Thursday, August 4, 2011

Space efficient chairs/seating for your tiny home, converted shed, or vacation cottage....

Chairs and seating always seem to be an issue when designing, or living in a very small home, and while on a recent shopping spree of sorts over at Ikea for accessories and decorative props for our next "Tiny Yellow House" episode shoot (tomorrow), I came across a hanging chair (one of many they carry) called the EKORRE- which was reasonably priced too. The only thing I missed was that another package/part (the inflatable pad for the seat- about $10.00) has to be purchased seperately- I don't really think its needed though, especially for adult use, leaving you more sitting room as a result.



Its more so meant for kids, it seems, as it was in the "kids section", but it does hold up to 220 pounds and has enough sitting room for an adult, so WHY NOT? I just better not "let-go" and lay on the lbs. anytime soon, or there goes my chair swinging days....

Anyway, I grabbed one, and am in the process of installing it in my basement to serve as an eventual segue into another Make Magazine shoot on homemade hanging seating, and I'll let you know how it works out down the road....
The thing does look pretty darn durable, I do have to say, and when not in use, you could unhook it and ball it up into something as small as a coffee can, perhaps, to store it.



Naturally, on the cheap, here are some other small-space seating ideas....
-Hammocks (take them down when not in use, and they can double as short-term sleep spaces)
-Hanging Butterfly-style chairs
-Thin metal folding chairs
-Stackables
-Ottomans or side tables that double as storage and seating
-Custom-built wall fold-out/drop down seats
-Stairs (a low, increased-size tread or two) that can accomodate a kiester as well
  And you get the idea....foldable and stowable is the key ingredient for your small house, vacation hut, cabin, cottage, shack. or shedworking/granny flat.

Ikea's chair, the PS SVINGA also looked intriguing too, nicer/more adult looking, but more expensive and it wouldn't really pack away, or tie back against a wall when not in use. These would probably work great on a porch or deck though. 





-Derek "Deek" Diedricksen