With a name like See-Saw you know the product must be fun, light, and lively, but I wouldn't necessarily have expected it to be functional as well. Admittedly-and unfortunately-my own experience of the playground version of a see-saw has less to do with fun and more to do with the treachery of my partner across the way. But those memories are a thing of the past as this manufacturer re-claims the term and re-appropriates the meaning.

See-Saw Collection. Manufactured by Laugh. Designed by Pantaloon.

See-Saw Turns Cast-Off Wood into Clever and Functional Furniture with a Feel For Fun

See-Saw is a collaborative consortium of founder Laugh and design team Pantaloon (comprised of Ryohei Yoshiyuki and Atsushi Suzuki). The new label recently debuted at Designtide Tokyo with a colorful roster of clever pieces: a chair, a table, a multi-purpose stand/rack, and a collection of differently-sized trays.

Each fashioned from salvaged Japanese wood, all of the pieces exhibit a distinctive personality and intriguing aesthetic. So they all have their merits, yet for my money the show-stopper of the line is the Knotted Table. This piece is a great, gorgeous hunk of wood-expertly joined and exquisitely crafted, yes, but also featuring the singular innovation of integrated laminated discs.

This unusual feature not only gives the Knotted Table an unusually appealing aesthetic, it also deeds it an extra dose of functionality as the discs do double duty as coasters for cold drinks or hot plates.

Each piece in the rest of the roster has its own whimsical allure: the tray collection evokes the unlikely scenario of a formal, old world sushi service in a home sketched by Dr. Seuss; the rack is simple and functional, yet its extra height gives it a good dose of joie de vivre; and the chair is fun and funky-an off-kilter integration of contrasting colors, shapes, and sizes.

Via Inhabitat.

About the Manufacturer: See-Saw is a new label produced by wooden furniture manufacturer Laugh in collaboration with design consortium Pantaloon. Constructed of salvaged timber of Japanese origin, the line combines the best of Laugh's old-world expertise and Pantaloon's aesthetic vision. The four pieces that comprise See-Saw exemplify the label's vision: "Like the fulcrum of a see-saw that enables it to sway and balance, products can work as a joint for relationships as well. 'See-Saw' products help people to witness everyday life in a completely new light."