Pinched Stool

This delightful little stool is nearly 75 years old. It was designed by the Japanese design group KAK—comprising Yoshio Akioka, Itaru Kaneko, and Junnosuke Kawa—and first introduced in their book Making Use of Ingenious Ideas: Woodworking at Home (1953).

The book features numerous designs, ranging from chairs, benches, and tables to storage units, cabinets, and even a charming children’s chair. These pieces embody a cheerful postwar optimism, blending modern industrial design with the rich tradition of Japanese woodworking. Crafted primarily from Japanese cedar, the designs are elegant and efficient, incorporating slightly complex joinery only where it truly matters—like in the playful Stool with Pinched Legs.

This stool showcases clever design principles: its top and middle sections are formed by cross-lapping two small boards, sandwiched between layered legs that pinch at the ends for a functional and playful touch.

With our configurator, you can customize the stool’s dimensions to perfectly match your needs, whether as a bar stool, footstool, or even a small pedestal. It’s also an excellent project for upcycling leftover boards or scrap wood.

Compact and approachable, the KAK stool offers just the right balance of simplicity and woodworking challenge. For those inspired by this piece, we highly recommend Japanese Furniture: 24 Mid-Century Projects for Your Home by the Monomono group, which beautifully republished and illustrated all of KAK’s designs. A must-have for any woodworking enthusiast!