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Smart Solutions for Small Spaces

By Fred Albert, About.com

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Look for Furnishings That Contain Other Furnishings

With the Gregory Coffee Table, you get a table plus four stools, all in one package.

Look for coffee tables- -like this Pottery Barn model, now discontinued- -that shelter additional seating under the top.

Photo © Pottery Barn


With housing prices soaring, energy costs increasing and baby-boomers facing empty nests, many people are moving to smaller spaces. To make a compact space live large, look for furnishings that serve several purposes. Here are some suggestions to get you started.

You know those Russian nesting dolls; you open one up and find another inside? Look for furniture that does the same thing. I love coffee tables that conceal stools or cushions underneath. While the Pottery Barn model above was recently discontinued, other companies offer similar designs.

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