TheFurniture.com
February 2, 2007
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Sheridan says……..
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DOUBLE-DUTY FURNITURE: WHAT WORKS?
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We are all familiar with the concept of a sofa, that when it is opened up, turns itself into a bed.
The classic example of a single piece of furniture that does double duty. Are there other pieces of furniture
that do more than one thing? Many.
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1.
The French understood the concept when they created the daybed, and piled on bolsters at both ends and lots
of pillows along the back. The long side of the daybed goes up against a wall, and is most effective when
placed in an alcove or a spot where you can hang a curtain behind it, and along the sides. This way it is
a grand and comfy sofa. |
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But, take off the bolsters and pillows and you have a terrific bed. This is a
great solution for a studio apartment, where it’s important to have a room that looks like a living room.
And where, with very little effort, it can become a sleeping room. This works best when you use a real
mattress and make a cover made for it. An even better idea (more expensive) is to have it professionally
upholstered.
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2.
“Where do I keep the sheets and pillows?” you ask. Aha. Here is my next tip. Look for a trunk, preferably one that has character. You know, a little beat up and definitely showing some history. The important thing is, it needs to have a flat top, not curved or rounded. Because this is going to be your coffee table, and you will want to keep a few interesting accessories on it, for which you need a flat surface. Inside will go the linens for the bed. So you could actually say this one piece does triple duty. It is a trunk, a coffee table and a mini linen closet. |
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3.
A table desk, a table that has
shallow drawers just under the top, is a very versatile piece of
furniture. |
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On
its own, it is a great desk that gives you some storage capacity,
yet has a roomy surface on which to pay bills, write letters, or
use a laptop.
To use it as a dining table, clear the top, pull up
a few chairs, and enjoy a meal. |
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4.
If you have a sofa that is placed
out in the room (as opposed to
up against a wall), you could
probably use a ‘sofa table’ behind
it. A table desk is a good solution
for this arrangement.
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This is
a look I love to introduce in
a room - it gives you the feeling
of being on a movie or stage
set as you walk into the room.
Put a chair at the sofa table, and you have an elegant place to work.
Don’t
forget to put a table lamp (or
two) on it. You need to be creative
for how you are going to get
electricity to it. Here’s what I do
when I don’t have a floor outlet nearby.
I run an extension cord under
the sofa, and sometimes it has
to go under a rug as well. First,
I make a channel in the rug pad
(I usually cut it apart, lay
the cord down - if it won’t stay flat,
I use some glue or tape), and
then the rug goes on top and
typically, you can’t
see it or feel it.
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5.
How many of you would think that a skirted table could be considered a safe haven? Or just simply a place to stash extra ‘stuff’? And it doesn’t even have to be a real table.
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It can be a small bedside table, a stool or chest to which you add a round plywood top, anywhere from 27” to 32” in diameter. Use ½” to 5/8” plywood and aim for a finished table height of 27” – 28”. You may even opt to use a small safe, in which case you may need to put something over it or add something to it in order to get it tall enough for a skirted table. Once the table is set up, measure the top and the distance from the top to the floor, and either make or buy a skirt for it. Now for a hint on how to make it look really professional. Use a liner skirt. This is made of flannel lining material, it is cut the same size as the top skirt, and put on the table under the top skirt.
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6.
Here is a variation on the trunk/coffee table idea. A bench is a truly useful piece of furniture, and when you have a bench that is fully upholstered and the top lifts up, you have a trunk as well. |
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A bench is a most elegant item to have at the foot of your bed, and when you also need a place to store extra blankets and off-season items, this is a great solution. Consider using an upholstered ottoman with a tufted top as a coffee table, have the top made to open and you have a trunk. Other places for a bench/trunk could be a hallway or a stair landing. You will need to contact an upholsterer to have one made, and be sure you upholster the interior of the bench/trunk as well---in a different fabric, naturally.
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7.
Now this isn’t a piece of furniture that does two things, but rather one that serves two purposes.
I refer to an item called a standing screen, which typically has three to four panels and is
anywhere from six to nine feet high. On its own a standing screen placed in the corner of a room
always adds a zippy refinement to a space. |
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Try a pair of them at a window instead of curtains. Maybe the window looks unfinished and you don’t want to make the investment in a window treatment. On the other hand, screens are a great investment because they will stay with you forever. Over time they can be recovered, refinished or resurfaced. Get tall ones, as close to 8 feet as you can. Place one at either side of a window---an effective way of creating a visual window treatment. Use one on an angle, say 60° out from the wall, to block a direct view into a Bathroom or cluttered Kitchen from your main room. This is also a good way to block a doorway that opens onto a hall or passageway, where the kids are running back & forth. A screen can be pulled in front of a workstation or mini home office, when you want to make it ‘disappear’. In a pinch you can add hinges to one end and attach it to the wall for greater stability. The fact that it is decorative is what makes it so good at masquerading as room divider, door or curtain.
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So, take another look at what you have
or could use and see if a single piece of
furniture couldn’t offer you two solutions. For
tips and techniques on expanding the space you
are in, check my next column.
Judy Sheridan, of New York City-based Sheridan Interiors, Inc., is President of the American Society
of Interior Designers, New York Metropolitan Chapter and is finishing her latest book,
“How to Work with an Interior Designer.”
Judy believes that “beautiful design is a way of life, not just a price tag”
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