21: Cardboard

21: Cardboard

Cardboard is a sturdy paper product which can be used as a construction material. The Cardboard Book is a great inspirational resource.

Foldschool furniture, featured in The Cardboard Book


When I was a college exchange student in Mainz, Germany, I took paper course and we built furniture from cardboard. I designed a triangular bedside table that doubled as a waste basket (the top lifted off to reveal the wastebasket underneath). Fast forward a few years and I was living in NYC and invested in a cardboard chair from the MoMA Design Store (click to check out the holiday paper goodies they have in the shop).
I wanted to include something made from cardboard in Playing With Paper and was delighted when I discovered the work of Giles Miller in London. They’ve created this groovy cardboard chair, meant to be used poolside.

Pool Rocker Chair, by Giles Miller


Their innovative surfaces really push the limit with cardboard. Check out this folding screen,

Flute Screens by Giles Miller


and these pendant lamps

Flute pendants by Giles Miller


Here is another incredible cardboard creation – a functional bicycle. Maybe I’ll see you riding on one of these one day soon!

Izhar cardboard bike project from Giora Kariv on Vimeo.
There are more cardboard wonders on my Pinterest board. What an amazingly versatile material it is.
Have you made or seen anything innovative from cardboard? If so, please share it with me by emailing or leaving me a comment below.
Please share this blog with your paper loving friends. I’ll be offering the first giveaway tomorrow!
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About the 25 Days of Paper: I’m going to be a crazy blogger in December, featuring cool paper products, projects, blogs, books, or papers each day. Join in the fun by reading along! I’ll also post links on my FaceBook page. Enjoy the season!

7 Comments

  1. Mary C. Leto says:

    Oh my ! … what fun – your amazing Helen…. where do you find the time! I LOVE every blog and now look forward to a new one every day… a paper Christmas gift …and spend more time searching all the sites you’ve included. It seems like you have covered everything …. looking forward to my daily surprise..
    Thank You so much… Mary

  2. Linda K. Fendley says:

    These are fantastic! You are really motivating me. I save interesting pieces of cardboard. Now—-what to make? Thanks for posting these. I find myself looking forward to each day to see what’s next.

  3. Linda K. Fendley says:

    Oh-and I have been saving some cardboard to make a castle. Any ideas or sites I should look at? My son painted a dragon on our basement wall with a knight. I have always felt that he needed a castle to protect.
    (As a second grade school teacher-now retired, I was always doing things with cardboard.)

  4. Francesca says:

    Incredible projects! I’m amazed by the working bicycle and also really like the chairs! I’m a bok hoarder and now I can get creative with small projects myself! Thank You for sharing!

  5. Sofija says:

    Hvala vam što ste svoje kreacije podijelili s nama! Ja obožavam,ne znam da li više stolicu za ljuljanje ili bicikl. Kad biste nam objavili-proslijediti još skicu (šnit) od ove vaše stolice za ljuljanje,bila bi vam neizmjerno zahvalna i to bi bio moj prvi pokušaj(motivacija) s kartonskim namještaj! Veliki pozdrav za sve ljubitelje ove kreativnosti!

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