Garden Chair

Here’s another overlooked gem from the KAK group, originally featured in Making Use of Ingenious Ideas: Woodworking at Home (1953) and recently revived in Japanese Furniture: 24 Mid-Century Projects for Your Home by the Monomono group.

Like the Stool with Pinched Legs, this garden chair features clever yet straightforward joinery where it counts, making it a great project for those seeking a bit more of a woodworking challenge. While originally designed for Japanese cedar, the chair can be adapted to various beam dimensions—perfect for upcycling leftover wood. With the configurator, you can easily adjust the beam sizes to suit your materials.

The width of the chair is customizable too, so you can transform it from a single-seater to a love seat for two (a favorite at Archiyou!). Just be sure your beams are strong enough to support the wider span or consider adding a center support for extra stability. When choosing your wood, harder varieties like cedar or Douglas fir work best, and a surface treatment will help it stand up to the elements.

Enjoy crafting this beautiful garden chair—it’s as rewarding to make as it is to relax in!