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(Check out our complete collection of Unusual, Creative and Transforming Furniture.)
As cities become denser, we all find ourselves wishing we had more space at times, or wanting to make better use of the space we have. Purchasing changeable furniture that adapts to different uses is one solution to this problem. The above example of the Safe Bedside Table is a more funny than useful. However, the transformable, convertible and collapsible designs below are impressively practical.
FlexibleLove is an amazing piece of furniture that is ecological, adaptable and highly practical. Made of minimal and sustainable materials, this piece converts from a single-person chair into a flexible bench seating up to sixteen people. Don’t believe it? Watch the video.
Tagei is a remarkably beautiful piece of craftsmanship, and somehow manages to be an attractive piece of furniture both when collapsed and extended. One could easily imagine using this as a side table and extending it into a bench for gatherings.
Scheren Regal presents an interesting shelving option. This piece would be highly portable for moves and could be used as a side table until more storage is needed, with an elegant but engineered look typical of good German design.
Futaba is a brilliantly simple design solution, and converts with amazing ease. The quick-and-easy method of transformation makes this one of the more practical transforming items listed here.
ChairLibrary is perhaps a little garish but would certainly work for people whose houses are already overly filled with books. The storage spaces make good overflow storage, at least, as a stop-gap measure before buying more book shelves.
Mogga is a remarkably elegant chair that turns into a table. The actually mechanical means by which it transforms is as impressive as the fact that it can so easily convert from one use to another.
Ali is a neat and simple piece of furniture that can be configured in a variety of ways. It can be folded and stored, used as a long sofa or pair of love seats or even folded flat into a bed. This seems a much more streamlined solution than many hide-a-beds.
Doc is another amazing couch-and-bed solution, but as an added bonus: this one converts into a bunk bed for two. This piece seems like a great solution for people who have visiting friends or farmily who bring children on frequent visits.
Fletcher Capstan Tables are beautifully designed and as expensive as you might expect. Still, one has to weigh the cost of one’s furniture versus the cost of more real estate. Either way, it is impressive to see these in action. Know of other collapsing, converting or transforming furniture? Feel free to share below!
Next: More Convertible Urban Furniture
And: Even More Convertible Urban Furniture
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Be sure to scroll all the way down: the best (pictured briefly above) has been saved for last!
33 Comments
August 24th, 2007 at 1:28 am
I think this is my favorite post so far. All these are great. Especially the Doc. Holy macro.
August 24th, 2007 at 3:32 am
Wow!
The doc sofa/bunk bed is fantastic.
You might want to put it up against a wall though…
Thanks for posting these.
August 24th, 2007 at 10:09 am
Fletcher Capstan Tables is the best!
August 24th, 2007 at 2:01 pm
Yes, I’d like the crank up bookshelf, the corrugated paper chair/bench, and the bunkbed-sofa. Oh, realli? For my birthday? For free?
Allright!
August 24th, 2007 at 4:50 pm
Wow!
What a neat article and neat furniture.
August 24th, 2007 at 5:20 pm
Should add this to the list…
http://dwr.com/productdetail.cfm?id=7830
August 24th, 2007 at 5:44 pm
omfg l33t furnijure.
August 24th, 2007 at 6:47 pm
I first found out about this website (Web Urbanist) when i came across the post about “Guerilla Gardening” and have since been facinated. Keep up the good work. I would so buy a Doc for my room but i probably need a version that turns into a double bed like the Ali for my lady friends.
August 24th, 2007 at 8:32 pm
Ya that Doc is sweet! Having one of those in my room would be awesome!
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Max … Out!
August 25th, 2007 at 3:04 pm
I prefer the ho-made approach (regardless who’s the ho). My bed/couch solution is a futon pad, sans futon. Boxes covered with colored duct tape serve as end tables/extra storage. And the LEDs on my computer & entertainment center double as reliable night-lights.
August 28th, 2007 at 8:46 pm
I love your sense of style. Very functional furnishings! And an eye-catching website to boot ;-) Love that header!
Thanks for your very cool view.
August 29th, 2007 at 5:39 am
Very nice list. Thought the doc was rather cool, looks pretty comfortable as well
September 2nd, 2007 at 11:27 pm
Do want. I’m the efficiency type of person and these would really make a nice addition to my home. Thanks!
October 6th, 2007 at 3:59 am
Very nice. Multipurposing and multifunctioning are among the only hopes left for our resource backdropped planet. On my visit to Japan in 2004 I was amazed to see how much space can be saved by using more efficient design. The west should make an effort on this direction as well. Cheers.
June 3rd, 2008 at 7:08 am
Those furnitures are absolutely brilliant. Lots of thoughts has been gone through in creating such space saving furniture. We may require more additions to this concept as our cities are getting more and more congested. Nice Post
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