The Design of Indonesian Furniture as a Solution to Human Life Balance Issues Post-COVID-19 Pandemic

Abstract

The focus on achieving life balance has been widely discussed in various aspects of human life after the COVID-19 pandemic. The increased stress level results from losing boundaries between work and other aspects of life due to the lack of physical and temporal limitations, causing an imbalance. As one of the world's furniture material producers, Indonesia needs to improve its design's quality for the export market. This paper discussed the solution of interior product design for the European export market as an activity that helps to address the imbalance of human life after the pandemic. The authors applied the Kelley design thinking method through the stages of empathizing, defining, ideating, prototyping, and testing. The wellness, sustainability, and home sweet home concepts were applied to the design as the emerging megatrends in Europe while also considering the sustainable global cultural and aesthetic aspects. Natural materials from Indonesia were applied with this consideration. The main focus of the design system is on the easy installation concept to achieve product shipping efficiency to the European market. Three designs are discussed in this paper, including the Rotan Storage Credenza, Multifunctional Lounge Chair, and Sisal Lounge Chair. The resulting designs are expected to solve the European market's problems after the pandemic. The designs must still be tested in the market through e-commerce and internationally recognized exhibitions.