The Compact Living Transformer

Meet the Matroshka:

Matrjosjka [Matroshka] means grandmother in Russian and is used in popular language to describe the wooden dools that are placed inside each other. As reflected by the hidden space within the dolls, the [Matroshka] has the potential to revolutionise storage and maximise the quality of living, especially for those in confined dwellings.

It can become as small as 4 square meters and houses a book self, double bed, sofa, dinner table, four stools, desk, wardrobe and a bunch of storage. The target group for this product are people living in overcrowded lodgings; particularly students, big city dwellers or commuters. It can also be used in more conventional dwellings to maximise space in the guest room, children’s room or study area. It is also a smart sollution to allow more flexibility in pre-furnished apartments.

While this is a clever idea, I'm not so sure I'd want to constantly shuffle my furniture around from one function to another on a daily basis. For the truly space constrained, this looks like one way to get a lot of functionality out of a very small space. I agree, the Matroshka might be a particularly good idea for pre-furnished apartments.



For individuals, it seems like you could get a lot of the same functionality with better style and cheaper cost by getting a high-quality futon, an adjustable height coffee/dining table (which could also function as a nightstand and a desk), a nice desk, a bookshelf, and some stackable stools or folding chairs. This arrangement would be easier to arrange, take up less space, give a lot of the same functionality, and would be far easier to move. For the truly space-constrained, a Japanese-style futon would be another fine option. (I've used them on many occasions in Japan and love them.)

More photos of the Matroshka in various configurations for sleeping, dining, studying, etc. after the link. See more photos on the product's website.