In the past, step stools were mostly a rugged, industrial silver — the kind that never quite fit into a refined space. That’s when Hasegawa Kogyo developed a beautifully designed “black step stool,” overturning the conventional wisdom of what a step stool should look like. From there, we took on a new challenge: creating a step stool that could be used naturally, effortlessly, in everyday life.
A thorough survey of how step stools are actually used at home revealed that many people were relying on unstable chairs instead of a step stool. The reason: step stools were stored away and a hassle to pull out. To solve this, we set out to design a step stool made for everyday use.
“To get people using a step stool more often, it needs a design you’d want to keep within reach.” That thinking led to a concept: a step stool you can simply leave out. We aimed for a graceful form that would feel at home in any room.
Developed in collaboration with designer Tomoaki Murata, who leads the design studio Metaphys, Lucano hides its screws and uses a visually simple, triangular support-and-step structure. The result — “Lucano” — is a step stool that stands on its own even when folded, with a beauty that comes through in every detail.
It acts as a handrail, supporting you as you step up and down,
and during work, resting your shin against it
helps keep your body stable —
a safe, reassuring design.
※The top frame is only available on the 3-step model.
