USA Today ran an article on multifunctional design in yesterday’s issue, and I’m quoted – “it’s harder to design multifunctional furniture than multifunctional appliances”. I’d like to expand on that. In the last five years or so, the combination of computer chips (bits) and appliances has driven most of the innovation in appliances. And it’s a good thing, mostly. Perfect toast every time. As for furniture, it’s harder but not impossible to be truly innovative when it comes to multifunctional. There are plenty of excellent examples on this site. The difficulty lies in the manipulation and combination of materials - atoms. Doing it elegantly, seamlessly, to create an object of beauty and that’s practical, is not easy. In fact, it takes a great deal of creativity and experimentation let alone skill. Luckily, new materials are opening up new avenues for designers to explore, whether it’s new applications, structures or finishes. It’s what keeps us going here at MoCo Loco (that and Nanaimo bars).

LINK: usatoday.com