Experiment in small spaces | Part 1

I have a small 11 m² room with a small balcony.

On a nice day

I’ve long thought about transforming it so that it could serve two purposes:

• Guest room
• Workroom / clean workshop

Up until recently, it served exclusive as a guest room. But my recent dive into the world of woodworking made me convert it into a workshop.

Small spaces are more than simply a solution to space utilisation. To me, the lack of space need not be an impediment, but a feature to embrace.

I propose to change the narrative and attempt to answer the question: can I do more with less?

As a guest room, the bed is the first and foremost. In order to ensure both comfort and efficient space utilisation, I decided to build a Murphy bed.

Murphy beds are beds that fold into the wall either vertically or horizontally.

This is a great opportunity to take on the challenge of designing something that is both aesthetically pleasing and very functional.

Ultimately, I’d like for the room to have a comfortable and natural look with as little detail as possible. Small spaces with too strong a character leave no space for their inhabitant.

Murphy beds comprise of a tilting mechanism which carries the load of the mattress frame and mattress. This poses a challenge as it’s the first structurally dynamic piece of furniture I’ll be building.

Follow along if you’re interested. I plan on posting more about the design process and research.