This Swedish Designer Just Turned Childhood Puzzles Into Furniture - Yanko Design

"If you've been following Westman on Instagram (and you really should be), you've probably already fallen for his signature aesthetic: chunky, glossy objects in candy-bright colors that somehow manage to feel both nostalgic and completely modern. Think rounded edges, inflated geometry, and a sense of humor that most furniture seriously lacks. The Puzzle Shelf fits right into this universe while marking something new for the designer. It's his first venture into modular shelving, and it's exactly as delightful as you'd expect."

"The concept is brilliantly simple. Westman took inspiration from, well, puzzles. Actual jigsaw puzzles. "I usually get inspired by the most random things, and in this case, puzzles," he explains in a recent Instagram Reel. Each shelf unit features those familiar protruding tabs and recessed slots that slide and lock together without any visible hardware. No screws, no Allen keys, no confusing instruction manuals with cryptic diagrams. Just pure, friction-based satisfaction."

"What makes the Puzzle Shelf so compelling is how it transforms something functional into something sculptural. These aren't just storage units. They're bone-shaped, oversized blocks that you can stack, rearrange, and play with to create whatever configuration your space needs. Want a tall tower of shelves? Go for it. Prefer something low and horizontal? That works too. The system is completely flexible, giving you the kind of creative control that makes arranging your space feel more like art than organization."

Gustaf Westman's Puzzle Shelf is a modular shelving system inspired by jigsaw puzzles, featuring protruding tabs and recessed slots that slide and lock together without visible hardware. The units are chunky, glossy, candy-bright, and rounded, resembling oversized bone-shaped blocks that function as both storage and sculpture. The system allows stacking and reconfiguration into towers, low horizontal arrangements, or custom configurations to suit different spaces. Assembly relies on friction rather than screws or tools, simplifying construction and encouraging playful interaction. Prototypes are validated with 3D-printed miniatures that mirror full-scale pieces before committing to production.

Read at Yanko Design - Modern Industrial Design News