Choosing furniture is never an easy task, unless you have no particular preferences as to style or convention and have enough money to simply walk into a furniture store and order an entire household’s worth of furniture. Not many people can do the latter, and most of us have decided preferences as to the style or comfort of our seating.

The size of the home is also an issue, with many homes being too small to contain a full lounge suite. The alternative is sometimes to choose only one or two items from a suite, which then leaves the home with a dearth of seating that is very noticeable when company calls!

Do not despair however, if you are one of those with a longing for a beautiful, well-appointed home but lack the space and money to get there – there is always a way!

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Invest in furniture that serves a double-purpose, such as sofa beds or futons. Futons in particular are great as they can be decked with cushions and an attractive throw during the day, for use as a sofa that will seat at least three visitors (four if they are slim and do not mind huddling together!) and then it can be converted into a comfortable single bed at night.

These work particularly well in very small one-bedroom or bedsit apartments as they allow you to use the same space in the home for two separate purposes. There are many fold-down tables on the market that can be used as a side table or coffee table most of the time, but extended to make a generous dining table when necessary.

Other examples include sewing or hobby tables that fold down to just a few inches wide, enabling you to store them against a wall or even in a cupboard until they are needed.

Allow your inner child free rein and invest in some squashy, comfortable fun by getting a bean bag or two!

Choose between firm, shaped modules that can be stacked or connected into conventional looking chairs and sofas, or go for the traditional the large soft ‘sacks’ that you can flop into with a sense of childlike glee!

Beanbags come in all colours and sizes so choose one or two that go with your décor scheme and you will be amazed at how well put together your home can look! They work particularly well in smaller homes and rooms as they can be pushed under a bed or table when not in use, freeing up plenty of floor space for activities and easy movement.

Not just for on board ships or palm-studded beaches, why not try a hammock instead of a bulky conventional bed? Hammocks are wonderfully comfortable, once you have mastered the art of climbing in which can be a trial at first!

They have even been found to relieve pressure on sore joints thanks to the reduced friction experienced by the sleeper. The slightly head-up position mimics that used in hospitals to keep patients breathing easily and well, and the best of all is the fact that you do not have to make the bed in the morning!

You can even unclip and fold away your hammock so as to use the space for work or play.

HMH

By HMH