SUSTAINABLE MULTIFUNCTIONAL FURNITURE FOR ...

SUSTAINABLE MULTIFUNCTIONAL FURNITURE FOR HOUSEHOLD USE

A THESIS

Presented to the University Honors Program

California State University, Long Beach

In Partial Fulfillment

of the Requirements for the

University Honors Program Certificate

Maggie Zhao

Fall 2015

I, THE UNDERSIGNED MEMBER OF THE COMMITTEE,

HAVE APPROVED THIS THESIS

SUSTAINABLE MULTIFUNCTIONAL FURNITURE FOR HOUSEHOLD USE

BY

Maggie Zhao

______________________________________ Debra Satterfield (Thesis Advisor) Department of Design

California State University, Long Beach

Fall 2015

Table of Contents

Abstract 1

Chapter

1 –Introduction

Background Information 2

Statement of the Problem 2-3

Research Question 3

Significance of the problem 3-4

Thesis statement/Assumptions 4

Methods 4

2 – Research/Literature Review

Small Space solutions

Japan 5

United Kingdom 6

Sweden 7

France 8

Germany 11

United States 13

Italy 14

Ireland 17

3 – Conclusion, Discussion &Recommendations

Evaluation map 19

Conclusion 21

Pictures 22

Works Cited 29

Sustainable Multifunctional Furniture for Household Use| 1

Abstract

Working in a very limited amount of space is one of the many contributing factors to

problems many families are facing. This has been a condition that we have faced for a very long

time. College sharing dorm rooms have no privacy or the storage space. Families have no room

to store their belongings and it begins to overcrowd other room such as the living room. Thus,

leaving no room to sit or chat in the living room.

To address such concerns, designers have been trying to develop space saving furniture

by uses of multiple functions. We try to combine spaces together in means of gaining more

space for other things. However, designing a piece may not give us all the outcomes we want.

Combining two spaces may give us the space we want, but not the comfort level and

affordability range.

To explore this concept, this thesis will be about the exploration of furniture from

different cultures and how their furniture can help in maximizing space yet give the comfort, and

affordability level low income families can afford. Eight countries will be researched. By using

analytical skills, we would be able to determine which furniture have the factors that work.


Chapter 1– Introduction

Background Info

According to the United States Census Bureau, the population in the United States is

estimated to be 320,087,963 people by the end of 2014. Since 2000, the population rate has been

steadily increasing. In 2013, the Unites States was ranked as the third most populous country in

earth following China and India. In 2014, California was ranked as the most populous state in

the United States. In 2013, Los Angeles was ranked second following New York City as the

most populous city in the United States. In addition many cities are becoming over populated.

With over population, cities are facing a need for increased affordable housing. This is

especially true for low income residents. (United States Census Bureau. 2015)

With population and space becoming issues, better furniture design will improve our

daily lives. As long as we have lived, we have always been trying to invent more products to

help us save space and/or be multifunctional. Many designs can be traced back to the early

1900s. An example would be a foldable bath in 1915. (Life Edited 2013) It was within our

nature to condense our spaces and to make our lives easier. From fire to candles to the

incandescent light bulbs, we have always been inventing and revolutionizing ourselves.

Statement of the Problem

Many college students live away from home. These students either live in dorms or

shared apartments or rooms close to their schools. As full time students, they do not have the

luxury to afford an apartment to themselves. They often do not have the luxury to afford an

apartment to themselves and therefore many share rooms with other students. For example, a


shared room with one other person and a meal plan at California State University, Long Beach

costs about $1,400 per month. An apartment in Long Beach can cost about $1,500 for a two

bedroom. Thus, is it understandable for students to share the rooms to reduce the cost of rent.

Sharing a room means that each person has less living space and less storage space. Single

working parents and low income families also have difficulties affording an apartment that is big

enough to satisfy their needs. Because of this lack of space there is a need for affordable

multifunctional furniture.

Research Questions

What do homeowners and renters look for when they buy furniture? What kind of

multifunctional furniture are most desirable? When comparing two types of furniture,

multifunctional vs non-multifunctional, what factors are considered in our decision-making

process? Do price and durability play a factor in our decision-making? Does a target audience’s

culture influence the types of multifunctional furniture that they select?

Significance of the Problem

To be able to pinpoint the factors which that make excellent multifunctional furniture,

designers need to market their products toward the right target audience. Designers need to

know how buyers make decisions based on factors such as durability, quality, function and/or

cost. Understanding these factors will make designers better, able to create furniture that will

help low income buyers solve spatial problems in their homes in ways that are affordable.

Designers will be able to find out what furniture will highly be bought. They would be able to


know what functions, buyers are looking for. Factors such as what kind of furniture works really

well and factors which doesn’t work as well can help them determine what needs to be fixed.

Understanding these factors will also help homeowners in their decision-making. If

affordability is a problem, then buyers look for low cost furniture that is tailored to their specific

space needs.

Thesis Statement

To meet our goals, we need multifunctional furniture that can save space. Furniture that

does not take up a lot of floor space will allow for more flexibility in the use of space in a home.

It must also be aesthetically pleasing. The ease of flexibility of the furniture will determine how

often it is actually used for its multiple functions. The unit must also been adaptable to any

environment. Being able to adapt to different environments will allow for more users of

different size and shape.

Methods

Multifunctional furniture produced by different designers from many different countries

will be reviewed and discuss with regard to how effective each is in improving the living

conditions of residents in small living spaces. The furniture will be analyzed according to the

research questions. Each piece of furniture will be evaluated based on its quality, function, price

and durability.

Chapter 2 – Furniture/Space Review


Small Space Solutions

Japan

Japan has a highly dense population. Affording big apartments or rooms are considered a

luxury. In the highly dense city of Tokyo, people literally live in a box apartment referred to as

‘cabinet’ rooms or ‘geki-sema’; shared houses. Surprisingly these small rooms cost $600 per

month. (Buczynski, Beth. 2013)

These shared rooms/cabinets are stacked on top of one another, like lockers. The tiny

cabinet rooms are only big enough for sleeping and for storing very small amount of possessions.

The rooms are two tatami mats in area of approximately 6 feet by 6 feet. These rooms are

approximately enough room for an adult to lie down completely flat.

Residents living in these rooms would share a communal toilet and bath. According to

resources these small rooms would cost less for heating and cooling. But nonetheless, it would

be hard for one person to keep a lot of things with them in the room. These rooms are usually

rented by young adults who spend most of their time working or outdoors, thus the room is

mainly for sleeping. (Ashcraft, Brian. 2013)

In Koriyama, Japan Kotaro Ansai an architect maximized space by creating a staircase

called Top drawer that connects the living room and the second story of a 1,078 square foot

home with cabinetry. Carpenters cleverly constructed the staircase with pull out drawers or

cubies for storage on each face that could be seen. The handles on the cubbies are also affixed

with letters for organization purposes. Every space was definitely maximized to its full potential

without any going to waste. The design is very clean and simple. It help unclutter space in a

clever and playful way. The design is very sleek and modern with the usage of plywood. (Bird,

Winifred. 2012)


Designed by the Toshihiko Suzuki Architect of Atelier OPA, ‘Kenchikukagu’ is an

office, bedroom and kitchen that is folded out from mobile three boxed cabinet. The three boxes

are set on wheels for easy mobility and to be tucked away when it is not in use. The office is

quite unique and comfortable with a workable surface. It is also integrated with a seat and

storage system. There is also a LED lighting fixture attached. The office also comes with

magnets that can be used to attach notes, umbrella, jacket, bag or whatever is needed.

The bedroom comes with a foldable bed and LED light fixture. There is also a small

table. This unit will be great for guest when they are staying over. The last box is a kitchen unit

with a fold out table for prepping. There is also a sink and drawers that slides out on the side. It

also has an induction cooktop and recipe holder. The company is also working on developing a

furniture set for children as well as a bedroom that is suited for the elderly. (Kinnear, Stephanie.

2008)

The design is very clean with wood finish on the exterior and white finish in the interior.

The design also comes in silver, black, red and natural or dark wood grain. The design cost

about $7,600. The office space is very unique and could be used in business to create a different

space. It is also a good way to keep organize. The price does seem affordable when we are

offered three spaces. The pieces also could be sold individually.

United Kingdom

There is also a shortage of homes in the United Kingdom, thus the prices has risen for

properties. According to the Royal Institute of British Architects about half the number of

people surveyed, 47 percent did not have enough space for the furniture they own. Of the total

amount of people surveyed, 57 percent did not have enough storage space in their homes. The


average space of a one bedroom home is about 496 square feet. That is basically a room that is

22 feet by 22 feet. According to the research, this is less than the minimum standards set by

London.

Research by Royal Institute of British Architects also states that Ireland’s home is about

15 percent bigger than the United Kingdom. Holland’s homes are about 53 percent larger than

those in the UK and Denmark is about 80 percent larger. Even the average size of a three

bedroom home is smaller than the set minimum required in the United Kingdom. Research

shows that a typical three bedroom home is about 947 square feet. (Castella, Tom de. 2013)

Sweden

The Matroshka Furniture AB Company is based in Sweden. The company started in

2009 with three students, Sara Remnerth, Anna Fossane and Anna Thorsaeus from Mid Sweden

University. Their focus was on making furniture with quality, comfort and function. They

want to give their customers furniture that is beyond the ordinary. The Matroshka furniture set

was inspired by Russian wooden rolls that are hidden within each other. Similarly, the furniture

set functions the same way. (Matroshka Furniture. 2012)

Four different uses are hidden within the furniture set. In doing so, they combined the

main functions of a home together. The company focused on seeing the room as a volume inside

of an area, while also creating space for storage. The furniture set must also be comfortable and

appealing. Thus, the company combined the bedroom, study, dining room and living room into

the furniture set that is approximately 15 square meters. When the system is compressed, it takes

up about 4 square meters. The system itself also includes a bookshelf, couch, wardrobe and

clothing drawers. The furniture can easily be switched into any setting with a few simple moves.


The study area is raised up. The study’s floor is raised up approximately 60 cm. It gives

the users the idea of going into a separate area to work, and when descending to leave their work

behind. It enforces the idea of separating work and leisure space. Even though the space is

small, size of the table/work space is still of standard size.

The living room set up makes it easy to have guest over. When the furniture is full

expanded, it is able to provide space to sit about 12 people around a table within the living room

environment. However, the table itself is sold separately from the furniture set. The table can be

moved up and down hydraulically to be either a dining table or a simple coffee table. The bed

can be extended out as a double bed and it also provides a lot of storage space underneath.

Matroshka is made by using a lot of different variety of wood such as birch plywood, and

oak veneer. It also uses a lot of different colored Swedish woolen fabrics. The furniture uses

joinery as one of the factor which makes it easier for the resident to use. Matroshka is also

flameproof.

But, there are still some other things to consider when looking at this piece of furniture

set. Just visualizing the bedroom, the mattress does look awfully thin for comfort. It also seems

that users over 5’7 may not be able to fit on the bed. The furniture piece seems to only be for a

certain market. College students and young city dwellers may be able to live with just this

furniture set, but not families. Thus, the market for this furniture set may be limited. In addition,

the furniture set cost roughly $13,000, making it unaffordable for many customers. However,

the logic and function works well and it does significantly reduce the space requirements.

France


Recently, we’ve been seeing a lot of architects and designers transformation smaller

small into bigger small. Architect Marc Baillargeon and Julie Nabucet were able to make a 130

square feet bedroom of a larger apartment into a small studio. The 130 square feet room comes

with a lot of storage space that accommodates different situations. They created a split level

floor plan which separates the room into living and dining. Raising the floor creates an illusion

of two different spaces. At the same time, elevating the floor created a storage space beneath the

raised stair. The furniture can be easily stored and hidden when not in use.

Kitoko Studio is a firm with expertise in many forms of design. They work in urban

planning, furniture, interior design, landscaping and even architecture. In 2014, they renovated a

Maid’s room with a total area of 8 square meters. The Maid’s room is located in Paris in the

Haussman buildings. The maid’s room is usually located on the top floor of the building. Due to

their size and difficult access, they have been repurposed for storage purposes.

An increase in property prices, the rooms have to be put into good use. Thus, Kitoko

Studio has decided to rearrange the space for a maid’s living quarters. The redesigned maid’s

room includes a bedroom, restroom and shower head, sink, table and storage for clothes and

books. The room is now functional as a living. Kitoko Studio’s concept came from the Swiss

Army knife. Like the knife, the usage of the rooms comes in a concept of sliding and folding to

reveal many different objects within the space. (Kitoko Studio. 2014)

Similar to the Matroshka furniture set, H20 Architects based in Paris, developed a garden

pavilion where the furniture makes up the interior of a building. The inhabitable furniture cost

roughly $75,000 (70,000 Euro). H20 Architects called it the Chatou. For years, the little

building was neglected behind the owner’s backyard in France. H20 Architects’ aim was to

repurpose the space for a teenager who wanted independence to live in. Therefore the space


itself must include a sleeping quarter, living area, study and wash. There are also discreet areas

for storage. A kitchen was not provided because the meals were provided by the family home.

The floor space was limit to 39 square feet. (H20 architects. 2015)

H20 Architects worked with the building as a volume and split the space up into four

levels to dedicate each level to its separate functions. The furniture was made up of silver birch

plywood to make the space visually coherent and unity throughout. The lightness of the material

makes the space seem more open. The integration of the material throughout the different level

gives it an illusion of seamlessness and a larger visual space.

Shown in the diagrams, the living room space is on the first level. Although the space is

not huge, it does include some storage space. It even allows space for a table and two chairs.

The second level includes a restroom, sink and a small shower. Located on the third level is the

study. There is enough room for a table and chair. Located near the stairs is another area for

storage. Lastly, the bedroom is located on the fourth level.

Within this inhabitable furniture, recessed lighting is installed on each level to get the

space a bit more liveliness. There are two large windows and one small window for natural

lighting. The open staircases and the use of artificial and natural light make the space seem more

open. (Etherington, Rose. 2008)

The inhabitable furniture is excellent for one person to live in. The space provides

everything a person would need to live alone with the exception of a kitchen. Of course, we can

always live around that without the use of a stove. Perhaps a mini fridge and a microwave will

do just the same. If given a different space and area of different dimensions and height, the

inhabitable furniture can be tweaked to the proposed space, if space does allow. The furniture


also works well and is appeasing to the eye and the audience. This idea also gives room for the

target buyer to customize their space.

The only exception is the price. Just like the Matroshka furniture set, this inhabitable

furniture is too expensive for residents that are living on a budget. Although they may be able to

afford the small space, they will not be able to afford this inhabitable furniture. Although

residents living on a budget may not be able to afford such a luxury, homeowners may be

recommended to invest in the inhabitable furniture to entice renters for their property. Perhaps

hotels and communal living quarters may also use this furniture for their space since there is no

kitchen.

Germany

Today, there are more and more people keeping up with the movement to consume less.

There is a concern that everybody is overconsuming and collecting too much unnecessary things.

We are overspending on things we think we need but in actually truth, they are things we want.

To keep up with this notion, designers are trying to support the idea to carry less; to keep less.

There is an increase in demand for compact and lightweight multifunctional furniture.

An example of such was invented in 2007 by German designers, Marcel Krings and

Sebastian Muhlhauser from the Koln International School of Design. The idea was to have

everything to furnish a room within a mobile box itself. They called it the Casulo, an intelligent

mobile bedroom furniture unit that can be set up by one person in about ten minutes. The

furniture is marketed toward national and international student or people who are nomadic. It

can also be used for landlords who wish to rent out short term to tenants. In Portuguese, Casulo

means cocoon. Marcel and Sebastian developed this furniture system because they wished for a


fix to their dilemma when it comes to moving and furnishing a rental property. Instead of

renting furniture and transporting them each time when moving from one rental property to the

other, they developed their own ‘room in a box’ mobile unit. (Cattermole, Tannith. 2010)

The Casulo is a structure that can be broken down into separate segment to form furniture

that are typically used a lot. Once it is broken down, they can be formed into a twin size bed

with mattress, two stools, a height adjustable revolving chair, cupboard armoire, book case, a

table and a cabinet. When the furniture is disassembles and packed away, the box is roughly

31.5 inches in width, 47.2 inches in length, and 35.4 inches in height. The box would weigh

roughly 150 to 170 kg. This makes it easy to transport. The furniture itself can also be

transported separately if needed. No tools are required to assemble all the furniture pieces.

Every part of the furniture is used, so there is no extra, wasteful parts when packaging.

(Supermagnete.de. 2008)

The cupboard armoire can be used to hang clothes. The clothing racks are magnetized.

The two stools could also be used at additional storage space. The desk cabinet has invisible

locks. The table itself has cable and electric wire management. The bookcase has six shelves.

The designers stated that the unit itself will not show any signs of wear and tear. Thus

the material should be very durable. When the product does age, part can easily be replaceable.

There is currently no price determined for the furniture. This furniture is designed very well for

students who have to often move from dorm to dorms each school term. It will also be easily to

replace one part of the furniture than to pay to replace the whole set. It is also easy for a student

to set up the furniture with no tools. The user will just need to learn some basic folding to set up

the furniture pieces.


United States

Since 1900, one of the most popular types of space saving furniture is the Murphy bed.

The Murphy bed was discovered by William L. Murphy. He lived in a one bedroom apartment

where his bed took up most of the space. He wanted to convert his room into a living room

because it was wrong to bring a woman into a bedroom during the courting stages. Thus, he

experimented with a folding bed. The Murphy bed was first manufactured in San Francisco.

Business boomed as more and more people moved into the urban area for jobs. In the

50’s and 60’s the Murphy bed wasn’t as popular because home with bigger space were easily

affordable. But, business grew again in the 80’s and 90’s because families found it too costly to

purchase a larger house. As of recent years, people are buying more and more Murphy beds as

they move into studio apartments in the city. The Murphy bed is once again becoming a logical

choice for saving space. Society has accepted the Murphy beds within dormitories, hospitals,

and even hotels. Wherever there is less space, people are adopting the Murphy bed system.

Homeowners are converting rooms and combining spaces together. A home office may also be a

bedroom and a living room for guest may double as a bedroom. (Murphy Bed Company. 2015)

Today, the Murphy bed is also known as the wall bed or a fold/pull down bed. The

Murphy bed is basically a bed that is hinged at one end so that it can be folded up against a wall

or in a closet to be stored away when it isn’t in use. In 1918, William Murphy invented the bed

to pivot. The bed was able to pivot up against the wall when it wasn’t in use and be turned into a

closet. Then when at night, it can be pivot down to be a bed again. (Murphy Beds. 2015)

Murphy beds were made with no box springs. The Mattress would usually be attached to

the bed frame with elastic straps which can hold the mattress in place to preventing sagging

when it is in the closed position. Since the 1900s, many designs were developed to model after


the first Murphy bed. Such variations and designs included Murphy bunk beds, side mounted

Murphy beds, and Murphy beds that included other functions. Functions included which there

was a table or desk to fold down when the bed is folded up. There were also variations where it

involved a sofa or a shelving unit of some sort. Today, there is even a piston lift and torsion

spring on the Murphy bed to make it easier to lift and lower the position of the bed. The Murphy

bed can cost anywhere from $230 and up depending on the size and make of the bed.

Although it was a good design, there were some drawbacks. In 1982, a drunk man was

suffocated within the enclosed Murphy bed. In 2005, two women were trapped and were

suffocated in their sleep by the Murphy bed because it was improperly installed. However, the

Murphy bed is a good design, which is why it has been popular for so many years. Many

different companies have also adopted the same idea and but some minor tweaks to it. Today, we

can still buy a Murphy bed for about the same price, but the price goes up depending on the extra

material, make and design.

Italy

The Sofista is a modular sofa with three stackable pieces. It consists of a three seat sofa,

an armchair and a chaise longue. The three pieces can be combined in many different ways to

create a bed, living room or a peaceful corner piece to relax on. When the pieces are stacked

together, it creates a three seated sofa. When the pieces are pulled apart it can create a larger

living area with more seating for friends and family to gather. Thus, it creates an additional space

for 2 or 3 more people. The Sofista can be converted into a bed if an additional guest is staying

over when there is no space for an extra guest room. Even when it is converted into a bed, it

takes up less floor space than a fold out sofa bed. (Formabilio 2015)


The Sofista was designed to solve spatial issues within the house. Usually a big sofa set

with armchairs takes up a lot of space in the living room. But, it isn’t necessary all the time.

Thus, the Sofista sofa set was designed to solve this problem. The Sofista eliminated all the

unnecessary structure, quantity and material, creating a more simplified sofa. The armrests and

armchairs of Sofista are soft without any interior rigid structure. (Leclair, Dave. 2014)

Sofista was designed by Fabrizio Simonetti in Italy. The sofa is sustainable. The

upholstery is made hundred percent of recycles materials; seventy-five percent of cotton, twenty

percent of acrylic and 5 percent of other fibers. They were obtained from sustainable energy

saving production that has not gone through waster waste, pullulated chemicals or dying. The

filing of the armchair is made of light polyurethane foam so it can be easily repositioned. The

frame is made of beech wood slats and feet with a natural finish. The cloth cover is also

removable and machine washable at thirty degrees Celsius when a sleepover guest make a mess.

The functionality of the individual pieces makes the sofa stand out a lot. The mechanism of the

transforming pieces does not take more than one person to adjust. The pieces easily slide out and

are adjustable. Sofista is also available in eight colors.

The Sofista cost roughly $1,303. Although it may seem expensive, it is cheaper in

comparison to an entire living room furniture set. Often times, a studio or one room apartment

does not have enough space to fit many guest over. The furniture we buy are limited to the space

that is provided. But, the Sofista negates that factor and is able to provide more sitting space if

needed and provide less when it isn’t needed. The Sofista is also made of recycled materials, so

it is good for the environment and very cost efficient. Sofista is also padded and not made of a

rigid structure, so it does provide a lot of comfort. The material is so light weight, that it doesn’t

require much to move the furniture, if the users does end up moving the furniture very often.


Cubista is an ottoman is a space saving furniture for the living room made in Italy at

Resources Furniture. Following the same concept as the Matroshka furniture set, it can provide

seating for up to an additional five people. Inside of the cube, is five stool frames. Each side of

the ottoman can be detached and attached to stool frames that is nested within the ottoman’s

structure to create a stool. The stool is comfortably padding and is at the perfect desk height for

dining. The finish of the padding can be chosen from fabric or leather. The stool cost about

$1000, so it is roughly $200 per stool. (Resource Furniture. 2015)

Also from Resource Furniture is the Goliath Console/Dining Table made in Italy. It was

designed by Marco Pozzoli and Giacomo Mauri from Ozzio. Goliath is a transforming table

from a console size of 17 inches to a dining table size of 115 inches. The table can be seated up

to 10 people at its largest size. The Goliath has a very sleek frame and angled legs. The table

uses an aluminum telescoping mechanism to easily adjust the size of the table. It is struggle free

and the joints will not get stuck. It can easily be adjusted to fit 2, 4 and 10 people. When the

table is pulled out, an extra set of leg will come out to support the structure. The center leg

support can also be adjusted to turn 90 degrees for extra support. The extension leaves of the

table I stored on one end of the table. When it is closed at 17 inches, the table can be placed

along the wall to be a side table or entrance table as a place to put keys or accent pieces for the

home like a vase of flowers. It can also be adjusted to be a work table to put your laptop on.

(Fredgaard, Maria. 2015)

The Goliath table enables the homeowner to use the extra space from the dining table to

be used for something else. Only when the table needs to be extended to its full length, the

homeowner can easily adjust the space to fit the table. (Resource Furniture. 2015)


Unfortunately, this table is also very expensive. It cost about $3500 to $5000 before

freight or taxes. But, alternatives to the Goliath table for a cheaper can be found. The Junior

Giant Edge from Calligaris cost about $2000. It uses the same aluminum telescoping

mechanism, design and style. There is also a much classic and traditional version of the table

costing about $300. It can only extend up to 72”, fitting about 6 people. It is a more economical

solution if you cannot afford the Goliath. The mechanism is also not made of steel or aluminum

but wood. Thus the table is less durable.

The Goliath table and the Cubista stool set goes well with each other. They can both be

closed together and be ready to set one person. When it is expanded, it can fit many. These two

pieces of furniture can also be easily tucked away together on one side of the room without

taking much space, and expanded to make space to fit a family together.

Ireland

Another good multifunctional modular furniture is a furniture system called ‘As if from

nowhere’ by Orla Reynolds Studio. It is a modular bookcase which houses the dining furniture.

The furniture is intended for small places with a limited amount of space for the living room and

for those who will expect to have guest over often. The table and chairs can be easily removed

from the bookcase and be placed onto the floor. (Orla Reynolds Studio. 2015)

Orla Reynolds was a ballet dancer. She wanted to the movement of the bookcase to

reflect a scene change like at a theatre. She wanted the audience to be engaged just like when a

production is brought together for an audience. She thought of the home as a stage and how

people’s lives were played out within the four walls. Orla felt as if the walls were a waste of

space within small living apartments. So she created ‘As if from nowhere’. The movement of


the dining room set from the bookcase was like a scene change. It was able to transform the

scene and area just by putting props down on the space. In this scene, the chairs and tables are

the dancers. The chairs are tables are made of strong material, believed to be heavy but in

actuality they are light weight. (Chalcraft, Emilie. 2012)

The bookcase compartments can also be arranged differently in one room or multiple

rooms. For example, a table and chair compartment inside the bedroom can easily be used as

your desk space. With the same compartment it can easily be set in place near the kitchen, it can

become as your dining room. There are a total of 6 compartments, one compartment for each of

the pieces. There are a total of four chairs and 2 tables. The chairs and tables are made of steel

and Birch plywood. Since the compartments are modular, it can easily be arranged for any

configuration.

This system cost about $3,200. The bookcase is white and the tables within are purple.

The four chairs each have a different color; yellow, red, blue and green. The furniture comes

fully assembled so there is no need have someone figure out how to assemble the pieces

together. According to some reviews on the furniture, many people were worried the chairs will

easily break because it is fairly thin with no bracing on the legs. There also seems to be no

ergonomics or comfort to the chairs besides the cushion. There might also need an area for

tucking away some cushions. Some people also dislike the use of primary colors as it doesn’t

seem to match with the décor, although it does seem pretty playful. But, the function of the

design does seem to be welcomed a lot. The bookcase is not only useful in storage for the dining

set and miscellaneous stuff, and playful, but it is used as a décor for the space. The bookcase

compartments can be arranged in any way to make it fit to one wall with a window seat. It was

even recommended for the designer to come up with a mini version for children to play in.


Chapter 3 – Conclusion, Discussion & Recommendations

Evaluation Map

Based off the majority of the multifunctional furniture found, cost is a major factor within

most of these designs that seems to be the major setback. The Matroshka furniture set cost about

$13,000. If this cost was divided and separate between the functions of the set, it would cost

roughly $3250 per room. In the long term, the user may be able to justify the cost of the

furniture. But, in the short term, the price of the furniture is not justifiable. Students and

nomadic people will not be able to use these furniture as it may not be easily mobile. The

furniture may only be enough for a couple to use.

The same applies to the Chatou. The Chatou is only big enough for about one to two

people to live in that shared communal quarters that are leased out to tenants. The furniture cost

$75,000 which is not worth the cost of owning for such a small space. Sofista varies in the

middle where perhaps we get a mixture of both. Sure enough we can perhaps live without such a

multifunctional sofa if we are low on budget. But, within small spaces where it may be a

necessity for the buyer for provide extra space for guest, the cost is perhaps at the right range.

Another most likely buy is the Murphy bed because of the cheaper cost. Though buyers

do need to keep in mind that the cost varies as the make and quality goes up. The Goliath

console/dining table is also pretty expensive. It can range anywhere from $3,500 to $5,000. An

alternative is the Junior Giant Edge which cost about $2,000. This console/dining table goes

very well with the Cubista, as they can both be used for bigger and smaller space. Perhaps, Orla

Reynold’s ‘As is from nowhere’ is highly not likely to make the list for buyers. The bookcase


seems very simple enough that it isn’t quite worth the cost at $3,200. The price of the bookcase

does seem very high when the quality of the material and structure of the furniture seems very

simple.

Another factor which became the selling point for most multifunctional furniture was the

function, the quality and the comfort. The Matroshka Furniture set is very appeasing to the eye.

There are many tones on the pallet for the user to pick. It also have many functions which is

used on a daily bases. To some users, they may dislike the fact that the furniture pieces will have

to be constantly moved around. Others may seem it will be a good reason to exercise a bit more.

The Sofista is very eco-friendly as it uses mostly recycled materials. It is also very light weight,

which makes it easier for the user to move around. This gives the buyer the option to extend the

sofa for more seating if needed and less seating when it isn’t needed.

The Casulo is a great resource for college students and people who are nomadic. Often

time, college students are moving from one dorm to another dorm in between terms. The Casulo

is compact enough to be moved easily around from one place to another. It is compact enough

for one person to handle the work instead of two. There will be no more trying to fit the bed

through the door, or paying people for the extra help. The furniture can easily be dissemble into

a box.

The Cubista is also cushioned and/or padded with a fabric or leather finish. Cubista is

also easily assembled and disassembled for mobility purposes. The finish and the metal

structures gives the stool a very simple, clean and sleek look. Going along the same line, from

the same company, the Goliath also has a very simple and clean exterior. Due to the aluminum

telescoping mechanism, it is very easy for the user to extend the table. The table also comes with

a compartment space to store the leaves.


Conclusion

The ideology is this case is form follows function. Functions comes first before form.

Money is scarce, so buyers cannot waste their money on ‘forms’ that cannot help improve their

lifestyle. Thus, they need to focus on the ‘functions’ can help make their lives easier. In this

case, function comes first followed by comfort and form. To follow up on this idea, cost is

always a factor that comes in between this order. No matter how good a design is, if the buyer

cannot afford to buy the furniture, it is of no use.

Like many companies, ‘form follows function’ is one of the main ideology Ikea follows.

They wants to focus on what’s most important. An expensive finish on a furniture will not

improve the function. This, they try to focus on good design and function while at the same time

outputting good quality and low priced furniture.


Pictures

Coffin Rooms in Japan

http://kotaku.com/5986944/japans-coffin-apartments-are-not-for-claustrophobes

Top Drawer by Kotaro Ansai

http://www.dwell.com/finishing-touch/article/top-drawer


Kenchikukagu by Toshihiko Suzuki Architect of Atelier OPA

http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/kenchikukagu-apartment-in-a-bo-64055


Matroshka from Matroshka Furniture AB Company by Sara Remnerth, Anna Fossane and Anna Thorsaeus

http://diycozyhome.com/convertible-furniture-by-matroshka/

Maid’s Room by Kitoko Studio

http://www.gizmag.com/kitoko-studio-maids-room/34455/


Chatou by H20 Architects

http://www.archieli.com/architecture/chatou-discreet-teenage-hideaway-by-h2o-architectes/

http://ideasgn.com/architecture/chatou-house-h2o-architectes/


Casulo by Marcel Krings and Sebastian Muhlhauser

https://cruststation.wordpress.com/2008/04/22/room-in-a-box/

Murphy Bed

http://murphybedcompany.tripod.com/history.htm


Sofista by Fabrizio Simonetti

http://www.homeharmonizing.com/2014/08/02/sofista-modular-furniture-can-morph-into-a-chair-chaise-longue-and-bed/

Cubista – Resource Furniture

https://meccinteriors.wordpress.com/tag/cubista/


Goliath – Resource Furniture

http://www.sheknows.com/home-and-gardening/articles/1052225/dining-room-tables-that-are-convertible

‘As if from nowhere’ by Orla Reynolds Studio

http://www.orlareynolds.com/


Works Cited

United States Census Bureau. 2015. http://www.census.gov/popclock/?intcmp=home_pop

‘Taking a historical tour of space-saving design’. Life Edited. May 8th, 2013.

http://www.lifeedited.com/take-a-historical-tour-of-space-saving-design/

Buczynski, Beth. Japan’s tiny coffin-sized apartments make your college dorm room look like a

palace. March 3rd, 2015. http://inhabitat.com/japans-tiny-coffin-sized-apartments-make-

your-college-dorm-room-look-like-a-palace/

Ashcraft, Brian. Japan’s coffin Apartments are not for claustrophobes. February 26, 2013.

http://kotaku.com/5986944/japans-coffin-apartments-are-not-for-claustrophobes

Castella, Tom de. A life lived in tiny flats. April 19, 2013. http://www.bbc.com/news/magazine-

22152622

Matroshka Furniture. 2012. http://matroshkafurniture.com/home/index.html

Walker, Alissa. Living large in a 130 square foot apartment. May 25, 2012.

http://www.wired.com/2012/05/paris-apartment/


Kitoko studio. Maid's room renovation CDB. 2014. http://www.kitoko-

studio.com/projects/interior/maids-room-renovation-cdb.php?lang=en

Kitoko studio. Tiny apartment in Paris (8sqm only). 2014. https://vimeo.com/109832468

H20 architects. Chatou. 2015.

http://www.h2oarchitectes.com/en/projet/1/h2oarchitectes_small_scale/Chatou.html

Etherington, Rose. ‘Chatou by H20 architects’. Dezeen. July 19th, 2008.

www.dezeen.com/2008/07/19/inhabitable-furniture-by-h2o-architects/

Cattermole, Tannith. ‘Casulo: The Bedroom in a box’. Gizmag. December 13th, 2010.

http://www.gizmag.com/casulo-bedroom-in-a-box/17247/

Supermagnete.de. ‘Application No. 39: Casulo - The Mobile Bedroom’. Aptil 3rd, 2008.

http://www.supermagnete.de/eng/Magnet-applications/Casulo-The-Mobile-Bedroom

Murphy Bed Company. History. 2015. http://murphybedcompany.tripod.com/history.htm

Murphy Beds. 2015 https://www.murphybeds.com/

Formabilio. Sofista. 2015. https://www.formabilio.com/shop/sofas/three-seater/sofista


Leclair, Dave. ‘Sofista modular sofa changes form based on the needs of a room’. Gizmag. July

31, 2014. http://www.gizmag.com/sofista-modular-sofa/33193/

Resource Furniture. Cubista. 2015. http://resourcefurniture.com/product/cubista/#

Fredgaard, Maria. ‘Goliath Table – Pullout/Folding table (12 persons). Go Downsize. May 2nd,

2015. http://www.godownsize.com/goliath-table-extreme-folding-table/

Resource Furniture. Goliath. 2015. http://resourcefurniture.com/product/goliath/

Orla Reynolds Studio. 2015 http://www.orlareynolds.com/

Chalcraft, Emilie. ‘As if from Nowhere by Orla Reynolds’. Dezeen Magazine. June 20th, 2012.

http://www.dezeen.com/2012/06/20/as-if-from-nowhere-by-orla-reynolds/

Bird, Winifred. ‘Top Drawer’. Dwell. November 26th, 2012. http://www.dwell.com/finishing-

touch/article/top-drawer

Kinnear, Stephanie. ‘Kenchikukagu: Apartment in a box’. Apartment Therapy. September 24th, 2008. http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/kenchikukagu-apartment-in-a-bo-64055

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