Sofa beds
SOURCE VERSATILE FURNITURE - A bed that’s also a sofa The secret to optimising the space in a small room is to source furniture that is versatile and can be used for different purposes. For example, use a comfortable and contemporary sofa bed that functions as a cosy lounge in your study by day and as a bed for your guests at night.
Futons. The most basic of sleeper sofas, a futon has a metal or wood frame with a single mattress on top. When it’s folded up, the mattress creates both the back and seat of the sofa. While pretty comfortable as a bed, a futon can leave something to be desired as a sofa, since it has a firm and somewhat unforgiving seat.
With a simple push, the sofa can transform into a bed or continue as a comfortable five-seater. A shower area with frosted glass is installed next to the sofa-cum-bed. “The-open-to-sky shower area is my personal favourite. It has two access points for water – the rain shower and the clouded monsoon showers, as well,” Mathur says.
There are so many good things about this study area: you can still hear the rest of the goings-on in the house, though separated from the main living space, there’s a view to the outside, and it can be shut off as a guest room thanks to the addition of curtains and a sofa bed. TELL US…Have you managed to carve out a dedicated office space in your home? Share your tips and photos in the Comments below.
Not all homes have a separate room for guests, so it’s either the children’s room or the living room that doubles up as the guest bedroom. If it’s going to be the living room, a good sofa cum bed can be really handy. Set up the side tables next to it as your guest’s nightstand and move the coffee table to a corner at night. Keep a foldable bench/stand in the house.
Go for low furniture - Maintaining low sofas and couches in the key areas facilitates uninterrupted eye movement. The trick is to keep the gaze moving across and through the confines of the different spaces in your house. “Furniture of lower height draws the eye above. This creates an illusion of greater space and airiness,” says Diwanji.
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