while exploring the interactions between human and inanimate object, product designer denny priyatna presents the appalstered collection. priyatna’s collection reflects the imperfections of the human body, and as a result, produced a series of furniture that challenges the perception of comfort and creates an uncanny effect. ‘humans tend to demand perfection in everything… from our bodies to the objects we create,’ explains the designer, ‘however, the imperfection, such as skin conditions and damages, is unavoidable for every vulnerable thing.’

the appalstered 1: desease and the appalstered 2: damaged

denny priyatna‘s ‘appalstered’ collection of upholstered furniture appears to be contaminated or damaged, breaking with contemporary design and aesthetics. the mysterious and ambiguous characteristics of the furniture remind humans of their own imperfection, as well as raise a question whether it is comfortable to sit on. additionally, it draws humans to touch, triggers conversations among the audience, and unleashes the undiscovered attributes of the materials.

details of  the ‘disease’ seat

one chair may look visually uncomfortable while the other one may be emotionally uncomfortable. the series is comprised of two kinds of furniture:

1. DISEASED: the first piece of furniture represents skin diseases such as acne, psoriasis, and tumor. these diseases are applied to disrupt the form and break the aesthetic of the generic upholstered chair so it may look uncomfortable from a distance.

2. DAMAGED: the second furniture represents cuts and wounds that are similar to torn fabric. it may look like another simple and generic stool that has some cuts on it. however, when the user sits on it, the cuts will open, making one feel uncomfortable.

appalstered by denny priyatna
video © dennyra

despite it being uncomfortable in appearance, the ‘disease’ chair is soft and safe to sit on

the main materials used are fabric and foam that are commonly used for making upholstery furniture

the ‘damage’ stool

when users sit on the stool, the cuts reveals the hidden material inside

the stool might make the user feel uncomfortable as they may think that they ‘hurt’ the chair

designboom has received this project from our ‘DIY submissions‘ feature, where we welcome our readers to submit their own work for publication. see more project submissions from our readers here.

edited by: lynn chaya | designboom