Living in a small space is not always easy. One common difficulty is not having the right furniture for varying situations. You may want to keep things tidy and spacious for yourself, however if you have a guest you may need additional seating or a table. It is complicated to balance your need for everyday living versus what you may need in the event of company. Storing additional furniture is not always a realistic option. Furniture that is capable of fulfilling multiple needs becomes very important in smaller spaces. The Kewb is a good example of multifunction furniture.
The Kewb is a versatile piece of furniture. It can be used as a simple side table (which contains the cushions), a chair, a lounge or a small table with seat cushions and much more. It is also possible to combine multiple Kewbs to create sofas and provide even more options. The Kewb is constructed from high quality solid lacquered hard wood. There are also a wide variety of fabric options available.
It does have a futon look about it that will not agree with everyone's taste and décor. However, the Kewb is fairly inexpensive which makes it perfect for dorms and first apartments. The Kewb is a truly versatile piece of furniture if you are looking for an inexpensive piece with a multitude of uses. Check it out.
Available at Sit n' Sleep. Price: 319 British Pounds
I've admired Blue Dot furnishings for some time. They offer a wide selection of reasonably priced modern furniture. I have recently discovered the Really Good Chair.
The Really Good Chair is, well, a really good idea. The chair is made of a thin gauge, laser cut, powder coated steel. It is a clean modern design. It is light and its thin profile makes it perfect for smaller spaces. Not so extraordinary to the casual observer upon seeing the assembled product -- the assembly is extraordinary part. The chair is shipped in a flat cardboard box. The pieces include the back and the seat in the flat, the legs, some spacers and the connecting hardware.
The amazing thing about the assembly of the chair is the bending. The back and seat of the chair are shipped flat and require bending -- a sort-of steel origami. The pieces that require bending are perforated with a laser so the bending is easily accomplished by hand. A portion of the cardboard shipping box is cut out and used as an angle-checking tool. You simply bend the pieces check the angle and bend the next angel.
When the two bent pieces are assembled they are quite rigid and strong, in fact they make a Really Good Chair. Price: $99
Who hasn't wanted to live in a loft at some point? I think we all go through a phase where we crave the ultra sheik openness of loft living. So how do you get that spacious loft feel in a small home or apartment? Well Compact Living, a Swedish company, has the solution.
Compact Living designs prefabricated easy-to-install lofts for just about any space. Just contact them with the dimensions of your space and they produce a custom loft for you. There are multiple options from sleeping lofts to larger extended living lofts.
Unlike cheaper loft bed kits that look like they have been slapped together from left over deck materials, Compact Living loft beds are constructed of high quality materials. There are multiple options for supporting the lofts from wall mounting to ceiling hangers and leg options. Each loft is designed based on your needs.
Simply lofting your bed frees up space for additional living and in a small apartment or home. It can be a significant gain. You also get the added benefit of being able to say you have a loft.
Sharper Image has come up with a microwave for the truly space challenged. The iwavecube is being billed as the world's first and only truly portable microwave.
The iwavecube is tiny at 10x10.5x12 -- it is much smaller than any other small microwave I have seen. This microwave would be perfect for micro kitchens found in may efficiencies these days. It is a bit power challenged at 350 watts, which means you'll be waiting a bit longer for that popcorn. Its size also greatly restricts what you'll be able to cook in it. The iwavecube is also very quiet which is always a plus in small spaces.
If you have a tiny kitchen the iwavecube could be just the microwave for you. Just don't try to defrost you're Thanksgiving Turkey in it. Available at Sharper Image $129.99.
Cooking in a small kitchen can be painful. Luckily kitchen renovation is big business these days. More and more manufacturers and renovators are producing products and solutions for smaller spaces.
The Classic Worktop Collection of sinks by Julien is an excellent example of efficiency in smaller design. These sinks are constructed of beautiful durable stainless steel. What makes these sinks special is the integration of unique features into the sink bowl itself.
The 0450 model has three utensil wells and a wooden knife block that can be stained to match your cabinetry. There is also a flip open drawer in the backsplash to stash items like your sponge or brushes.
The units are top mounted so they are easily retrofitted into existing countertops. By adding storage to the area behind the sink bowl, these sinks pack a lot of bank for their space buck.
