Minimal Furniture Design – The YU Range Designed by Mikiya Kobayashi

Almost a year ago, we wrote about the launch of the Taiyou&C. brand. Mikiya Kobayashi, the founder of the Japanese furniture company, has been keeping busy since then. One of his latest projects shows exactly why we love minimalist furniture design so much. Created by the Mikiya Kobayashi Inc design studio for Masterwal, one of the largest furniture manufacturers in Japan’s Okayama prefecture, the YU collection features the manufacturer’s preferred material: walnut.

The name “YU” means “thoughtful” in Japanese, and defines the entire concept of the collection. Elegant and minimal, the chairs, tables, and sofas boast clean lines and a minimal aesthetic that lets the organic beauty of the walnut wood to shine through. Noble, natural materials complement the rich brown tones of the wooden frames. The designs feature leather or fabric details, with the ping pong table also boasting a solid brass line at the center as well as a leather net. Set to take Japan’s wooden furniture market by storm, the YU collection will soon be followed by another collab between the two companies. Mikiya and Masterwal are currently working on the next collection, which will feature around 20 products. Photographs© Yosuke Owashi.