6 Multi-Purpose Furnishings for Small Rooms
February 27, 2012 
(Altea Relax sofa-bed unit, from Resource Furniture)
Janet Ramin - Are you pressed for space? Looking for additional storage? Feeling cramped where you live? If you answered yes to any of these questions, then this post can help you. I’m very tough on my furniture – I not only expect them to look good, but I expect them to work really hard for me. How, you ask? I make sure they fulfill a function, preferably several functions. I want them to multi-task!
If you have a small room or live in a cramped city apartment like I do, each piece of furniture I place has to do more than one thing. For instance, this bed from Bo Concept lifts up and doubles as storage space for blankets, sheets, etc. You can even store old design magazines in there. I can then free up my dresser from storing linens to just house only my clothes. If you’re a clotheshorse like me, this is essential!
(Storage bed from Bo Concept)If you have a studio that functions as a bedroom and a living space, then you know Murphy beds are a wonderful solution to store away your bed. Resource Furniture goes one step further – they add a sofa or a desk so that their Murphy unit houses multiple furniture. The Swing unit below shows a sofa and a bookcase but hidden behind it is the bed which swings out and over the sofa when in use.
(Swing unit from Resource Furniture)
(Swing unit from Resource Furniture)Another configuration is their Cabrio unit – this houses a twin bed as well as a desk, great for a child or teen. You just lift the desk upwards and the bed behind the wall swings outwards. There is also storage on the either side of the desk. The Cabrio comes in a multitude of fun colors too.
(Cabrio unit from Resource Furniture)
(Cabrio unit from Resource Furniture)
If you don’t have a dining room, as many apartments nowadays leave this room out, but you still want to invite a few guests for an intimate dinner occasionally, then this multi-purpose coffee table is for you. The Passo table, also from Resource Furniture, rises to the occasion! The Passo starts out at 10.5” for coffee table height then lifts up to 30.5” for dining table height. Pull out the extra leaves from underneath and you have a longer table. Add a couple of folding chairs, and voila, instant dining space! You can also use the Passo as a desk when you need an occasional home office.
(Passo table from Resource Furniture)
(Passo table from Resource Furniture)If you like to dine in your living room (with the tv on!) but you find bending over the coffee table back-breaking, then these coffee tables from Macys and Barclay Butera will save your back. The Oasis table from Macys lifts up to reveal storage and also provides a comfortable height to dine on. The Oasis is available in contrasting cherry and walnut veneers, great for traditional rooms. For a more modern room, we have the Hudson coffee table from Barclay Butera, available in lacquered or wood finishes.
(Oasis table from Macys)
(Hudson Hi-Lo Table from Barclay Butera)Don’t settle for the basic furniture if you lack space – there are many furniture pieces out there that can do double duty!
This post reprinted with permission of Sheffield School. Are you interested in learning more about furniture Take a look at Sheffield School's Complete Course in Interior Design. At Sheffield, you will learn how to transform a space, create color schemes, and select furniture, lighting, and accessories.
Reader Comments (2)
Love these space saving design ideas! Also consider Zoom-Room, the 21st century Murphy Bed. It's electronic, remote controlled and, unlike traditional Murphy Beds, snakes behind an elegant cabinet so you can use the space in front for a flat screen TV or bookshelves. Check it out at www.Zoom-Room.com.
With less and less affordable square footage these are fab ideas. As well as space saving, it's also worth thinking about perceptively opening up your small space with the use of mirrors, in particular convex mirrors are super effective at really opening up a room.
You can check some really beautiful, hand-finished ones out here: www.omelo.co.uk