Ingenious Home Design Solutions

There’s lots of neat interior design inspiration out there, but some designers have created products that will definitely set you one cut above the rest. From transforming furniture to tiny living spaces, here are some of the most ingenious home design solutions you need to see!

SWING

Limited living space is frustrating, so anything that serves more than one purpose can be lifesaving. The SWING, which made its breakthrough debut at Cologne’s furniture fair in 2018, is a sophisticated dining table which transforms into a tidy shelving unit with one swift movement.

©German Smart Living

According to its German designers, a standard table is used for approximately 142 minutes a day, meaning it wastes potential space for a total of some 21 hours and 38 minutes. With this in mind, the SWING was created for multi-purpose use while being neatly storable when it’s not being used for dining. And the best part is that you don’t have to remove any items either, making this an impressive piece.

DOOLIGHT

Lighting doesn’t always have to be static and self-explanatory, and the Doolight is an ingenious design which can be a handy companion for any modern homeowner. This fresh take on a classic chandelier comprises individual standalone lights which hang on a central ‘flower’ base.

The base also doubles up as a charging port which provides each ‘drop’ with three days’ worth of charge, and the smartphone or touch-activated lights can then be placed anywhere for a little extra ambience. These versatile lights can be used at dinner parties, as a bedside lamp or reading aid, and their water-resistant material and soft touch ‘edgeless’ design makes them safe for children, too.

Scrapbox

If you’re a crafter, you’ll know how much space you need to sacrifice to accommodate your creative hobbies. With Workbox 3.0, you no longer have to stuff paints, buttons and sewing tools under your bed and in every box and drawer around the house, because everything can be neatly stored in one standard-looking cabinet with some big secrets.

©Create Room

This ingenious solution is every artist's dream with 85,000 cubic inches of storage space including 80 craft totes for all your imaginative needs, and even a fold-out desk. The Workbox has been designed by crafters for crafters and is a great way to maintain a creative haven in any room, and you can now customize your own Workbox from $2,199.

Elevate Sofa Sleeper

The Elevate sofa sleeper by Luonto describes itself as a modern marvel of engineering, and there’s no denying that this multipurpose furniture is one nifty bit of kit. If you regularly have guests over but you’re a little short on space, this unsuspecting sofa could be the answer to all your problems.

With a few simple movements, the Elevate Sofa Sleeper can be quickly transformed into a fully functioning bunk bed capable of comfortably sleeping two adults. With a smooth working mechanism and hidden ladder, this is one fuss-free way to accommodate more friends and family, and it's sure to one-up any old sofa bed.

©Luonto Furniture

Wilding Wall-beds

An adult-sized bed is likely to be the most space-consuming item in any bedroom, but an ingenious line of ‘Murphy Beds’ designed by Wilding furniture design specialists has found a way to free up some of that precious floor space. The Wilding Wall-Bed is a queen-sized bed which can be inconspicuously folded into a standalone cabinet as if it was never there to begin with, using a noiseless and easily operated piston-lift system.

The ‘Studio Desk’ design takes things one step further by providing a built-in desk space which can disappear in an instant as it fits snugly under the fold-out wall bed without even needing to be cleared. These hideaway beds are perfect for guest rooms or small bedrooms, and what better way to grab a quick nap!

LG Roll Up TV

The LG Signature OLED TV R promises to maximize your living space with the first sleek panel TV which disappears without a trace, leaving only a standalone piece of contemporary art behind. This mind-blowing design boasts a display that rolls out and rises on demand using voice-activated technology, putting the cinematic world right before your eyes.

Its minimalist metal design is sophisticated and modern, and it can also eliminate those pesky black borders while watching movies by partially rolling and immersing you entirely in the screen.

Lumio

Lumio is a totally unique product which asks you to forget everything you know about typical light fixtures. This dynamic, multi-functional lamp conceals itself discretely within the confines of a laser-cut hard-cover book, and can open up to 360 degrees to light up any room with its unique water-resistant ‘pages’ containing high-performing LEDs.

This compact and creative lighting solution can be used almost anywhere and Lumio can also mount to almost any metallic surface, meaning the creative possibilities are endless. The classic Lumio retails at $200, but there’s also a smaller $150Mini Lumio+ which doubles up as a handy smartphone battery pack.

Loft Space Safety Net

Converting unused loft space is a great way to unlock potential and create a whole new living environment, and there are some pretty clever ideas out there to help you along the way. A tiny living apartment can be perfectly designed to maximize space in every nook and cranny, and a cramped loft area can be transformed into a spacious bedroom.

The most ingenious part is a safety net which cleverly separates the sleeping and office areas while doubling up as a comfy chill-out zone. This loft space safety net concept has been implemented in many modern interiors, and you can’t deny that this is one seriously envious design solution.

Roll Mirror

One of the marks of a successful designer is the ability to inject new uses into everyday items, and the Roll Mirror, created by San Francisco-based designer Justin Godar, is not just another mirror worth checking yourself out in before leaving the house. With one easy push, the circular mirror can be rolled to one side to reveal a simple storage solution, like a host of brass pegs for hanging keys or jewelry.

The mirror has been created in different finishes and can also contain shelves which would be a great place to stash your prized possessions from prying hands, but you’re looking at a hefty price tag of $4000 for one of these made-to-order pieces.

Living Cube

If you really don’t know where to start with designing your own bedroom then look no further than the Living Cube by Swiss designer Till Könneker. This compact living solution manages to encompass an entire bedroom in the space of one clean-cut shape by maximizing storage potential and keeping things stylish.

The living cube has enough storage space to act as a wardrobe, shelving unit, fold-out desk and 42-inch TV stand, while a ladder leads to the comfortable sleeping platform on top.

That’s not all, though, because its spacious interior could also house a home office or even a second bed, depending on your individual needs. With this ingenious ready-to-go room all you need is a couple of chairs and you get a sophisticated living space worth talking about.

Cubitat

The living cube is impressive, but why not take things a step further with design studio Urban Capital’s ambitious ‘Cubitat’, which places your entire home within the walls of one 10-by-10-by-10-foot cube. This giant prefab Rubik’s cube, which debuted at the 2015 Design Show, houses a kitchen, bathroom, bed, laundry facilities and sufficient storage to get anyone on their feet and into the world of modern living.

Currently the Cubitat, costing an estimated $55-60,000, can only be custom-built and shipped in one piece, making it difficult to insert into any pre-existing home, but it could be perfect for anyone looking to leave the world behind. This ‘plug-in-and-play’ living space only requires plumbing and electricity, and could offer a glimpse into the future of modern living.

Köllen Interactive Bookshelf

When it comes to modern design which aims to challenge the ordinary no stone is left unturned, and the stereotypical static bookshelf is no exception. The Köllen interactive bookshelf, created by design students from Barcelona, is an innovative piece of furniture inspired by Nordic styling which can be modified to suit each individual user.

This unique shelf operates using a modular system of adaptable plywood pieces which all work together to create a wave-like formation capable of transforming shape based on which objects are placed on it. Whether in a bedroom or living room, this multifunctional bookshelf is sure to transform any space with a futuristic twist.

The Sobro Smart Side Table

Simplicity is sometimes key, but other designs go above and beyond to achieve a multitude of purposes, and with the super handy Sobro Smart table in your life you’ll never have to leave your bed again. This tech-savvy table boasts a plethora of useful features like a wireless charging pad, Bluetooth speakers and even a thermoelectric cooling drawer for those sneaky late-night drinks.

The potential of this next-generation nightstand doesn’t end there, because smartphone connectivity capabilities also mean that the Sobro Smart Table can track your sleep and wake you up softly with interactive light controls. This ingenious design was successfully crowdfunded on Indiegogo in 2018 and it's already available for purchase.

Smart Storage Stairs

There’s untapped storage potential all over the standard home if you look hard enough, and the Smart Storage design company is dedicated to maximizing unused under-stairs space. With one of their ingenious multi-drawer configurations, a whole host of household items from shoes, toys, appliances and cleaning products can be neatly stored away out of sight.

No matter what size staircase you have in mind there’s a smart solution for you, and the storage possibilities are irresistible for any lover of organization.

Shape-Shifting Sink

If you’re after a statement piece to complete your bathroom, look no further than the self-proclaimed ‘world’s coolest sink’ designed by Osman Can Ozcanli. At first glance, this shiny black surface isn’t a sink at all, but with the touch of a button, the entire thing shape-shifts to create an ergonomic wash basin.

When you’re finished, the sink seamlessly disappears again, and an automatic wiper emerges to get rid of the excess moisture. The flexible carbon fiber sheet is bent in and out of shape by a hidden mechanism which gives the impression that the surface is moving by itself.

©Osman Ozcanli

It’s unlikely something like this will crop up in ordinary homes anytime soon, but it’s certainly a tempting glimpse into the future of interior design.

Kitty Korner

Humans aren’t the only ones who need to be catered for when it comes to designing a home, and cat lovers can now let their feline companions roam freely around the house without having to invest in an unsightly indoor cat flap.

An easy-to-install $40 pet portal known as the ‘Kitty Korner’ can be attached to any existing interior door using a standard template and patented hinge system which allows the corner of the door to seamlessly fold up like a paper flap. With this ingenious invention, cats can now seek privacy behind closed doors and out of reach of toddlers and over-excited dogs.

7Doors

The multi-purpose potential of interior doors is largely overlooked, but Japanese designer Nendo has created a project of 7 concept doors which each have a unique secondary purpose. Some of the designs are pretty niche, from a door with a built-in lamp to one with sliding panels which let in different amounts of natural light and even one with an added child-sized door.

The most interesting idea in the series, though, is the ‘corner door’ which allows the user to enter and exit through the corner of the room, forcing us to rethink our ideas of interior layout. Because it opens particularly wide, this unusual door design could also be handy for wheelchair users.

Space Corner

The standard kitchen is packed full of cooking utensils, ingredients and cutlery that all need storing away, and interior design company Blum has optimized surprising wasted corner space to make sure your kitchen never looks cluttered again.

The super-smart ‘Space Corner’ consists of different-sized drawers which can be easily extended to store items in its handy compartments, and after unlocking its full potential you wouldn’t believe just how much unused space there is in the corner of a room.

Space-Saving Stair Solutions

In smaller homes, the conventional staircase can take up an unnecessary amount of room, but there are plenty of ingenious and stylish alternatives out there for inspiration. Check out this varnished oak spiral staircase which maximizes the potential of an extremely narrow passageway.

If the thought of that makes you slightly dizzy, what about these bespoke solid mahogany stairs, which not only make a great design feature but also cut down on space due to their overlapping design; just take special care when climbing them drunk!