coffee waste becomes raw, textured furniture in chanhyeok kim’s ‘unsleepy series’

unsleepy series by CHanhyeok Kim upcycles coffee waste

Carpenter CHanhyeok Kim explores material hybridity with his Unsleepy Series, a furniture collection crafted from coffee grounds and architectural materials. By repurposing coffee waste into a composite dubbed Coffee Dough, the series experiments with texture and form.

The furniture pieces are constructed using a mold, where Coffee Dough—a mixture of coffee grounds and binding agents—is poured over a cardboard frame. Once dried, the material exhibits a texture akin to ceramic or stone, with variations in color and surface cracking depending on the mixing ratio.

The furniture mimics the texture of fermented soy blocks

The series by the Korean carpenter CHanhyeok Kim includes four chairs and two stools. Unsleepy Chair 01 embodies the raw texture of Coffee Dough, while Unsleepy Chair 02 embraces a ‘Meju’ texture, inspired by the split surfaces of traditional fermented soybean blocks. The cracks, a natural result of the drying process, are intentionally emphasized to highlight the organic nature of the material. 

The Unsleepy Series continues to evolve, transforming through subtle shifts in structure. The first chair reconfigures itself—flipping upside down and shedding its legs—to explore new spatial and functional possibilities. Through these experimental techniques, Kim pushes the boundaries of sustainable materiality, redefining furniture design with unexpected elements.

1/5

project info:

name: Unsleepy Series
designer: Kim CHanhyeok | @chabokk_

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.