More often than not, New Yorkers are short on space but high on style. Many is the time they’ve had to say goodbye to a cherished piece of furniture because it didn’t fit in their new apartment, or maybe they had to turn their back on the furniture deal of the century because they had nowhere to put their cherished find (although if you find a one-in-a-million deal, take it and throw it into storage if you have to!) One sure way you can make room in your home is through the use of multifunctional furniture.

What is Multifunctional Furniture?

When people refer to multifunctional furniture, they’re referring to furniture that has more than one use. Being able to use one piece for two or more purposes allows you to use fewer actual pieces. Reading this description, you’re probably imagining some sort of crazy, multi-armed musical instrument played by a musician in a one-man band. Multifunctional furniture doesn’t have to be specially made. It just needs to be able to be used for more than one purpose.

How Do You Use It in Your Space?

Think outside of the box. It’s easy to buy a piece of furniture that’s been made to have more than one use, but you can also repurpose existing “normal” furniture.

• In a small apartment, take a dining table and use it as extra prep space for a small kitchen with limited work space. It doesn’t matter if the table’s sitting outside your kitchen; once you set it up, you’ll be thrilled at your ability to spread out as you slice, dice, and chop. When you’re not using the table for food prep or for eating, you can prop your laptop onto it and use it as office space.
• A storage ottoman or trunk can be just about anything. Use it as a coffee table when you’re serving tea or having a drink with friends. Use it to store items like linens and magazines you just can’t throw away. Of course, use it to rest your tootsies after a long day!
• A bookshelf is one of the most multifunctional pieces of furniture you can own. A bookshelf is an extremely space-saving way to store everything from shoes to linens. Use a bookshelf as a pantry if you’re short on kitchen cabinet space.
• It’s a no-brainer that a sofabed or futon is one of the best ways to maximize space in a tiny apartment. You may be thinking, “Um, no to the futon?” Okay, so you may be past the futon stage, but there are beauuuuuutiful, high-end sofa beds that can function as ample seating during the day and a luxurious place to lay your head at night. Even if you’re buying on the lower end of the market, you can still score a beautiful, well-made sofa.

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