Ingenious Smart Furniture With Amazingly Clever Designs

Let's check out some truly ingenious smart furniture with amazing clever designs!

August 17, 2023・

18 min read

Our homes are filled with furniture that we consider essential to our everyday lives. Yet throughout the years, the functionality and core design of most furniture has largely remained the same. However, some designers challenged the mundane and created some of the most innovative pieces you’ll ever lay eyes on. From shapeshifting shelves and chairs you can wear, to ultra-high-tech beds and ingenious desks, here are some of the most inventively designed pieces of furniture in the world!

Ingenious Beds

Recent technological advances have made the bedroom a whole lot more fun than it used to be; you can now do just about anything from bed. Take, for example, the Chandra Furniture "8 in 1" bed. Being somewhat the Swiss army knife of beds, it comes with plenty of storage, a chaise long, a desk, a night lamp, wireless speakers, a digital safe, and even a refrigerator!

Newer iterations even have 2 seats and a table at the foot of the bed. The price tag of a thousand bucks may seem steep to some, but considering you pretty much never need to leave the bed, is it really so bad?

But if even the 8 in 1 bed is too modest for your expensive taste, then set your eyes on what is being called the world’s most advanced bed or, in short, the iNyx bed. Canopied and cocooned by electric blinds, you’re guaranteed the utmost, delightfully wood-paneled privacy.

And that’s not even mentioning the aroma diffuser, the 5-point speaker system, and even a retractable home theatre screen. And just to give it that extra dose of la di da, there’s even a champagne holder. And this beastly bed weighs in at just $9,999.

However, the mother of all beds has to be the ‘HiCan Bed’. Designed by Italian designer, Edoardo Carlino, you might say this bed is a bit of an Italian stallion. Fluent in the language of luxury, it comes with a 4K projector and a 70-inch motorized screen, all complimented by a home theatre audio system so, the perfect setup for a Zoom meeting in bed!

It also has an adjustable base and mood lighting, a built-in alarm, a fragrance diffuser, and, as if all that wasn’t enough, a built-in massaging system all intuitively controlled by its smartphone app. A hot rod like this comes in at a jaw-dropping $120,000!

For more interesting bed designs, you might want to read our article about the most unusual beds ever created.

Space Saving Solutions

Having a huge spaceship-looking bed might seem like the ultimate fantasy, but what about those of us who are more concerned with living a minimalistic life? Just take a look at this idea for the open-plan, outdoor entertainment system of the future, shared by designer Fernanda Bertolla. With just the push of a button, say ‘adios’ to the colossal TV and ‘hola’ to a ton of extra floor space!

On the topic of ingenious space-saving solutions, allow me to introduce you to the Boxetti furniture collection. The company, founded in Milano in 2008 by designers Roland Landsberg and Tano Marciello, creates premium and innovative furniture, designed to maximize living space.

Each piece starts out looking fairly straightforward. Take, for example, the one named Boxetti Thrill. As you peel back the layers, the sideboard blooms into a full-blown entertainment system. And the same hidden glory is true of all their pieces, such as the Boxetti Private, which hosts not only storage but a double bed with a nightstand.

Even though the cheapest in their range, the Boxetti Thrill, goes for a not-so-thrilling $5,995, prices peak at $9,992 for the Boxetti Lunch kitchen island, meaning most of us will have to make peace with our IKEA flatpack furniture for now.

Franz Liszt was a famous composer known for his passionate and ingenious piano works, and it just so happens he had an equally genius piece of furniture. When not behind the wheel of a piano, the composer would apparently scribble down his musical schemes with this modest 3-octave keyboard integrated into his desk.

But if a 19th-century anguished composer isn’t quite your style as far as desks are concerned, then here’s something with a more modern edge to it. The next piece might look like an obscure piece of wooden wall art, but with a simple pull, the slats of wood fluidly flow into a seemingly gravity-defying desk, hence the name Flow Wall Desk.

Created by Robert van Embricqs, the designer pushes the boundaries of woodworking, with the vision to combine functionality and art. And with a $2,859 price tag, it certainly has a fine art price!

Don’t worry though if your budget doesn’t stretch that far, as I have just the idea. Simply attach a table to the wall with hinges and on the underside, place your favorite artwork. Check out TikToker, Kim Barber, creating her own!

The next piece of furniture might look like a cabinet, but it's more than that. Known as the Ludovico Transforming office, it does exactly as it says on the tin, that is, transforms into an office!

While the drawers and the fold-out desk aren’t necessarily anything to write home about, the fact that it seamlessly integrates a chair is a stroke of pure genius! Such a great idea for people with limited space. However, chances are someone with limited living space probably doesn’t have the $1,995 lying around to spend on this incognito desk.

Clever Chairs

A home is not a home without somewhere to sit, but what if you could sit down without a chair, and without sitting on the floor either? Sounds like an intense glute workout but German company Noonee has pioneered a way to do so without feeling the burn.

They call it the ‘Chairless Chair’, and it’s perfect for manual workers, office dwellers, and just general unconventional seating enthusiasts alike. Using an exoskeleton system that straps to the waist, thighs, and feet, the user can sit anytime, anywhere.

There’s an adjustable lever that locks the exoskeleton when it reaches an automated position, meaning you can intuitively sit without consideration. It comes fully height adjustable, ranging from 4 foot 11 all the way up to 6 foot 7, so tall and slender individuals can use it with ease.

But all this amazing technology, not to mention chic style, comes at a cost, with it retailing for $2,890. But with the chance to look like a real-life transformer, it might just be worth it. But if you’re not ready for something quite so abstract well, consider The Ollie.

It might look like just a plank of wood but, with a flick, it gracefully unfolds into a stylish chair. Ergonomically designed with lumbar support by the company RockPaperRobot, they themselves describe it as a shapeshifting seat, as it fluidly transforms from flat to 3D.

Weighing a light (and yet sturdy enough) 16 pounds, its clever design makes it perfectly portable; just imagine whipping this thing out on the subway. That said, this thing will cost you roughly $395.

The idea of a comfortable chair might be evocative of all things fluffy, soft, and cloud-like, but one designer, Annie Evelyn, has completely turned that idea on its head in what is called Squishy Chair. It might be hard to believe but it’s said that this wooden wonder is just as comfortable as any normal chair.

When constructing these unique seats, Annie lays a thick layer of foam and then painstakingly covers it with small pieces of hard materials, such as concrete, tiles, and wood. It certainly looks super cool, but one can’t help feeling like sitting on one of those semi-loose chunks of hard material would feel like being pinched by a hundred little crabs all at once.

So how about a chair with dual functionality, instead? Meet the Folding Step Ladder Chair, created by the brand Navaris. What initially looks like a boring old wooden chair, actually folds over onto itself, resulting in a small step ladder or even a shelf, giving it not one, not 2, but 3 purposes!

A slightly more simplified take on the multi-purpose seat would be the Hanger Chair, designed by Philippe Malouin in 2008. At its core, it’s just a fold-out chair but, with the simple addition of a hanger on top, its storage possibilities are maximized.

But for the times when a single chair’s width isn’t enough to accommodate your pals, what you need is a bench! And it just so happens, one company, FlexYah, has created a fully collapsible, flexible bench made entirely from recycled paper and cardboard, which can impressively withstand up to 2,000 pounds.

Flexing and stretching any which way, plus extending to 11 feet long and collapsing to just 6 inches, the FlexYah Bench might just be the perfect portable seating solution! And still on the topic of adjustable benches, take a look at Coffee Bench, created by designer, Karolina Tylka.

A simple and yet effective idea, Coffee Bench is made up of 16 separate wooden slats which work on a modular basis, meaning each one can be moved up or down individually. As a result, it can be modified into a variety of formations, allowing the user to choose if and when they need a desk, side table, armrest, or backrest.

But if somehow, that’s still not customizable enough for you, then consider the Lift Bit Sofa. Designed by Italian architect, Carlo Ratti, the Lift Bit sofa is made up fully of individual hexagonal modules, which can be placed in just about any formation.

Each super-soft padded piece can easily be raised or lowered in height, meaning its possibilities are plentiful. Be it a sofa, a bed, chair, stool, bench, or a chaise long, you really can get creative! And best of all, they can be controlled by the ease of a handy smartphone app, just in case nondigital sofas were annoying you with their simplicity.

A great way to unwind is by combining the simple comfort of a chair with the blissful relaxation of a bathtub and that would be The Hoesch Water Lounge. Crafted by the German company Hoesch, the Water Lounge is a freestanding whirlpool bathtub, packing 15 air jets that make up its hydromassage system. As if an in-tub massage wasn’t enough, it comes equipped with a teakwood seating platform curved for comfort, a side table, and even a reading lamp!

Clever Dining Solutions

According to a 2017 survey, a pitiful 23% of Americans eat their evening meal around a proper dining table, meaning that while we could be having interesting conversations and debates with our family, 77% of us are more than likely stuffing our faces, slouched on a couch, in front of a TV.

So, let's explore some delightfully designed tables that might just convince you to swap the TV dinners for some good old-fashioned table-based feasting! If you don’t have space for a dining table, there are plenty of clever space-saving designs to accommodate even the teeniest of homes.

Check the Icaro Convertible Table. It might not look like much, but seeing it in action in the TikTok clip below may change your mind. Designed by Nils Frederking, it has three individually hinged pieces which allow it to contort in ways we might liken to a piece of origami.

On a similar theme of clever folding, the cardboard design in the video below by Liddy Scheffknecht and Armin Wagner folds into itself like a pop-up storybook.

Ingenious as it is, this set was designed more as an artistic sculpture to behold than as practical furniture, so it probably doesn’t actually support a full person’s weight just now, but if they nail it in the future, they’d be creating the possibility of simply popping up and down the entire dining set.

Similarly, design company Expand Furniture has created a table that not only folds away but has dual functionality. By day, it’s just a boring old shelf, and by night it transforms into a full-sized dining table.

While it might initially look impossible, the shelves have been designed such that, as the long metal frame poles pivot on their axis, the relative position of the anchor points of each shelf stays the same. With the shelves not tilting, they ingeniously remain completely level, so that none of the items need to be removed!

It’s a mind-blowing design, but comes with a fairly hefty price tag, coming in at 1,295 smackeroos! But who can put a price on impressing your guests?

Another designer that thought outside the box with his table design is Marcus Vora. While most extendible tables typically have some type of folding mechanism, Marcus ingeniously created one with a winding mechanism, known as the Roll out Table.

Giving you control over how long you want the table to be, the vertical legs at the opposite end of the rolling device can split into 3. These can then be pulled out to prop up the additional table length, which is itself made sturdy thanks to the fact that the rollable blocks only bend in one direction.

This means they lock firmly in position when laid out, kind of like one of those snap bands you might’ve had as a kid, only this design is able to prop up your dinner! But enough of cranking out the table, let’s crank up the fun in here! Dinnertime just got an extra serving of fun with Marleen Jansen’s 2012 design, Courtesy Table.

What’s so fun about this table? It has a see-saw for chairs which is the coolest thing ever. Impractical? Sure. But I'll be frantically refreshing Google until this goes up for sale? Absolutely!

There’s nothing better than when summer comes and you can eat dinner outside or, as our Italian friends might say, "al fresco". And what better way to eat al fresco than with the Obelisk Outdoor System? Designer Frank Ligthart specifically designed the set in such a way that each piece would almost act like Tetris, fitting together to create a huge cocoon shape.

It might look like something beamed from outer space or accidentally dropped during nuclear bomb tests in the 1950s, but you can’t deny the ingenuity behind it. You can, however, deny the price, with it coming in at over $8,000!

But if you’re really set in your ways and would rather stay parked on the couch to eat your dinner, then you might prefer the Coosno Smart Coffee Table. Like something from a sci-fi movie, the voice-activated table can automatically raise its lid, showing off a range of refrigerated snacks and beverages.

With Coosno’s built-in Bluetooth speakers and interactive multicolored lights that follow the rhythm, you’ll be partying like it’s 2099! All that at just $329 which is kind of a bargain for a voice-activated Bluetooth speaker, light system, and refrigerator which has all your snacks and beverages at hand.

But if we’re on the topic of mind-blowing refrigeration devices, it’d be remiss not to mention the Samsung Family Hub refrigerator. Gone are the primordial days of your fridge simply doing the thing it was invented for, as the Samsung Family Hub refrigerator is essentially a giant smartphone.

With calling capabilities, internet access, and obviously the ability to keep food cold, you can watch YouTube while you cook, or use it to display digital artwork. Not just that, but it has a handy built-in calendar in which you can input the dates of your produce. As they near expiration, the fridge will send you a reminder, meaning no more chewy milk!

Another handy weapon in its arsenal is the live cam, which allows you to view a live stream of the inside of the fridge while you’re out of the house, in case you want to check what you’ve got while at the store! Not to mention, helping finally get to the bottom of who’s been eating all the cheese.

But do be aware that all this comes at a pretty hefty cost, coming in at up to $4,599 for their most expensive model. Sad to think a refrigerator is simultaneously both smarter and worth more than most cars.

Innovative Staircases

There is nothing like making a grand entrance on a fancy staircase! So, to help make dreams come true, let’s check out some staircases with incredible designs. The design in the image below was created by Mexican Studio, Arquitectura en Movimiento, and it’s a truly ingenious piece of woodwork.

Each step after the first few consists of one continuous beam that elegantly leads to another step way up above. The effect is that each step is almost a floating wave, yet the weight is displaced onto the walls on either side, thanks to hidden steel rods implanted into the wall.

This design uses the same principle as a unique shelf called the Bee, created by Russian designer Maria Yasko. It looks like it fluidly flows from floor to ceiling, in one piece. Super satisfying!

Another way to inject some spark into your staircase could be with a creation by the German company Wooden. They call it Reed, and the fiery handrail is sure to add a spark to your house, not to mention, a dim light for those late-night trips to the bathroom and snack cupboard.

The handrail comes in 1-meter pieces, each with a beautiful wood cylinder encased in glass, with a light strip running through the core, and which can be joined together to fit staircases of all sizes. But dig deep, as this hot handrail comes with a chilling price of over $500 per 1-meter piece!

Creative Doors and Gates

Doors are also important, so let's explore some doors with remarkable designs! The first one really is incredible, it’s called Evolution Door and was designed by Austrian artist, Klemens Torggler. What’s so incredible about it? Check for yourself in the clip below.

With its clever design and elegant use of physics, the door is able to rotate and fold like a piece of origami. Though, given how beautifully elegant its movement is, it probably wouldn't have the same effect for a dramatic door slam during a heated argument. Sticking with the theme of doors that don’t quite open as you might expect, check out the bike shed below.

That door and the shed’s entire contents effortlessly glide out on rails, giving you much easier access to the bikes. And with a touch of decorative grass on top, it’s a pretty nice way to turn a very functional storage container into a visually satisfying addition to a garden.

Similarly, combining sleek movement and decorative pizzazz, take a look at the door created by construction company, Russell Remodeling:

This door was custom-made for a client who wanted to save space by not having a door that needed to open out into the space of the room. With its sliding mechanism, precious space is used more efficiently, while also adding a nice wood slat texture, almost making it serve as a feature wall.

But if you want a door that’s going to spark conversations and bring delight to a party, prepare yourself for the best of the best: The ping-pong door!

With a rotating middle panel and supports to hold it in place, this genius idea, created by German designer Tobias Franzel, means you, your family, or roommates can have hours of ping-pong fun without a huge ping-pong table taking up a ton of space. And, the best part is, the nature of the design means that if you lose, you can add extra dramatic emphasis by not only flipping the table but slamming the door while you do it!

However, this thing will set you back over $11,500. If you find that a little bit over budget, then just do what YouTuber and TikToker, Yode, did and make your own. Check it out:

That is pretty darn impressive. Thank you YoDe, for showing us our whacky furniture dreams really can come true. But it goes without saying, not all unique doors can be built DIY style. This awesome gate below, for example, required the metal casting machinery and professional welding skillset of Munna Fabrication, a specialist company in Indore, India.

Similarly, this next-door-like structure below is far from a DIY job. It's a very clever set of automated, mechanical sunscreens. Designed by Ferruccio Laviani in collaboration with Italian company I.S.A.M., this oak woven motorized system acts as a super classy, high-tech update to curtains and blinds, blocking out the sun’s rays in the sleekest way possible.

Should you want to brighten up the place, the motorized system simply unfurls, letting the world see right into your unbelievably gorgeous house, which is of course decorated with all the astounding bits of furniture we’ve covered today. With a house like that, you’re undoubtedly going to be the envy of the galaxy, let alone the neighborhood!

If you were amazed at this compilation of ingenious smart furniture, you might want to read our article about shocking furniture that you need to see to believe. Thanks for reading!