Furniture + Inclusive Design2026

Step
Up

A compact bedside step stool with a foldable second step, designed to make getting on and off the bed safer and easier.

Project: Step Up
Role: Individual Industrial Designer
Focus: Inclusive Furniture Design
Outcome: Functional Full-Scale Prototype

Challenge

Many bedside steps are bulky, visually clinical, or designed for only one type of user.

Goal

Make getting on and off a bed safer for children, older adults, pets, and anyone who benefits from a lower first step.

Solution

A furniture-like wooden stool with a folding second tread provides extra support when needed and stays compact when stored.

Overview

A bedside step for more than one kind of user.

Originally explored for small dogs struggling to reach a bed, Step Up developed into an inclusive aid for children, older adults, pets, and anyone who benefits from a lower first step. The second tread folds into the frame to reduce its footprint when not in use.

Project: Individual furniture studio
Focus: Inclusive access, compact storage
Process: Scale modeling, hinge testing, fabrication
Outcome: Functional full-scale prototype

Opportunity

A safer bedside aid that belongs in the room

Existing solutions typically target only one user group. Pet stairs can dominate a small room, while medical bedside steps often rely on exposed metal and institutional forms.

Step Up explores a furniture-like alternative that balances safety, portability, and a quiet visual presence in the bedroom.

Market research comparing bedside steps, stools, and pet stairs

Design Criteria

Compact in storage, supportive in use

Must

Two usable steps, foldable hardware, and lightweight wood construction.

Should

A minimal furniture-like form, rounded edges, and a stable two-leg stance.

Could

Subtle design accents and a bedside connection if testing proved it necessary.

Wouldn’t

Depend on electronics or technology to solve a fundamentally physical problem.

Must, should, could, and won't design requirements for Step Up

Ideation

Exploring how the second step folds away

Early sketches exploring folding bedside step stool forms — Broad mechanism and form exploration

Final revision sketches for the folding step stool — Refined folding direction

Scale Models

Testing the same idea at three scales

1:4

Reduced material, tested a flared leg, and added a ledge to retain the folded step.

1:2

Evaluated overall proportions, tread depth, and how the folded step nested into the frame.

1:1

Tested real body scale, hinge placement, entry height, and stability before final fabrication.

Multiple quarter-scale Step Up models — 1:4 form exploration

Half-scale folding step stool model — 1:2 proportion testing

Full-scale cardboard Step Up model with folding step — 1:1 mechanism validation

Development

Translating the mechanism into buildable parts

Orthographic drawings established final dimensions before the components were translated into a two-dimensional cutting layout. The full-scale model located the leg hinges and confirmed the folding path before assembly.

Orthographic dimensioned drawings of Step Up — Dimensioned orthographic

Two-dimensional cutting layout for Step Up components — 2D fabrication layout

Material + Finish

Choosing a finish for daily bedroom use

Finish samples compared natural wood, matte and gloss clear coats, stains, and paint. Dark stain felt too heavy; gloss looked overly bold. A lighter, low-sheen finish best preserved the furniture-like quality of the wood.