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At Home in the Modern World

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Small Time: Pieces That Do Double Duty

What’s the best way to deal with limited space? Find furniture that does double duty—–whether it’s a rolling cart that becomes a prep station and then a makeshift dining table, or a roomy ottoman that offers seating as well as concealment for your sundries. We
collected our favorite transformative pieces in an online-exclusive slideshow for your viewing pleasure.
 

Garsnas_DressSofa_press2

Dress Sofa

Designer Anna von Schewen has done a lot of work for Gärsnäs in the past, and we think this might be the furniture company’s own special way of giving back. They’ve given her a lovely little sofa-for-two to try her dress on, and it seems a perfect fit. Anna pointed out how the back of the sofa also makes a great room divider, but we also admire the protected nook under the seat. A safe haven from sneaky purse bandits looking to make off with your new Kate Spade. Perfect. —Tiffany Orvet
POD Brave Space Design Hollow End table

Hollow End Table

How handy to have a hollow end table, where magazines, books, and papers can live comfortably and conveniently right there when you need and want them. Brooklyn-based Brave Space Design has made this bamboo beauty that will make your living room a little cooler, and a lot more tidy. Double duty, everybody wins!

mobil kartell citterio square

Mobil Side Table

I love these tables made by Kartell. San Franciso–based interior designer Antonio Martins helped us find them. They can be ordered in several different color options, with or without wheels, and with several drawer configuration options.

—Lisa Koshkarian
POD Amron Experimental Inc Off Light Switch

OFF Light Switch

Need a(nother) reminder to leave the lights off at home? Try this switch from designer Scott Amron, which doubles as a fully functioning hook. Hang your coat and keep your energy usage on the down low.

hecht sam industrial facility for establishedandsons table bench chair

Table, Bench, Chair

Drawing inspiration from psychologically programmed color patterns on the benches of the Toyko subway, Sam Hecht transformed a simple solid-oak plank with subtle structural cues of bent beech—creating a multitasking piece of furniture that suggests a multitude of uses without a strict agenda.

POD Adamick Chris TEST collective VOLUME

Volume Storage and Display Unit

The musical revoution has been digitized, sure, but no matter how many MP3s we download there will never, ever be anything better than the sweet sound of vinyl. Designer Chris Adamick appreciates the beauty of a Bob Dylan LP and the allure of a record by The Smiths; This bamboo-and-Corian media center allows you to put your favorite sleeves on display and keep your turntable on hand, ready to rock at a moment's notice.

POD dunk mug Dominic Skinner Mocha1

Dunk Mug

This ingenious mug handily brings together what is, perhaps, the greatest, most comforting, and perfectly delicious duo of our time: tea and biscuits. Eliminate the need for a pesky plate! Just stick your cookies beneath your brew and you're good to go.

DWR Jens Risom Bench POD

Jens Bench

Benchwarming never looked better. Iconic designer Jens Risom has created a modern classic to match a chair and ottoman duo he introduced in 1949. Slide the cushion from left to right and a side-table emerges to make room for a magazine or cuppa tea.

Off The Wall pots Thelermont Hupton

Off the Wall Mini Flowerpots

If you don't have much floor or table space for plants, these colorful cubes would allow you to introduce some easy (and low maintenance) greens into your home; The powder-coated steel pots project at an angle from the wall, and are just the right size for a small succulent. Or, if you're not into growing, one would be perfect by the front door as a place to drop your keys. Available in the US at the brilliant A Plus R Store.

chadhaus vollen painted stool

Vollen Painted Stool

A simple shape and splash of color make this small stool from Seattle-based Chadhaus a surefire hit in pretty much any room of the house. It's made from locally sourced, sustainably harvested hardwood, and equally good for sitting, foot-resting, and keeping your book handy near the sofa when you get up to grab a sandwich from the kitchen.

domus collection square

Domus Collection

I love collecting and I love collecting books. I have so many books now that they cannot possibly be held in one cabinet and I have no plans anytime soon in having an apartment big enough for a library. So with that said I often times make furniture from stacks of books. My bedside tables are books stacks. This makes putting away your book after reading in bed a simple task: the book is the bedside table! I have lamps sitting on stacks of books in the living room. Napkins neatly stacked on book piles in the kitchen. And I have a stereo system stacked up on several piles of books. Who needs a media console when you have the DOMUS collection? —Bradford Shellhammer
 
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