AREA's "chair A-10" and "floor lamp BLESSED STONE" Selected as Finalists for NYCxDESIGN Awards 2026

Japanese furniture and interior brand "AREA" (NODA Japan Inc.) is pleased to announce that two of its products, "chair A-10" and "floor lamp BLESSED STONE," have been selected as finalists for the NYCxDESIGN Awards 2026, an international design award held in New York.

The NYCxDESIGN Awards is one of the premier international design awards representing New York's design community, organized by INTERIOR DESIGN and NYCxDESIGN.

From a global collection of furniture, lighting, spatial design, and product design, works featuring outstanding design, originality, and spatial proposal capabilities are selected.

From left: black walnut, oak, zelkova, Japanese cherry (Yamazakura)

The "chair A-10" is a reinterpretation of the classic British Windsor chair, based on the structural principles of traditional Japanese shrine architecture.

Inspired by the silhouette of a Torii gate and incorporating the concepts of main and secondary pillars into its back structure, it expresses the quiet tension inherent in Japanese architecture and modern structural beauty.

A dignified, upright form composed of straight lines, with a seat carved to fit the buttocks.

Crafted from solid woods such as walnut, oak, zelkova traditionally used in shrine architecture, and unique Japanese cherry (Yamazakura), the chair is designed by blending ergonomics with the sensibility of skilled artisans. It achieves both daily comfort and the presence of an art piece. Furthermore, by incorporating traditional Roiro lacquer finishing, it proposes a "future antique" endowed with durability and beautiful aging.

The "floor lamp BLESSED STONE" is a lighting piece themed around restoring "stillness" and "introspection" to a space through natural stone and light.

Inspired by the scene of lightning striking a stone standing in a desolate landscape, it uses "Iyo Stone," a rare metamorphic rock from Ehime Prefecture, born from a stratum approximately 200 million years old.

A light source that can illuminate in various directions and is dimmable. Serial number engraved on a brass plate.

With a single light penetrating the stone, the power of natural materials and delicate light create a quiet tension, bringing a sculptural presence to the space. Each stone possesses a unique expression, individually selected by the designer. It is not a mass-produced item but a unique art piece that can be cherished for a lifetime. As a bridge between nature, faith, design, and function, it brings quiet value to daily life.

AREA continues its craftsmanship, valuing the trinity of "material, making, and design," to elevate Japanese aesthetics and artisan techniques into contemporary interiors.

Through this finalist selection, AREA aims to further disseminate the value of Japanese furniture and interior design, starting from New York, to the world.

The winners of the NYCxDESIGN Awards 2026 are scheduled to be announced at the awards ceremony in New York on May 18, 2026.

Brand Introduction

AREA, established in 2003, is a luxury furniture brand. Its style, where carefully selected materials are meticulously crafted into lifelong furniture pieces by skilled artisans, combined with the unique world view colored by head designer Go Noda, has garnered support from loyal fans worldwide.

Its flagship store is in New York (Midtown).

We kindly request you introduce this opportunity in your publication. We sincerely look forward to your consideration for coverage and publication.