When urban planners, architects and home designers look back on the Great Recession of 2009, one of the watershed moments they’ll identify during this period of downsizing on a mass scale is that the decade’s long trend of increasingly bigger homes finally came to a halt. In fact, the trend in the housing market has now been toward going smaller. Three bedroom homes instead of four or five, for example, and those bedrooms are significantly more compact. Instead of every bedroom having a massive walk-in closet, people are now favoring the use of Armoires to maximize their space within a smaller floor plan. Every square inch of space is now important for storage, so not only are cabinets and dressers being used, but smart homeowners are opting for bed headboards that incorporate storage. Also known as Wall beds, these units can include cabinets, shelving, pullout trays, and lighting units and hidden storage components. Taking it to the next level, the beds themselves can be ordered as a pedestal unit that incorporates additional storage beneath. The thing is, when a bed evolves from being a simple mattress and headboard to a complex piece of furniture with multiple components, moving parts and a myriad of different surfaces, it is now a significant piece of furniture. While a poorly made bed can be hidden beneath a comforter, Wall beds are a dominating presence in the bedroom. A mass-produced, particleboard version does not look good. A quality unit features solid construction, components that fit together tightly, ball-bearing drawer glides, 3/4 inch plywood and solid hardwoods. A company like Furniture Traditions that manufactures heirloom quality furniture employs craftsmen who individually work on each of the Armoires, headboards, dressers and nightstands made. This is known as â€bench made†and stands in stark contrast to mass produces versions that simply can’t compare in terms of durability, fit and finish and looks. What it boils down to is that when the bedroom, especially the master bedroom, is being downsized, each piece of furniture within must be selected carefully. Functionality is critical and in order to maximize the floorspace available without crowding the room, the only way to go is up: Armoires, tall cabinets, shelves and Wall beds. The furniture is much more prominent and much more functional, so it only makes sense to buy pieces that look good, work well and are built to last. After all, the other thing we’ve learned in the past year or two is that it’s a shame to throw money away, or to buy items that constantly need to be replaced.
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