Ori robotic furniture has been developed by MIT Media Lab and Yves Béhar in response to the growing trend of living in a small space and expecting the comforts of a much larger one. This furniture allows you to do just that. Ori is a modular intelligent unit that transforms the space from a living room to a bedroom, home office and so forth. It is achieved by clever folding mechanisms that house all the necessary components for this conversion. Hidden into the bottom of the unit is a comfortable bed that glides in and out. When tucked in, the bed is hidden under a closet, office and couch to maximize space. When activated, the unit slides in and out to become a bedroom or a more generous living room. One side of the unit hosts a full closet, but also hides a desk for a home office; the other side holds a media center for entertaining. Each room can be preset for a specific space, including preferred integrated lighting so that one touch on the physical interface or on the corresponding app will morph the room. Wonderful idea! Check out the animation after the break to see the product in action.
Brilliant folks at Normal Projects, whose work I featured in some of my previous posts, shared their latest space-saving invention – Partywall. Designed for a private apartment in Chelsea, New York, this clever solution turns an entryway into an elegant entertaining area, complete with bar, tap, refrigerator, humidor for cigars, wine cabinet and lots of storage. Here is how designers describe their creation: “Part wallflower, part party animal. A multiple personality appliance for entertaining with a few surprises up its sleeves.” Indeed. My favorite element is the sliding panel that reveals a dining table. Walnut burl cabinetry with integral LED lighting adds a luxurious touch to the entire piece. See more photos after the break.
This innovative cabinet has been created by Uruguayan industrial designer Claudio Sibille. The piece merges storage with seating in one compact solution. Brilliant for studio apartments where space is of the essence. Available for purchase here.
(thank you, Heiner)
This gem of a piece graces the Berlin live-work apartment of Mira Schröder, exhibition designer for experimental design group BLESS. A spacious desk by day, it rotates into an instant bed! What a great idea for a studio apartment. The desk can be used as a cure for office fatigue. The attachment on the side provides storage and allows to quickly put the work-related stuff away before the transformation can take place. Contact designers directly for pricing and availability.
(via remodelista)
This upcoming furniture collection holds a lot of promise for an urban dweller. Envisioned by studio New York Functional Furniture (NYFU), the line consists of transformable, compact pieces, ideal for cramped city living. Each item is designed with the dual (sometimes triple and quadruple) purpose. I especially love the storage infused desk and imaginative transformable seating. Watch the video after the break to see these pieces in action.
I thoroughly enjoyed browsing the Spinelli convertible beds and desks. Pulled out easily, sometimes with a remote, they transform the place into a new functional area in seconds. Many score points for tiny spaces!..
Maisonnette (French for little house) is a collection of three mobile units, created by Italian designer Simone Simonelli. As the name suggests, the pieces are ideally suited for small spaces. Each item combines several functions in one. The small table can be turned upside down and used as a tray; the trolley is also a side table and the tallest piece can serve as a bookshelf as well as a clothes rail. I am also quite taken by the feminine fragile aesthetic of these designs. Exquisite, almost graphic lines create delightful silhouettes and let the eye forget about cramped living…
(via gessato)
Project UTFSM is a new creation of the studio Elementodiseno. The series of lounge chairs and tables can be stacked together as a puzzle when not in use – what a cool concept. In its folded state, the furniture can serve as a shelving item. And in a party situation (or even in a need of an extra workstation) – the unit can be taken apart to provide searing and surface space. Fabulous.
Mister T is a cute and clever multifunctional piece, created by Paris-based designer Antoine Lesur for French brand Oxyo. In its folded state the item takes less space than a small pouf. But as you unravel it, Mister T becomes a side table, a tray, a stool, a footrest, and even a dining/seating arrangement for two. And each incarnation is marked with functional elegance and simplicity. Who knew that a small basket with two pillows and a tray could do all that… Wishlisted!
(via design-milk)
The Cosma sleeper sofa, created by Thomas Müller and Jörg Wulff for COR, is one of my long time design loves. The minute I saw it in 2007, I’ve made a vow that as soon as I taste financial freedom – I’ll own this brilliant thing. It hasn’t happened for me yet, but for some of you it might – the sofa is on sale at Fab for the next 6 days via Domus Design Collection. Sleek and elegant, Cosma looks nothing like a convertible sofa. All you can see is a modern and attractive 3-seater. The piece features customizable armrests, that slide freely along the slot on the back. An innovative mechanism, hidden on the bottom of the seat, transforms Cosma into a comfortable bed.
