Get more space

By Taro Yanagisawa, BoConcept Aoyama, Tokyo, Japan

One of the big challenges of living in a city the size of Tokyo is making the most of your living space. Japanese homes are relatively small compared with other parts of the world, and especially in big cities, where house prices are very high. A typical Japanese home is less than 100 sq. m., and usually combines the living and dining area into one. I live on my own in a flat of 40 sq. m., so you could say that from personal experience, I have become an expert in optimising limited space.

Many of our customers are passionate about beautiful design, but the size of their homes also means that the furniture they choose has to be functional. There is not enough room for things that only look good. They also have to work.

I always suggest an extendable dining table for small-sized homes - especially when the dining and living areas are combined. It gives you more living space during the week, when the table is only used for the quick meals that are typical of big city life. The table is easy to unfold and provides plenty of seating space for inviting friends over for dinner.

Small lounges really benefit from a nest of tables. Placed next to the sofa this keeps the centre space of the living room clear. The small tables are easily moved around when table space is required, and they can be placed individually around the room.

I like to use glass or reflective materials, as they help to bounce light around the room. The transparency of glass leaves an impression of endlessness and makes the room seem bigger.

Most Japanese homes don't have spare rooms for guests to stay the night. Sofa beds are the perfect solution. Many people think that they have to compromise their love of design when buying a sofa bed. But our range of sofa beds combine aesthetics as well as function, so you can still achieve a great look, with ample seating space that easily converts into a comfortable bed.

When it comes to space savers, I have to mention our footstool Xtra. It is a great extra seat for the day – yet take the cover off and a folding bed is revealed! Xtra fits easily into any living room, functions perfectly as a footstool or as an extra seat for guests and children, and you can choose exactly the cover you want to fit your style. Now that's what I call intelligent space management!