RESIDENTIAL ADVICE: MULTIFUNCTIONAL FURNITURE
Over the last few years, there’s been a growing interest in multifunctional furniture, and retailers seem to be offering us more options than ever before. But what do we mean by multifunctional furniture, and why has it become so popular?
Interior design expert Sylvia James at HomeHow.co.uk takes a look at the rising trend and shares some interior tips to help you make the most of multifunctional furniture in your home.
What Do We Mean By Multifunctional Furniture?
There are several ways in which furniture can be multifunctional. It could be something that’s adaptable, has more than one purpose or can be used flexibly. This includes:
- Modular furniture that can be switched around easily to suit different occasions.
- Furniture that’s being used for more than one purpose. For instance, a bookcase that also serves as a room divider.
- Convertible furniture, like a sofa bed or an adjustable height table.
- Furniture that’s designed for more than one function, such as a pouffe that can be used as a seat and a side table or a kitchen island with storage and a breakfast bar.
- Items, including ottoman beds and boot room benches, that have integrated storage.
Why Has Multifunctional Furniture Become So Popular?
The use of multifunctional furniture is on the rise as we look to make more of our small spaces. As it frees up floorspace and reduces visual clutter, it can be a cost-effective solution when we can’t afford to move or improve.
Multifunctional furniture works well with modern lifestyles, too. For instance, it helps us keep open-plan spaces flexible to enable socialising and multi-generational living.
Tips For Using Multifunctional Furniture in Your Home
There are lots of benefits to using multifunctional furniture in your home. But if you’re unsure about what type of furniture to use where here are some top tips to follow:
Extend Your Space With Vertical Pieces
You can do more with a small space by thinking vertically and increasing your storage. For instance, a tiny bedroom can accommodate guests and home working with the help of a ladder desk and a Murphy bed that has integrated storage.
Home Office Solutions
A ladder desk isn’t the only multifunctional furniture you can use to create a compact home office. For example, a bedroom dressing table can double as a desk. Alternatively, you could use a bureau, or a sideboard or dresser with a slide-out desk. If you have a bit more space, there are cabinets and cupboards available that open up into workstations.
Turn Open Plan into Broken Plan
You can use furniture to zone the different areas of an open-plan space. Bookcases and display shelves can be used as screens to separate off small areas, and a modular corner sofa can be arranged so that it defines a seating area.
Go Modular for a Flexible Layout
When you’ve only one living space, modular furniture is worth embracing. It can be easily adapted and expanded, enabling you to switch your layout around to suit different activities, such as conversing with friends or throwing a film night. Modular seats and storage units are also easy to add to and reconfigure as the family grows and needs change.
Be Ready for Any Occasion
If you’d like to welcome more guests but struggle with space, consider using extendable and convertible furniture such as an extendable dining table with foldable chairs and a sofa bed or chair beds.
Boost Seating and Storage
To boost storage and seating in every room, look for multipurpose furniture such as storage bench seating for the dining room and hallway and sofas and day beds with hidden storage in the lounge and bedrooms.
Sneak In More Storage
When you’ve got a compact home, storage is everything. So, look to smaller solutions such as ottoman-style coffee tables and bathroom mirror cabinets to sneak in more storage without losing valuable floor space.
Features to Consider
The Design
You can improve the flexibility of furniture by sticking to simple, classic designs and materials like plain wood and neutral-hued upholstery to enable pieces to work in more than one space.
The Quality
Hard-working furniture needs to be durable and well-made if it’s going to stand up to heavy use. So, always check the quality of furniture before you buy. For instance, sofa bed mechanisms need to be robust and mattresses comfortable if they’re going to be used frequently. Tables that serve multiple functions, such as for dining and home working, can be subject to more spills, scuffs and scratches. So, you want to avoid thin veneers and surfaces that stain easily.
The Suitability
If you want your living space to remain adaptable, choose lightweight furniture so it’s easy to move around. If you’re using a bookcase or display unit as a room divider, think about using an open unit so it doesn’t block the light. This will help to keep the open plan and small spaces feeling bright and airy. Also, consider how easy the furniture is to clean. Especially prominent and heavily used pieces, like sofa beds.
Final Thoughts
It’s no surprise that multifunctional furniture is on the rise. Their practical and space-saving qualities can offer you more flexibility than conventional furniture. So, they not only suit small homes and modern lifestyles but also large families and multi-generational living.
MORE ABOUT THE AUTHOR… SYLVIA JAMES: Sylvia James has worked as an interior design expert for over 15 years. Sylvia is skilled at creating beautiful home designs and can work with a range of budgets to suit the homeowner. In addition, Sylvia also provides expert interior design tips and advice for HomeHow.co.uk, and her tips have been published in a range of leading press publications.
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