BDNY 2024: The Most Innovative Materials and Sustainable Design Take Center Stage

The 2024 Boutique Design New York (BDNY) trade fair, held at the Jacob K. Javits Center on November 10-11, brought together visionaries from the hospitality design world, revealing bold new trends and groundbreaking innovations. With over 700 exhibitors and a record-breaking attendance of 20,000, the event showcased cutting-edge products, inspiring discussions, and invaluable networking opportunities for industry professionals.

Flexibility Reimagined in Wood Paneling

Surfacing Solution captured attention at BDNY 2024 with their innovative tambour panels and the introduction of Wide Plank Wood Wall and Ceiling Panels. With 37 years of industry experience, Surfacing Solution has become a leader in crafting versatile wood panels that address the evolving needs of hospitality design.

Surfacing Solution

Designer: Surfacing Solution + Zack Fistrovich

Inspired by the French word for drum, the company’s tambour panels blend aesthetics with functionality. These flexible wood panels bring warmth, texture, and visual appeal to surfaces such as walls, ceilings, pole wraps, wainscoting, and doors. Their standout feature is the seamless ability to cover flat surfaces and rounded corners, allowing designers to craft fluid wood surfaces that adapt to any architectural element.

Wide Plank Panels: A New Dimension in Design

Surfacing Solution also showcased its new Wide Plank Wood Wall & Ceiling Panels. Crafted from premium North American hardwoods—with exotic wood species also available—these panels ensure both durability and visual sophistication. The Wide Plank collection blends timeless tradition with modern elegance, transforming interior spaces into refined, inviting environments.

Surfacing Solution

The panels come in various exciting profile shapes to cater to different design aesthetics:

  • V-Groove Joint: This traditional profile features a V shadow line, creating a classic lodge ideal for rustic aesthetics. The tongue-and-groove interlocking mechanism provides a secure fit.
  • Interlock Joint: Designed for a minimalist look, this tight-fitting, seamless joint works well in modern spaces, pairing perfectly with tambour panels for a unified design.
  • Shadow Gap Joint: This versatile profile offers varying widths and spacings to achieve anything from classic to contemporary styles. The nickel gap tongue-and-groove interlocking feature ensures both functionality and striking visual appeal.

Available in standard and custom specifications, the Wide Plank panels give designers limitless possibilities to bring their vision to life. The panels can be stained or painted, making them adaptable to any design scheme. Additionally, FSC-certified options make these panels a conscious choice for sustainability-focused projects.

Surfacing Solution

Tambour Panels: The Backbone of Versatility

Surfacing Solution displayed a wide range of wood options for their tambour panels, including:

  • Standard woods: Red oak, white oak, poplar
  • Premium woods: Mahogany, cherry, ash, maple, walnut
  • Specialty woods: Purple heart, heat-treated ash/poplar

These panels are available in standard profiles of 1′ x 8′ or 1′ x 3′ lengths, with widths of 12″ or 16″. Custom sizes and profiles are also offered, with panels up to 12 feet in length for certain wood species—perfect for large-scale installations.

Surfacing Solution

The versatility of Surfacing Solution’s tambour panels was a key highlight at BDNY 2024. These panels can be stained or painted to align with any design vision, making them suitable for hospitality applications ranging from hotel lobbies to restaurants and bars.

Their new line of real wood veneer tambour panels also made waves, offering seamless installations up to 10 feet high with 4’x10′ veneers. Available in 4’x8′ sheets, these panels offer a cost-effective alternative to solid wood without compromising natural beauty. Species include birch, teak, white oak, and walnut.

Surfacing Solution

The wire-brushed finish option enhances grain depth and detail, adding a tactile, visually striking surface. Available in red oak, white oak, and ash, this finish is ideal for hospitality environments that seek a natural, organic feel.

Each slat is meticulously hand-selected to ensure a high standard of craftsmanship that distinguishes the company within the industry. This attention to detail, combined with the ability to produce custom profiles and sizes at low setup costs, makes Surfacing Solution an ideal partner for designers seeking high-quality, distinctive wood solutions.

Surfacing Solution

Sustainability Takes the Spotlight

Sustainability took center stage at BDNY 2024, with numerous exhibitors presenting eco-friendly materials and products. The Good Plastic Company won the sustainable product award for their Polygood material, which showcased how recycled plastic waste can be transformed into striking and functional design elements.

Designer: Havwoods

Havwoods also made a significant impact with their TreeAzzo material and Bog Oak flooring panels.

TreeAzzo: Modern Terrazzo Twist

TreeAzzo represents an innovative approach to terrazzo flooring, offering a modern twist on the classic material. This unique surfacing solution combines reclaimed wood chips with premium, eco-friendly resin to create a fresh and sustainable alternative to traditional terrazzo.

Havwoods

The use of reclaimed wood chips in TreeAzzo provides a distinctive aesthetic that aligns with sustainable building practices by repurposing materials that might otherwise go to waste. This approach results in a surface that blends the organic warmth of wood with the seamless, continuous appearance characteristic of terrazzo.

TreeAzzo is available in a range of customizable resin colorways, including options such as Raspberry, Nougat, Fig, and Oyster. These color choices allow designers to tailor the appearance of TreeAzzo to suit various interior design schemes and preferences.

Havwoods

One of TreeAzzo’s features is that each panel is handcrafted, ensuring that no two installations are exactly alike. This approach adds a unique character and depth to the spaces where it’s used, making each application truly one-of-a-kind.

This material offers versatility in its applications. It can be used for flooring, wall cladding, cabinetry, and even worktops, providing designers with flexibility in how they incorporate this material into their projects.

TreeAzzo is available with either fiber cement or ply backing to accommodate different installation requirements. This option allows for greater adaptability to various substrate conditions and installation methods.

Havwoods

While TreeAzzo represents a departure from traditional terrazzo materials, it maintains the durability and design flexibility that terrazzo is known for, while adding a unique, eco-friendly twist. This innovative product offers architects and designers a new option for creating sustainable, visually striking surfaces in commercial and residential settings.

Bog Oak: Rich History and Luxurious Aesthetic

Bog Oak, also showcased at BDNY 2024, is crafted from semi-fossilized trees aged between 100 and 1,000 years. This unique wood offers a richly saturated black tone, achieved through a custom drying process that ensures consistency and durability. Bog Oak’s luxurious aesthetic and historical significance make it perfect for high-end interiors.

Bog Oak

Both products are strongly dedicated to eco-conscious design, blending historical significance with artistic craftsmanship.

Italian Grande and Crocodilo: Versatile Design Solutions

Havwoods also introduced two other products at BDNY 2024: Italian Grande and Crocodilo. Italian Grande, part of the Italian Collection, brings a rich, smokey tone in plank, herringbone, and chevron patterns—ideal for creating sophisticated interiors that balance beauty and cost-effectiveness. Crocodilo, an oak-veneered MDF panel, uses an embossing technique to create a crocodile texture, making it perfect for spaces like bars, restaurants, and hotel lobbies where visual depth is desired.

Textiles: Capturing Nature’s Spirit

HBF Textiles captivated BDNY 2024 attendees with their award-winning “Moments of Wander” collection, which claimed top honors in the fabric category. This collection captures the biophilic design trend, seamlessly blending artistic sensibility with functional performance.

HBF Textiles

Designer: HBF Textiles + Christiane Müller

Designed by renowned textile artist Christiane Müller of MüllerVanTol, the “Moments of Wander” collection includes three distinct patterns, each inspired by fleeting moments in nature:

  • Fields of Velvet: Soft, undulating textures evoke natural landscapes like grass or wheat fields.
  • Trails of Tweed: A rugged, textured aesthetic inspired by winding trails and natural paths.
  • Seeds of Colour: Vibrant, scattered patterns reminiscent of wildflower fields and colorful natural elements.

The unique strength of this collection lies in its versatility—it brings the softness of indoor fabrics while ensuring durability for outdoor use. This blend is especially valuable in hospitality, where the line between indoor and outdoor spaces is increasingly blurred.

Debuting in September 2024, the “Moments of Wander” collection showcases HBF Textiles’ most innovative work. By capturing both the macro- and micro-beauty of nature, these textiles provide designers with a tactile way to integrate outdoor elements into interior environments.

This aligns with hospitality’s broader push towards immersive, nature-inspired design. The “Moments of Wander” collection enables designers to evoke natural serenity, enhancing both comfort and well-being through biophilic design.

Silver Threads: Custom Window Treatments and Signature Spaces

Silver Threads, established in 1982, is recognized as one of the nation’s leading providers of custom window treatments for both the hospitality and residential sectors. At BDNY 2024, they showcased their work in the “Salone by Baskervill” space, a feature that drew considerable attention for its intricate design and execution.

The “Salone by Baskervill” space took inspiration from the 15th-century salons, which were known for encouraging in-person dialogue and creative interaction. Silver Threads played a significant role in transforming this vision into reality. Their contribution included a stunning 19.5-foot-diameter central drapery that served as the focal point of the space. Additionally, custom drapery installations framed both ends, suspended elegantly from the ceiling using airline cables. This installation not only added visual grandeur but also contributed to the intimate, engaging atmosphere that the space was designed to evoke.

Silver Threads’ extensive experience in the industry is evident through its high-profile project portfolio, which includes notable locations such as the World Equestrian Center in Ocala, FL, the Crown Plaza in Indianapolis, and the Hilton Downtown Columbus. Their ability to execute complex, large-scale installations while maintaining an intimate feel demonstrates their versatility and expertise in crafting custom window solutions that enhance the aesthetic and functional aspects of any space.

Furniture and Lighting: Redefining Boundaries

Dedon took home the “Best in Show” award for their Cirql Nu chair, designed by Werner Aisslinger. The Cirql Nu features Dedon’s invert fiber, created through a co-extrusion process that merges two types of fiber into one. This innovative technique results in a distinctive 3D effect that is both visually captivating and functionally impressive, underscoring Dedon’s commitment to pushing the boundaries of outdoor furniture design.

In lighting, Bover’s Kando collection stole the spotlight. The innovative designs illustrated how lighting transcends mere functionality—it serves as an artistic statement, transforming hospitality spaces with the perfect balance of beauty and utility.

Flooring Innovations: Adding Sensory Layers

Royal Thai’s Tactile Vernacular Collection, which won the flooring category prize, emphasized how crucial texture is in modern design. More than just an aesthetic element, the collection demonstrates how flooring can elevate the entire sensory experience of a space, affecting how guests perceive and interact with their surroundings.

Royal Thai’s Tactile Vernacular Collection

The Tactile Vernacular Collection utilizes a variety of textures that invite touch and create a sense of depth, transforming flooring from a background element into a dynamic part of the environment. The collection’s diverse patterns and finishes provide designers with tools to create spaces that are not only visually striking but also engage multiple senses, enhancing comfort and ambiance.

This approach aligns with the hospitality industry’s broader goal of creating immersive environments that foster memorable experiences. By focusing on texture, Royal Thai’s innovative flooring contributes significantly to the sensory palette of a room, making it an integral component in the overall design narrative.

Looking Ahead: The Future of Hospitality Design

BDNY 2024 highlighted current trends while offering a clear view of the future of hospitality design. New initiatives like the Dine & Design: A BDNY PopUp area reflected the industry’s growing focus on adaptable and multifunctional spaces. This trend caters directly to the evolving needs of modern travelers, who prioritize flexibility, comfort, and experience-driven environments.

As the hospitality industry continues to redefine itself, BDNY plays a crucial role in bringing together the innovators and trendsetters shaping the future. From Surfacing Solution’s tambour panels to the sustainable offerings by Havwoods and The Good Plastic Company, the event spotlighted products driving the industry forward—embracing sustainability, versatility, and impactful design.

The post BDNY 2024: The Most Innovative Materials and Sustainable Design Take Center Stage first appeared on Yanko Design.

This Ethereal Wood-Wrapped House Looks Like Something From a Fairytale

Designed with the whimsical beauty one can only find in fiction, this literal tree-house features an entire wooden outer facade made of pieces of wood wrapping around each in an organic style almost like the roots of a tree. Dubbed the ‘Wooden Egg’, this wondrous home takes inspiration from nests and how birds have an innate ability to turn wooden twigs into a concave vessel for their eggs to rest in. Playing on that theme, designer Shoaib Sha decided to make a nest-like home with an overall egg shape… with the residents being the baby hatchlings!

Designer: Shoaib Sha

The gentle curves of this elevated residence guide your eyes, revealing the fluidity of its interior spaces. But it’s not just about visual allure; the choice of timber as the primary material serves a dual purpose. Not only does it infuse the residence with a warm and inviting ambiance, but it also rekindles our love for traditional materials like wood in architecture, rejecting the logical, mechanical brutalist approach of concrete and steel.

“Each curve and angle is meticulously crafted to optimize natural light, ventilation, and energy efficiency, enhancing the overall living experience while minimizing environmental impact,” says designer Shoaib Sha. “This residence stands as an abstractive art form of architecture’s potential to elevate the human experience while celebrating the beauty and resilience of the natural world.”

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Revisit the ancient art of woodturning with this line of furniture that gives a modern take to traditional design!

“A different turn,” is a line of furniture pieces created by Koen Boersma from the art of woodturning, an ancient craft that’s Boersma revives through modern design and traditional tools.

The craft of woodturning has been around for centuries, but today, the art is slowly dying out. For as long as it’s been in use, the art of woodturning has varied in form over the years. Only requiring a few woodworking tools, like a lathe and cutters, woodturning can transform wood blocks into an array of different shapes and patterns. Returning to the ancient craft to design their new series of furniture, Koen Boersma created “A different turn,” a line of furniture produced from Boersma’s modern take on woodturning.

Starting out with a rectangular block of wood, Boersma spins each piece into alternating patterns of round and square shapes. Boersma describes the process, “When making this series, the rectangular shape of the starting piece was used, and patterns were developed from this shape.” Spurred by the Netherlands’ specific love for and connection to the craft of woodturning, Boersma turned to traditional tools and cultural building methods for the foundation of “A different turn.”

Beginning with a single, rectangular block of wood, Boersma creates undulating patterns to expose the wood block’s natural, unstained grooves and grains. In showcasing each block of wood’s natural grain, each piece of furniture is unique in its own light. Describing this in their own words, Boersma explains, “The patterns on the straight, black flat sides of the objects flow into the soft, round shapes of the turned away wood. A confluence of the designer’s signature, and the natural beauty of the wood itself.”

Designer: Koen Boersma

The post Revisit the ancient art of woodturning with this line of furniture that gives a modern take to traditional design! first appeared on Yanko Design.

This DIY wooden bicycle is an open source design that makes you think about sustainable living!





This bicycle made of plywood was created with an intent to get more people to focus on sustainability. The open source design is called ‘Openbike’ and despite the obvious problems that come with a bike made from plywood, it is still an affordable and lightweight alternative to those who want to live on a budget but are also eco-conscious. You can download the files to build your own bike here!

“This is not about bicycles! Open your eyes, this is about you, about your attitude towards the future. Do you think that the pollution of the cities will disappear by itself? Do you think traffic jams are caused by others?” reads the Openbike website which makes the mission statement of the design very clear – they’re not claiming to offer the durability or a thief-proof bike but rather shift your perspective on affordability and sustainability.

The multidisciplinary Spanish design studio wants to reduce carbon emissions in cities by empowering people with technology which is why they made Openbike so that the files can be downloaded and fabricated by anyone in the world. They have been prototyping designs since 2017 and the final version is can be used by anyone, incorporates storage racks to transport goods, and employs a simple construction from widely available materials like off-the-shelf plywood.

Architects Raquel Ares and Iñaki Albistur said, “It is a manifesto on sustainable urbanism, urban transport, distributed manufacturing, shared knowledge, the community, and the responsible use of resources, that materializes in the design of a non-polluting urban transport, the bicycle, that can be manufactured by its own use within the city where it is going to be used.”

To fabricate the bike, you have to download the drawings from their website. Then you can take the drawings to a local digital fabrication workshop where the CNC machine cuts the body of the bicycle from plywood and uses 3D printing for elements such as the saddle, front hub, and hand grips which could also be recycled from old bikes depending on the resources available.

The fabrication files for Openbike are licensed under creative commons 4.0, allowing the designs to be improved, modified, manufactured, and shared again by anyone across the world making it a truly accessible design that only gets better. Based on these principles of open design, Arquimaña encourages further development based on the use of local resources but with global techniques and tools adapted – this way each bike is a little unique, localized but also could be scaled on a global level based on characteristics.

The aim is to empower citizens as a transforming agent, putting technology at their service and prioritizing local production with local resources, which generates active and productive cities, looking to the future from an ecological perspective, trying to reduce carbon emissions to a minimum. The project is part of the global fab city initiative, which challenges cities to produce everything they consume by 2054!

Openbike hopes to offer citizens the necessary methods for manufacturing a non-polluting means of urban transport, the bicycle, by themselves. The project isn’t really about the bike itself, though, but rather the idea that people should think about how they can contribute to a better, more sustainable future.

Designer: Arquimaña

This folding chair is inspired by origami and can be literally hung like clothes on a hanger!

Chair designs are the first category designers are told to explore because it is simple and yet the smallest of tweaks can make it innovative. Also, let’s accept it – you never get tired of looking at new chair designs! It could be a new material, a bold shape, maybe it has a dual purpose or something like KERF – a space-saving chair that you can literally hang up like clothing!

It can be called a stool or a chair, but KERF gives the otherwise rigid object warmth and flexibility. You can literally put it on a hanger and store it like clothing in a wardrobe which makes it stand out from its counterparts. When needed, simply open the fold and you can get a setup ready for your guests in a few seconds.

The intention was to enrich plywood, make it flexible and fold it like it was paper for origami art. KERF has been designed for small living spaces and for practicality, it is perfect for those living in urban apartments or shared spaces. It reminds me of Japandi style furniture or Scandinavian home decor with its warm and minimal aesthetics.

The unique chair gets its name from the technique of kerfing – it is the method of bending plywood by patterned cutting. It is only good for doing it once to achieve the desired curvature, but not suitable for repetitive, long-term bending because that would cause the veneer layer to crack. The kerfing technique can be optimized for the CNC milling process to save production time and cost.

The mood board for the project shows bending plywood with kerfing, flat-pack laser cut furniture, folding chairs, and interlocking leather belts – all of these come together in the final design as details. The chair us.es kerfing, the hinges are made from leather, it can be compactly packed and it has an origami-like silhoutte.

To make sure it was durable yet flexible, Hamza decided to use thick leather instead of hinges. This detail lets KERF withstand repetitive bending cycles while the alternative hinge (leather) can outlast the traditional hinge making it a piece of furniture that stays with you in the long run (its moving-friendly too!). KERF is definitely a wonderful example of how chairs can be simple while still adding on to the existing form and function!

Designer: Hamza Bavčić

This chair is assembled with a cargo strap – no hardware, screws, no glue, no packaging!

The TEMP chair has been designed as an eco-focused seating solution that makes use of an unlikely material to blend packaging and assembly into one piece. The chair is made by cutting OSB (oriented strand board) and is assembled by tying a single cargo strap with ratchets. The luggage strap, which can withstand more than 700kg, makes for a super sturdy chair without the use of screws, glue, or any hardware!

OSB is stronger and more waterproof than plywood. It is a versatile, cost-effective, and environmentally friendly alternative manufactured by compressing precisely engineered strands of woods with exterior resins at high temperatures to create an incredibly strong panel.

The cargo strap is also used to wrap the panels effectively reducing packaging for the chair. The five panels that make up the chair can be grouped together, and one panel has a handle, so it can be easily moved while packed.

It is designed to be wider than the existing chair, so you can take a break in various postures, and the lower part of the seat can be used as a storage space.

The reasonably priced OSB has enough strength to make up the chair, and the wood chip pattern makes it hard to see scratches, so it could be shipped without additional packaging.

Joo Hoyoung said, “I ordered plywood cut from a carpentry shop. I tied the cut plywood with a cargo string to bring home. When I came home, I untied the string, put the plywood in the right place, and tied the string again. I am sitting in the chair that has been completed just like that and writing this!” – could it BE any simpler?!

Designer: Joo Hoyoung

This chair is assembled with a cargo strap – no hardware, screws, no glue, no packaging!

The TEMP chair has been designed as an eco-focused seating solution that makes use of an unlikely material to blend packaging and assembly into one piece. The chair is made by cutting OSB (oriented strand board) and is assembled by tying a single cargo strap with ratchets. The luggage strap, which can withstand more than 700kg, makes for a super sturdy chair without the use of screws, glue, or any hardware!

OSB is stronger and more waterproof than plywood. It is a versatile, cost-effective, and environmentally friendly alternative manufactured by compressing precisely engineered strands of woods with exterior resins at high temperatures to create an incredibly strong panel.

The cargo strap is also used to wrap the panels effectively reducing packaging for the chair. The five panels that make up the chair can be grouped together, and one panel has a handle, so it can be easily moved while packed.

It is designed to be wider than the existing chair, so you can take a break in various postures, and the lower part of the seat can be used as a storage space.

The reasonably priced OSB has enough strength to make up the chair, and the wood chip pattern makes it hard to see scratches, so it could be shipped without additional packaging.

Joo Hoyoung said, “I ordered plywood cut from a carpentry shop. I tied the cut plywood with a cargo string to bring home. When I came home, I untied the string, put the plywood in the right place, and tied the string again. I am sitting in the chair that has been completed just like that and writing this!” – could it BE any simpler?!

Designer: Joo Hoyoung

This wooden treehouse is constructed without a tree to minimize environmental impact & maximize adventure!

Normalize adults living and chilling in treehouses because we are certainly going through a lot more than children and this is the escape we need! Cassiopeia is one such shelter that every grown-up dreams of having, it is a treehouse that was born in a garden without a tree for us to disconnect from the virtual world. It has multiple levels, a fire-man pole, a slide, a swing, a zip-line, a net bed, monkey bars and a climbing wall in sculptural form with legs that grow in the garden!

It has utmost privacy and was constructed with a very low impact on the territory. Cassiopeia is a playground for kids at its core but has been designed to provide the same nostalgia and whimsy for adults too. It seeks to touch the ground lightly through clever architectural design and woodworking which also ensures that it is durable and environmentally sustainable.

The contemporary treehouse aims to blend into its surroundings while providing a sanctuary for adults and kids to escape the monotony of everyday life. Especially since the pandemic, people are avoiding public spaces which restrict outdoor activities but Cassiopeia brings that adventure back to your backyard!

Cassiopeia, in astronomy, is a constellation of the northern sky easily recognized by a group of five bright stars forming a slightly irregular W. The multi-level playground is a privileged place to watch the complexity of the universe through the telescope lens.

The foundation of the treehouse is the invisible metal ground screws that give support to columns and beams. “At the top of it, we built the skeleton (interior frame) that receives the skin (walls and roof) that are built with CLT panels painted black that receive a horizontal slatted wood system that follows the treehouse shape,” adds the team.

This project highlights Madeiguincho’s combined heritage of both architecture and carpentry. The Portugal-based studio retains the charm of a traditional treehouse with the warm wooden aesthetic but brings modern architecture into play without needing a tree in the first place. The angular shape, systems for multiple activities, large windows and doors truly encourage us to take a break, play and bring back the innocent joy from our childhood.

Designer: Madeiguincho

This minimal desk’s special design element is inspired by pianos!

I played piano for a decade and I was so used to reading with my book upright on the music shelf (the little fold-out flap where you keep your music sheet) that I started to keep my textbooks for school upright too – it just felt more convenient! The Piano desk gives that traditional design a nod by incorporating it into your familiar wooden desk with some additional inspiration from the Standard chair by Jean Prouvé that elevates the minimal piece.

The Piano desk created so the designer could experiment with a hybrid material selection and play with interesting visual contrasts. On the one hand, we have metal which is a cold material that is beautifully balanced by the warmer wood. On the other hand, the same metal which allows for a slimmer silhouette is given the sturdiness with the addition of wood. The key factor in the briefing was to design a product with a democratic approach. That is how the minimal desk without any complex production processes was born while still featuring a small design element that other minimal desks didn’t have – the dipped shelf!

It has rounded corners on both wooden and metallic parts which smoothly connects both shapes and materials visually. The choice of discarding drawers led to a different conceptual solution that came from looking at the way some piano players hold their music notes, hence the name. The metal stand is perfect to hold books and documents and it is a fair substitute for the drawer in some cases. You can also add some decor like a succulent or your favorite bobblehead! The Piano desk is perfect for your home office with its pleasing CMF, evergreen character, and improving its integration within the space in the most eloquent way.

Designer: João Teixeira

This wooden cabin comes in a flat-pack DIY kit so you can assemble your own tiny holiday home!





Cabin-design company Den has launched a flat-packed, kit-of-parts for a steeply pitched cabin, known as an A-frame, that can be assembled in just a few days.

The 115-square-foot (10.68-square-metre) Den Cabin Kit has slanted wooden walls with a large triangular window. It is designed to be an ideal guest house, yoga studio or study.

Prefabricated in New York, the kit has pre-drilled holes and includes everything from the wooden structural parts that lock together, to bolts and even door hardware – details Den said make the project stand out from other flat-packed structures.

“Under the hood – or roof, ha – we have components that are cut with CNC precision, a design that slots together intuitively, and a kit so complete even the door hardware is included so you won’t need to make any trips to the hardware store,” the New York-based team told Dezeen.

“The cabin bolts and screws together and all the holes are pre-drilled making for fast assembly.”

Den Cabin Kit is designed to be built with minimal equipment including a ratchet set, a power drill, a ladder, step ladder and a staple gun. Flat-packed materials arrive stacked according to the order in which they are needed during the build, as part of an ambition to make construction as easy as possible.

“If you don’t have any construction experience you can certainly make up for it with tenacity, and a few friends to help you with the job,” Den explained.”Building something even as easy as this still requires some hutzpah mind you,” the company added. “You need to be comfortable on a ladder a story off the ground to set the ridge cap and screw in the roofing panels, and you and your friends (or team) need to be careful with the large windows while setting them in place.”

Den suggests novice builders employ a contractor to bolster the structure if it is being built on a sloped site, or in an area with harsher weather, and also to help set foundations – which it likens to the same basic requirements as a shed. The cabin is intended to touch the ground lightly so it can be disassembled and rebuilt elsewhere, and constructed without nails for the same reason.

Despite its light touch, the team said the cabin is still robust and well-insulated in harsh weather conditions. “Even though it’s ‘semi-permanent’ in this regard it’s no less a building and can withstand the harshest elements, with four-season compatibility,” it explained.

Owners can choose from three types of exterior cladding: either black Forest and silver Alpine metal or cedar shingles. They can also add a propane heater provided by Den.

Designer: Den