For this project, I worked with a group of five other people. We each took on an aspect of the design to focus on. My focus was usability. We decided that we wanted to create contemporary furniture for a family with small children, probably in a smaller home.
To research this, I took to twitter and asked parents of small children about what they look for in furniture. Stability and durability were the top things that they looked for, as well as things that were difficult for a child to tip over. For this audience, usability requires that furniture be sturdy, comfortable, and very resistant to wear and stains. We avoided glass and delicate fabrics. We also tried to avoid sharp edges and make furniture multi-functional. There is storage in the coffee table, the sofa, credenza, and chair. The sofa also folds out into a bed for overnight guests.
