We've seen flat-packed Ikea furniture that took hours to assemble, cardboard furniture that -- while sustainable -- fails to impress, and spent hours looking for the missing allen wrench to tighten that wobbly leg.  Forget all that.

Brendan Magennis, a grad student at Bucks New University, is developing a line of furnishings that are solid, require only a mallet to assemble, and fit in with modern apartment living.  Currently there are three pieces: the Whackpack Coffee, Whackpack Jardinere and the Whackpack Bench were recently presented at the New Designer of the Year Awards in London.

Brendan describes his creations as "a range of furniture stimulated by the discovery of the ‘Hell Joint’ through Japanese Joinery.  Whackpack Furniture is a flatpack-inspired creation aimed for today’s nomadic lifestyles and shrinking apartments sizes. It is designed to fashion a new way for the consumer to construct furniture using wooden, a mallet and satisfying strength."

Sustainable style made simple.  My dad always says "You can't beat that with a stick".  Apparently you can, with a mallet.