lebanon’s devalued silver and gold coins turn into patterns upon collectible furniture

Majnoona Embeds Lebanon’s Devalued Currency into Furniture

FRATA is the inaugural limited-edition collection by Beirut-based design label Studio Majnoona, exploring the relationship between memory, material, and value through a series of handcrafted furniture pieces. Created in response to Lebanon’s socioeconomic crisis, the collection references the financial collapse that began in 2019, when the Lebanese pound lost more than 98% of its value and significantly altered everyday life. At the center of the collection are Lebanese 250 and 500 LBP coins, which gradually disappeared from circulation as the value of their metal exceeded their monetary worth. Once used as part of everyday transactions, the coins are incorporated into contemporary furniture as material records of a period of economic and social change.

The collection reflects the contrasting conditions associated with Beirut, including chaos and elegance, fragility and resilience. By embedding familiar currency into furniture, FRATA examines how ordinary objects can acquire cultural and emotional significance as their original function disappears. Each piece is handcrafted in Lebanon by local artisans, combining traditional craftsmanship with contemporary production methods. The collection consists of four limited-edition works: two side tables, a table lamp, and an ottoman. The pieces combine repurposed coins with materials including mirrored stainless steel, velvet upholstery, and American walnut.

all images ©Studio Majnoona

Lebanon’s Lost Currency Becomes a Material Archive in FRATA

The 500 LBP coins, distinguished by their silver tone, and the 250 LBP coins, with their golden tone, are arranged across the furniture surfaces in patterns including checkerboard, gradient, and zigzag formations. The placement of the coins becomes both a decorative and material element, integrating the history of the currency into the formal language of each object.

The title of each work corresponds to the total face value of the coins embedded within it. This naming system establishes a direct connection between the objects and the economic history they reference, while emphasizing the transformation of monetary value into material and cultural value. The limited availability of the original coins further defines the collection. As the currency has largely disappeared from everyday circulation, each piece incorporates a finite fragment of Lebanon’s former monetary system. The furniture therefore functions as both a collectible object and a material record of a specific period in the country’s recent history.

With FRATA, Studio Majnoona establishes an approach centered on transforming culturally significant materials into contemporary design objects. Founded by Jana Sawaya, the Beirut-based label works in collaboration with Lebanese artisans to develop functional works that combine conceptual narratives with craft-based production. The name Majnoona, meaning “crazy” in Arabic, reflects the studio’s focus on eccentricity, unpredictability, and creative freedom.

the 253,000 LBP Side table in American walnut with a body clad in reclaimed 250 and 500 LBP coins

reclaimed 250 and 500 LBP coins gradually decrease in density to reveal the American walnut beneath

repurposed currency becomes part of the furniture’s surface language

the 565,500 LBP Side table with a mirrored stainless steel tabletop supported by a cylindrical base

mirrored stainless steel provides a reflective surface in dialogue with the repurposed currency

the coins introduce texture, color, and historical meaning to each piece

the 185,500 LBP Table lamp with a mirrored stainless steel dome shade and cylindrical base clad in coins

coin arrangements create checkerboard, gradient, and zigzag patterns

four limited-edition pieces make up Studio Majnoona’s debut collection

the 234,000 LBP Ottoman with a green velvet upholstered seat and a handcrafted base clad in reclaimed coins

velvet upholstery adds a tactile contrast to the metallic coins

the face value of the embedded coins determines each object’s name

Studio Majnoona transforms cultural memory into collectible furniture

project info:

name: Frata

designer: Studio Majnoona | @studiomajnoona
lead designer: Jana Sawaya

designboom has received this project from our DIY submissions feature, where we welcome our readers to submit their own work for publication. See more project submissions from our readers here.

edited by: Christina Vergopoulou | designboom

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