The Hybrid Chair is currently Kickstarting by Rotterdam based Studio Lorier. A desk chair by day and a lounger by night (or during breaks), the piece is the ultimate small space staple. The frame, made of locally sourced solid oak wood, facilitates the transformation seamlessly. The chair comes in several toned down colors and may be accompanied by the footstool, which in turn can be transformed into a side table. Clever. Check out the video after the break and pledge to get your own.
Woodlyn Folding Desk Shelf from Urban Outfitters presents a clever idea for an improvised workspace that takes virtually no room when not in use. Perfectly functional as a shelf, the piece can be unfolded to provide a writing (or typing) surface. Available for purchase here.
Standing desks are all the rage these days and this clever contribution to the trend by Humble Works is worth a mention. I love the flexibility of this design. Thanks to the multiple slots, anyone can find the correct position for the monitor and keyboard shelves in relation to their eye level and overall height. The piece folds flat when not in use.
Swiss company Kitchoo created a kitchen unit that will fit the tiniest of spaces. In spite of its size, the piece includes all basic appliances: sink, two burners, dishwasher, and refrigerator. And thanks to clever covers, it can even provide some counter space. It comes in a variety of finishes and configurations.
Dutch designer Johan van Hengel created this beautiful minimalist shelving line for Scandinavian design brand MUUTO. Inspired by a play on layers and shadow, shelf’s unique shape is based on a seemingly simple bending technique involving a single sheet of ‘folded’ metal (hence the name). The minimalist fold acts as a practical partition for graphically separating and securing items such as mail, books, perfume and more. This clever shelf also allows showcasing items, by creating interesting visual layers. The piece is available in three sizes and in four colors.
I have a soft spot for pegboards and anything that resembles them, so this furniture line fell right into my thumbs up list. The Crisscross system, designed by UK-based designer Sam Wrigley, is a reusable modular furniture for nomads. It’s quick to build, easy to take apart. No tools required. Fabulous. And because it resembles a pegboard, there are endless storage possibilities. You can add hooks to it, hang things on it, display art, and so forth. Comes in four finishes. Check out the video after the break to see how it works.
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.
Here is a worthy and already well-loved project: Sticotti bookshelf and coat rack. Sustainably made in Argentina, the pieces are modular and can fit space of any size. Thanks to the interlocking principle, the assembly is quick and painless. No toxic glue, no heavy lifting. Just a clever idea masterfully brought to life. Watch the video above to see the products in more detail. See the life stream of the production process here. Currently Kickstarting.
This unusual collection takes the idea of folding furniture to the whole new level. Designer Jongha Choi created a line called De-dimension _ From 2D to 3D. As the name suggests, the pieces fold into a believable 2D artwork, and can be easily unfolded to create actual 3D furniture, namely seating or tables. And once you are done using them, they go back up on the wall. The folding mechanism allows you to achieve this transformation in one swift movement. Neat. Watch the video after the break to see the pieces in action.
In a small space we are limited to a sparse number of furniture items. Which is why each piece has to work harder to deserve its place. The Hybrid Chair by Studio Lorier is a perfect example of a hard-working furniture piece. Thanks to its adjustable height, it can perform three roles at once and serve as a desk, dining, and lounge chair. The strong textile cord allows for a change of height, and the wooden locking mechanism completes the construction of this ingenious object.
