Above
Save space by mounting furniture in the ceiling.
Would it be possible for a family of four to live in a 54 m2 apartment? In a typical apartment it would be very crowded unless some living standard is sacrificed. Above gives you the opportunity to live large in a smaller space.
Which type of furniture would be suitable to mount in the ceiling? Getting rid of furniture that are flat and hard to move gives more flexibility and makes it easier to adapt rooms to one’s needs. Tables, beds and storages are bulky furniture that take space and are only used on certain times of the day.
The image below gives an overview of an apartment concept that we have designed. The highlighted parts are the ones we have focused on and enhanced with ceiling mounted furniture.
Eating and playing in the living room
By mounting a big table in the ceiling the living room gains two modes. In the first mode, the family has a table for eating and playing games. In the second mode, the table is in the ceiling leaving room for playing and relaxing.
It is not always necessary to clean up before hoisting the table - puzzles and drawings can just as well be stored in the ceiling. This makes it easier to continue with an activity later. Of course, the table will eventually need to be cleared. In these situations, the table offers convenient storage.
In the rest of the living room there is ample room for a regular sofa and television and possibly a ceiling mounted storage module.
Working and sleeping in the bedroom
With 54 m2 there is not a lot of space for bedrooms. Still, we wanted two separate bedrooms to allow some privacy. By mounting a bed and a desk in the ceiling, we were able to fit both bedroom and office into one very compact room: only 3x3 m.
If the bed and desk were ordinary furniture, you would not be able to pass them as they’d stand so close together in the cramped space. However, since they’re mounted, the room will feel as open as any bedroom as long as one of the furniture are hoisted up. This will always be the case as you don’t sleep when you work and vice versa.
This way, the parents can have some calm and privacy when needed. Since laptops and cell phones often need to be charged, power sockets are built into the desk. The desk also has drawers for storage.
Prototype
At the exhibition, we have a prototype of a ceiling mounted table. A lamp is mounted on it, as an example of how furniture in the ceiling can be useful when hoisted up. You’re welcome to come by and talk to us about the project!