When space is short, a sofa bed with built-in storage for the duvet and sheets can come in very useful. Here are some of our favourites. If it's a choice between a sofa and a bed in a studio flat, then the Snug Cloud Sundae double sofa bed with storage is a great solution. Go for the modular L-shaped version and you can get a built-in storage compartment within which to store your pillows and bedding when the sofa bed is in use as a sofa. It comes in a variety of combinations and fabric choices. If you want something a little more contemporary, the Launceston 3.5-seater sofa bed from Darlings of Chelsea, also comes with a useful, easy-to-access storage compartment. It pulls out into a sofa bed with one easy action and comes in a variety of fabrics and colours. Or, how about a day bed with a drawer underneath for either an extra mattress sleeping area or storage? This Little Folks Furniture daybed can double as a sofas for kids' bedrooms or spare rooms. These daybeds come with a pull-out trundle that can be used for storage for bedding or as an additional sleeping area.
0 Comments
We've unearthed perfect small sofas for weeny rooms Finding the perfect small sofa for a small room is a challenge. It doesn't help that retailers often put the larger sofas on display, making it hard for you to visualise what they would look like in a smaller size. Many stores make sofas to order, however, and many ranges will offer sizes that start from one and a half seaters. Oh and remember that their bum measurements tend to be extra generous too. Most 'three seaters' could easily fit four bottoms comfortably and most two-seaters can squeeze in at least three. When you are buying a smaller sofa, however, it's best to avoid cramming it full of extra cushions and throws. Never go for more than two cushions per sofa, or one cushion and a throw. Keeping it simple ensures that the seating area doesn't feel overcrowded and that the sofa doesn't look overdressed. Keep in mind too that a lower back and sides to the sofa will also let your eye see further into the room, making the space feel much larger. Raised legs that allow you to see under the sofa too, is another optical illusion space enhancing technique.
So to buying and styling a small sofa for a small room:
Read on here to find out how to maximise your dining seating too A fantastic and stylish extending table is hard to find, but I've done the searching for you. Here is my top ten of the best extendable dining tables
It's lovely to be able to entertain occasionally, even if you don't have much space. You might have to push some furniture around and ask your guests to bring their own chairs, but, even if it's just for a few hours, you should always be able to get several people around a table for a meal. The best way to achieve this is with a dining table that can grow.
1. The Mobili extending console table
Extending console tables that morph into dining tables are becoming popular at the top end of the market. I don't think it will be long until they start turning up in stores such as Ikea and Habitat.
This Mobili Fiver Extendable Console Table, shown above from Amazon, can sit neatly against a wall for use as a desk or console table. But, when needed, its legs can then be telescoped out so that several more leaves can be added growing to 253cm deep, comfortably seating ten or more. There are different sizes in between too, for more intimate gatherings. 2. The Collodi White Ceramic Extending 8 to 10 Seater Dining Table
The Collodi White Ceramic extendable dining table makes a lovely eye-catching centre piece to any room. And, with only two legs in the middle of the table, it makes it particularly comfortable to sit around and will also make your room feel that little bit larger. Available with a white or dark grey ceramic top, it extends to seat ten.
3.Carl Hansen & Son CH338 extending dining table
This Sixties-style Carl Hansen & Son designed dining table combines an elegant oval top with slim legs and when it's extended you can hardly see the join. It's available in a range of finishes and extends from 200cm to 260cm.
More on space-saving benches 4. Skovby circular extending dining table
Round tables can grow too. The three leaves in the Skovby SM32 extending circular dining table are stored in its central column and there are no legs to get in the way of guests. In its compact form it seats six and grows to seat eight. It's available in several wood finishes.
5. Tulsa extending dining table
If you're looking to add an urban edge to your room, with its powder-coated metal U-shaped legs and reclaimed wood table top, the Tulsa extending dining table will do just that. When not required, the extension leaf can be hidden underneath the table top.
6. Vox Spot extending dining table
Not only can this table grow to three different sizes, up to 198cm, it also has a clever storage cubby hole, sold separately, which is ideal for storing condiments and cutlery or even a vase of flowers. The matching stools and bench come with integral drawers too.
7. Bonaldo Prora extending dining table
This smart glass-topped acid-treated dining table will never date and it comes in a variety of finishes and in two sizes: the largest of which will extend to 330cm. As it's supported from the centre, no diners will have to arrange their legs around this table's legs either, allowing you to squeeze a few more people around it.
8. Bridget Rectangular Extending Dining Table
This classic farmhouse-style Mango wood extending table is timeless. It comes with two additional wooden leaves, which can be stored within the table when not in use, and extends from 180cm to 240cm.
9. Parquet Pie round extending dining table
This Parquet Pie round extending dining table from Loaf is our favourite small extendable dining table. It has a classic homely feel and converts from an intimate circular table to a cosy oval. It extends from 120cm to 165cm; officially growing from a four-seater to a six seater, but we reckon that you could get eight around it with a push and a shove. The leaf has to be stored separately, but you can stow it under a bed or sofa when not in use.
10. ercol for John Lewis Shalstone table
This sleek mid-century-modern-style table has rounded corners, which softens the design and helps to protect the head's of small children should they bump into them. Its description says it seats up to eight when fully extended from 170cm to 215cm, but we think you could squeeze two at the head and foot sides of this table too.
See how you can create an illusion of space with clever positioning of mirrors
A strategically placed wall mirror can appear to almost double the size of a room. Hang a mirror opposite a window or doorway for maximum effect, as it will reflect the entrance or window back and make a solid wall appear to lead somewhere else. Grouping multiple mirrors makes the reflections go even further.
If you can find a mirror that matches the shape of your home's windows or doors, such as the one above, even better.
You could even cover a whole wall with a mirror. This is particularly effective in a small bathroom. You can find companies all over the web who cut mirrors to fit any space. Or opt for mirrored tiles, as shown above.
Make your mirrors work too. This Dylex mirror with shelf from Amazon doubles up as a shelf, perfect for a bathroom or hallway.
Every little room can benefit form a mirror, just makes sure it's fitting. This bunny-shaped mirror is perfect for a children's room, for example.
Now find out how you can use mirrors to grow your garden here
Check out this brilliant idea for a small home How clever is this? The As if From Nowhere range from Orla Reynolds Studio features a book case that conceals a table and four chairs. It's perfect for a home where you have no room for a permanent dining table or where you occasionally need additional table and seating space when entertaining. The units arrived ready assembled and when you need table space, you simply slide the chairs and tables out of their slots. There is no construction required. If you fancy something a little less boxy, it can be arranged in different configurations too. The units are sold in modular sections. If you need extra chairs and not a table, you could buy just the chair units and let them double up as bedside tables or side tables in the living room. Visit Orla Reynolds Studio for more information. We are always on the hunt for big ideas for small spaces like this one, if you have seen something along these lines do share in the Comments below
Two-legged furniture that leans against a wall saves space and make your room feel larger
Why let four legs support your furniture and take up space on your floor when you can get away with two? The more floor you can see, the larger your room will feel, so the latest double-legged, wall-leaning furniture is perfect for a compact home.
Ladder-style furniture is everywhere at the moment, using the physics of leaning to stay upright. The Five Shelf Ladder bookcase, shown above is from Amazon.
See how transparent furniture will make your small home feel that little bit larger
Philippe Starck's now infamous Louis Ghost Chair for Kartell haunts hundreds of restaurants, hotels and homes across the world. This transparent classic works so well because you can see through it further into the room beyond. Consequently, clear furniture and home accessories work particularly well in a small room, enhancing that all important feeling of space.
This glass-topped coffee table allows you to see the floor below it, which helps to make a space feel larger.
Transparent lighting works just as effectively at creating an illusion of space too. This Kartell light is from Amazon.
Like space enhancing tricks? Discover 25 ways to make a small home feel larger You probably won't find all of these super space-saving features in one dining table, but if you can find a space-saving dining table with one or more of these features, you will free up valuable space in your small homePedestal dining tables
Pedestal dining tables that balance on a single central column are not only space-saving dining tables they are space enhancing too, meaning that they will make your eating area appear a little larger than it is.
As there are no legs around the outside of a pedestal dining table, you can sit more people and fit more chairs comfortably around it. The lack of legs also means that you can see more of the room behind a pedestal dining table too and the more you can see of a room the larger it feels. Although most often matched with round or oval table tops, you can find more contemporary square and rectangular table tops being supported by a single pedestal as well. And you can find them in a host of different materials. Extending dining tables
Extending dining tables are perfect for small homes that can't accommodate a largish table for the bulk of the time, but can on occasion for entertaining a crowd.
Look for extending dining tables that can store the extra leaves required for extending within the body of the table when they're not in use. You don't want to have to find a place to conceal them elsewhere in your home. Extending console tables
Extending console tables are the latest take on the extending dining table design. These tiny tables, best placed against a wall, extend from a slim console table that would seat one at the most, to a long dining table that can be pulled out from the wall to seat twelve or more.
The extending console table shown above is the Mobili Fiver extendable console table, which grows up to 305cm. Click on the link to see how far it can grow. You won't believe how reasonable it is either! Perfect if you live in a very small home and don't want to have to find room for a long dining table permanently. And, it can also double up as a desk. It's a win win. Dining tables with drawers
Dining tables with drawers are invaluable where space and storage is tight. Drawers can be used to store cutlery, table mats, napkins or even a laptop, if your table doubles up as desk. More traditional dining tables with drawers styles tend to feature a drawer at each narrow end of a rectangular table. In more contemporary styles, like the one above, you'll often find drawers on the longer sides.
Drop-leaf dining tables
With drop-leaf dining tables, often also called gate-leg dining tables, the sides of the tables can be dropped down when not in use. You can then drop one or both of the leaves down when the table is not required fully extended and push the table against a wall to save space.
Drop-leaf dining tables date back to the sixteenth century and were particularly popular up until the 1950s, so if you're an antique or vintage furniture fan scour antique markets and car-boot sales for them. The new season's sofas have landed. We've trawled the world to find the very latest best sofas for compact living spaces. Sofa.com's Isla has a timeless classic beauty and could you get any plumper upholstery? We love the natural linen colour too, but if you fear it being too difficult to keep clean, don't worry it comes in a host of other hues. Plus, the covers are removable for washing too. The raised legs will make your room feel larger, but don't overdo the cushions, it will make your space feel more crowded. Another super snugly sofa in on-trend mustard, Rose & Grey's Mabel sofa also comes in a rainbow of colours. Plus, it's stylishly raised off the floor and it has neat little low arms so that the eye can easily see under and and around it, helping to enhance the illusion of space. Did you ever see a more aptly named sofa? Loaf's Layabout Sofa Squidger. It's a hug in a seat and with no hard edges, it's a winner for anyone that is easily bruised. It's bulky, but at just 167cm wide, it's quite weeny. Nevertheless, with people perched on those squidgy arms it should still seat four, more or less comfortably. When it's just being hogged by you, it will be difficult to drag yourself out of this one to bed at the end of an evening! Raised elegantly off the floor with mid-century modern style slim legs, this curvy number from Oliver Bonas manages to look sophisticated and cosy simultaneously. What's not to love? Coming in at just under £900, it's pretty affordable too. Discover how to choose a sofa for a small roomGlazed cabinets will help your small space to feel larger. Find out whyContemporary glazed cabinets
Open shelving makes a wonderful display area for crockery, glasses and vases that are just too pretty to be hidden away behind closed doors when not in use. The problem is, open shelves are also a dust trap. Glass-fronted furniture, such as this contemporary Large Norway Cabinet from Cox & Cox, is a much more functional option. And, because you can see inside the cabinet, it makes your space feel subtly larger and more spacious too.
Opt for semi-translucent glass if you only want to provide a teasing glimpse of what colourful items you have stored within. This industrial-style metal and glass cabinet from Vincent and Barn is fitted with linear fluted glass; as it is running vertically, it will help to make your room feel taller too.
Glazed cabinets don't only come in tall and thin shapes either, as this contemporary glass display cabinet from Rose & Grey demonstrates. Being raised up on elegant slim legs so that you can see the floor beneath, enhances the spacious feel in the room as well.
If you don't want everything your unit contains to be out on display, opt for a glazed cabinet that also comes with some hidden storage. This mid-century modern style unit from Cuckooland has two deep handless drawers beneath the main glazed area. Remember, glazed units take the eye further inside and help to add depth to even the smallest rooms.
Traditional glazed cabinets
For a more homely, period feel, look for a traditional glazed cabinet. The Halifax white storage cabinet, shown above, has a dresser-like look and works equally well in a dining room for books and chinaware, as it does in a bedroom, where colourful neatly stacked sweaters can be piled up behind its glass doors.
Corner glazed cabinets
Make a feature of a corner and increase your storage and display space with a triangular cabinet designed to fit snugly in to the corner of a room. The Florence Corner cabinet, shown above from Amazon, is available in four Farrow & Ballesque colourways: navy, grey, truffle and white, and it comes with a mix of hidden and glazed storage.
Glazed wall cabinets
Glazed cabinets can look great fixed to the wall too. This Homecharm International wooden glazed wall cabinet, shown above from Amazon, has panelled window-style cabinet doors on top and open shelving beneath and is particularly suited to a dining or kitchen area. Just check that your wall can take the weight of the unit and whatever you plan to store within it before purchasing.
Read on for 25 ways to make the most out of your small home
See why pedestal dining tables are particularly suited to small homes A pedestal dining table that is supported by one central column frees up valuable space in a small home. It allows you to squeeze more chairs around it and ensures that no one has to wrestle with a table leg for floor space. A pedestal dining table will also help your room feel larger too, as it allows the eye to see further into the room. Working from your tiny home and desperate for a smallish or even secret workstation that is hardly noticeable when not in use? This guide to secret desks is just what you needWall-hung secret desks
It looks like a chalk board and in this mode it is a chalk board and can be used as one. But the front of this wall-hung Phoenix Desk unit from Amazon folds down and folds out to rest on the floor to become a fantastic WFM secret desk.
It even conceals a storage area that will hold a small laptop, booksand stationary, so all trace of your work can be hidden away at the end of the day. It's reasonably priced and can double up as a kitchen table too. Click on the image above to see the transformation.
Designed to look like a suitcase with a soft upholstered front, this wall-hung hidden desk drops down to reveal a roomy desk area and a storage support for a laptop and books, plus there is a slit for cables to be fed through. Designed by Gam Fratesi for Ligne Roset, you can find much cheaper hidden desks than this one, but here you will be buying a design classic that could well become a collectible in the future.
This SoBuy wall-mounted desk from Amazon doesn't quite fit within the hidden desks category, but with the laptop removed it appears to be a regular bookshelf, so it's one of those secret desks in plain sight.
As wall-mounted desks can be positioned at any height, they make great standing desks too. Just position them at the height you need to stand rather than sit. Bespoke hidden desk ideas
It may cost more, but when you really want to maximise the space you have the best option is often to go bespoke. This secret desk and home office is cleverly concealed within a bank of kitchen units.
Similar bespoke hidden desk ideas could work equally well in a bedroom, hallway or living space too. Plus, when you go bespoke you can have the desk built to your exact height requirements and choose the mix of shelving and drawers to fit your particular storage needs. Hidden home office armoire
You can also find a range of traditional and contemporary hidden home office stand-alone units. You can choose the paint colour, notice board fabric and handles for the armoire shown above from Dormy House, which also comes with cut outs to thread cables through.
Hidden sideboard desk
When the top is pushed in on this sideboard desk, it looks like a standard sideboard. When it's pulled out it turns into a desk top with a hidden office storage organiser beneath. While two drawers and two cupboards flank the central display shelf beneath. At less than £200, this modern sideboard desk is good value too.
Check out these compact stools that provide extra seating on a small footprint
Now, it's unlikely that you can squeeze an extra sofa into your lounge, but you might just have the space for a comfy stool. This Ripley drum stool from Dormy House is available in three sizes and multiple colours and you can even have it upholstered in your own fabric. It's perfect to pull out as an extra seat when entertaining; and when you're not, it becomes a cosy foot rest or additional perch for books or nibbles.
As you can see through the legs of this Perch Upholstery stool into the room beyond, it helps to create that illusion of space that you're forever chasing. Although, if you wanted to make it more stylised and a useful storage area too, you could pop a few small books in a pile under the legs or a neat stack of magazines.
This stool with an on-trend metallic base also contains a useful storage space beneath its seat. Useful for toys, chargers or arts and crafts materials.
A piece of furniture that allows the eye to see through it further into the room will help that room to appear larger than it is. So, if you want your room to feel more spacious, a glass dining table makes the most sense. Here are some of our favourites:
Glass tables come in small packages. Starting at 130cm in diameter, this Porado Infinity round table should comfortably seat six and will look lovely tucked away in a corner dressed with a vase of flowers when it's not in use.
Glass tables are often associated with modern design, and generally the look is contemporary, but this oval piece with its elegant American Walnut legs will fit beautifully into a period setting. The fact that you can see through its base too, means it will really enhance the feeling of space in a room.
Square and rectangular glass table tops are doable too. This Furniture UK Cosmo rectangular table also comes with chairs and comfortably seats four.
Swing seats can be very practical for small spaces, as not only do they look great, they also free up floor space. Here are some of our favourites, just make sure your ceiling can take the weight!
If you've strong ceilings - and you need to get a professional builder, engineer or surveyor in to confirm this - then the on-trend swing seat suspended from above is the perfect addition to your little living space. Plus, their gentle rocking movement makes them incredibly soothing to sit in too. The Nodo Suspension chair, shown above, will add a sculptural feel to your lounge.
These suspended seats work particularly well in a tight space because you can see underneath them and above them. This helps to create an optical illusion of more space, making your room feel larger than it really is. For a seaside feel, check out this VonHaus striped hanging chair from Amazon.
Swing seats often work indoors and outdoors too and they will have the same space-enhancing effect in your garden, but again you need a strong tree branch or similar to hang one from. This Almute hanging chair, shown above, from Wayfair, has a lovely boho feel.
And, kids are particular fans of swing seats. This Kids Nest Swing Chair makes a perfect reading nook and it's not expensive either. Perfect for those head in the clouds moments.
When you're entertaining, it's always useful to have a few extra areas for perching a glass of this or that and a bowl of nibbles. This is when a nest of tables comes into its own. These are the best nesting tables to home in on now.
Go for on trend metal and glass with the Yaheetech round nesting tables from Amazon.
Look for nesting tables that tuck neatly inside each other and are easy to pull out when needed.
For a more casual feel opt for a curved triangular table top. These two Hairpin tables come with handles for easy lifting too.
With more of us working from our little homes, a desk that we can hide away at the end of each working day is hugely beneficial when it comes to creating a work-life balance. The Arnie. M. hidden desk shelving system enables this and it looks great too
Designed in Manchester, England, the Workspace Arnie. M. desk is part of a frame-based wall storage system. The frame fixes to the wall and various inserts, such as the Arnie. M. desk, can then be slotted on to it and arranged to your own requirements.
The desk is particularly well suited to working from home, because when your working day is done, you can pack all your work equipment in to the main body of the desk, flip up the hinged table top and hide it all away. There is no constant reminder on display of all the work that you've still got to plough through. With this modular hidden desk shelving system you can forget about work as soon as you sign off for the night. A modular flexible storage system
With this modular hidden desk shelving system, crafted from sturdy 18mm birch plywood, you can add additional hidden and display storage options underneath, on top and to the sides of the desk. Each unit is ordered bespoke, select the configuration that works best for your space: – the number of frames, door units, inserts and desk spaces – and that's what will be delivered to you.
This frame-based wall-storage system is smart enough to take up a living room or bedroom wall, and, in its most compact form, the hidden desk could be squeezed into a hallway or landing. It's a good option for a child or teen's bedroom too.
And, if your space is a little too small for the standard configurations you can talk to the designers about creating a smaller bespoke hidden desk shelving system. Plus, you can ask for it to be crafted in a specific colour. Check out these super clever folding chairs that double up as wall artIt's always difficult to know how to seat people when you have lots of guests around. It would help if you had a few folding chairs stored away to bring out at such times, but the problem is you don't want them to be cluttering up your broom cupboard or to have to go to the hassle of hiding them under the bed or sofa to keep things looking tidy when they are not in use. Well these ones solve that dilemma for you, they hang as a work of art on the wall! All the way from Germany, Ambivalenz's Fläpps folding chairs can simply be lifted down when you're ready to use them. You just open them up and hey presto, you have a seat. And, they also make a range of funky pull-down shelves too.
Looking for unusual ways to store your books? Here are some great ideas I love the look and feel of a real book. I hate the idea that one day the written word will only be found on an electronic device. And, whilst Ereaders are great for little homes, it's still lovely to be able to have some 'proper' books on display. If shelving space is scare, thinking about where to display them can be tricky, however. We hope that these alternatives to traditional bookcases will inspire you: This funky four-poster bed includes a nifty series of bookcases beneath and at the rear. And, I found space for a neat little stack of books under this pedestal bedside table. Look up as well, when thinking about where to put books. Here a ceiling beam makes a perfect spot for our little library. And, the collection carries on here in our bedroom. I love the way this mini skyline of books brightens up the top of our wardrobes. Regular readers of this blog will know that when TVs are not in use, I think they should not be seen or heard. So, I am always interested to hear about stylish new ways to hide a TV screen. Check this outRegular readers will also know that when I am not writing the Don't Cramp Our Style blog, I am working as a journalist and interior stylist. And, last week I was on a magazine shoot at a fantastic, but tiny cottage on England's south coast, and I came across this super hidden TV idea. One of the homeowners of this property is an artist, and he dreamt up this idea to hide a TV with art. He creates a canvas that fits snugly over a TV, paints it with a wonderful image – seascapes are one of his signatures – and then uses it to hide the TV. When that TV is required, the lightweight canvas is simply lifted off the screen, the popcorn comes out and the film title rolls. Why hide a TV with art?There are other ways to hide a TV. I have a TV that can be made to look like a painting, but the Samsung Frame is pricey and, unless you are willing to subscribe to its premium artwork offering, the choice of artwork is limited. Plus, having the art on display on the Samsung Frame means keeping the screen always on, not the most environmentally friendly way to hide a TV. Maybe I should have just invested my money more wisely in a cheaper TV and a not-too-pricey, bespoke, made-to-measure piece of artwork instead, a much more original hidden TV idea. If you want to hide a TV with art, use my contact page to get in contact with me and I can put you in touch with the artist. Just be sure to always turn off your TV at the wall when it's hidden behind a piece of wall art. |