Juno Step Stool

JUNO is the multi-purpose piece of furniture that incorporates a step stool, chair, and table all into one kid-friendly, aesthetic piece so that kids can be active, present, and engaged as they climb, clean, sit, and cook alongside their parents. this was originally a school assignment that took the parameters of using a sheet of plywood that was 2'x4' and it had to have 2 steps for a user to reach something high up - a step stool. This design was something we wanted adults or parents to enjoy having in their household but that was also a functional piece of furniture for themselves and/or children to use.

We, Kate Leasure and Sofia Maffey (industrial design students), came up with this design with the purpose of making something that Adults would want throughout their lifetime, and if they become parents or guardians could be used through generations. A lasting piece of furniture that did not have any bright blaring colors or funky designs that typically appear in child targeted furniture. Not only can Juno be used as a step stool, but a small child can use it as a desk and as they get older they can use it as a chair, and when they themselves become adults they will use it as a step stool. The world needs more sustainable design, so why not make something to last lifetimes. This is the purpose behind Juno.

1. 2'x4' Plywood
2. Sandpaper (180-400 grit)
3. FruitWood wood stain - or another stain of your preference
4. Varathane Ultimate Polyurethane clear semi-Gloss - or a substitute of similar capacity
5. Paint brushes
6. Paper-towels
7. Steel wool
8. CNC cutter
9. Adobe illustrator
10. Fusion 360.

The first step is to begin with research. We looked at existing designs and reviews of products in the market and gathered data on what we wanted to create. in this first step we began iterating the design - this was a partner effort of going through multiple design iteration to find a design that encapsulated both the client (professor) requirements and the design inspiration and motive. We iterated over 60 sketches until we narrowed down to one design we wanted to move forward with and improve upon. You will see from the photos added, the varying designs and final model. We made some laser cut models out of cardboard to view the 3d versions before creating final test models.

The next step was to make the final step models and render the project so that we could see the model visually. If you are creating at home, you can feel free to skip the rendering step, however it is useful in understanding color choices if you are using different stains or are getting a feel of what the design looks like from different points of view. See if it works in the place you want it and try making it a color that goes well with the surroundings you want Juno placed in.

This next step is critical in creating Juno - or truly any piece of furniture. Make sure to always test your joints. The plywood we used as a class had different thicknesses and as such we needed to test our joints from the wood we were using in order to understand what fit perfectly.

For this project we used dog-bone joints with a width of 0.722 (creating a 0.12 allowance). Make sure you measure the width of your wood and calculate the joints correctly.

Using Adobe In-Design we drew out the joints and transferred them to fusion 360 where we scaled them up to fit the plywood. Then we used the CNC machine to cut them out of the plywood and test the functionality of them.

If they do not fit - we suggest finding other similarly thick plywood and testing on that before using your 2'x4' plywood.

The next step is designing the pieces in Adobe Illustrator and uploading them to Fusion 360. Once there, you can increase the thickness of the sketch to mimic the size of the wood. this makes for an Easy, however critical step as everything must be exact and should fit on the 2' x 4' plywood piece.

In fusion you can assemble the design to create the full scale if you would like to use fusion ro render and create the orthographic of the design.

Once Cut by the CNC - we had our professor do this as we are not yet CNC certified - you will be able to take the pieces of the furniture and sand down the sides with around 180 grit. Then you will go over the tops and sides with a high grit to smooth out the wood a little bit. Make sure to wear glasses and be careful. We passed over the top with a 320 grit sandpaper. Make sure to not sand the joints as this will alter the fit.

Once sanded we stained the step stool in the color Fruitwood and dried it over 2 days (one day for each coat), we added the clear semi-gloss urethane top coat and let that dry.

Finally, we assembled the step stool and congratulated the finished product. we created a unique design that is aesthetically pleasing to the eye, a neutral warm color to go with a variety of settings, and something that people of all ages and most tastes could enjoy. It is sustainably made with wood and minimal extra products. This design was built with people in mind as all can enjoy Juno whether they decide to use it as a chair, a desk, or a step stool - a variety of functions for the user designed in a tasteful way.

Follow these steps and you should have Juno.

This design was created by Sofia Maffey and Kate Leasure.