#Top 10 multifunctional furniture designs for your contemporary homes

There’s just something about a multifunctional piece of furniture that ticks all the checkboxes for me! Imagine a product that’s been designed to work as a clothing rack and a treadmill?! Or a side table that transforms into a chair! Space-saving goals much? That’s the magic of a multifunctional furniture design. It looks like a single product, but functions as more than one! They’re a smart option for our modern urban homes, which tend to be pretty cramped, hence adding multiple bulky and cumbersome furniture designs to them isn’t really an option. But multifunctional pieces that serve a variety of purposes, and solve a bunch of unique problems can be a lifesaver in such situations. And, we’ve curated a whole bunch of such super cool designs for you! From a multifunctional coatrack to a sideboard that transforms into a workspace – these intriguing multifunctional pieces are what your millennial homes need!

1. The D-Tach

This versatile stool is called the D-Tach, and it transforms into a small workspace to support today’s mobile and work-from-home culture. The multifunctional furniture design is portable and versatile and can be carried easily from one location to another.

Why is it noteworthy?

Industrial design student Andrew Chang decided to create a chair that fits the bill. D-Tach is a modular stool design that functions as a traditional office chair, only to disassemble into parts that provide a small working space on the go.

What we like

• Transforms into a small workspace
• Fits into most modern offices

What we dislike

• We’re unsure how comfortable would the small workspace be to actually work in

2. The Hideaway Swing Desk

The Hideaway Swing Desk is not your ordinary everyday desk! Primarily because it’s not just simply a desk, it’s also a sleek and elegant sideboard.

Why is it noteworthy?

In its original state, the Hideaway Swing Desk functions as an excellent sideboard that is perfect for smaller homes. But when you move the furniture piece at a 90-degree angle, it transforms into a functional and sturdy workspace.

What we like

• Doubles up as a sideboard and a workspace
• Functions as a flexible storage solution

What we dislike

• Aesthetics are a bit dull and unassuming

3. The Fréquence Shelf

Designed by Jean Couvreur for Kabata, the Fréquence shelf is a minimal and sophisticated shelving design that functions as a multifunctional piece of modular furniture.

Why is it noteworthy?

The shelf includes a bunch of geometrically shaped modules that can be combined, mixed, and matched to create a variety of designs, according to your personal taste and preference.

What we like

• The elements can be configured to create a small bookcase or a larger room divider

What we dislike

• Bulky + space-consuming design

4. The Fels Stool

Designed by German brand OUT, the Fels Stool is a really unique furniture design, as it’s been crafted from wood, but it looks like it is stone!

Why is it noteworthy?

It looks more like a sculpture than a piece of furniture, to be honest, it can also be used as a side table, making it a multifunctional and sculptural furniture design.

What we like

• Doubles up as a stool and a side table
• Sophisticated and elegant aesthetics

What we dislike

• The bright color palette may not be preferred by everyone

5. The Acrobat

Called the Acrobat, this multifunctional storage piece is designed to safe keep the components of an entryway table in the functional form of a coatrack.

Why is it noteworthy?

Entryway tables and coat racks usually take the brunt of those organizational needs, so finding multifunctionality in their design is key to keeping our homes decluttered. Acrobat, a multifunctional coat rack designed by João Teixeira, combines the storage components of an entryway table with those of a coat rack.

What we like

• The metal tube tops can also be used to hang clothes or hats without the need for a hanger
• The wooden hull that interlinks the beams offers a safe space to store EDC items like wallets, phones, and keyrings

What we dislike

• Can occupy a substantial amount of space

6. The Boundary

Called the Boundary, this desk concept attempts to create a new workspace that discourages people from overworking and instead welcomes them to take breaks and rest whenever necessary.

Why is it noteworthy?

The very size and height of the desk itself limit what can be done since you’ll have limited space for anything but the essentials. Its height is more suited for standing, though it can also be paired with a tall drafting chair for comfort.

What we like

• Discourages overworking and instead promotes a healthy work-life balance

What we dislike

• It doesn’t allow for a bigger, monitor-based setup

7. The Raak Mai Desk

This multifunctional and versatile desk was created for designers by a designer. Called the Raak Mai Desk, this desk is designed to help designers take care of their digital tasks.

Why is it noteworthy?

Preliminary inspired by the needs of designers, Rodríguez hoped to incorporate analog mechanisms that work to take care of digital tasks. While many of the elements of the Raak Mai desk can be adjusted manually, the overall structure of the desk was fitted to ensure the digital needs of modern technology could be met.

What we like

• Allows users to adjust the desk’s height, tilt, and storage capabilities according to their working needs
• An integrated winch allows users to manually adjust the desk to a standing height

What we dislike

• It’s a niche design, limited to a particular audience

8. Cassle

Called Cassle, this multifunctional piece of furniture is designed to provide cats with their own private retreat, without occupying too much space on the floor or in your home.

Why is it noteworthy?

Keeping cats entertained in small spaces is quite a challenge.  Cassle, a multifunctional piece of furniture designed for cats by Soo Bin Cho, makes the most of your available floor and wall space to keep your cat happy and your apartment clutter-free.

What we like

• Made from biodegradable and sustainable materials
• An unconventional spin on traditional cat furniture, amounting to a piece that saves space and is multifunctional

What we dislike

• Your cat could take some time to adjust to it

9. The Cobra Table

Doing complete justice to its name, the Cobra table was indeed inspired by a cobra. Designed by Deniz Aktay, the Cobra table is created to be artistic and sculptural, but also functional.

Why is it noteworthy?

The Cobra table could function as a small center table or a more suitable side table. It doesn’t have much of a footprint, and it has a snake-inspired form that is accentuated by a rather meandering shape.

What we like

• No component or surface space of the Cobra table is left useless or unused

What we dislike

• The space beneath the table has a curvature, making it difficult to keep fragile products that may easily roll and break

10. The Overlap Table

The Overlap table seems like a pretty versatile furniture design! It looks commanding and functional enough to work as a coffee table, and also compact and cute enough to be used as a side table.

Why is it noteworthy?

I truly appreciate how the simple design prioritizes storage – something that modern homeowners will appreciate as well, considering the space constraint issues we all face nowadays.

What we like

• Functions as a coffee and side table
• Minimal + clean aesthetics

What we dislike

• The box holds in books only upto a fixed size, doesn’t allow for bigger books to be kept.