tools that enable entirely new aesthetic possibilities.

Design Philosophy

Living rooms are where we gather, relax, work, play, and dream. Yet most furniture is designed for idealized behaviors rather than the messy reality of human life. Our collection starts from the premise that furniture should adapt to us, not the other way around.

The Collection

Process Documentation

Research Phase: How Do People Really Live?

Before sketching a single form, we spent months observing how people actually use living spaces:

• Time-lapse photography revealed surprising patterns of movement and gathering
• Comfort mapping sessions helped us understand the ergonomics of relaxation
• Social observation showed how furniture arrangement affects conversation and connection
• Cultural research explored how different traditions approach communal space

Form Generation: Where Comfort Meets Computation

Our design process combines traditional furniture-making knowledge with algorithmic exploration:

Ergonomic Analysis → Parametric Modeling → Comfort Simulation → Aesthetic Refinement

We use computational tools not to replace human intuition, but to explore possibilities that wouldn’t occur to us naturally. What if a chair back could have 200 different curves, each optimized for a different body type? What if a table could change height smoothly based on its current use?

Material Stories

Sustainable by Design

Every material choice reflects our commitment to environmental responsibility and longevity:

Reclaimed Hardwoods: Each piece of wood carries its own history. We select boards with interesting grain patterns and character marks that become part of the final aesthetic.

Natural Latex Cushioning: Provides superior comfort without the off-gassing and environmental impact of petroleum-based foams.

Hemp and Linen Fabrics: Durable, beautiful, and produced with minimal environmental impact. These materials actually improve with age and use.

Jesmonite Surfaces: Our ongoing research into colored Jesmonite creates unique surface treatments that are both sustainable and visually striking.

Technical Innovation

The Adaptive Sofa System

Our modular sofa system represents three years of research into social seating:

Magnetic Connection System: Powerful rare-earth magnets allow sections to connect and disconnect easily while maintaining structural integrity.

Smart Cushion Technology: Each cushion contains sensors that detect usage patterns and adjust firmness accordingly.

Reconfiguration Scenarios:

• Intimate conversation: L-shaped configuration for 2-3 people
• Movie night: Linear arrangement for family viewing
• Party mode: Circular setup encouraging group conversation
• Work from home: Single chair with laptop table attachment

Manufacturing Innovation

We’re developing new fabrication techniques that allow for mass customization without mass production waste:

CNC Joinery: Traditional woodworking joints cut with computer precision, creating stronger connections than screws or glue while remaining completely reversible.

Parametric Upholstery: Each cushion cover is generated parametrically and cut to exact specifications, eliminating material waste.

Modular Assembly: Every piece can be completely disassembled for moving, repair, or reconfiguration.

User Stories

“I never realized how much our old sofa dictated our social behavior until we got the adaptive system. Now we naturally find ourselves in different configurations depending on our mood and who’s visiting.”

• Early user feedback

Environmental Impact

Lifecycle Thinking

We design for disassembly from the beginning:

• Zero glue construction means every joint can be taken apart
• Material passports document every component for future recycling
• Upgrade pathways allow mechanical and electronic components to be updated independently
• Local production minimizes transportation impact

Carbon Analysis

Our preliminary lifecycle assessment shows:

• 67% less embodied carbon than comparable mass-produced furniture
• 300% longer expected lifespan due to modular, repairable design
• 95% material recoverability at end of life

What’s Next

We’re currently seeking early adopters who want to be part of this research. Each piece we make teaches us something new about the intersection of comfort, aesthetics, and functionality.

Our vision is furniture that grows and adapts with its users—pieces that become more valuable and more beautiful through use rather than less. In a world of disposable objects, we’re creating things meant to last generations while staying perpetually relevant.

The collection will officially launch in Fall 2025, but we’re taking pre-orders now for people who want to be part of the development process.