Six Innovative Space Saving Designs

As the race to combat global issues such as climate change and population growth hurtles forward, designers and architects are stepping up to the challenge, joining scientists and politicians to begin solving these issues. In recent years, a range of prolific contemporary designers such as Daan Roosegard and Stella McCartney have spoken out about designs’ role in creating a better world. And others have responded by creating furniture that is flexible, functional and fit for modern life. Here, we select some of the most exciting designs able to make even the tiniest of spaces seem large — from extending tables to 2D chairs.

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Heatworks’ CEO Jerry Callahan hopes that ‘Tetra’ will change attitudes towards waste.Despite fitting on a countertop, this compact dishwasher can hold up to two full place settings or the equivalent of 12 pint glasses. Made in collaboration with the innovative design firm Frog, the dishwasher is controlled by an app and can be used without plumbing — all it requires is an electrical outlet. Users simply load the wash with water and a little detergent and then watch as the Heatworks’ patented Ohmic Array Technology causes the water to heat up and start sanitizing. In addition to being able to fit inside shrinking homes, Heatworks’ CEO Jerry Callahan hopes that ‘Tetra’ will change attitudes towards waste.

‘Shift’ can transform from shelf to wall panel and back again… Capitalizing on the growing trend towards bolt and screwless furniture, Layer has collaborated with Kvadrat to create a flexible storage system called ‘Shift’. Made from recycled pieces of Kvadrat ‘Solid Textile Board’, the furniture piece can be assembled or disassembled easily and quickly by hand. ‘Shift’ can transform from shelf to wall panel and back again, helping you to save space when it’s not being used.

The spare space taken up by extra seats at a restaurant is every restaurateur’s nightmare. To solve this headache of a problem, Spanish architecture office Flores Taller de Arquitectura created an inventive solution: a chair storage cabinet that also acts as an interesting display. A unique pair of complimentary chairs were designed that can be stacked on top of each other forming a shape that can neatly be stored away in a custom designed wall. When there are fewer people at the restaurant, the extra chairs are tucked away into the cabinet.

A steel crank on the side of the table is used to change the length. Though it’s nice to be able to host guests for dinner, for those living in smaller apartment style spaces, having a dining table is sadly not always an option. Which is where Oslo-based designer Marcus Voraa comes in. He has designed ‘Roll Out Table’. It pretty much does what it says on tin — the front pair of table legs divide into three and can be pulled out like a telescope-technique, lengthening the table from 1.5 to 4 meters. A steel crank on the side of the table is used to change the length. Voraa wanted to showcase the extra table length as a statement piece rather than hiding it away.

Small and light enough to be lifted up and hung on a wall, the ‘De-Dimension’ chairs by Eindhoven-based designer Jongha Choi are perfect for homes with little floor space. Realizing that many of us struggle to find space at ground level, designers are creating solutions that make the most of empty wall or ceiling areas. These chairs began with the question: why do we not question an images’ confinement to a flat surface? Choi then began playing around with perspective and form, enabling him to create a stable chair that goes from 2D to 3D.

The ‘Agranda Bench’ is designed to cater for modern lifestyles.The Agranda Bench’ by Raskl is designed to be an adaptable piece of furniture that caters for modern lifestyles. The functional design solution expands to twice its folded length to fit different tables and provide extra seating space when needed. Made from wood, the bench comes in three different colors: Rosewood, Heritage Blue and Arctic White.