5 Must-Have Pieces Of Space Saving Furniture

If you living in a small home, apartment or dorm then that means your space is limited and my guess is you're probably looking for new ways to save space whenever you can. The good news is there's plenty of space saving furniture out there. The bad news is that sometimes it's not so easy to find it. So, to make situation a lot easier... let's talk about 5 must-have pieces of space saving furniture that could aid in saving you substantial amounts of space around your home...

Kitchen

Although there are other space saving for the kitchen to brag about, one of the top space saving items you could get for your kitchen is an under-the-cabinet trash can. Why? Well, because there's really no need for a trash can to sit out in the open looking awkward and ugly while it takes up unnecessary space. What's the point in that when you can have it stashed away beneath a cabinet or even hidden away in a closet (unseen)?

And not only are they handy because they are concealed, you'll find that many under-the-cabinet trash cans will actually save you money. Since many of them use grocery bags you'll find yourself saving a few coins here and there because you no longer have to spend as much money on trash bags. Instead, you'll get a nice supply of grocery bags for free every time you go shopping for other items for your home.

Dining Room

Choices for your dining are as equally beneficial as your kitchen, if not more. A top item for the dining room will always be space saving dining room tables. In my opinion the best sort to come by have always been dining room tables that fold down. To be more specific, the type of dining room tables I have in mind are gate leg dining tables. Gate leg dining tables are simply dining tables that have two drop leafs: one on each side of the table. They fold down to accommodate minimal amounts of space and open up to accommodate a fair amount of guests. So they make it simple for you if need to serve both small and large parties alike.

Bedroom

One of my favorite picks for the bedroom is the lingerie chest. Why? Well, because although it's built to accommodate lingerie... it can also accommodate other garments that you need to stow away. It's great for small bedrooms when you don't have much space to go on and you find that a dresser would be too large. Lingerie chests are narrow and tall, which makes it easy to place them just about anywhere in your bedroom. And they are even convenient if you find you don't have enough room store one in your bedroom but can make room for one in your closet.

Living Room

Although I consider small coffee tables a top choice, what's great for each living room is also an individual experience. Occasionally one home owner may find that a larger coffee table looks best while another finds the opposite to be true. So, if a small one would serve you well... one of my favorite choices is the small scale version of your basic coffee table.

Small scales version typically range around these sizes: square and round coffee tables will generally range around 30" W x 30" L or in diameter. Anything larger than that may not be considered small. Rectangular and oval coffee tables will typically range around 30-40" L and 18-21" W.

Bathroom

The bathroom is a lot like the kitchen... items can run amuck. So, one of my favorite bathroom space savers and organizers are wall-mounted cabinets. Not only do they help you keep your items from wandering all over the place and getting in the way, but they also free up floor space so it's almost like not having anything there at all. And an additional benefit is that often you can place something on top, like a beautiful silk flower, to aid to the decor and charm of your small bathroom.

Dining Tables - To Bring The Family Together

In today's hectic world, families have jammed packed schedules that try to accommodate each member's activities. Quite often, by accommodating the individual family member's needs, time for the whole family to spend together is often sacrificed, put on hold, or decided to be something 'we'll do later.' One way to fix this is to use dining tables as a way to bring the family together - they can be the central place in your home for your family.

It may sound obvious, but the first place to start is to make sure that you have dining tables that can accommodate the entire family. It is difficult, and even pointless, to plan family time at them when not all of the family members can fit! Everyone should fit around it comfortably, and small children should have proper highchairs or booster seats.

It is inevitable that you will play host to a large gathering of friends or family or both. For those extended family get-togethers, consider investing in dining tables that can be extended, using leafs, for those special occasions. Some of them have a built in storage location for extra table leafs. Others do not, and you can store the dining table's leafs securely in a pantry or closet.

If you decide that your current dining tables do not reflect the needs of your family, you'll have to search for a different one. To make it a real family experience, you may even consider taking the whole family out for a dining table shopping trip. For families with several small children, this can be an exhausting experience. An alternative then would be to browse the websites of different retailers and compare sizes and prices.

The most common activity the family does at the dining table is eating meals. Make this time together more special by incorporating fun activities. For example, have each family member create the dining table's centerpiece. Alternate turns every few weeks or every month - whatever your family decides. You could also plan a time where everyone helps make a festive or seasonal centerpiece for the dining table for a special holiday meal.

You can also try host theme supper nights, where one member chooses a theme and plans the menu to coincide with it. Dining tables can become a type of stage for theme nights, as you may want to incorporate decorations, fun plate and glassware, or even costumes.

Couples without children or empty nesters whose children have moved out can also take advantage of dining tables. You can surprise your spouse with a nice, casual breakfast. Have a pot of coffee and a tray of some warm, fresh muffins waiting on the dining table for a wonderful morning treat. Prepare a meal together, light some candles, and relax at the dining table with good conversation and good company.

Dining tables are the perfect location to meet and bring your family together over some laughs, meals, and memories.

Modern Bedroom Furniture - A Popular Choice For Your Bedroom

When it comes to modern bedroom furniture, the trend these days is to steer towards platform beds.

If you haven't seen them, platform beds are a wonderful design of bed that lets you only have to purchase one mattress to sleep on. Instead of needing a box spring and a top mattress, you can toss the box spring. These modern bedroom furniture pieces are more than just a frame for a bed. Their platform construction creates a tray to hold the top mattress in place.

When it comes to those who are watching a budget, this can make a difference of hundreds of dollars that you won't have to spend on a matching box spring to complete your mattress set.

In the area of space in a room, a platform bed is a godsend. You see, regular beds take up a lot of space, with two mattresses filling a large portion of the area of the room. With platform beds, this all changes. There is only one mattress that is supported by this modern bedroom furniture piece, leaving a lot of space where that secondary mattress used to be.

In many cases, this space is used for excess storage. With the theme of modern bedroom furniture being clean and sleek, any extra storage that you can hide away is priceless. In platform beds, this often comes in the form of a series of drawers under the bed. There are also some unique designs in platform bed storage where the entire bed pops up to reveal a large storage bin underneath.

If you have decided to put a platform bed in a guest room, the under-bed storage options are a great place for all those things your guests may need which could include extra pillows, blankets, sheets, etc.

Most likely the most appreciated things about many styles of platform modern bedroom furniture is that these pieces are not overly assuming. Being simple modern bedroom furniture pieces, they often can blend into any modern décor theme you have decided to set. That means when you decide to renovate and change things up a few years down the road, you don't have to worry about replacing the bed, it will be ready to fit in to your new plans.

If you always get too warm at night, you may have found another reason that a platform bed is good for you. Many platform beds are low profile, meaning they are lower to the ground than traditional beds. If you remember your science class lessons, you will remember that heat rises and cool air sinks. This means the closer you are to the ground, the cooler you will be.

Modern bedroom furniture revolves around functionality over form. This is best shown with platform beds. They do their job, with less (not needing a second mattress), can serve more than one purpose (with under bed storage options) and can quickly change to fit any modern décor theme you choose to set in the space.

Author Jennifer Akre is an owner of different niche online stores that offer customers not only products, but information relating to furnishing and decorating indoor and outdoor living spaces. Whether you want to redecorate your living room or create the ultimate outdoor environment perfect for entertaining, there is a lot of helpful advice to take advantage of to make it happen. Today, she shares her insight when investing in luxurious bedroom furniture sets, beautiful contemporary bedroom furniture, and stylish modern bedroom furniture.