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Bunk Beds, Corners n’ Carts:Furnishing Small SpacesBEDROOM FURNITURE KIDS AND BABY FURNITURE STORAGE SOLUTIONS

charlene September 6, 2013 no comments

This is the time of year we associate with transitions. Kids headback to school and spend more time in their rooms doinghomework (or at least, they’re supposed to be doing homework).College students learn to adjust to life in the dorm. Recentgraduates venture out into the “wide, wide world” to live on theirown. And despite what college films and popular TV sitcoms

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would have one believe, there is nothing “wide, wide” aboutdorms and first apartments. (Yes, I’m looking at you, Penny’sapartment from Big Bang Theory.)

There’s one thing that kids rooms, dorms and your average-sizeapartment have in common: floor space is at an absolutepremium. There’s limited room to start with, and often two ormore people sharing it. Even the most easy-going child or mind-mannered roommate is going to get testy without some personalspace (as all too many feuding-roomie episodes of Judge Judycan teach us), and that’s hard to get if the room is taken up withlarge, bulky furniture. You need smart, functional furnishings thatwill make the most of every square inch of floor space. Here aresome tips:

1. Think “Up”, Not “Out”

In other words, go for furniture that is vertical in shape rather thanhorizontal. Instead of a standard double dresser, opt for a slimvertical chest with at least five drawers (six or seven is evenbetter). Choose a desk with hutch for extra storage in the samefootprint – it’s like getting a desk and display bookshelf in one.

When it

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Bunk beds are the ultimate space-savers. Check outthe desk w ith hutch in the background, too.

When itcomes tosleeping

arrangements, the ultimate example of this principle is the tried-and-true bunk bed. They’re standard issue in many dorm rooms,and of course they’re ideal for shared kids rooms, too. In recentyears there have been some new innovations in bunk beds tomake them even more functional. Look for bunk beds withstorage drawers underneath (perfect for toys, books andbedding) or a trundle for some extra sleep space if the kiddoshave friends over for a sleepover. There’s also the close cousin ofthe bunk bed, the loft bed, which has one bunk style bed at thetop. You can leave the lower space open as a play area in a kidsroom (my childhood loft bed was home to an epically sprawlingBarbie village) or tuck a dresser or futon underneath. Study loftbeds with built-in desks pack a lot of utility into a small footprint,and also help create a contained “personal area” that is

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Aw w w , yeah… this bench gives you seating, storage andserving space in one.

especially appreciated in a teen room or dorm.

2. Pick Furniture That Can Multi-Task

Insmallliving

spaces, there usually isn’t room for furniture that just sits aroundlooking pretty. There definitely isn’t room for a lot of clutter (atleast, not if you want to stay sane). Thankfully, multi-functionand storage furniture is all the rage these days, so it’s easy tofind furnishings that will maximize their potential. Some specificideas? For an apartment living room, try a storage ottoman,which gives you a place to stash stuff while providing extraseating. Some can even be used for serving in place of a coffeetable. A comfy padded storage bench can take the place of aloveseat. You might go for a convertible sofa instead of a

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standard sofa. You get the same seating, with the added bonusof an extra sleep space when friends or relatives are in from outof town.

I mentioned bunk beds with under bed storage in the last tip… ifyou’ve outgrown bunk beds, an alternative is storage beds(sometimes called captains beds). They have drawers built intothe base that can be be used for clothing, freeing up preciouscloset and drawer space elsewhere. Get a captains bed with abookcase headboard for maximum storage. You can get storagebeds in sleek, contemporary platform styles that look great in anapartment, dorm or teen bedroom.

3. Leave No Corner Unexplored

Even in the closest quarters, there are spaces that tend to gounused– namely, corners. Make the most of these under-utilizedareas with furniture designed especially to fit. Corner TV stands,corner desks and corner shelves have become hugely popular intoday’s smaller living spaces. And how about walls? Walls areusually thought of for hanging up decorations, but they can alsobe used for putting up wall-mount media shelving or even pull-down laptop desks.

4. GoMobile

Whena dorm

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No room for a home off ice? No problem. Try a w all-mounteddesk.

or

apartment fills up with visitors, maneuvering around the room canquickly become a tricky proposition. Something’s gotta give.Mobile furniture lets you shift things around as the need arises.With a computer cart, you can get your work space out of theway when it’s time to play. Kitchen carts give you extra prepspace, then make it easy to serve up the snacks. TV carts canbe moved around to accommodate all those friends coming overfor an Xbox session.

These are just a few ideas to get you started. What are someways you save space in a smaller living area? Let us know!

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