“Hey multitaskers, let’s build spaces which mirror our profession.”

Honoured to be called a multitasker, another designation of an interior designer, the way they juggle several tasks and people, personified as an octopus doing work with all his eight hands. 

Introduction 

Multifunctional spaces are an easy word to understand as they belong to the easy vocab family which is understood by a layman too, going in technically multifunctional interiors are planned, designed and executed keeping in mind the time spent and usage of that particular space. 

A brief on multifunctional interiors could be summed up by the above definition but its importance with changing scenario of the 21st century, how it can be efficiently created keeping in mind its core strength of managing time and space in consideration with the environment and its flexibility in every element of interiors, is turning pages to unfold these secrets within. 

Introducing multifunctional interiors tends to suppress the usual interiors which specify the utility of space but the fact is, it is generously the rising trend of the 21st century not leaving behind the principles and elements of design but rather taking them along with using less sqft. and more volume segments to create multifunctional spaces. 

Remember, multifunctional interiors include multifunctional spaces and multi-utility furniture, making that space multifunctional, as furniture is the driving element of interiors. 

Multifunctional Spaces

The term is self-explanatory, interior designers create spaces which is adaptable, functional and feasible for people residing in that space but, to make the spaces to be multifunctional i.e., the person can perform multiple tasks in that particular four walls is a new objection yet a necessity of this and forthcoming centuries. 

“Designers have the expertise to conjure with space be it in terms of functionality or the picturesqueness of space.”

Explaining Multifunctional Spaces 

Multifunctional spaces are rich in terms of their functionality but somewhere there must be a question now and then asked why was the need for the spaces to be multifunctional we all earlier had a bedroom to rest, a living room to rejoice with loved ones, restrooms or bathrooms to fresh-n-up, kitchen to prepare the food, dining areas to enjoy the meal prepared and offices giving a complete environment to keep our work mode on, then why we needed the spaces to be multifunctional?

Here are the answers, which don’t come from a prolonged study but as a learning of past covid years which taught us and spaces both to be flexible and keep going. Elaborating further when people turned their homes to be home offices they all had a realisation that the multifunctional spaces are an asset to the fast-running life which indeed saved travel time, made less pollution, protected the environment and kept the workflow going off course with a lot many home distractions, memes scrolled over the internet and personal experiences are enough to troll, criticise, appreciate those covid years which indeed changed the designing and planning style of interiors too, yes those years affected interior designing field too.

A key to creating multifunctional spaces is to make them without an opaque screen rather than create them with a perforated one allowing the space to inhale.

Jumping upon the examples of multifunctional spaces can elaborate, explain and justify all the above statements.

Examples Of Multifunctional Spaces 

Examples explain a term well and give you the perfect gist of terminology to be justified, thereby discussing how we can create a space to be multifunctional. 

Firstly, discussing the most prevailing kitchen & dining area combination, nevertheless the most precious space not restricted to do a specific task but this is the place to withhold all the memories and mess to be shared upon, of course, while filling the stomach. 

Can achieve by merging those two, either incorporating a long breakfast table, creating perforated screens called partitions to let the light waves and sound waves travel from one zone to another or adjoining these two areas as one huge area in which you have a breakfast table as an extended platform of kitchen adjoining is a chaise lounge or recliners for naps and an entertainment piece to look upon and giggle around. 

The second one is weird to accept yet it is done these days, due to the small sizes of bathrooms there is no space for the incorporation of bathtubs inside rather strange to know they are brazenly kept inside the bedrooms yes inside bedrooms, of course with proper inlets and outlets but still to fascinate your fantasy of rejoicing a bath in a bathtub designer need to do this, strange but a way to create a space multifunctional.

Designers can indeed improve the way of doing it by either raising the platform from the finished floor level on which the bathtub is to keep so that there is a visual separation and a proper drainage line could be set up under that raised floor, a way just to make that space more multifunctional and visually appealing. 

The third one took birth in covid years during the lockdown, going outside was a major risk, especially for the toddlers therefore not compromising their overall development there was a need to change interior planning, giving them a special zone for the activities which nurtures their childhood and let them develop both mentally and physically. 

Since schools were shifted to the online mode which increased their screen time henceforth creating indoor play and activity areas for toddlers inside their rooms if the space permits or else can use the lobby area between two rooms giving them to use a wholesome semi-private space. Also if you are the owner of a bigger sqft. can make these play and activity areas in your landscapes providing the shading elements following the weather. 

The fourth one in the row is similar to the previous one in terms of its origin and usability of space; they are integrated home offices. 

Spaces near the lobby, a corner or working desk installation inside a master bedroom or a separate room with the provision of office storage a desk to keep your letter pad, laptops, desktops etc. and lot many switchboards to plug in and out throughout the day, of course, the room or space should be the best spots of home to catch the wi-fi signals. 

The fifth one summed up all examples discussed above. It is studio apartments that have the most staying space for metro cities. Initially, they were developed to balance out the abundant use of land and shift the rehabilitation towards vertical planning creating skyscrapers and studio apartments within. 

These apartments usually have single ownership and are enclosed within 500-600 sqft., as the word suggests they are the size of a studio holding within the kitchen dining and living area common, bedroom not enclosed within a wall rather it’s without door and a partition acting separation inclusive of a work desk and a small sit out or balcony. They can also be planned along with a mezzanine if they have a clear height of more than 10 ft. I.e., using the volume. 

Examples of multifunctional spaces discussed above explain them well and suggest you a way how to develop those pre-existing spaces to be multifunctional. But have ever dug the rabbit hole why these spaces are growing in their existence, have ever wondered about their benefits and this immediate shift in planning to these multifunctional spaces, nevertheless not being a miracle but rather an adaptation concerning change in time? Let’s discuss this in detail!

Inclination Towards Multifunctional Spaces 

“Shifting the pinhole of future interior space planning towards the direction of blooming flower of multifunctional interiors.”

We are clear with the meaning of what is exactly the multifunctional spaces are but need to brush up on why they were needed so desperately, indeed is a prolonged alternative to be shifted upon, let’s explore the need for it and the profit we can gain through it. 

Benefits of Multifunctional spaces 

When a fresh piece, a different concept emerges in the market the murmuring and whispers are there, discussing the clarity for its need, benefits and examples. Here we will be discussing the need for multifunctional space under the huge umbrella of society. 

Favouring Environment

Ever-growing population and adaptability towards the limited resources multifunctional spaces are the rays of hope to stabilize the limited resource, economy and land management. 

The construction industry is the devil of pollution be it air, water or land this industry should sift itself to minimalize all and maximize its importance without disrupting nature hence multifunctional spaces due to its less use of sqft. Saving the land, and less construction of RCC walls leaving behind comparatively low carbon footprints rather than generating by incorporating the green design is the vision to promote these multifunctional spaces.

Cost-effective

Multifunctional spaces are affordable in terms of your pocket saying it a pocket handy- budget-friendly interiors as they incorporate less sqft. with more facilities combining the functions of the different zone in one. 

Time Saver

Multifunctional spaces are meant to manage time in terms of their construction duration and workability, on both grounds the multifunctional space stands still and upright saving time indeed. This benefit will be a perfect match for the busy lives existing on Earth these days. 

Urbanism and multifunctional Spaces

Youths doing hibernation in metro cities for growth in their respective filed and to explore more options need a space which saves travel time and less sqft. to manage daily 

Hence studio apartments are the favourite option being easy to manage and maintain whether your work is work from home or office. 

Multiutility Furniture

Furniture in the interior is the deciding factor in terms of colour scheme, comfort, functionality and element in interior design which consumes the maximum area in a space designed resulting making it an eye-catching- key focusing element of interior design, hence making them multifunctional will make the space as a whole to be multipurpose within. 

A room is defined to be a bedroom if it has a bed be it queen size, king size, single or double bed in it, drawing room is what we call a room with a formal sitting sofa encompassing the centre table to enclose the sitting, a dining room is a space to dine at the dining table, the kitchen is identified by its platform and range or cooktop over it in a triangle with refrigerator and sink on the third vertex completing that triangle. 

“Furniture is the recognition of space.”

The furniture is a working element in the interior so modifying it in terms of functionality, usability patterns and texture that is altering the elements of design could uplift the interior space to reach the level of being multifunctional. 

Exploring those lanes of furniture modification to enhance the functionality of interiors is an admirable changeover, here are some ways and modifications required in furniture to make them multifunctional.

Starting with the smallest in size among all furniture pieces that get fitted in every space due to its flexibility and availability in its size variation, could you guess it, side tables, centre tables or coffee tables are the most versatile element in interiors?

 It can be made multifunctional by creating a cluster of small tables cushioned over, termed as pouffe, dragged beneath a huge centre table so whenever you have a big gathering at your place and seating is less just drag them from the centre table and sit over to enjoy the gathering. Not only this you can utilise that pouffe to secure any extra storage i.e., functional and adaptable.

Murphy beds, another multifunctional mechanized furniture element is indeed the best solution for small sqft. The usual meaning of murphy beds is foldable beds, folding inside the wall when not required and unfolding to rest upon, also here at times there are confused with sofa cum bed furniture piece or bed and sofa unfolding simultaneously, but altogether they all come in the general category of multiutility furniture pieces. 

Furniture on wheels or furniture performing double duty, next multi-utility furniture of the grid making your furniture mobile will, in turn, provide you to change the environment while using that particular furniture piece, of course, heavy furniture pieces will require a lot of protein and carbs intake for everyday movement rather a furniture light in weight like working desk, coffee table, rattan chair, dining table being a study table after the movement could be an option for modifying furniture, making it multifunctional.

Above listed modifications in furniture pieces can create their era of designing as multifunctional interiors will grow with time and will evolve with more such advancements in furniture be it technology and mechanics introducing themselves in the furniture industry to cut the ribbon of the future in furniture design with mechanism and technology, to make a space not multifunctional and workable but also tech and environment friendly at the same time.

Conclusion 

Interior designers being multitaskers understands the essence of the word hence multifunctional interiors could only be designed, planned and executed by the of the there inner self to meet the need of the coming centuries.

Multifunctional interiors are at that stage of development in which we all are at halfway of reading its book 50% pages are unfolded, the gist of which is explained above and 50% is left to read and explore about which I could predict will include the changes and advancement in it concerning changing time, my sixth sense in saying it would be the best version of multifunctional interiors which will develop itself considering environment, technology, mechanism and mental well-being altogether, saying it all by the voice of multifunctional interior space “My best is yet to come”.