12 of the best flat-pack furniture

10 Jan

Beautifully crafted, high-end furniture designed for disassembly proposes a greener way to furnish our homes. From coffee tables to desks and sofas, we share our selection of 12 of the best flat-pack furniture you can find in Israel today, suitable for modern working, dining, and living.

High-quality craftsmanship meets self-assembly. If you think “IKEA” when you hear “flat-pack”, you’re not the only one. And while the furniture giant initially chose this model to cut costs and simplify the manufacturing process, there’s a whole generation of new furniture designs that come flat-packed to propose a more responsible approach to furnishing a home, with circularity and longevity in mind.

Combining beautiful materials and thoughtful design with simplicity of use and easy assembly, these furniture pieces come in flat-packed packaging not only so they can be shipped more efficiently, even though it’s definitely part of the reason. After all, what’s the point of shipping air? Smaller packaging means more products onto a truck, means fewer trucks, less fuel consumption, and lower CO2 emissions. But the new flat-pack furniture I’m talking about is designed for self-disassembly too. It’s designed so that you can easily replace each part, instead of throwing the entire table or sofa away. It is made by responsible brands dedicated to preserving our earth and craft cultures.

Rather than particle board (more commonly known as MDF) made from wood chips, wood shavings, or sawdust, which don’t support multiple dismantling and relocating, this ready-to-assemble furniture is made from good quality materials with sturdy connections that allow them to be dismantled without breaking. This means it can be disassembled as many times as you want and carried around the house easily and safely, ending all precarious bed frames pivoting and pushing up and down the staircase!

As opposed to the Swedish mass-retailer, the brands below produce small batches of quality products each year, instead of focusing on quantity and bringing out new products as often as possible.

So here it is, my selection of the best flat-pack furniture you can find in Israel today. They don’t come with hundreds of parts or a 10-page manual, they’re not hard to build, and they’re not hard to dismantle, but their high-quality materials and timeless design will allow them to last for years.

BLOCK shelf, from ₪ 695, Collectie - a simple system in solid wood that you can arrange to create sculptural wall decor, alone or in groups.
Elinor shelf, from ₪ 2000, Baalot Melacha - made using a traditional hand plane in American Walnut, White Ash, Maple or Oak, each shelf is unique. The long and short sides can be inverted to fit your design needs.
Ika chair, ₪ 2800, Prat Living - a folding chair in solid oak that can be carried and hung on the wall, thanks to its backrest, which is actually a leather strap.
Foyer coat stand, coming soon, Form & Refine at TEMA - a thin, space-saving coat stand in solid oak that is easy to fold and store.
NAIVE lounge chair, from ₪ 5100, Emko at Prat Living - a leather strap attached to the backrest allows it to be easily slid on the ash wood structure.
Hallway set, ₪ 2 001, String at IDANA - with practical details including two shelves, a hanging rod, four coat hangers, a beige box, five white J hooks, and two metal S hooks.
Ark dining chair, 269 €, Ferm Living - a simple construction of solid wooden planks, it comes in a kids version too.
Loop desk, 815 €, We Do Wood - taking no space at all and winner of an IF Design Award 2022, this foldable desk is made of FSC® certified oak and brass. Scroll down for more images.
Enter side table, ₪ 2 590, Trae - made of solid oak and natural marble that fit together in a jiffy.
Cross table, from ₪ 4592, TAKT at IDANA - constructed for disassembly, meaning that all parts are easy to disassemble and replace if they break or wear out. And it comes with a care kit too.
Shunan coffee table, ₪ 1100, Puik at TEMA - a combination of classic simplicity with the curved wooden top, and contemporary flair with strong steel legs.
Modular sofa, from ₪ 22 200, Handvark at Pasnormal - upholstered in velvet fabric with thin metal legs, it comes in all sorts of sizes and colours, with a guide to assemble elements together.