The Cabin Lounges by GibsonKarlo makes relaxing fun. Released to celebrate DesignByThem's ten-year anniversary, the collection of armchairs, lounges, ottomans and booths utilise upholstered "logs" to create playful and personable pieces for the home or office.

The inspiration for the design came from the simple intersecting patterns found in log cabin construction. We wanted to reference this and apply the cylindrical geometries to create a playful range that was welcoming, flexible, distinctive and had a sense of character.

The Cabin Booth is available in different heights, lengths and layouts, providing a comforting acoustic barrier in open-plan spaces.

The armchair and lounges are equipped with an adjustable lumbar log that can be moved back and forth to suit the user's preference or completely removed for a floating backrest. Accompanying the lounges is also the Cabin Ottoman.

Interchangeable armrest dividers also provide further flexibility on longer lounges, ideal for foyer and waiting room environments where divisional seating is preferred.

The Cabin range is available in a variety of materials and over 28 different.

The Cabin range was designed to be aesthetically distinctive, full of personality, challenge the status quo of workplace seating and make significant advances in manufacturing techniques. The aim was to develop something that moved away from commoditised lounge forms. Designers, Sarah Gibson and Nick Karlovasitis, wanted to do something that was bolder, especially for DesignByThem's 10th birthday and first upholstered range.

It all began with a series of cylinders. The concept started as a single, over-sized bent tube to create the base and backrest. After some exploration, they started to think of the seat as being "built" and began referencing log cabins as a foundation. The cabin arrangement was then deconstructed into a lounge and armchair, experimenting with various diameters until we found a size that was comfortable for both the back and armrests.

By using simple geometric blocks, Nick and Sarah were able to create different configurations (over 28 configurations), sizes and types of lounges which meant better adaptability for the design. A system of construction that allowed for stacking components enabled us to easily adapt the design for different lengths, depths and heights as demand required and with stocked components. A long time was spent refining the proportions and developing the internal structure. After many mockups, they found a proportion for the modules that conveyed the refined, distinctive, welcoming personality that was wanted for the Cabin range.

Since its release, the range has been incredibly well received in Australia and internationally with orders and interest from many overseas markets. Beyond aesthetics, the collection delivers a modular frame system that allows for quicker construction, shorter lead times, easy customisation, easier and targeted repair, upgradability, acoustic dampening and the ability for the user to adjust the ergonomics either at the time of purchase or throughout its use.