Multi purpose furniture for your small house

[herbgeek]

Just fascinated with this video: http://keepbuzzy.com/get-wonderful-space-saving-transformation-furniture/

So many useful things- I like the desk that transforms into a bed and you don't have to remove anything from the desk surface. Also liked the worksurface that turns into a full size dining table by moving the legs and opening up the top. Lots of possibilities for the smaller home.

[catherine]

I am in love with design like this! So smart! I have a sofa table of my MILs (one of those narrow tables you put behind a sofa), but it expands to seat 4, 6, 8 or 12, and that's what I use when my kids come down.

My son had one of those coffee tables that you see early on in the video that pulls up to make a table you can eat from while sitting on the couch.

My favorite space savers are nesting tables, ottomans that serve as coffee table/extra seating, and even nicely designed folding chairs that you can tuck behind furniture or on hooks in closets. IKEA has those for about $8 apiece.

I also like multi-functional rooms. I turned my "formal" dining room into my work office, by putting up walls. Then I turned my "formal" living room (I have a 70s house that has both a living room and a family room) into a library/music room/dining room. I hate the idea of rooms sitting empty collecting dust for the occasional visitor, who you wind up entertaining in the kitchen anyway.

[IshbelRobertson]

I own three antique butler's trays. A mahogany one that was my gt granny's and two made of oak, again family pieces. The mahogany one is always assembled and we use it as a drinks tray. The other two are stored in the garage. The folding legs on a large tray is a great concept. If we have friends coming for drinks, they are big enough for canapes and glasses.

[lessisbest]

Thanks for the link. Lots of great ideas I'm going to file away for future reference!

[ToomuchStuff]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XYV0qATsyts

This was shown on this a few years ago. My favorite thing out of all of it was the Goliath table at the end. So I went looking for it then for an eventual project (want to get better at Woodworking first, just enjoy it now):
http://www.instructables.com/id/Expandable-formal-dining-table-that-seats-ten-and-/

Some of the other stuff I have seen people figure out how to build, so it is out there.