Creating a Fully Functional Office in a Small Space

In today's day and age, how much space you have is a large consideration in designing and decorating of let's say an office or any other kind of area for that matter. So, it is always a challenge to create a fully functional office area in a small space, especially when it would be located in a studio apartment, condo building or a small house. But you don't have to be confined to the space in order to set the style you want your office to have. You can always get creative and set up your dream office.

Here are some of the tips that you may take when you are creating an office for yourself but with limited space.

• First, you can include the basic essentials of an office area: work table where you can place your telephone and desk calendar, office chair and a cabinet to place your important documents and you can put your fax machine on top of the cabinet and a bookshelf to put your books, if needed.
  
• Second, to create an illusion of a spacious and cutting-edge office, you can paint the walls in neutral colors, place some artwork on one wall and install a hanging fluorescent lamp to make it look like a clean gallery impression.
  
• Third, you may also color the different areas of the working area in various hues or through installation of ventilated screen doors.
  
• Fourth, if you want to display knick knacks or your prized trophy collection in your office, you can put them on drifting shelves to add personality to your office area.
  
• Fifth, install shelves in your office area so, that you would be able to have a lot of space that can hold more books, doodads and the like.
  
• Sixth, make your office area versatile through installation of rolling furniture such as a side table, chair and others.
  
• Seventh, place the furniture in your work area in a way that would make you feel relaxed and open. It is not ideal to place the furniture side by side because it would just look cluttered.
  
• Lastly, add the finishing touches by placing a unique décor or something outrageous to make your office area reflect on your personality like your unique collection of funky jewelry so, that people would concentrate more on that instead of on the size of your space.

Now that you are finished designing your work area, it is sure that you are ready to move in and raring to start working in your dream office.

Choosing your “Dream” Couch

As everyone knows, the sofa, or commonly known as the couch, is a very important piece of furniture in the living room and it may even be deemed as the centerpiece of any living room. So, hunting for the perfect couch can be such a daunting task. But do not despair! We have lined up a few tips for you to take on your hunt for THE couch.

Tip #1: Before leaving the house, do not forget to measure the usable space in the room, so you would know the exact length and width of the couch you are going to put in that area.

Tip #2: The style of the sofa should fit the general theme of the room where it would be placed. For instance, there are different sofa arm styles to choose from such as English traditional that is fit for a straight-laced abode, the roll arm that is also traditional in nature and the straight or square arm that imbibes a contemporary aura. But if you do not have much space to put the couch, you can opt for a sofa that has no arms at all.

Tip #3: When you have selected the right shape for the couch, you can now move on to the fabric. What you need to pay attention to is the wear and tear quality of the cloth. Solid colors would fade quickly compared to patterned fabric such as stripes. On the other hand, it is always sound to choose a leather sofa since it does not wear out compared to fabric.

Tip #4: When you have decided on the look of the couch, you can proceed in considering the make of the sofa. The frame for the whole couch must be made of kiln-dried hardwood such as maple, poplar or oak.

Tip #5: Next, you should ensure that the sofa is durable. Here, you can opt for coils, which are tied together, or wire springs, which are less costly.

Tip #6: Check the cushions of the sofa since these are the ones that actually makes it comfy and cozy. If you want an inexpensive choice, then, go for foam that does not lose shape. If you want comfort and you are not too stingy, then, you can opt for an inner layer of foam covered in cotton batting and covered with goose down. But if you crave for luxury, go for a goose down filling.

Tip #7: Give a test run on the sofa of your choice to check out firsthand if it is really comfy and cozy.

Tip #8: Before leaving, measure the couch so, you would be sure that it would fit easily in your front door.

Now that you have selected your “dream” couch, it is time to sit back, relax and enjoy the fruits of your labor.

What is “Modern Furniture”?

Ever since furniture was first created, it has been a manifestation of our culture and civilization. From the ancient times to the contemporary era, furniture was been a reflection of how we view the world and how we think it should be changed, going away from it’s mere functional aspect. Furniture takes up space all around us, usually taken for granted, obscuring its real meaning most of the times

Meaning

The term “Modern Furniture” refers to the furniture created all through the 19^th century till today, inspired by the art movement called modernism. A huge departure from the furniture design before it, highly ornate and gilded pieces of wood and richly textured fabrics gave way to staggering simplicity and the aesthetic geometry of metal.

Chief Influences

Before the modernist movement began, great emphasis was laid on creating furniture which was highly ornate with intricate patterns and rich fabrics. Usually the time taken to create a piece was directly related to amount of desire for that particular piece. While the western or old school of thought laid emphasis on tradition and history, the modern movement looked for fresh newness, originality and innovation. The chief influences of Modernist design evolved out of a combination of various ideas: technically more advanced materials and manufacturing methods and the new thought of design from Werkbund and the Bauhaus School, from the exoticness of foreign influences, from Art Nouveau and from the tremendous amount of creativity of the various artists and designers of that era.

Icons of Modern Furniture

Elieen Grey’s side table created in 1972 created specially for her new home is one such great example of Modern Furniture. It’s unusual asymmetry and the non-conformist design style is a reflection of her own self. True to the Bauhaus school’s thought of usability the table can be adjusted such that breakfast can be eaten on it while one is in bed. The iconic Barcelon Chair on the other hand today represents the infamous Bauhaus design movement. Designed by Mies Van Der Rohe and Lilly Reich in 1929 for an international design fair in Barcelona, many consider this chair to be functional art instead of furniture. The Noguchi Coffee Table created by the noted sculptor, architect, furniture and landscape designer Isamu Nogichi still remains as landmark owing to its unique and unmistakable simplicity. Refined and at the same time very organic, this particular piece of design still remains as one of the most sough after pieces of furniture in the modern furniture movement.

When the going gets tough, the tough ‘Go Green’!

Vanity Fair is talking about it, a former US Vice President has been talking about it, and even the Academy of Motion Pictures is impressed with this Inconvenient Truth – ‘going green’ is going strong at the moment! The truth is that our home interior choices, big and small, have a lasting impact on the environment around us. Be it just changing the drapes or the paint of just discarding old and tired furniture, some products are more environment friendly than others. It is about time that we consider our ‘green’ choices and help preserve our planet. Here are some easy ways to make your furniture ‘green’, without compromising on even an inch of style:

Use Green: Use natural eco-friendly products to make your furniture. Consider using products such as Bamboo, which are a great combination of good looks and eco-friendliness. Being one of the fastest growing plants on earth, Bamboo is easy to cultivate, and its wood tones infuse interiors with natural warmth. And it also remains as one of the sturdiest natural material for furniture.

Paint it green: Most of the conventional paints used to paint furniture release highly volatile organic compounds (VOCs) - fumes and chemicals, which are not only bad for the environment but may also cause those fresh-paint headaches. Ask for Low- or no-VOC paint from your paint retailer as an environmentally safer option.

Cover it in Green: Look for natural fibre weaves as a natural alternative to upholster your furniture. Seagrass, sisal, coir, jute and rush are quite in demand right now and create a very definitive style statement. All these variety of materials vary widely in terms of their durability and stain resistance, so make sure you ask about their merits and limitations before purchasing.

What Are the Current Trends in Modern Furniture Design?

Eileen Gray’s Adjustable Table, Breuer Nesting’s table, Hoffman Kubus arm chair, Ludwig Mies van der Rohe’s Barcelona chair – each one of these classic pieces of furniture have represented modernity. All of these designs are as vibrant and relevant today as they were decades ago - clean lines, functionality, simplicity and great design.

The current trends in modern furniture design are developing yet greater relations with the fashion world. Your personal space and the physical space around you are more in tune with your public persona. We’re more aware that anything in our home makes a statement about us. Design is more about re-enforcing individuality – no strict rules but one – Reflect your individuality.

Some of the recurrent hot favorite themes of modern furniture design are:

• Minimalism, harsh lines and a clinical ambience is replaced with a touch of old world warmth

• Colors are bold - pumpkin orange, bright red, yellow, gold, deep cinnamon, luxurious violets, turquoise and ofcourse pink - bright and daring

• Metal remains an extensively used feature of design

• Decoupage - very chic

Modern furniture design concepts give us the best of both worlds…old and new. Eclecticism is in. This is the time when that colonial/antique piece of furniture can be placed alongside your contemporary straight-line sofas, and not look out of place. Mix and match is the trend as aesthetic independence becomes more pronounced. Ornate fixtures and accessories alongside straight-line minimalist metal furniture would not be incongruous.