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Architect’s TOP 10 Furniture Items for Small Homes
Architect’s TOP 10 Furniture Items for Small Homes
Living in a small space can be challenging, but it doesn’t mean you have to compromise on comfort or style. Drawing from years of experience in architectural design for small homes, here’s a curated list of the top 10 space-saving furniture items that can help make your small home feel larger and more functional.
10. Gate Leg Tables
Gate leg tables are a versatile solution for dining needs. They fold down to the size of a console table, utilizing hinged leaves that can be propped up when needed. Perfect for small dining areas, they can accommodate up to six people and be easily pushed against a wall when not in use. However, consider their weight and structure when selecting one to avoid tricky lifting mechanisms.
9. Folding and Stacking Chairs
Chairs and stools that fold or stack are invaluable in small homes. They can be easily stored away when not in use and work well with gate leg tables. Stacking stools, in particular, can double as side tables and provide flexible seating options. Opt for lightweight and aesthetic designs to ensure comfort without sacrificing style.
8. Coffee to Dining Tables
Coffee tables that convert to dining tables are ideal for homes without a dedicated dining space. They usually allow for adjustments in height and can transform seamlessly for meals. When hosting, they provide a generous surface area while still functioning as a stylish coffee table.
7. Storage Sofas
Storage sofas tackle clutter effectively by providing hidden compartments for your belongings. They can serve as a stylish seating option while keeping items like bedding or seasonal clothing neatly tucked away. For aesthetics, consider using storage boxes beneath to create a more polished look.
6. Ottoman Beds
Ottoman beds are excellent for maximizing bedroom storage. Although they can be heavy, they offer room for items that you won’t access daily. They provide a focal point in the bedroom and are perfect for those who lack space for a separate dresser or wardrobe.
5. Toe Kick Drawers
These underutilized drawers fit beneath kitchen cabinetry and provide extra storage in an often-wasted space. They are fantastic for items you want to keep out of sight but still need easy access to. DIY options allow for customization, making it a unique addition to your kitchen.
4. Wall Beds (Murphy Beds)
Murphy beds are the ultimate game-changer for studio apartments. They fold away when not in use, maximizing your floor space. Modern designs often feature gas mechanisms that make them easy to operate, making them suitable for a variety of layouts.
3. Extending Dining Tables
Extending dining tables can expand from a compact size to accommodate larger gatherings. These versatile tables usually hide additional leaves within their structure, making them a practical option for both small and large homes.
2. Daybeds
Daybeds serve a dual purpose, functioning as both a sofa and a bed. With the ability to store bedding and pillows underneath, they make for a cozy addition to any room, transforming the space into a multi-functional area.
1. Multi-Functional Furniture
At the top of the list is multi-functional furniture that blends seamlessly into any home while offering maximum utility. Look for pieces that combine storage, seating, and sleeping options—all in one. This kind of ingenuity is essential for adapting your small home to your lifestyle needs.
Each of these space-saving furniture items has been selected for their ability to enhance both functionality and aesthetics in small homes. By carefully selecting the right pieces, you can maximize your living space without sacrificing style, comfort, or usability.
good
9:01 no place for hosting? How boring are your parties?😂
I appreciate your tips.
Wonderful ideas
wait are daybeds the same thing as futons?
Could the Flekke twin-to-king daybed be used only partially extended with a full or queen mattress?
I know it’s not the original intent of the piece, but would it be stable/sturdy if used that way?
Murphy beds also come in horizontal formats, too, and there are some hideaway beds that look like the mattress completely folds in half in the short direction and stands vertically in a console or counter height cabinet.
I have also seen a transformer type of table that has two ottoman like stools that convert into 5 seating stools each (inside is nested wire frames for four additional stools and the outside of the stool has detachable cushions that become the seating surface for the wire-frames) and they fit under the transforming table when it is in console mode so the only floor space taken up the console table itself.
My grandparents had those toe kick drawers as did all their neighbours mainly for baking materials and similar stuff – 1960 kitchens. Have not seen them since.
Those dual use tables are quite common, they have been tiled and fitted with a crank on the side in the 1980s – 1990s
You’re so talented, wow!
This man speaks precisely and designs precisely
5:35 they make these top lift tables with more options now…the top folds over allowing people to sit on all sides of the table.
15:43 Extendable dining tables seating up to 10 people were popular WAY before I was born 🤣 Actually, even before parents were born.
Aalto stool actually has a surprisingly complicated structure compared to the imitations, and those almost hundred-year-old stools are still solid, unlike the flimsy knockoffs. Artek is expensive, though.
Murphy beds strike me as a great guest bed idea but not so good as your regular bed. The last thing I want to do at bed time is any sort of physical exertion which would be necessary to get furniture out of the way and then pull down the bed.
There is one more reason why there are no drawers (or in fact, if built properly no wood contact with the floor) instead of the toe-kick. It’s to prevent or minimize water damage. That doesn’t mean that you can’t install drawers but you have to water into consideration.
I want a combo sewing table [countertop height] and dining table that can move up and down. And maybe add leaves to it. Yes this is like a sit-to-stand desk but a sewing countertop level table needs to be very large to accommodate cutting fabric. Ive thought about having one custom made but so much $$$.
i don't get dog water being in a drawer – dogs need access 24/7 to water. And food is 1-2 times/day then put away. Nope Nope
I was hoping to see doors for small bathrooms that fold off to the side saving space in the bathroom.
Top tip: If you never make friends, you will never need a living or dining area.
If you can’t put your toes beneath the counter you’re standing in front of, you will either bend forward at the hips & waist when you’re working, or you will extend your forearms forward from your shoulders. Spend even a short period of time in either of these postures on a regular basis and you WILL begin to feel it in your lower back (first posture), or upper back and shoulders (second posture.) How you then position your head to accommodate your new poor upper body posture determines the severity of the headaches you will begin to experience. Toe kicks are there for reasons of occupational health. Fill them in if you want but unless all you do in your kitchen is brew a coffee once in a while you are going to pay the price in back pain, neck & shoulder pain & headaches. (Source: me. I’m not an Occupational Therapist but ergonomics is my day job. I help people track down the sources of their aches & pains all day long & work with OT’s whose clients are in pain. There are better places to stash your trays.)
Love your channel. I'm also a firm believer in function over fashion … especially in the kitchen. I'm in the process of designing my new apartment, and your videos have been an inspiration … and a great help.
Your videos are so good. Thank you.
murphie bed and any kind of transformering furntire got to be the most self contradicting product i have ever seen. If anyone can afford them, they wouldn't be living in a house that small to begin with. The only place i can see it been used is rich people's city center apartment where they try to add a guest bedroom
One great thing about Murphy beds is that they can be combined with so many other pieces of furniture: desks, sofas, dining tables, bookcases, etc. In my studio ADU, I put a Murphy bed/sofa combo (similar to the one in your video, but smaller) because it was the only way to fit both a sofa and a bed in the space. As far as storage in the toe kicks, be careful. My designer says she used to install that for her clients, but she now highly recommends not getting it because they scratch the floors as they slide in and out. She said every one of her clients who got toe kick storage complained about scratched floors.
I have a toe-kick drawer in my new kitchen, under my oven. My friends have dubbed it my "murder drawer", as it's where I've taken to storing my commonly used tools (box cutter, screwdriver, hammer, etc) 😆
My Dream boy
Tip 5, Toe kick drawers, super idea, were fitted to our almost all drawer kitchen in 1981 which is still timeless and in excellent order .
You have no idea how refreshing it is to hear an architect's perspective.
😊⁹😊⁹
We have an antique gateleg table. Very nice. But, legs don't lock. Always concerned when moving table that table might collapse. Never happened…yet.
The fact that you mention Murphy beds completely discredits you. So by giving up all the storage space below the bed and all the storage space on the wall above the bed I can gain some empty floor space that can not have anything permanent residing there… How does that save me space?
these are great ideas. Full disclosure: i subscribed to this channel & liked the vids simply because he smartly/kindly shows his feet without shoes 18:13. How do those no-show socks even stay on? 😅
Had that exact gateleg table. Loved it and hated it. If I had a tiny place again I'd get it. We never stacked our chairs though. I'd get folding chairs.
Ottoman beds arent that expensive depending on where you get them from
His hair is always perfect
Used a trundle in a small bedroom for my daughter to be able to have friends stay… worked very well
Gateleg (or butterfly) tables need castors. There's no point if it's heavy and stuck in place.
I lived in a very small apartment before and as these are all excellent and creative ideas… after some time using these pieces of furniture are very tiring to unfold, assemble and disassemble. 🙁 I prefer having less or smaller furniture than doing all this work when I have little space to work with. As always – great video. 😉
1:50 есть столы, где вместо двух складных ножек используется 4. Такие столы были распространены во времена СССР, может быть и не только в СССР, не знаю.) по ссылке картинка, как он выглядит, в России такой стол называют "стол-книжка" https://rms.kufar.by/v1/list_thumbs_2x/adim1/771069cb-a280-4da8-a20f-3a82d9315f4d.jpg
I hate daybeds. You can't use them as a sofa because they are too deep and your knees don't bend at the edge. You have to put hige pillows on them to make them the width of a sofa, but even then your feet won't reach the floor. They are ok to use in a guest room that you also use as an office like he does.
Do you have any recommendations for nice extendable tables
If this is one of these videos about these clever furniture, ideas that the average person cannot afford to buy it is a shame. Yes you can buy some of this kind of stuff at IKEA. But I was watching a site with the furniture was so club run beautiful and it was $3000 for something that look like yikes. So people that can afford expensive furniture by expensive furniture. But they also generally live in bigger houses. So in a way this can kind of be self-defeating in an odd way if it’s not done with the cost factor for the average person and their family. Thanks.
Ikea makes cheap MDF, pressed wood, plastic flimsy furniture. i would never ever buy anything from Ikea
Comment appelle on vôtre bureau (celui qui descend et remonte) s'il vous plaît ?
I think your solution where the chests-of-drawers supported the mattress should have gone higher on your list. I love it.
I’m moving next month & I will be building that in my bedroom. Thanks for that fantastic idea & instructions.
I dislike all transformer furniture. I prefer to live in bigger flats, to allow myself the privilege to not fold-in-fold-out wooden planks, to not move mattresses etc.
I am avoiding this stuff because because it becomes clunky overtime, can break and collapse on use or stop to move smoothly. It looks tidy in videos but in reality it is kinda pain in the arse. Also a lot of my friends have transformer beds that is constantly in open state, so it becomes just worse version of the bed (I'm not talking about daybeds, just sofa-bed transformer).
Have nothing bad to say about storing something under the bed. Except when you need to elevate mattresses, it could be hard for elder people
Now on your third video and really liking your lists and ideas for inspiration. Definitely now a new sub. Thx!
No farmhouse country or antiques too modern