Multipurpose furniture solves space problems - Your Life - Brief Article

USA Today (Society for the Advancement of Education), Jan, 2003

For the space-challenged room, homeowners consider it essential to make every square foot count. As a result, furniture makers are continually finding new ways to incorporate more than one function into a single piece. "Furniture is the most-important asset to a small area," maintains American Furniture Manufacturers Association vice president Jackie Hirschhaut. "The right furnishings will create an intimate, cozy feeling, while enhancing style, organization, and comfort."

Some of the most-popular pieces of multipurpose furniture include:

* Cocktail and end tables, with a wide variety of bookshelves, drawers, and optional extending tabletops.

* A strategically placed ottoman can be sophisticated, comfortable, and functional, serving as a spot to rest weary feet, sit, store a blanket, or place a cup of coffee.

* Sofa-sleepers, daybeds, or trundle beds are wonderful options for a guest bedroom, studio, garage apartment, or parent's suite. Today's new technologies allow for more sleep-soothing surfaces and materials.

* A small dresser or chest makes a useful bedside table, which can be utilized to store lingerie, jewelry, books, or bed linens.

* An armoire is one of the most-popular pieces of furniture today, since it can store the equipment for a home theater, sound system, clothes, or dishes. Many feature matching bookshelves that can be used to display accessories such as family heirlooms, books, a set of encyclopedias, and/or artwork.