Balloon Furniture

Ryan Ferguson

Kingston University graduate Fern Toynton has innovated self-assembly furniture and toys with her "Inflate" kit, which uses sausage-shaped party balloons as the primary means of construction. The kit includes beechwood slats with pre-cut holes, designed to be secured by inflating colorful modeling balloons through these holes to form flexible, nail-and-screw-free joints. Toynton, a product and furniture design alum, emphasizes the playful aspects of both the assembly process and the final product, aiming to make the construction engaging and conducive to teamwork among children. This method not only reduces screen time but also fosters creativity by allowing children and their families to explore various non-load-bearing furniture possibilities. The kit comes with an instruction manual that encourages experimental building, leveraging the inherent flexibility and temporary nature of the balloon joints to engage children in creative play.

https://www.dezeen.com/2017/07/30/balloons-replace-nails-screws-for-inflate-childrens-furniture-collection-design-graduate/