Designing Multipurpose Furnitu

DESIGNING MULTIPURPOSE
FURNITURE FOR SMALL SPACES

USING COMBINATION OF
INTERIOR MATERIALS
A THESIS
SUBMITTED TO
THE MAHARAJA SAYAJIRAO UNIVERSITY OF
BARODA
IN PARTIAL FULFILMENT
FOR THE DEGREE OF
DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY
(FAMILY AND COMMUNITY RESOURCE
MANAGEMENT)
By
NIDHI CHIRAG DESAI
DEPARTMENT OF FAMILY AND COMMUNITY

RESOURCE MANAGEMENT
FACULTY OF FAMILY AND COMMUNITY SCIENCES
THE MAHARAJA SAYAJIRAO UNIVERSITY OF
BARODA VADODARA
2023
DEPARTMENT OF FAMILY AND COMMUNITY RESOURCE
MANAGEMENT
FACULTY OF FAMILY AND COMMUNITY SCIENCES
THE MAHARAJA SAYAJIRAO UNIVERSITY OF BARODA
VADODARA
CERTIFICATE
This is to certify that the thesis entitled “Designing Multipurpose

Furniture for Small Spaces Using Combination of Interior
Materials” submitted for the partial fulfillment of the requirement for
the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in the Faculty of Family and
Community Sciences (Family and Community Resource
Management) to the Maharaja Sayajirao University of Baroda has
been carried out by Ms. Nidhi Chirag Desai under my supervision and
the work is genuine. The contents presented herein have not been
submitted for the award of any Degree or Diploma.
Nidhi Chirag Desai Dr. Sarjoo Patel

Investigator Research Guide
Assistant Professor (Stage III),
Department of Family and Community Resource
Management,
Faculty of Family and Community Sciences,
The Maharaja Sayajirao University of Baroda,
Vadodara, Gujarat
DEDICATED TO MY LOVING PARENTS
AND GRANDPARENTS
(No matter how big we grow,
we will always be called their children)
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
Learning and gathering knowledge are one of the best things in one’s life. With this vision,
I started pursuing Ph.D. Foremost, I wish to express my heartfelt devotion, all praises, and
thanks to the creator of this universe “Almighty” for his graceful blessings at every stage
without which nothing could have been possible.
I find it a matter of pride and privilege to express my sincerest gratitude and indebtedness
to my dear teacher, Dr. Sarjoo Patel, for her scholarly guidance, constructive suggestions,
continuous inspiration, moral support, and counseling. She has stood truly like a mother
figure by extending continuous encouragement and motivation throughout the journey. It
is too true to say without her assistance it would have been impossible to achieve my long-
cherished dream.
I am highly indebted and would like to thank million, my fellow mate, and my near and
dear friend Ms. Khyati Trivedi, for constantly extending her help, support, and motivation
for taking out her precious time for me, from her busy schedule. Without her selfless
dedication to my work, it would have been impossible for me to meet the deadlines for
progress reports, and submissions.
Words are lacking to express my profound thanks to my dear parents Mr. Uday K. Gupte
and Mrs. Ranjana U. Gupte, who have always sacrificed their present in the dream of giving
a better future to their children, they have been a source of constant inspiration, motivation,
and encouragement to achieve higher heights in life. Their prayers have always played a
vital role in all the accomplishments of my life. I want to extend my humble respect and
gratitude to my dearest both the “Abba-Aaji” for always encouraging me to pursue my
studies and for teaching me the value of education.
I am grateful to my respected mother-in-law; Ms. Badrunnisha Desai and my father-in-law,

Mr. Zinabhai Desai, for their support, blessings, and wholehearted help. Their recurrent
adjustments, and encouragement especially during stressful periods made me believe that
family members are the most important people in one’s life, without their support it is
impossible to succeed in any phase of life. They have stood like a pillar and source of
inspiration during the need of time.
I am thankful to my sister Ms. Neha Deshmukh and my brother Mr. Harsh Gupte for their
love and affection extended by them and for providing me with the moral support needed
to work on my long-cherished dream. I would also like to thank my brother-in-law; Mr.
Sahil Desai and Mr. Jabir Desai for their constant help and guidance whenever needed, and
for taking out time of their busy schedule whenever needed. I cannot miss thanking my
dear sister-in-law, Ms. Alisha Desai, who has always been kind to share my workload along
with taking care of my dear daughter, to provide me with enough time to dedicate to my
thesis.
I feel short of words to express my thanks, love, and affection to my dear husband Mr.
Chirag Desai for showing understanding during my stressful and tiring period. Without his
patience, appreciable cooperation, sacrifice, and moral support this work would not have
been completed. He has been a source of inspiration as well as a problem solver for me at
every stage with enthusiasm and perseverance and made me believe that I can do it.
A special and very exclusive thanks to my cute little angel Neeya, who has always backed
me and helped me to refresh myself from my busy routine. Her love, affection, and
innocence make me speechless and helps me overcome my stress. Her kindness has no
boundaries, she has acted as a source of inspiration in accomplishing my long-cherished
dream. Her fast pace of growth has made me realize that time does not wait for us, we need
to chase it and achieve what we wish to. I would also like to thank my nephew Ali Akbar,
Ali Raza, Mokshada, and Dhyani for their innocent talks and sweet behavior helped me
cheer myself up during the tense situation.
I would like to thank, all the teaching and non-teaching staff of the Department, Faculty,
and University Head Office, for extending their timely help, as and when needed. I express
my heartfelt thanks to my friend, Fatima Dahodwala, for extending help and taking time
out from her busy schedule to communicate with me despite the different time zone. I
appreciate her efforts in my study and would like to thank her for providing invaluable
suggestions for the study. I would also like to thank Smita and Vashima didi, for their moral
support and for extending help as and when needed.
I extend my most sincere thanks to all the respondents who cooperated with their open
responses and correct information.
2|Page Acknowledgement
Finally, I would like to acknowledge gratefully all my relatives, well-wishers, and friends
for their direct or indirect help and blessing which resulted in the successful completion of
this thesis.
3|Page Acknowledgement
CONTENTS
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
CONTENTS
LIST OF TABLES
LIST OF FIGURES
LIST OF PLATES
LIST OF APPENDICES
CHAPTER PAGE
CONTENTS
NO. NO.
I INTRODUCTION 01-10
1.1 Space scarcity in India 02
1.2 Small space houses 03
1.3 Furniture 04
1.4 Furniture materials 06
1.5 Multipurpose furniture or transformable space-
06
saving furniture.
II REVIEW OF LITERATURE 11-40
2.1 Theoretical Orientation 12-28
2.2 Problems faced due to Scarcity of Space 12
2.3 Space Planning 14-16
2.3.1 Meaning of space planning 14
2.3.2 Importance of small space planning 14
2.4 Multipurpose Furniture 16
2.4.1 Meaning of Multipurpose Furniture 16
2.4.2 History of Multipurpose Furniture 17
2.4.3 Importance of Multipurpose Furniture 18
2.4.4 Advantages of Multipurpose Furniture 19
2.5 Furniture Materials 20
2.5.1 Furniture Materials proposed by the
researcher in designing Multipurpose 21
Furniture
2.5.2 Furniture Construction and joinery 24
2.5.3 Hardware used for the construction of
25
multipurpose furniture
2.6 Need to Plan Multipurpose Furniture for Small
30
Space Houses
2.2 Empirical Studies 34-40
2.2.1 Studies on small spaces 34
2.2.2 Studies related to Multipurpose furniture. 35
2.2.3 Studies related to multipurpose furniture
39
designing
2.3 Conclusion of Review of Literature 40
III METHODOLOGY 41-51
3.1 Research design 42
3.2 Operational definitions 42
3.3 Locale of the study 42
3.4 Unit of Inquiry 42
3.5 Sample size and sampling procedure 42
3.6 Selection of tool 43
3.7 Development of the tool 43
3.8 Establishment of content validity of the tool 44
3.9 Establishment of reliability of the tool 44
3.10 Data Collection 45
3.11 Data Analysis 45

3.12 Development of designs of multi-purpose
furniture using a combination of Interior materials 49
for small houses.
3.13 Development of a catalogue of proposed 50
designs of multipurpose furniture
3.14 Intervention program for the homeowners 51
IV FINDINGS AND DISCUSSION 52-
4.1 Demographic profile of the respondents 52-60
4.2 Extent of problems experienced by the
respondents residing in small houses related to 61-79
their existing furniture.
4.3 Proposed designs of multipurpose furniture using
a combination of interior materials, for small 80-164
houses.
4.4 A catalogue of proposed designs with detailed
specification, construction detail and cost.
4.5 Intervention Program for the homeowners
V SUMMARY AND CONCLUSION
5.1 Summary
5.2 Conclusion
5.3 Implications
5.4 Recommendations
BIBLIOGRAPHY
WEBLIOGRAPHY
APPENDICES
ABSTRACT
LIST OF FIGURES
SR. NO. TITLE PAGE NO.

Percentage distribution of the respondents according to
1. 54
their Educational Qualifications
2. 55
their Occupation
3. 55
their type of family
Percentage distribution of the respondents
4. according to the number of members in the 56
Family
5. 57
the monthly family income
6. 58
their type of house
Percentage distribution of respondents according to
7. 59
their size of the house
8. 60
their duration of stay in the current house (in years)
Extent of problems experienced by the respondents
9. 62
related to their furniture in the foyer area
10. 65
related to their furniture in the living room
11. 68
related to their furniture in the kitchen
12. 71
related to their furniture in dining room.
13. 74
related to their furniture in bedroom
14. 76
related to their furniture in bathroom
Extent of other problems experienced by the respondents
15. 78
related to their furniture
Overall extent of problems experienced by the
16. 79
respondents related to furniture in whole house
LIST OF PLATES
SR. PAGE
TITLE
NO. NO.
1. Vertical Lift-Up Hinge Mechanism 26
2. Bed Lift-up Hinge Mechanism 27
3. Different channels used in drawers 27
4. Size of drawer and size of cabinet 28
5. Wall bed fitting mechanism 28
6. Hydraulic-based dining table fitting 29
Plan of proposed utility storage with pull-out bench and shoe

7. 79
rack
Front elevation of proposed utility storage with pull-out
8. 80
bench and shoe rack
Sections of proposed utility storage with pull-out bench and
9. 81
shoe rack
3D view of proposed Utility storage with shoe rack and pull-
10. 82
out seating bench
11. 83
out seating bench (Plywood and Veneer finish) (open)
3D view of proposed utility storage with shoe rack (Plywood
12. 84
and Veneer finish) (closed)
Plan of proposed three-seater sofa with shoe rack and utility
13. 86
storage
Back elevation of proposed three-seater sofa with shoe rack
14. 87
and utility storage
Section b-b' of proposed three-seater sofa with shoe rack and
15. 88
utility storage
LIST OF PLATES
SR. PAGE
TITLE
NO. NO.
1. Vertical Lift-Up Hinge Mechanism 26
2. Bed Lift-up Hinge Mechanism 27
3. Different channels used in drawers 27
4. Size of drawer and size of cabinet 28
5. Wall bed fitting mechanism 28
6. Hydraulic-based dining table fitting 29
Plan of proposed utility storage with pull-out bench and shoe

7. 79
rack
Front elevation of proposed utility storage with pull-out
8. 80
bench and shoe rack
Sections of proposed utility storage with pull-out bench and
9. 81
shoe rack
10. 82
out seating bench
11. 83
out seating bench (Plywood and Veneer finish) (open)
3D view of proposed utility storage with shoe rack (Plywood
12. 84
and Veneer finish) (closed)
Plan of proposed three-seater sofa with shoe rack and utility
13. 86
storage
Back elevation of proposed three-seater sofa with shoe rack
14. 87
and utility storage
Section b-b' of proposed three-seater sofa with shoe rack and
15. 88
utility storage
Front elevation of proposed three-seater sofa with shoe rack
16. 89
and utility storage
Section detail (a-a') of proposed three-seater sofa with shoe
17. 90
rack and utility storage
Side elevation of proposed three-seater sofa with shoe rack
18. 91
and utility storage
Front elevation of of proposed three-seater sofa with shoe
19. rack and utility storage 92
(with hand rest detail)
3D view of proposed three-seater sofa with shoe rack and
20. utility storage (Polyurethane polish)/ Nitro Cellulose (NC) 93
Lacquer) (with shoe rack un hand rest)
21. utility storage (Plywood and Veneer) (with shoe rack and 94
hand rest)
22. 95
utility storage (Plywood and Veneer)
23. 96
Plan view of proposed three-seater sofa cum bed with a
24. 100
foldable four-seater dining
Plan view (with open shutter) of proposed three-seater sofa
25. 101
cum bed with a foldable four-seater dining
Plan view (extended) of proposed three-seater sofa cum bed
26. 102
with a foldable four-seater dining
Side elevation and section detail of proposed three-seater sofa
27. 103
Side elevation of proposed extended bed for three-seater sofa
28. 104
29. Chair detail of proposed chair for foldable four-seater dining 105
3D view of proposed Three-seater sofa cum bed with a

30. 106
foldable four-seater Dining (when used as a sofa)
31. 107
foldable four-seater dining (while using dinning)
32. 108
foldable four-seater dining (while using as a bed)
Plan view of proposed portable pre-preparation center with
33. 112
extendable dining table, chairs, and storage
Side elevation and section of proposed portable pre-
34. preparation center with extendable dining table, chairs, and 113
storage
Chair detail for proposed portable pre-preparation center with
35. 114
3D view of proposed Portable pre-preparation centre with
36. extendable dining table, chairs, and storage (ledge to open as 115
a dinning)
37. extendable dining table, chairs, and storage (extended 116
dinning)
38. extendable dining table, chairs, and storage (Pre-preparation 117
counter)
39. Plan view of proposed study unit with dressing and storage 119
Front elevation for proposed study unit with dressing and

40. 120
storage
Front elevation (of open) proposed study unit with dressing
41. 121
and storage
3D view of proposed Study unit with dressing and storage
42. 122
(with dressing and openable seat)
3D view of proposed Study unit with dressing and storage
43. 123
(with dressing and seat for seating)
3D view of proposed Study unit with dressing and
44. 124
storage(with seat inside)
45. 3D view of proposed Study unit with dressing and storage 125
(openable ledge used as workstation)
Plan view of proposed wardrobe with slide-out iron board

46. 128
and study area and chair
Front elevation of proposed wardrobe with slide-out iron
47. 129
board and study area and chair
Section with slide out iron board and chair detail of proposed
48. 130
wardrobe with slide-out iron board and study area and chair
3D view of proposed Wardrobe with slide-out iron board and
49. 131
study area and chair (openable ledge and pull-out chairs)
50. 132
study area and chair (as a wardrobe and mirror for dressing)
51. study area and chair (storage drawer and storage bins 133
underneath the chair)
52. 134
study area and chair (slide-out iron board)
Plan view of proposed extendable bed, storage and folding
53. 138
seating (single bed)
Plan view of proposed extendable bed, storage and folding
54. 139
seating (extended bed)
Sectional detail of proposed extendable bed, storage and
55. 140
folding seating
Folding seating detail of proposed extendable bed, storage
56. 141
and folding seating
Side elevation of proposed extendable bed, storage and
57. 142
folding seating
3D view of proposed Extendable Bed, storage, and folding
58. 143
seating (Slide out bed)
59. 144
seating (Foldable seating)
60. 145
seating (openable storage bed)
61. Plan view of proposed folding office and dressing 148
62. Internal detail of proposed folding office and dressing 149
Back and side elevation of proposed folding office and

63. 150
dressing
64. 3D view of proposed Folding office and Dressing (Open) 151
65. 3D view of proposed Folding office and Dressing (closed) 152
Plan view of proposed center table, storage drawer, chair and

66. 155
bed
Front elevation of proposed center table, storage drawer,
67. 156
chair and bed
Side and sectional elevation of proposed center table, storage
68. 157
drawer, chair and bed
3D view of proposed Centre table, storage drawer, chair, and
69. 158
bed
3D view of proposed Centre table, storage drawer, chair, and
70. 159
bed
71. Intervention Program conducted by the researcher 162
Researcher explaining the benefits of multipurpose furniture

72. 163
during Intervention Program
73. Researcher explaining the design of furniture 164
74. Feedback session during the Intervention Program 164

LIST OF APPENDICES
Sr. No. Title Page No.

1. Questionnaire 182-190
2. Educational Material for Intervention Program 191-203
3. Paper Publication Certificate 204
Paper Publication titled Designing Multipurpose
4. 205 – 211
furniture for living room of small houses
5. Urkund Certificate 212– 213
LIST OF TABLES
SR. NO. TITLE PAGE NO.

1. Reliability value of Problem Scale 40
Categorization and range of scores for the Extent of
Problems experienced by the respondents residing in
2. 43
small houses related to furniture in various areas of the
house.
Categorization and range of scores for the Extent of
Problems experienced by the respondents regarding
3. 43
overall problems experienced by the respondents residing
in small houses.
4. List of multi-purpose furniture proposed for small spaces 44
Distribution of the respondents according to their
5. 53
Educational Qualification
6. 54
Occupation
Distribution of the respondents according to their Type of
7. 55
Family
Distribution of the respondents according to the number
8. 56
of members in the Family
9. 57
monthly family income in ₹
Distribution of the respondents according to their type of
10. 58
house
Distribution of the respondents according to their size of
11. 59
the house
12. 60
duration of stay in the current house (in years)
Distribution of respondents according to problems
13. experienced by the respondents related to furniture in the 61
foyer area
14. 62
related to their furniture in the foyer area
Living room
16. 64
related to their furniture in the living room
17. experienced by the respondents related to furniture in 66
their Kitchen
18. 68
related to their furniture in the kitchen
Dining room
20. 70
related to their furniture in dining room.
Bedroom
22. 74
related to their furniture in Bedroom
Bathroom
24. 75
related to their furniture in the bathroom.
25. experienced by the respondents related to furniture in 77
other areas
26. 77
related to their furniture in other areas
Overall Extent of problems experienced by the
27. 78
respondents related to their furniture
28. Proposed Multi-purpose Furniture designs. 75
Materials options for utility storage with shoe rack and
29. 77
pull-out bench
Materials options for Three-seater sofa with shoe rack
30.
and utility storage
Materials options for three-seater sofa cum bed with
31.
foldable four-seater dining
Materials options for the portable pre preparation centre
32.
with extendable dining table, chairs, and storage
33. Materials options for study unit with dressing and storage
Materials options for wardrobe with slide-out iron board
34.
and study area and chair
Materials options for the extendable bed, storage and
35.
folding seating
36. Materials options for folding office and dressing
Materials options for centre table, storage drawer, chair,
37.
and bed
INTRODUCTION
CHAPTER – I
INTRODUCTION
“Humans strive to make a home, a nest, a place for their

family and themselves to retreat, nourish, rejuvenate, flourish,
and grow.” - (Snell, 2017)
A house is a place where we all aspire to cherish quality time with our family. It is
believed that a house functions as a home, where one spends most of the life-creating
memorable moments with friends and family. With the rapid increase in world
population, there has been a surge in the demand for housing space. As more and more
individuals are in search of affordable and multipurpose space, it becomes even more
important to design a house with a relaxing, pleasant, and aesthetically appealing
interior (Husein, 2021). Today’s society is affected by urbanization, which is resulting
in an increased demand for housing in the cities, lending to higher marketing prices and
smaller apartments. There is a rise in the number of people struggling in present
societies due to the increased population and urbanization. More people are drawn
towards living in cities, which causes a rise in the number of small spaces (Urist, 2013).
According to Coop, and Lagos, 2018, making a home is a personal choice, which
includes finding joy and comfort in life’s pleasures and incorporating simple things.
Embracing the tiniest spot, creating delightful rooms, and incorporating unique charm
through individual preferences create a meaningful home.
“Furniture is precious to its owners if it has more

than one purpose in the household.”
- (Sexton, 2014)
Furniture makes the home a functional place. A well-chosen piece of furniture adds
detail to the place. (Bailey and Bailey, 2009). According to Doshi, 2019; people living
in a small houses face various difficulties such as the lack of clearance space,
unorganized furniture arrangements, lack of storage space, improper selection of size-
wise furniture which could make the room look smaller, the colour of the walls can also
make the house look unpleasant, and low ceiling gives an illusion of shorter and bulkier
room. Thus, to utilize the space available in the most beautiful way and with the least
possible error, proper guidance is of utmost importance. This could be done with the
1 | Page Introduction
help of interior designers, space planners, decorators, or any other designers associated
with residential spaces.
When the size of the space is small, there is an insistence on the homeowner to use the
space wisely. Effective space planning helps to maximize the amount of available
space, it also embraces elements such as principles of space planning, application of
principles of design in the context of elements of art, appropriate furniture placement,
and placement of doors, windows, light, and ventilation. The most important element
of designing a small space is furniture because one needs furniture to accomplish the
necessities and needs of the dwellers such as storing, sitting, sleeping, and relaxing.
Along with adding comfort to the space, it also helps in overwhelming the space by
improving the overall aesthetics of the interior. The need of today is to design an
adequate house that is the perfect blend of simplicity and logic, especially when the
area is small.
1.1 Space scarcity in India:
According to the Indian population density report in India at glance, 2021, the ratio
of people to land is 434.38 people per square km The data on the website of the
Government of India shows India has a land of 3.3 million square km (which
includes all the geographical latitudes and has a 1.366 billion population which
brings it to 0.12 hectares land per person1 and an individual needs around 5 to 6
acres land to survive (that is 2 to 3 hectors), but an individual not even has 1/4th of
what an individual needs. Through this, a broad calculation of what an individual
has in a whole country can be achieved (Swanson, 2021). Though the population is
increasing India’s annual growth rate is unable to meet in line with it, resulting in a
huge imbalance in population, growth rate, and availability of space. This
imbalance has given rise to small houses, consisting of a greater number of family
members, as a result space management has become one of the important aspects
in current times. There are different pros and cons of having a small space. If the
number of members residing in the house is less, it becomes easy to design the space
as compared to when more people are residing in a small house, sharing rooms and
spaces; it becomes a challenge to accommodate everyone’s needs. In addition,
designing for limited spaces allows designers to establish parameters for their
interior designs.
With the help of an interior designer’s skills and creativity, small spaces can be
effectively managed in several innovative ways. In a well-planned setting, space is
utilized brilliantly just as in the modern-day trend of minimalism, where every tiny
space is utilized, and yet the entire setting, no matter how big or small looks
meticulously clean and sophisticated but still has that element of luxury. The room’s
needs and functions should be taken into consideration while dealing with the most
challenging areas of the house. An exceptional skill of imagination and a sense of
composition helps to enhance the quality of work with new fresh ideas and test the
knowledge about the space allowance. Thus, utilizing the space available in the
most elegant way and with the least possible error is important.
1.2 Small space houses:
Since ancient times, people have been living in small apartments, in a continent like
Asia. Living in small space houses is an age-old phenomenon (Post, 2014). This is
especially because of the high population in the big cities (Thøgersen, 2019).
Division of space can be done visually, by dividing spaces through furniture design,
dividing space through different types of design options creating an illusion of space
through the application of different floor, wall, and ceiling finishes. Partitioning a
small space is, in general, more useful if it is not divided into too many small rooms.
Space-saving furniture depicts versatility. There are generally space-sparing gadgets
planned for people living in little spaces and homes, which are quite expensive.
People living in small spaces or homes, have a very little part of their income to
spend on designing space using multipurpose furniture (Levin, 2022). Thus, the
readily available furniture might be useful for such residents, provided it should be
cost-effective, and fit their needs and space. As furniture plays a vital role in
designing an interior space, it is of utmost importance to design furniture according
to our needs and budget.
Furniture comes in various shapes, sizes, materials, and finishes. Depending on the
function and purpose one can make choices. The size and scale of the furniture are
important factors of function and practicality, e.g., the height and depth of a sofa
can determine how comfortable it feels. Since furniture is a necessity and not a
luxury, everybody needs it. Furniture is generally taking almost 50 percent of
normal floor space. Therefore, living in a small space requires smart and space-
saving furniture solutions to maintain the balance between available and used space
(Thøgersen, 2019).
Professional designers always begin a project by analysing the space they are
working with. Furniture as a part of interior design creates rhythm and calls
attention to a space. Designing a piece of furniture to comply with a multitude of
needs in a home is essential (Dorsey, 2020). So, working with furniture design is
one of the most important aspects of space planning in interior design.
Designing good furniture talks about designing aesthetically beautiful furniture,

pleasing the users. Apart from that the other important factor considered in
designing is, the furniture should offer good comfort and functional features to the
user while taking as little space as possible. Consideration of design mechanisms,
and ergonomics, are also some of the important aspects which are needed to be
considered during the design of any furniture item (Salazar and Sáez, 2014).
1.3 Furniture:
According to Mastroeni, 2022

“Furniture defines a function, dictates the flow of
movement, balances visual weight, and shows personal
style”.
(Mastroeni, 2022)
Furniture is a necessity and the most crucial part of interior space. It makes the
space functional and lively. Ankita, 2018, has stated the importance of furniture in
designing and styling a house which includes enhancing the look of the space
through furniture design, and making the space well-equipped which provides
warmth in the house. Furniture is the source of endless utility and comfort, adding
visual weight, and providing a balanced view of the entire space. Furniture
transforms an empty built structure into a complete house. It defines areas by
dividing the space along with taking care of the easy movement and circulation
space for the users. Designing furniture in groups also sometimes decides the flow
of people in the various parts of the house (Ankita, 2018). Similar lines to what
Ankita suggested, Simpson, 2016 also discusses the importance of furniture design,
which states, one cannot achieve a complete look of the home without making the
right use of furniture. She describes that furniture completes the look of the house,
defining the flow of movement formed due to the placement of the furniture
(Simpson, 2016). It can be said that furniture is not just an object but a fundamental
part of the design element as no room can accomplish its function, without the
furniture which is needed to be designed in it. For example, the living room needs
a sofa and TV unit which defines that room as a living room. Without that furniture,
it would be just a room or a corner of space. Further, each piece of furniture has a
specific utility associated with it, like a couch that could be used to sit and rest.
There are different sorts of furniture, and each has its unique utility as some are
designed to anticipate holding objects at an accommodating stature for work with
level surfaces over the ground, such as tables and work zones. On the other hand,
another furniture is designed to store objects, such as cabinets and racks. Some are
designed to relax such as beds and couches. Each piece of furniture has its purpose
for which it is designed, it can be a creation of the arrangement or can be designed
considering the function of the place in which it is designed (Binag and Caranguian,
2015).
According to Eckelman, 2003, it is correctly explained that,

“Furniture is one of man's most prized possessions. He sits
on it, sleeps on it, eats on it, and perhaps most importantly,
puts his most valuable belongings into it.”
- (Eckelman, 2003)
Postell, 2012, agrees with Eckelman, 2003 and adds, “Furniture is the movable
articles that are used to make a room or building suitable for living or working in,
such as tables, chairs, or desks. Furniture is also the small accessories or fittings
that are required for a particular task or function” (Postell, 2012). Thus, furniture is
a functional product, having single or multiple utilities, as well as an accessory
serving the aesthetic need of the space. According to Bull, 1961, one large area of
colour is often overlooked while deciding the colour scheme, which includes the
tones of wood in tables, exposed chair frames, and other furniture pieces. The author
also talks about creating comfort in furniture arrangement, through four solutions
namely, establishing a focal point of interest, discovering traffic lanes, considering
scale and balance, and planning room for multiple uses. (Bull, 1961).
1.4 Furniture materials
The most important thing in designing furniture is its material. There are many
furniture materials available in today’s market; selecting appropriate materials to
design multipurpose furniture considering its cost is very crucial. The material
should be selected considering its durability, resistance, and strength along with
price, and affordability by the end-users. Various factors based on which one
decides on the appropriate material for the furniture includes the location for which
the furniture is designed, the period or era for which the furniture is designed if one
wants to design a piece of furniture according to a particular theme or
conceptualized with traditional, modern or contemporary design. Material selection
also depends on the number of hours for which the furniture is going to be used and,
the number of people by whom the furniture is going to be used. Thus, before
selecting the material for the furniture, it is important to access the space conditions
for which the furniture is to be designed.
There are a variety of materials available in today’s global market where
transportation is playing a major role and products are made available across the
globe (Estonia, 2017). There are multiple options for furniture materials for
residential spaces, which include different kinds of natural and engineered woods
like cedar, cherry, chestnut, chipboard, mahogany, maple, medium-density
fibreboard (MDF), oak, pine plywood, redwood, rosewood, spruce, teak, and
walnut. Apart from those other materials like steel, plastic, iron, and glass can also
be used either in combination with some material or individually.2
1.5 Multipurpose furniture or transformable space-saving furniture:

Multifunctional furniture goes by several names: multipurpose furniture, space-
saving furniture, and transformable furniture. As the name suggests, the basic idea
of multifunctional furniture is to perform more than one function (Thøgersen,
2019). Numerous variables are required to be considered for planning multi-
purpose, space-sparing, or transformable space-saving furniture. The plan of the
furniture should be based on the concept of its visual appearance and use (Astonkar
and Kherde, 2015)
According to Wang, transformable space-saving furniture which uses less space and
provides dual functions is also called dual-function furniture. Large cities have many
things in common like a huge population, the economic imbalance between the rich
and poor, and many small space apartments. This provides the scope for developing
space-saving furniture. Transformable or space-saving furniture is furniture that is
designed considering at least two forms in terms of appearance and function; a
simple example of this is a sofa cum bed, which saves the owners space, and money.
It also adds to aesthetics as the floor space occupied by the sofa cum bed is less as
compared to two separate pieces of furniture namely sofa and bed (Wang, 2013).
The basic problems faced by the homeowners of small space houses are scarcity of
space, lack of clearance, and floor space, which imposes designers to utilize
whatever is there with thoughtfulness and utmost care. Designing multipurpose
furniture can help in the efficient designing of small spaces, as the basic problem of
the scarcity of space can be addressed by designing a single piece of furniture that
accomplishes more than one purpose. A need was felt to design multipurpose
furniture for small spaces, especially for residential areas, which will help address
the issue of space scarcity.
JUSTIFICATION
The housing sector has a noteworthy imbalance in our country. This includes all
different people living in luxurious villas, farmhouses, and grand mansions, as well as
the ones living in townhouses, row houses, flats, slum houses, tenements, and many
more. Few have all the luxuries in their house while few strive hard to have a functional
house. People living in townhouses, row houses, flats, and tenements majorly face the
issue of small space in their residences. Space is a scarce resource, which is creating a
challenge for space planners, designers, architects, construction engineers, as well as
city planners to provide a functional house in a limited space for the individuals of the
country so that they can decide to opt for an affordable, useful, and convenient option.
Using advanced technology and making optimum utilization of space are a few
important ways to achieve the overall goal of effective space planning. The migration
of people is leading to a space crunch, especially in big cities, which is forcing people
to reside in small houses where space is less. Scarcity of space enforces the utilization
of the available resource, in an optimum manner and makes wise usage of available
space. It can be done by designing space-saving furniture, multipurpose furniture, and
foldable furniture. Various international brands are selling such furniture items, but
designing it in a customized way, considering the needs of people residing in small
houses is very important. To design such furniture there are many material options
available in the market with different peculiarities and benefits. Selecting the proper
material according to the climatic conditions in which the furniture is to be used, and
the amount of care and maintenance involved in its upkeep is a challenge faced by most
individuals.
Space scarcity is affecting the real estate market, making housing expensive with the
time. On the other hand, most people don’t have enough purchasing power to afford
those houses. Increased prices of goods and commodities and low wage rates act as an
obstruction to fulfilling one’s dream of owning a residential unit. Migration, lack of
purchasing power, and increased real estate prices are a few key factors, leading to space
scarcity, which is forcing people to reside in small houses where space is less. One can
overcome the issue of space scarcity by designing multipurpose furniture. Space-saving
furniture helps an individual to achieve multiple goals through one piece of furniture. It
saves resources like labour engaged in constructing multiple pieces of furniture, the
material cost involved in purchasing raw materials for building individual pieces of
furniture, and saves time involved in the construction of each piece of furniture.
Ultimately saving the overall man-machine energy involved in the construction of the
furniture. Apart from this, multipurpose furniture occupies less floor space in
comparison with individual furniture items. There is a need to design space-saving
furniture, for all possible areas of residential as well as commercial units. This also helps
create energy-efficient spaces, as the same space would be used for multiple activities
and ultimately lower the biological footprint. One of the advantages of multipurpose
furniture is also a reduction in maintenance costs and energy.
Several studies conducted in India focused on furniture types and the satisfaction
experienced by the users, related to furniture design, designing study tables for hostel
girls, design development of residential units, bank interiors, preschool furniture, and
children’s room furniture. Few researches were conducted on lighting design for
residential, electrical design for schools, theme-based restaurant design, ergonomic
assessment of existing furniture design, design development of space-saving ergonomic
furniture were also undertaken. Thus, the literature collected by the researcher
highlighted various studies focusing on furniture design, furniture analysis, commercial
furniture design, material survey, residential and commercial space planning, and
designing, and space optimization, but a dearth of studies on multipurpose furniture with
different material options for small space houses in Indian location; motivated the
researcher to take this less explored area.
The researcher aimed to design multipurpose furniture for small spaces, with the use of
a variety of interior materials. The researcher was interested in identifying the problems
experienced by homeowners of small houses, related to furniture concerning the foyer,
living room, kitchen, dining, bedroom, bathroom, and other areas of the residence.
Considering all this, the present study focused on designing multipurpose furniture for
small spaces using a combination of furniture materials, according to the requirements
of the people and the problems faced by the respondents residing in small houses.
This research is going to be beneficial to the students of the Department of Family and
Community Resource Management, as Interior design is one of the specializations
offered at the Graduate and Post Graduate level. It will also be beneficial to the students
of the Post Graduate Diploma in Hotel Interiors and higher payment program offered in
Interior Design specialization. It would also be helpful to professional Architects and
Interior Designers for the development of multipurpose furniture in their projects.
The central thought of this research was to identify the problems faced by the residents
of the small space houses related to furniture and design of multipurpose furniture,
especially for small space houses of Vadodara city, with different material options, and
different price ranges. The Multipurpose furniture was conceptualized, sketched, and
then designed with the help of AutoCAD 2022 and Google 3D SketchUp 2022. The
research also aimed at educating the homeowners of the small spaces regarding the
importance of multipurpose furniture along with sharing designs of the proposed
furniture options with the respondents of the study and the homeowners of small spaces.
An intervention program was also conducted to enhance the knowledge of residents of
small space houses regarding the use of multipurpose furniture. The catalogue designed
by the researcher was shared with the beneficiaries of the intervention program which
consisted of proposed designs of multipurpose furniture. The catalogue was designed
to provide multipurpose furniture options along with material specification options
which could be used as a ready reference by the residents of small houses to help solve
their furniture-related problems.
STATEMENT OF PROBLEM
The present research aimed to design multi-purpose furniture for small spaces using a
combination of Interior materials.
OBJECTIVES
1. To identify the extent of problems faced by the homeowners residing in
small houses.
2. To propose designs of multi-purpose furniture using a combination of
Interior materials for small houses.
3. To develop a catalogue of proposed multipurpose furniture with detailed
specifications of its construction, materials, and cost.
4. To conduct an intervention program for homeowners to enhance their
knowledge regarding multi-purpose furniture, its use, and its benefits in the
interiors of small houses.
DELIMITATIONS OF THE STUDY

1. The study was limited to 270 respondents living in small houses in Vadodara
city.
2. The built-up area of the respondent’s residence considered for research was
limited to 600 sq. ft.
REVIEW
OF
LITERATURE
CHAPTER – II
REVIEW OF LITERATURE
A review of literature is the art of looking again over something to correlate or improve
a general survey or reconsideration of some subject or thing (Fowler, 2014). The review
of the literature is an essential part of any research. It is a condensed version of an
exhaustive literature survey. It helps to understand the problem and to place it in its
proper perspective and go through the related theoretical write-ups and carefully review
the research done on the related themes to provide insight for identifying the need for
the research that can further be conducted (Kerlinger, 2007). The relevant highlights of
the connected literature studied are conferred during this chapter, in two broad
categories: 1) Theoretical Orientation and 2) Empirical Studies.
The theoretical orientation includes related literature reviewed by the researcher

throughout the research, whereas empirical studies include studies conducted by
different authors in India and Abroad related to any relevant area of the research
problem.
2.1 Theoretical Orientation
2.1.1 Problems faced due to Scarcity of Space
2.1.2 Space Planning
2.1.3 Multipurpose Furniture
2.1.4 Furniture Materials
2.1.5 Need to Plan Multipurpose Furniture for Small Space Houses
2.2 Empirical Studies
2.2.1 Studies on small spaces
2.2.2 Studies related to multipurpose furniture
2.2.3 Studies related to multipurpose furniture designing
2.3 Conclusion
11 | P a g e Review of Literature
2.1 Theoretical orientation
Theoretical orientation is the section that describes the theoretical content related to the
topic of the study. These are discussed independently in the succeeding description.
2.1.1 Problems faced due to Scarcity of Space
According to United Nations, World population prospectus 2019, there are nine
countries, that will make up more than half of the projected population growth
by 2050. The largest increase in population between 2019 and 2050 is predicted
in nine countries; one of them is India. Around 2027, India is projected to
overtake China as the world’s most populous country. 3
Everyone wants their home to be big, pleasant, comfortable, and beautiful

(Gandotra & Patel, 2006). But lack of space in cities, rising prices of buildings,
and low salaries act as a hindrance in fulfilling the dream of possessing such a
house. People are migrating from rural areas to urban areas for the betterment
of their future. They come to urban cities some for their studies, some for jobs,
some for the settlements for the future, some due to their transfers, etc. So,
owning a large space or bungalow becomes quite impossible due to
overpopulation. Furthermore, owning a large house is very difficult due to
inflation and low salaries. Due to the problem of space people are forced to live
in small-spaced apartments.
India is the 7th largest country in the world, it has 28 states and 8 Union
territories, with around 400 cities.4 Cities consist of very large numbers of
people living in a relatively small amount of space. Some of these people are
economically stable, while few people have very little earnings. This imbalance
gives rise to the problem of housing. Urban housing is often not affordable for
many city residents, as housing prices in cities can be very high. Usually, the
price of houses in the city is higher than in rural areas, and the residents’
incomes are typically very low. Cities have a great need for adequate, affordable
housing. Thus, designing a space with a specific purpose considering the
scarcity of space and other resources is necessary. Along with that, it is
necessary to make optimum utilization of available space, one needs to design
proper furniture.
As per recent research in 2022, it is projected that the country's increasing
urbanization will benefit the furniture sector in India. The demand for
residential and commercial infrastructure development is being driven by the
area's rapidly growing middle class. The demand for creative and distinctive
home décor solutions is also being driven by increased disposable income and
improved living standards. In addition, the popularity of working from home is
driving increasing demand for furniture with multiple uses to support home
offices. There are more creative furniture solutions available now to help with
space-saving approaches and provide an elite appearance in this regard.
Additionally, it is anticipated that the increasing accessibility of a wide variety
of furniture on internet marketplaces is boosting their sales 5.
The recent market collapsed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. A lot of people
are suffering from financial problems. Thousands of people became
unemployed and lost their homes, pensions, and almost every financial aid they
earlier possessed. This economic catastrophe left many people questioning the
solution they could afford. Eventually, many people were forced to live in small
houses without many facilities or an unplanned and unorganized structure.
Since they had limited access; they had minimum options left.
When it comes to small spaces, there is a common misconception that it is not

worth the time or money that it takes to create a beautiful home. On the contrary,
small spaces are always worth working on, more than larger ones in any setting.
The main reason for it is that each inch of space to be valued and used most
efficiently. Thus, it is evident that space is one of the most valuable assets for
anybody, with prices per square foot increasing all the time.
The Indian furniture industry is anticipated to witness healthy progress soon.

This progress can be attributed to the intensified demand for home furniture,
fuelled by the expanding population and speedy urbanization in the region. This
is leading to rising investments in structure renovation activities, with
consumers increasingly adopting aesthetic furniture solutions. In addition, the
growing disposable incomes and improved living standards are also driving
consumers to invest in household décor enhancement solutions. These factors
are projected to aid market growth in the future. 5
2.1.2 Space Planning
Space planning is a broad concept that includes utilizing available space

considering the requirements fulfilling the need and adding an element of art
that beautifies the overall space.
2.1.2.1 Meaning of space planning.
Creating spatial concepts and interrelationships that will be responsive

to the users’ need is a part of designing| a method called house planning.
It involves various ideas on paper followed by real execution to
accomplish the needs/desires of the resident.
Planning a house is more important than designing a house because it is

important to meet the consumer's practical, physical, and psychological
needs. Planning also includes aesthetic and visual concerns of the space,
creating a functional relationship between the space and its inhabitants
(Stamp & Ulloa, 2020).
Nowadays due to the lack of space, it becomes important for interior

designers to be aware of the wise use of space. The core objective of
Interior designing is to create interior spaces that are both functional and
aesthetically appealing. The interior designer’s job is to convert a house
into a home.
2.1.2.2 Importance of small space planning
Space planning is a broad concept that includes the allocation and

division of the interior of a house according to the people residing in the
unit. And if the space is small, it becomes even more significant to plan
the space wisely.
The philosophy of beauty is known as aesthetics. Aestheticians have

studied objects made by man, and by determining what qualities are
common to all beautiful things, have established certain laws and
principles that help us to recognize and appreciate beauty. These
principles form a basis for judging the art quality of any object. An
understanding of the components, principles, and aims of art helps to
clarify vague ideas about beauty, partly by providing a standard
terminology relating to it. The use of art components namely line, form,
Texture, pattern, light, and color; according to art principles namely,
proportion, balance, emphasis, rhythm, repetition, variation, opposition,
and transition helps to achieve the objective of art. Art includes
expressiveness (personality), unity, order, honesty, functionalism, fine
space relations, and colour harmony which facilitates accomplishing the
goal of designing beautiful space (Rutt, 1948).
Thus, we can say that prioritizing family desires and necessities, over
style and aesthetics, accomplishes the goal of effective space planning.
One needs to consider a variety of factors and consider most
possibilities, in terms of space planning for a residential unit like
considering the available space and thinking about utilizing it in the most
optimal manner seeing the economic limits of the people residing in the
residential unit.
According to Guardian (2014), effective space planning can be achieved

by selecting the proper size of the furniture, adequate placement of
existing furniture with well-planned privacy, as well as avoiding too
much cluttering of the space. Ideally, one is compelled to rent the
expertise and skilled professional to achieve the desired interior of the
space. Sometimes it can also be achieved by smart use of various
techniques and principles resulting in optimum usage and delightful
outcomes.
In planning a new residence or refashioning an existing one, one can

take into consideration the following design concerns. (Kilmer &
Kilmer, 2014)
1. The user’s needs, characteristics, aspirations, and activities.

2. The context of the residence: location, orientation, and
relationship to the physical and societal patterns.
3. The economics or budgeted money for the project.
4. The aesthetic influences concerning beauty and character that
the designer and the client exert.
5. Sustainability, energy conservation, and environmental
concerns.
6. Possible long-term use or flexibility of the residence for
changes such as children growing up, moving out, or aging-in-
place users.
Thus, the above points are to be considered in designing walls, floors, furniture,
and other accessories for the new residence especially when the house is small.
2.1.3 Multipurpose Furniture
Multipurpose furniture is a kind of furniture, in which more than one purpose

can be achieved, with a single piece of unit.
2.1.3.1 Meaning of Multipurpose Furniture
According to Yerdle, 2013
“Multipurpose furniture can: expand or shrink

depending on needs, serve two purposes at once, or
transform seamlessly from one function to another.”
(Yerdle, 2013)
Over the years, the population has grown significantly, demanding more space
to create residential spaces. Houses are manmade creations, which are the
outcome of transforming the environment into a household. The rapid increase
in houses sometimes creates cluttered slum-like regions, especially in small
cities. With little to no money, families end up settling in very small dwellings.
With their inability to afford new houses or expand the existing ones, the next-
generation family often share the same living space; thus, intensifying what
was originally a complex problem (Wilhide, 2008). Overcrowded homes could
result not only from more family members but also from mismanaged space.
The solution, to this problem, was identified by proposing multifunctional
furniture. Furniture could be designed in a way to serves multiple purposes.
This space-saving concept is there for many years; however, it was not as
popular as it is in current times. With the passing of time, the importance and
convenience of multifunctional furniture were recognized, particularly due to
the increase in urban lifestyle which is associated with limited living surface
area. Transformable space-saving furniture which uses less space and provides
dual functions is called dual-function furniture (Gauer, 2004). There are many
kinds of transformable space-saving furniture, which are readily available in
the market. A few examples are coffee tables that convert into dining tables,
bookshelves that transform into beds, sofa cum beds, folding chairs, and tables.
Most commonly, the main drawback of readymade furniture is that, if they are
made of good quality, they are expensive and if they are made from cheap
materials; then they are generally less durable.
Multipurpose furniture saves space, especially floor space making the

space more efficient. It also saves money as the cost is reduced to only
one piece of furniture rather than two/three separate pieces of furniture.
The cost is also saved for the number of raw materials used and the
labour cost involved in its construction.
2.1.3.2 History of Multipurpose Furniture
In modern times some people might believe that space-saving furniture,

multifunctional design, and tiny transforming spaces are new concepts.
Though in reality, it is a misconception. These concepts of multipurpose
furniture or designing space-saving furniture is there since olden times.
As with the passage of time, people are expanding their habitat across
the globe and they need to find methods to make their homes more space-
efficient and their products more adaptable.5
A lot of folding furniture was invented until about the 1900s. The most
common example of space-saving furniture is folding chairs which
initially showed up with the Romans or the Egyptians. It had multiple
characteristics like being foldable, portable, and effectively storable,
which made them popular.
The folding beds would disappear during the daytime and come out only
at night-time when one needs to sleep. These beds were designed with
the purpose of folding up neatly and saving space occupied by the bed
during the daytime and were kept away in the storeroom when not in use.
Since ancient times, people are searching for approaches to make their
homes more space-proficient and items more flexible. (Goel, 2021).
The researcher came across some inventive and uncertain space-saving

designs like range-refrigerator6, collapsible shoe-shining stands7, folding
canvas sheets8, portable globe houses in 1961 9, bedroom living rooms10,
folding bathtubs11, dream desk from 194712, two beds built in the space
of one, April 193913, bunk room, convertible couch, folding armchair,
dresser table, folding table. Wonda chair14 and folding iron board,
Danish furniture which knocks down for moving from 1947 15 and many
such pieces of furniture.
Thus, it can be said that in the past there were furniture pieces with
multiple uses. Some were created with the purpose of ease of handling,
while some with portable purposes. Although space scarcity is a problem
faced in recent years, multi-purpose furniture is found since olden times
in the history of furniture. With the passing of time, more space-saving
furniture is found. If the present market is considered multifunctional
furniture is used not only in small houses or in spaces with space scarcity
but also used in sophisticated interior designs. Many constructions have
automated convertible furniture, which saves space, though involves a
lot more investment as compared to manually operated multipurpose
furniture.
2.1.3.3 Importance of Multipurpose Furniture
It is rightly said that furniture is one of the most important elements in

decorating a house. It is always challenging to transform an empty room
into a specific room with some utility. For example, if one wants to
create a bedroom, out of an empty room, one needs to design the floor,
wall, ceiling, and most importantly the furniture necessary to live in that
room. Without designing the specific furniture necessary for the room,
the room is just an empty box.16
Following are the reasons which highlight the importance of selecting
appropriate material for the Furniture.
1. Furniture materials help in adding comfort to the furniture.

(Rangwala, 2015)
2. Durability of the furniture is very important which can be assured
with the selection of an appropriate material. Along with strength, it
is important to identify that the furniture should reduce the overall
weight of the product/component.
3. Portable furniture is designed by choosing a material that has a
pleasant texture, is strong, and is not too heavy to carry.
4. Aesthetics is also one of the most important factors when
constructing an interior space, thus it is important to choose a
furniture material that can be given an appealing finish (Trivedi,
2019).
5. The material should be flexible enough to fit into various settings for
which the furniture design is intended. It must be able to maintain
constant dimensions, form, and strength under extreme pressure and
heat.
6. Furniture material having sustainable for the environment should be
preferred.
7. If the appropriate material is not selected, it impacts the design of
the product/component making it highly susceptible to failure.
8. When referring to upholstered furniture, the choice of suitable fabric
is also a component of the furniture design.
2.1.3.4 Advantages of Multipurpose Furniture
Some of the space-saving furniture that is available includes folding

tables which means a dining area that converts back into the living area
after its use. Folding tables make it easy for one to have convertible
rooms within a home. People are converting their space for the activities
that they are taking part in, rather than simply having set furniture or
decor that offers no excess storage or conversion. Every piece of
furniture should be designed to offer either extra storage or provide some
type of conversion so that one can save space and have space readily
available for activities. Folding tables make it easy to entertain or have a
sit-down dinner even in a small space, many folding and convertible
dining tables can be instantly converted into other items such as desks,
smaller coffee tables, and more. Multipurpose furniture takes different
positions giving a user, extra floor space available and allowing oneself
to have a much larger and more comfortable living space. (Hotz, 2015)
Few Multipurpose furniture available in the market includes convertible

box furniture, transformable chairs, office on wheels, and transformable
office (Dunn, 2020). Murphy beds are also quite popular and are used in
many residential interiors, both in small houses and sophisticated
residences. (Perry, 2020) The other most common multipurpose
furniture is a sofa converted into a bed. The sofa set could be used in the
daytime to serve the purpose of the living room. And the same room
could be used as a bedroom during night-time by converting a sofa into
a bed (Gohri, 2023).
The advantage of space-saving furniture is that it allows one to stretch.

Every piece of furniture has a scope to either provide extra storage or
provide some type of conversion so that one can save space and have
readily available space for the activities that one needs to complete.
2.1.4 Furniture Materials
There are a variety of furniture materials which are available in today's market.
As a consumer one always has confusion, regarding the selection of material
that is appropriate for their furniture. One needs to think about the advantages,
disadvantages, and properties, which are associated with each material. Along
with that the cost also plays a major role in the selection of the material for
furniture.
2.1.4.1 Furniture Materials proposed by the researcher in designing
Multipurpose Furniture:
Though there are many furniture materials available in the present

market; selecting the appropriate material to design multipurpose
furniture considering its cost is very crucial. The material should be
selected considering its durability, resistance, and strength along with
price, and affordability for the end users.
There are varieties of materials available in today’s global market where

transportation plays a major role. Below listed are the Furniture
materials which can be used in designing Furniture. 17 (Estonia, 2017)
1. Wood: The wood can physically maintain its structural integrity in

long run. Furniture and other wooden objects discovered at various
excavation sites serve as examples of how wood may persist for hundreds
or even thousands of years in exceptional condition. It can resist
elemental and natural forces of decay although degradation can
occur from fungus (caused by cycles of rain/moisture), termites, or
other tedious/destructive insects.18 Wood exhibits a low thermal
conductivity (high heat-insulating capacity) compared with materials such
as metals, marble, glass, and concrete (Tsoumis, 2020).
2. Plywood: Plywood is an assembly of sheets of wood bonded together to
produce a flat sheet. the normal product consists of at least three plies, with
the grain in the alternate plies running at right angles. (Tailor, 2020). With
high strength and stiffness-to-weight ratios, plywood is very cost-effective.
Plywood does not corrode and is durable material so can be used in the
construction of furniture used in most of the interior space. 19
3. Fiber Board: Fiberboard is an engineered wood product composed
of wood fibers.20 Following are different kinds of fiberboards used
in the construction of furniture.
 High-Density Fiber Board (HDF): High-Density-fiberboard
(HDF) is an engineered board produced from resin-bonded fibers
under high pressure and heat. HDF is a non-load-bearing product
for interior use in dry conditions. HDF, due to its very fine
surface, is suitable for different coatings – veneering, laminating,
painting, and varnishing. HDF is available in a variety of
thicknesses and different finishes like plain and sanded surfaces
on one or both sides.
 Medium Density Fiber Board (MDF) Medium-density
fiberboard (MDF) is a type of engineered wood that is created
by breaking down hardwood or softwood residuals into wood
fibers, mixing them with wax and a resin binder, breaking them
down into a pulp-like texture, and creating panels under high
temperature and pressure. MDF is denser than plywood (Bloch,
2012). It is composed of separated fibers, yet it may be utilized
as a construction material in the same way as plywood is. It is
denser and stronger than particle board (Sebring, 2019). When
exposed to moisture, unfinished MDF can swell and lose
strength. MDF is an excellent building material, as it accepts
glue bonds very well and joins securely with nails and screws
with minimal chances of fracturing, making the furniture sturdy
(Beneke, 2020).
 Particle Board: Particle board is created by pressing wood
fragments together with adhesive. The chips in flat-pressed
particle boards are mostly parallel to the surface. Because the
chips in the surface layer are smaller than those in the center
layer, the particle board's surface is denser and more compact
than the middle. Urea formaldehyde is mostly utilized as a glue
in ordinary particle boards.21 They are categorized in order of
increasing density, with High-Density Fibreboard or Hardboards
having a higher density than the other two categories,
particleboard, and medium-density fibreboard. It is denser,
considerably stronger, and tougher due to its density.
4. Plastic: There are two types of plastics used in the furniture industry:
thermoplastics and thermosetting polymers. The molecular
structures of thermoplastics and thermosetting polymers vary.
Thermoplastics are made up of two-dimensional molecular chains
that soften when heated. Thermosetting polymers sometimes
referred to as thermosets, are a form of plastic with three-
dimensional molecular chains. Thermoset molecular chains form
stronger bonds to provide a stronger framework for furniture
components, making this type of plastic more durable than
thermoplastics. Plastics are manufactured out of non-renewable
hydrocarbons. According to Value Created Resources,
thermoplastics used in furniture are more ecologically friendly than
other forms of plastic since they can be melted down and recycled
(Hamilton, 2017).
5. Aluminum: Aluminum is an excellent material, which could be
used in all weather conditions in outdoor furniture. It does not easily
rust, it is light in weight and convenient to use, and possesses good
strength. Aluminum is long-lasting if correctly handled throughout
the initial production process, it does not degrade, or decay.
6. Stainless steel: It is both corrosive and stain resistant due to its
waterproofing in the manufacturing process. It also does not need a
further coating for protection as it is inherently already protected and
has anti-rust properties. This makes the material ideal to be matched
with a whole variety of finishes, from wood to furnishings without
overpowering the interior. Stainless steel is usually used in
hardware, furniture legs, and other parts which are usually not
dominantly visible. (Forder, 2018)
Thus, the researcher has proposed a few designs of multipurpose
furniture in the following chapters, which could be designed using
real wood, plywood, and MDF as the base materials. Though not
limited to these materials as users can use any material they wish to,
construct multipurpose furniture.
According to Flexner, 2011, to finish furniture, various finishes are
to be used, which include stains, dye, and paint. Apart from these
finishes, one can also apply veneer and laminate to finish the
furniture according to the colour and combination preferred by the
user.
 Stains: A stain is a colorant (pigment or dye) and a binder (some
sort of finish) with a lot of thinner added, so the excess stain is
easy to wipe off. This leaves some color in or on the wood. A
stain can also be just dye and thinner with no binder added.
Common categories of wood stain include oil stain. water-based
stain, a gel stain, a Dye stain, and a Combination stain and finish
Generally, all stains provide good grain definition if the excess
is wiped off because more colorant is left in the grain.
 Dye and paint: It is a colorant dissolved in a liquid, so dye
penetrates well and doesn't need a binder. Dye stains produce
slightly less definition than pigment stains.
Apart from the above-mentioned finishes, other finishes used to

finish a piece of furniture are laminate and veneer could be used on
plywood, or MDF, to finish a furniture piece, according to the finish,
colour, and texture desired by the end user.
It is believed that laminate is a replacement for real wood, when,

with affordable price by most the users (Blitchok, 2022). According
to Tyagi, 2019, Laminates are one of the most popular decorative
materials that are used for surfacing cabinets, furniture, walls,
ceilings, external facades, and so on. They are available in the form
of sheets with a standard size of 8x4 feet (Tyagi, 2019). A wood
veneer is typically made up of a thin layer of natural hardwood, that
is then bonded to a stable composite base material. Natural, solid
wood is very susceptible to moisture, while veneer could be treated
and made long-lasting over real wood. It is also less expensive as
compared to using real wood with a stain, and is usually more
expensive than laminate.22
2.1.4.2. Furniture Construction and joinery
To carry out any project related to the construction of furniture; the

basic concept of furniture joinery comes into existence. This concept
is derived from wood joinery, but can be considered even in
plywood, MDF (Medium-density fibreboard), and other major
construction materials used in furniture designing.
Wooden Joinery: Joinery is the process of combining pieces of
wood, engineered timber, or synthetic replacements (such as
laminate) to create more complicated things. Some woodworking
joints involve mechanical fasteners, bindings, or adhesives, while
others rely only on wood (such as dowels or plain mortise and Tenon
fittings). The attributes of the materials used and the function of the
junction determine the features of wooden joints, such as strength,
flexibility, toughness, and appearance. As a result, different joinery
techniques are utilized to satisfy varying needs. (Pourny, 2014).
Wooden joineries come in a variety of configurations such as Peg or
Nail, Mortise and Tenon, Dovetail, Basic Butt Joint, Mitered Joint,
Half-Lap Joint, Tongue and groove Joint, Biscuit Joint, Pocket Joint:
Rabbet Joint, Dado Joint, Dowel Joint, Dovetail Joint, Half-Blind
Dovetail, Sliding Dovetail, and Box Joint. To create above
mentioned joinery in the furniture one needs to use screws and bolts
wherever necessary. Various screws are categorized into different
categories. Wood screws are also categorized according to the shape
of their heads. There are several types of wood screw heads, but the
three styles most common screws available are Flat-head screws,
Round-head screws, and Oval-head screws (also called pan-head).
Other types of screws used in furniture are Cheese-head screws (also
known as fillister heads), Truss-head screws (sometimes called
“mushroom head” screws), and Washer-head screws (Baylor, 2020).
2.1.4.3 Hardware used for the construction of multipurpose

furniture: Many hardware options could be used in the construction of
multipurpose furniture. A few major hardware used in constructing
multipurpose furniture are listed below.
1. Vertical Lift-Up Door Mechanism Channel: A lift-assist

mechanism for smoothly opening cabinet door panels. The door
stays in any desired position. The regulator is equipped for soft
and silent closing at the end. The door stays in any desired position
and remains parallel while moving in most of these kinds of
channels but might vary according to the brand installed. Usually,
it comes with a soft closing option to prevent slamming noise and
door damage. Most of the brands provide full kit which consists of
screws for fixing and with all the necessary fittings and there is no
other hinge required if it is to be used to open a vertical door.23
Plate 1: Vertical Lift-Up Hinge Mechanism23
2. Hydraulic Bed lifting channels: Hydraulic bed channels

comes with manual opening, remote-operated and switch-
operated option. They usually open at around 30 degrees, for
easy access. The angle of the opening might vary according
to the brand of the hydraulic channel selected. This lifts
mechanism helps to create storage space underneath the bed,
in the sofa, sofa cum bed, and other such furniture pieces. 24
Plate 2: Vertical Lift-Up Hinge Mechanism23
3. Drawer Channels: Drawer channels come in three major

kinds; namely, Push to open, soft close, and not soft close.
Push to open is used in the drawers which can be opened with
a push and there is no need of installing handles to those
drawers. Soft close could be used when a user does not want
a loud sound while closing. Soft closes get automatically
closed while generally are open nearly an inch but can vary
according to the brand selected. 25
Plate 3: Different channels used in drawers 25
Drawer channels come in various sizes and materials standard
sizes. There is a thumb rule to add 3” to the length of the drawer
to create a cabinet with enough room. Though the size could be
altered as per the availability of the space. Drawer channels
come in the standard size of 6”, 9”, 12”, 15”, 18”. 21”; for which
the possible cabinet depths could be 9”, 12”, 15”, 18”, 21”, 24”.
26
Cabinet Size Cabinet Size Cabinet Size Cabinet Size
Drawer Drawer Drawer Drawer length

length length length
Plate 4: Size of the drawer and size of the cabinet 26
4. Wall Bed Fitting Mechanism: This mechanism comes in

different sizes for single beds, and double beds, and with
different load-bearing capacities according to the brand
selected and as desired by the user. 27
Plate 5: Wall Bed fitting mechanism 27
5. Hydraulic-based dining table fitting: Hydraulic dining
table fitting can be used for any vertical or horizontal surface
to pull out at 90 degrees. These fittings are available in the
form of packing including all the fittings in different brands.
The capacity varies according to the brand selected. 28
Plate 6: Hydraulic-based dining table fitting 28
The place where the furniture is going to be used, the period for
which the furniture is designed, the number of hours for which the
furniture is to be used daily, and how many people are going to use
the furniture; are various aspects that are necessary while choosing
material. Through the market survey, the researcher came across
many such vendors but none of the brands provided multifunctional
furniture, especially for small spaces at low cost. The furniture
options which were available at low cost did not possess multi-
functional use, and the multipurpose furniture which was readily
available was mostly made out of imported materials or sold by
international brands; which made them expensive and difficult to
buy by the owners of small houses; who generally don’t have a huge
budget to spend on furniture. Moreover, if the manufacturing of the
furniture is done overseas the material might not settle in the Indian
climatic conditions resulting in low lifespan and high maintenance.
2.1.5 Need to Plan Multipurpose Furniture for Small Space
Indian Houses
Multipurpose furniture or convertible furniture is one solution,

which includes a variety of furniture items having multiple uses.
Furniture items including desks and sofas convert into beds,
drawers pulled from under stairs, and storage space pushed up to
vertical until ceilings. There is also a concept of elevated bedrooms
which provides an extra layer and leaves no space left unutilized.
These are a few examples of convertible or multipurpose furniture.
(Thøgersen, 2017) Flexible partitions, multipurpose furniture,
flexible furniture arrangements, and the provision for ample
storage help in making space available for several uses. Guardian,
2014 states that any space needs to be flexible and reusable. It must
be multifunctional and must possess enough strength to withhold
daily activities. He further adds that flexible and multiple uses of
space are a part of designing small spaces. Multifunctional
furniture can reduce the use of floor space by up to fifty percent.
He believes a small space is, in general, more useful if it is not
divided into too many small rooms. (Guardian, 2014)
Small homes or apartments come with the challenge of not having
enough space to balance the functional and aesthetic requirements.
To choose space-saving furniture, one could consider multi-
purpose furniture as the best option. Three benefits of multi-
purpose furniture are as follows:
 Maximizing available space: Maximizing available space,
could be done by knocking down the walls, using space
efficiently, and using furniture with multiple purposes.
 Minimizing clutter: Reducing clutter is the next important
benefit. Using multipurpose furniture reduces the number of
furniture pieces, which automatically reduces the chance of
increasing clutter in the room.
 Lowering the cost: If multipurpose furniture is used, one
piece of furniture serves the purpose of multiple pieces of
furniture, which not only saves space but also saves the cost
of buying multiple pieces of furniture (Kinnear, 2022).
The processes used in the manufacture of furniture include cutting,
bending, moulding, laminating, and assembly of materials such as
wood, metal, and glass. However, the production process for
furniture is not solely bending metal, cutting, and or shaping wood.
Design and fashion trends play an important part in the production
of furniture. The integrated design of the article for both aesthetic
and functional qualities is also a major part of the process of
manufacturing furniture.
The biggest problem in modern society is the high cost of living
and limited availability of space. Along with that, the shortage of
natural resources and high prices are the other issues. The limited
availability of commonly used materials like wood, steel, and iron
used for furniture construction, causes the need for new materials
and new technologies, but are usually expensive. In a society with
diverse people, users of furniture and product have a lot of different
requirements, based on their background, personal preferences, and
some other factors like habits and needs of the member. These
issues could be addressed by considering multi-functional and
space-saving furniture. Multipurpose furniture fits into the limited
space better and would carry various functions (Xie, 2016).
With the increase in the cost of living, there is more demand
for space-saving furniture designs. Small space house has
increased in every part of the world. (Susanka, 2000). Utilizing
furniture, which occupies less amount of floor space, improves the
scope of having more space to work with. The space-saving
furniture serves many functions and is designed to fit into the space
without taking up too much of the floor area. Multi-functional
furniture is a solution that offers a combination of functions, and
styles, so every square foot in a home can be beautifully used and
performed twice or thrice its size. As apartments get smaller and
smaller, furniture with multiple usage becomes almost a necessity.
There is a mental conversion associated with the transformable
multifunctional furniture that creates the feeling of more space.
(Guardian, 2014).
According to one press release, the multifunctional furniture
market is to be sustained by technological advancements. In 2022,
multifunctional furniture is a piece of furniture with multiple uses
that can adapt to smaller spaces along with fulfilling multiple needs
of users. The rise in population and urbanization has driven the
demand for accommodation, resulting in boosting the real estate
market. Urban houses have enforced the habitants to choose
smaller spaces, which has increased the demand for furniture
suitable for small spaces or furniture with multiple uses.
Multifunctional furniture has been offering greater suitability to
users, specifically to those, who have limited living space. The
concept of multifunctional furniture has evolved significantly,
leading to the development of a wide range of space-saving
solutions that incorporate advanced technology, and yet are
aesthetically appealing.29
Extensive market research was done to study the various material
options available to construct the furniture designed by the
researcher. This helped to provide material options for each part of
the furniture.
Note:
*1 Price varies according to the company, brand, size, and finish of the
material purchased.
*2 Price varies according to the company, brand, size, specifications,

finish, and capacity of the hardware selected.
List of furniture materials available to design multipurpose furniture.
Sr. List of Furniture Price
No. Material
1) Wood Starting at ₹ 2000 /Sheet 8’0” X 4’0” *1
2) HDF Starting at ₹ 1500 /Sheet 8’0” X 4’0” *1
3) MDF Starting at ₹ 1000 /Sheet 8’0” X 4’0” *1
4) Particle Board Starting at ₹850 /Sheet 8’0” X 4’0” *1
5) Plywood Starting at ₹900 /Sheet 8’0” X 4’0” *1
6) Laminate Starting at ₹ 500 /Sheet 8’0” X 4’0” *1
7) Veneer Starting at ₹ 800 /Sheet 8’0” X 4’0” *1
8) Vertical Lift-Up Starting at ₹ 1300/ set *2

Door Mechanism
Channel
9) Hydraulic Bed Starting at ₹ 1500/ set *2
lifting channels
2
10) Drawer 9” Starting at ₹ 100/ set *
Channels 2
12” Starting at ₹ 150/ set *
2
2
2
11) Wall Bed Fitting Starting at ₹ 1800/ set *2

Mechanism
12) Hydraulic-based Starting at ₹ 1200/ set *2
dining table
fitting
2.2 Empirical Studies
2.2.1 Studies on small spaces
Thogersen (2017) in his research on “Small spaces, need smart solutions

Designing furniture for small spaces, in connection with human wellbeing”,
carried out the study to investigate the relationship between small apartments,
furniture, and human wellbeing. The findings of the study were based on
literature that was collected through a combination of articles regarding small
apartments and urban housing development with papers about furniture and
psychological articles about human needs and well-being. The researcher
concludes that there is a significant connection between furniture, small
apartments, and human well-being, as well as the physical surra rounding in an
apartment having a large impact on its residents. Thus, it was summarized that,
if the above factors are considered, designing furniture for an apartment, human
well-being can be affected positively.
A study on space-saving and multiple using furniture in Egypt were conducted.

The researcher aimed to raise awareness of the importance of using space-
saving and multipurpose furniture, especially in residential units with small
spaces, along with setting up theories and scientific foundations to consider
while designing this type of furniture. The researcher also highlighted several
ideas, designs, and technological methods used in space saving and multiple
using furniture to achieve the functional and aesthetic dimensions of the space.
The researcher also recommends increasing the production of multipurpose
furniture and establishing factories for manufacturing machinery for this type
of furniture to be self-sufficient and not be imported from abroad (Ashraf,
2019).
In a study on functional furniture as a smart solution for small spaces, the

researcher surveyed 258 units of Zaniary tower apartments in Erbil city, Iraq.
The samples were selected through random sampling, and a total of 103
respondents were considered for the study. A questionnaire consisting of
furniture needs, preferences, and recommendations was prepared. Data were
collected and investigated through SPSS (statistical package for social sciences)
software. The findings of the study highlighted that most of the respondents
faced the problem of scarcity of space to accommodate enough furniture to
satisfy their requirements. So, the researcher came up with a solution of
Multifunctional furniture as a solution to address this issue smartly, as
multipurpose furniture can balance space utility and beauty, by efficiently using
the available space. (Husein, 2021)
Nagasudha, et al. (2022) conducted a study on; “space-saving furniture as a

smart solution for 2BHK apartments”. The study contributes to the factors that
influence the purchase of space-saving furniture on the space efficiency of
apartments, through a survey method, which was conducted randomly among
500 respondents who were residing in apartments in Tirupur and Coimbatore.
The data collection was done through a purposive sampling technique. This
study finds that most participants have difficulties with their small spaces and
supported the idea that space-saving furniture can be a smart solution to their
problems. Findings were highlighted, using 37 items, seven factors, and a five-
point scale. Data revealed several factors related to the purchase of space-saving
furniture. The major factors were compact and space-saving factors, quality-
based factors, price-based components, style-based factors, psychological-
based factors, stress-based factors, and environment-based factors.
Kandalkar (2020) conducted a study on, Approach towards design small

spaces using multifunctional furniture: A review. The main goal of this study
was to study the low cost of living in limited space and to create a design for
feasible and sustainable multi-functional furniture which could transform a
living space based on the need and time of the day. The research concluded that
Transformable space-saving furniture is an innovative product with plenty of
room for future development and an enormous potential metropolitan market. It
is important to have furniture with more than one feature to save as much
valuable space as possible.
2.2.2 Studies related to Multipurpose furniture.
Sapuan, et al. (2007), conducted a study on the design and fabrication of a

multipurpose table using a composite of epoxy and banana pseudo-stem
filaments. The research methodology followed evaluating criteria to design a
multipurpose table which included Stability of Product, Cost of Product, Ease
of production, Reliability of service, Ergonomic aspect, Low setup, Ease of
transport and compared the 8 Concepts and evaluated them with a 5-point scale.
After a brainstorming session in the engineering design laboratory, the option’s
highest score was chosen to prepare a design. A dining table was designed with
the use of four layers of epoxy and fiber along with mechanical fasteners used
for joining them with banana woven fabric. The product was lightweight,
compact, stable, and easy to transport with an aesthetically pleasing golden
brown colour.
Wang (2013) in his study “An Analysis of Transformable Space Saving

Furniture”, studied space-saving furniture both mechanically as well as
financially. His study also included the comparison of transformable space-
saving furniture as compared to normal furniture, concerning cost and price.
The report focused on beds, tables, and chairs, as they are the most frequently
used furniture according to the author. The study also covered effective and
efficient transformable space-saving furniture designed by the architects and
engineers in its manufacturers. Its designs could then be combined with the
structures and layouts of buildings so that the functions of both the furniture and
buildings could be maximized. These kinds of innovative buildings could also
save energy and lower the cost of living for people living in large cities. He
researched that manufacturing costs and product price were the limitations for
a piece of transformable space-saving furniture. The author also suggested that
to improve the future of transformable space furniture, more innovative ideas
should be incorporated into its design. Lowering overhead costs and furniture
prices are some other elements that need to be given due consideration.
Nasser (2013) conducted research on the need and potential for multifunctional
furniture design features to maximize space usage and improve the living
conditions of people living in underprivileged communities. The study was
titled Multifunctional furniture for underprivileged communities. A milestone
in sustainable development. Depending on the situation and time of day, the
author created a piece of furniture that may be used as a table, storage, seating,
or bed. Easy-to-implement and aesthetically beautiful modular furniture was
produced following the design parameters. The local manufacturing process
was taken into consideration when conducting the research, and furniture was
designed with their specs, prototype schematics, and easily understood visuals.
Based on the availability of raw materials on the market and the location of the
importer of wood, options were given.
Astonkar and Kherde (2015) conducted a study to highlight the importance

of Ergonomics with anthropometric principles of multipurpose space-saving
seating arrangements in different places. The market study and user survey
method were followed by the researcher to conduct the research, in which 8-10
seating arrangements or chairs were studied to identify the problems; 3 new
concepts were suggested for seating and 1 with waste material was suggested,
whose ergonomic reliability was also tested. The researcher concluded that to
improve the future of space-saving products, designers need to create more
innovative ideas to understand the importance of ergonomics and the use of
waste material in our daily life. These kinds of innovative designs could prove
ergonomically efficient and solve problems of the physical stress of people
along with lowering the cost of production due to the utilization of waste
material in its production.
Astonkar and Kherde (2015) conducted a study on multipurpose space-saving

seating arrangements with CAD and CAC software. The research was
conducted by following a step-by-step procedure which included
conceptualizing a CAD model, analysis of finite elements with different
materials and loads in ANSYS, comparison analysis, and later seating
arrangements with space-saving approach were developed along with
ergonomic details with the use of waste materials of our daily life. Thus,
reducing the cost.
A similar study was conducted on multipurpose space-saving seating

arrangements using finite elements along with its analysis. The researcher
recommended a new dining table design that would occupy less space than the
deployed area; thus, addressing the issue of constrained space in urban segments
in India.
Danyang (2016) conducted a research study on Fika Living - A sharing
multifunctional furniture for single-person households. He started a study with
the vision of an expected increase in single-person households by 40 per cent in
the upcoming 40 years. The project aimed at designing a sharing furniture that
could be used for the living room of a young single-person household. The
theories applied by him, included sustainability, life cycle, human needs, and
design methodologies. In the study, the researcher designed a piece of furniture
that contained three cushions and a table that are removable and could be
stacked together. The researcher gave a variety of combinations of using this
furniture as seating for three people, a study by one person along with the seat,
and backrest. It could also be used as a footstool while seating on the sofa.
Harun and Halip (2018) conducted a study on stylish coffee table furniture,
influenced by modular furniture for students in Batu Pahat Malaysia. The
research design consisted of data collection of current issues, and problems
faced by the users through visual research through the geometric and engineered
form. After that, the ideation sketches were created, with different perspectives,
tones, locations, sizes, and features, followed by design development and mock-
up development of scale models. Principles of design were applied to mock-up
design and the selected design was examined through the two-dimensional and
three-dimensional models using computer applications and design software.
The last step was to create a final product by finalizing the finishing and jointing
system (engineering). This stage is concerned with assembly for efficiency in
the manufacturing process. In the conclusion stage, the design was tested for its
suitability and harmless, overcoming the problems identified as a part of the
research. (Muhammad Fikri Bin Harun & Halip, 2018)
Astonkar and Kherdi (2019), in their study on the design and fabrication of
multifunctional furniture, evaluated the existing dining furniture by studying
their construction, assembly, and sub-assemblies along with the demand and
needs of the customers. The survey method was used as a part of the design
methodology to design, investigate, fabricate and test the product. Detailed
engineering drawings and CAD drawings were constructed along with the
prototype and the designed furniture was tested for its structural deformation
and stress analysis with the help of ANSYS software. The results obtained were
in favour of the production of the proposed dining table.
Cheng, Hou, et al. (2021), conducted on designing multipurpose modular,

flexible, and space-saving Dining tables. For data collection and analysis of the
product, the study was conducted on different types of dining tables. The
materials were identified, and the types of hinges and shapes of dining tables
were studied as a part of the market study. Through user observation and
ergonomic considerations, concept generation was done. A lifestyle board and
visual theme board were prepared, using a bubble diagram. The researcher came
up with six design concepts. One concept was selected and its final detailing
with product features, assembly and the n mechanism was done. The
final prototype was created and validated. It showed that the final proposed
concept occupied just less than 25 percent of its deployed area, and was
proposed to suit the constrained space conditions of the urban segment in India.
2.2.3 Studies related to multipurpose furniture designing
A researcher conducted a study on “Designing furniture as learning facilities for

early young child education”, in Desa Gunung Sari, Tangerang. The study’s
main objective was to design well-planned furniture at an early stage of
education for children. Furniture was designed considering the anthropometry
to provide better ergonomic seating position, to facilitate the learning process.
The in-depth observation was conducted as one of the methods of data
collection along with the interview technique. The teachers of the school were
interviewed, the building conditions were observed and a few lecturers from
architecture were also interviewed to gain insight into conducting the design
process. The researcher designed twenty multifunctional modular furniture
named SALA (Sarana Alas Duduk Anak). They were designed fulfilling the
function of table and chair for students, and table and stool for teachers and
could be arranged in form of a stage for conducting school functions and student
performances. The furniture was designed thoughtfully, as they could be
stacked up to three modules for saving floor space. The design was brought into
reality with the help of one of the home-based, furniture makers near the village.
The research was conducted with a broad vision of contributing to the
community by assisting in early childhood education to support the nation
Gumulya, et al. (2020).
Huang, et al. (2015) did research on designing an adjustable table with multiple
uses for persons who must spend more time in bed owing to a disability. The
research team concentrated on improving the features of a table that may enable
people to read books or use tablet computers on beds in a comfortable manner
after reviewing the literature and determining that there are already many
similar items on the market. Additionally, it can help folks walk and stand up.
The product was fixed to the bed with a C-clamp. Moreover, the table was
automatically raised to the correct height with the hydraulic and micro-
computer systems. To ensure the safety of the entire construction, simulation,
test, and analysis tests were carried out in Abaqus 6.1.2 and Autodesk Inventor
2015. Their design may catalyse the development of auxiliary equipment,
stressing the significance of the creation of healthcare mechanisms.
2.3 Conclusion of Review of literature:
The literature collected by the researcher highlighted various studies focusing

on furniture design, furniture analysis, commercial furniture design, material
survey, residential space planning, commercial space designing, space
optimization, and small space designing. While reviewing the literature the
researcher found that problems are faced by people having small-space
residential houses. There is a need to design furniture for small houses,
according to their requirements and considering their affordability. A dearth of
researches were found regarding multipurpose furniture with low-cost materials
for small spaces. This motivated the researcher to design multipurpose furniture
for small spaces, with the use of a variety of interior materials. The researcher
was interested in identifying the problems faced by homeowners of small
houses, related to furniture concerning the Foyer, Living room, Kitchen, Dining,
bedroom, bathroom, and other areas of the residence. Thus, the present study was
undertaken.
METHODOLOGY
CHAPTER - III
METHODOLOGY
The methodology is the overall strategy chosen to integrate different

components, utilized to carry out research that defines a concise, coherent, and
logical plan to tackle established research question(s) through the collection,
interpretation, analysis, and discussion of data, ensuring effective addressing of
the research problem (Thakur, 2021). The plan of investigation, operational
definitions, and the procedure followed for the development of the tool are
presented in this chapter. The procedure for the collection of data and its
statistical analysis is described here. The major focus of the present
investigation was to identify the problems experienced by the residents of small
houses especially related to furniture in various areas of the house. After
considering the same, the researcher proposed various multipurpose furniture
options using a combination of furniture materials, suitable for small space
houses. To achieve the objectives of the study, the sequence of procedure taken
into consideration is presented in this chapter as follows.
3.1 Research design
3.2 Operational definitions
3.3 Locale of the study
3.4 Unit of Inquiry
3.5 Sample size and sampling procedure
3.6 Selection of tool
3.7 Development of the tool
3.8 Establishment of content validity of the tool
3.9 Establishment of reliability of the tool
3.10 Data Collection
3.11 Data analysis
3.12 Development of designs of multi-purpose furniture using a combination
of Interior materials for small houses.
3.13 Development of a catalogue of proposed designs of multipurpose furniture
3.14 Intervention program for homeowners.
41 | Page Methodology
3.1. Research Design
“A research design also called a research strategy, is a plan to answer a set of
questions” (McCombes, 2019). A descriptive research design was found to be most
suitable for the current research. For the present study, the descriptive research
design was selected. An in-depth study of the problems experienced by the residents
of the small houses, especially related to furniture, was conducted in the various
parts of Vadodara city.
3.2. Operational Definition
Certain terms were operationally defined for the present study. They are as follows:
3.2.1. Small spaces: In the present study small spaces are defined as a
residential unit whose built-up area is up to 600 square feet.
3.2.2. Multi-purpose furniture: For the present study multi-purpose furniture
is furniture with multiple usage/purposes or having more than one use.
3.2.3. Extent of problems: For the present study the extent of problems is
defined as the extent to which the respondents experienced problems related
to furniture in different areas of their residence.
3.3. Locale of the study
The locale of the study was Vadodara City. Vadodara. Samples were collected
from all four zones viz. east, west, south, and north zone of Vadodara city which
included 38 areas namely; Gotri, Vasna, Bhyli, Tarsali, Gorwa, Waghodia, Akota,
Sama-Savli, Ellora Park, VIP Road, Productivity Road, Maneja, Harni, Kalali,
Sevasi, Ajwa Road, Sun-Pharma Road, Karelibaug, Pratapnagar, Fatehgunj,
Subhanpura, Mandvi, Makarpura, Raopura, Harni, Channi, Tandalja, Jambubet,
Bapunagar, Dandia Bazar, Nagarwada, Wadi, Diwalipura, Samta, Shiyabaug,
Jetalpur, Manjalpur, and Kevdabaug.
3.4. Unit of Inquiry
The sample for the study comprised homeowners residing in small houses, with a
minimum qualification of 10th pass.
3.5. Sample size and sampling procedure
Areas were identified purposively comprising small houses; whose built-up area
was up to 600 sq. ft. From each area, samples were identified through purposive
sampling technique. A total of 270 houses were selected as samples, from various
areas. The sample for the study comprised homeowners residing in small houses.
3.6. Selection of tool
The questionnaire was used for gathering demographic data and to study the
problems experienced by the respondents regarding existing furniture in various
areas of the house, which were considered for the present study. A questionnaire
was used as a tool for the following reasons: (i) very large samples are desired, (ii)
costs must be kept low, (iii) the target groups who are likely to have high response
rates are specialized, (iv) ease of administration is necessary, and (v) moderate
response rate is considered satisfactory (Ahuja, 2012).
3.7. Development of the tool

A thorough review facilitated the investigator in the construction of the tool. While
preparing the questionnaire, care was taken to include all such questions that would
elicit the information necessary to attain the objectives of the study.
The questionnaire comprised two sections.
Section I: Demographic profile of the respondents
This section dealt with the questions regarding the respondents’ demographic
information, which included name, address, phone no, family income, type of
house, area of the residential unit, number of family members residing, age
group of each family member, and Family Income.
Section II: Extent of Problems regarding existing furniture
This section dealt with the extent of problems experienced by the respondents
residing in small houses. This section was further divided into 7 sub-sections.
● Extent of problems experienced by the respondents residing in small houses
related to furniture in the Foyer. This subsection consisted of 5 statements.
related to furniture in the Living Room. This subsection consisted of 16
statements.
related to furniture in the Kitchen. This subsection consisted of 34
statements.
related to furniture in the Dining Room. This subsection consisted of 14
statements.
related to furniture in Bedrooms. This subsection consisted of 36
statements.
related to furniture in the Bathroom. This subsection consisted of 04
statements.
● Other Extent of problems experienced by the respondents residing in small
houses related to furniture items. This subsection consisted of 11
statements.
3.8. Establishment of content validity of the tool
The scale was subjected to the establishment of content validity. To test the validity
of the tool prepared, the scales were given to a panel of 11 judges from the Family
and Community Resource Management and Interior Design Field. They were
requested to check the clarity and relevance of the content for each subsection.
They have also requested to state whether each statement fell in the category under
which it was listed. A consensus of 80 percent among the judges was taken as a
yardstick for the inclusion of the statement in the final tool.
A Catalogue including the proposed multipurpose furniture for various areas of the
residential unit, which can be used as a ready reference by the residents of small
spaces was designed. This was given for validation to 3 judges. They were asked
to judge the content of the Catalogue for its relevance, clarity, and overall
presentation.
3.9.Establishment of reliability of the tool
To test the reliability of the scale on problems experienced by the homeowners
residing in small houses; “pretesting” was done on 30 respondents who were non-
sample and then the reliability value was calculated. The reliability of the scales
was established through the split-half method. The scales were divided in two using
the odd and even method for the split-half method. The coefficient of correlation
was found between the two halves. The spearman-Brown correction formula was
applied to estimate the reliability coefficient for the entire scale. The reliability
values were found to be high for the problem scale as reported here.
Table 1: Reliability value of Problem Scale
Sr. No. Scale Reliability Value
1. Extent of Problem 0.89
3.10. Data Collection Method

The data was collected with the help of a questionnaire. Data were gathered by
the investigator from January to August 2020. The respondents who lived in
small houses having built-up areas up to 600sq.ft. were selected as samples
through purposive sampling for the present study. Data were collected from all
four zones of Vadodara city which included the following 38 areas; Gotri,
Vasna, Bhyli, Tarsali, Gorwa, Waghodia, Akota, Sama-Savli, Ellora Park, VIP
road, Prodectivity road, Maneja, Harni, Kalali, Sevasi, Ajwa Road, Sun-Pharma
Road, Karelibaug, Pratapnagar, Fatehgunj, Subhanpura, Mandvi, Makarpura,
Raopura, Harni, Channi, Tandalja, Jambubet, Bapunagar, Dandia Bazar,
Nagarwada, Wadi, Diwalipura, Samta, Shiyabaug, Jetalpur, Manjalpur, and
Kevdabaug. The homeowners who were willing to participate in the study were
considered for data collection. The purpose of the research was explained, and
a rapport was built to get the true responses. The investigator personally
distributed and collected back the filled-in questionnaire. The rate of return was
100 percent.
3.11. Data analysis
The data analysis procedure comprised categorization, coding, tabulation, and
statistical analysis. According to Best and Khan (2006), the word statistics is
sometimes used to describe the numerical data gathered it describes a group of
behaviours or characteristics abstracted from several individual observations
combined to generalize. Data were analysed and tables and graphs were
prepared for clear representation and simple understanding of Section I
Background information and Section II Problem scale.
3.11.1 Categorization
3.11.1.1 Demographic profile of the respondents:
Data related to educational qualification, occupation of the respondents,
type of family, number of members in the family and their age, monthly
family income of the respondent, type of house, type of property, size of
the house (in square feet), and duration of stay in the house (in years),
were categorized for further analysis.
i. Educational Qualification of the respondents: Formal education
gained by the respondent was categorized as follows:
1. Elementary
2. Higher Secondary
3. Graduate
4. Postgraduate
ii. Occupation of the respondent: It was categorized based on the
gainful employment of the respondent as follows:
1. Employed (Service/Business/Self Employed)
2. Unemployed
3. Retired
iii. Type of Family: The Family Type was studied based on several
family members staying together under one roof at the time of
data collection and was classified as follows:
1. Nuclear
2. Joint
iv. Number of members in the family: The composition of the
family was studied by calculating the number of Members in the
Family and their ages and was categorized as follows:
1. 1 to 3
2. 4 to 7
3. 8 or above
v. Monthly Family income of the respondent: It referred to the
monthly income incurred by the entire family from various
sources. It was categorized (in ₹) as:
1. Less than 10000
2. 10000 to 50000
3. 50000 to 100000
4. More than 100000
vi. Type of House: The type of house is referred to as a residential
unit in which the respondents resided at the time of the survey.
It was categorized as follows:
1. Flat/ Apartment
2. Bungalow
3. Tenement
4. Duplex
5. Studio Apartment
6. Row house
vii. Size of House (in square feet): The size of the house was
purposively selected up to 600 sq. ft., which was categorized as
follows:
1. Up to 400 Sq. Feet
2. 400 to 600 Sq. Feet
viii. Duration of stay in the house (in years): The duration of stay in
the house was referred to as the number of years from which the
respondents resided in that residential unit at the time of data
collection. It was categorized as follows:
1. 2 to 4
2. 5 to 7
3. More than 7
3.11.1.2 The Extent of Problems: This section dealt with the extent of
problems experienced by respondents residing in small houses. This
section was further divided into 7 sub-sections, related to Furniture
in Foyer, Furniture in Living Room, Furniture in Kitchen, Dining
Room, Furniture in Bedroom, Furniture in Bathroom, and other
problems related to Furniture items. The respondents were asked for
their agreement or disagreement on the statements on a two-point
continuum. The respondents were asked to respond to the problems
experienced in terms of “Experienced” and “Not Experienced” the
scores from 2 through 1 were given to the statements.
Table 2: Categorization and range of scores for the Extent of
Problems experienced by the respondents residing in
small houses related to furniture in various areas of the
house.
The extent of problems experienced by the
Score
respondents residing in small houses related
Range
to furniture in various areas of the house.
Furniture in Foyer
Experienced problems 05-07
Not experienced 08-10
Furniture in Living Room
Furniture in Kitchen
Furniture in the Dining Room


Furniture in Bedroom
Furniture in Bathroom
Not experienced 6-8
Other Furniture related problems
Table 3: Categorization and range of scores for the Extent of Problems
experienced by the respondents regarding overall problems
experienced by the respondents residing in small houses.
Extent of problems experienced by the
respondents residing in small houses related to Score Range
furniture in various areas of the house.
The respondents were asked to respond to a 2-point continuum scale in

terms of “Experienced” and “Not Experienced”. The scores of 2 through
1 were ascribed to each of the statements which depicted the extent of
the problem. The possible score ranged between 120 to 240, which was
divided into 2 categories with almost equal intervals and was made for a
total of 120 statements in the scale. Range scores of 120 to 179 indicated
a low extent of problems experienced by the respondents and 180 to 240
indicated a high extent of problems experienced by the respondents.
3.12. Development of designs of multi-purpose furniture using a
combination of Interior materials for small houses.
Multipurpose furniture was designed as a solution to the problem of
the limitation of space in small houses. Multipurpose furniture using
various methods of transformation and folding was designed. The
materials proposed were selected considering the Indian climatology
and availability. The development of new designs was done for each
room of the residence. The furniture was designed keeping in mind the
small houses; hence the dimensions of the furniture were considered
by the researcher. Design development comprised of Floor plans,
Elevations, and Sectional details of multipurpose furniture, along with
the 3D views, with detailed specifications of material.
Table 4: List of multi-purpose furniture proposed for small spaces
Furniture for Foyer and Living room
1) Utility storage with shoe rack and pull-out seating bench
2) Three-seater sofa with shoe rack and utility storage
Furniture for Kitchen and Dining room
3) Three-seater sofa cum bed with foldable Four-seater dining
(One table and Four chairs)
4) Portable pre-preparation center with extendable dining table,
chairs, and storage
Furniture for Bedroom, Bathroom, and other areas
5) Study unit with dressing and storage
6) Wardrobe with foldable iron board and study area and chair
7) Extendable Bed, storage, and folding seating
8) Folding office and Dressing
9) Centre Table, Storage, Chair, and bed
3.13 Development of a catalogue of proposed designs of multipurpose

furniture
A catalogue was designed, consisting of the designs of proposed
multipurpose furniture for various areas of the residential unit, specially
designed for small houses. The catalogue consisted of 2D, and 3D
drawings prepared in AutoCAD 2022 and SketchUp 2022 design software
respectively. Detailed specifications and construction details of the
furniture, along with the material and cost were suggested in the
catalogue. A Catalogue including the proposed multipurpose furniture for
various areas of the residential unit, which can be used as a ready reference
by the respondents of small spaces was designed. The prices mentioned
are according to the market research done by the researcher during the
duration of the research and may vary with changes in the price of the
material used. The price would also depend on the brand of products and
raw materials used, and the labour cost will vary according to the expertise
of the labour.
3.14 Intervention program for the homeowners
An intervention program was conducted to enhance the knowledge
regarding multipurpose furniture and its use and benefit in the interiors of
small houses. The designs of multipurpose furniture proposed in the
catalogue were also discussed with the beneficiaries of the intervention
program. Initially light was thrown on the importance of multipurpose
furniture design in small spaces, especially in small houses. Different
ways of designing multipurpose furniture were discussed, in the
intervention program. Each design was explained along with its
construction details, design materials, and cost. The material availability
was also discussed by the researcher to facilitate the homeowners of the
small houses to create the proposed furniture items at home. The cost of
local labourers in Vadodara city was also identified. The contacts were
also shared with the beneficiaries of the intervention program who were
willing to build one or more types of proposed multipurpose furniture for
their own house.
FINDINGS AND
DISCUSSION
CHAPTER – IV
FINDINGS AND DISCUSSIONS
The findings of the present research are described and discussed in this chapter. The
findings are analysed and presented in the form of tables and graphical representations.
For the systematic presentation of the results, the chapter has been divided into the
following sections:
Section I: Demographic Profile of the respondents
Section II: Extent of problems experienced by the respondents residing in small houses
related to their existing furniture.
Section III: Proposed designs of multi-purpose furniture using a combination of

interior materials, for small houses.
Section IV: A catalogue of proposed designs with detailed specifications, construction

detail, and cost.
Section V: Intervention Program for the homeowners to enhance their knowledge

regarding multi-purpose furniture, its use, and benefits in interiors of
small houses
52 | P a g e Findings and Discussion

Section I
4.1 Demographic Profile of the respondents
According to Dobosh (2018), Demography is the study of inhabitants. The word
‘Demography’ is a combination of two Greek words, ‘Demos’ meaning individuals and
‘Graphy’ meaning science. Through demographic study, we will understand the basic
conditions of a people regarding; social, political, and economic aspects. Demographics
are statistics that describe respondents and give a better understanding of their
background characteristics. A demographic profile in a survey allows researchers to
gain background information on their participants and provide context for the collected
survey data, allowing researchers to describe their participants and analyze the data
better (Dawson, 2019).
This section deals with demographic information of the respondents considered for the
present study, which included parameters like; education qualification, occupation, type
of family, number of family members, the composition of the family, family income,
type of house, size of the house, duration of stay in the house, etc.
4.1.1 Educational Qualification of the respondents:
The level of education of the respondents was assessed in this sub-section, namely
elementary, higher secondary, graduate and post graduate.
Table 5: Distribution of the respondents according to their Educational

Qualification n=270
Sr.
Educational Qualification f %
No.
1. Elementary 19 7.04
2. Higher Secondary 28 10.37
3. Graduate 129 47.78
4. Postgraduate 94 34.81
Total 270 100

Educational Qualification of the respondents
7% 10%
35%
Elementary
Higher Secondary
Graduate
48%
Post Graduate
Figure 1: Distribution of the respondents according to their

Educational Qualifications
Educational qualification of the respondents revealed that 47.78 per cent of the
respondents were graduates, 34.81 per cent of the respondents were postgraduates 10.37
per cent of the respondents had completed higher secondary (up to 12 th Standard) and
7.04 per cent of the respondents pursued elementary education (up to 10 th Standard).
4.1.2 Occupation of the respondents:

The occupation of the respondents was categorized into three subsections, namely
employed, unemployed and retired.
Table 6: Distribution of the respondents according to their Occupation

n=270
Sr.
Occupation f %
No.
1. Employed* ` 227 84.07
2. Unemployed 036 13.33
3. Retired 007 02.59

Total 270 100
*Employed from which Service(55.93 per cent) Business (31.5 per cent) and Self-
employed (12.57 per cent)

3% Occupation of the respondents
13%
Employed
Unemployed
Retired
84%
Figure 2: Distribution of the respondents according to their

Occupation
It was observed that 84.07 per cent of the respondents were employed, 13.33 per cent
of the respondents were unemployed and 2.59 per cent of the respondents were retired.
4.1.3 Type of Family

Type of Family was categorized as Nuclear and Joint.
Table 7: Distribution of the respondents according to their Type of Family

n=270
Sr.
Type of Family f %
No.
1. Nuclear 169 62.59
2. Joint 101 37.41
Total 270 100.00
Figure 3: Distribution of the respondents according to

their type of family
Type of Family
37% Nuclear
63% Joint

It was observed that 62.59 per cent of the respondents lived in nuclear families
and the rest 37.41 per cent of the respondents lived in a joint family. 40.74 per
cent) of the respondent’s families consisted of 3 elderly, 36.67 per cent of the
respondent’s families had 3 adults and 42.59 per cent of the respondent’s families
had 1 child.
4.1.4 Number of Members in the Family
For the present study, the number of family members ranged from 1 to 8 or above.
Table 8: Distribution of the respondents according to the number of members in

the Family n=270
Sr. Number of members in

f %
No the family
1 1 to 3 55 20.37
2 4 to 7 184 68.15
3 8 or above 31 11.48
Total 270 100.00
80
Respondents
60
40
20
0
1 to 3 4 to 7 8 or above
Number of members in the family
Figure 4: Distribution of the respondents according to

the number of members in the Family
The data collected, revealed that 68.15 per cent of the respondents had 4 to 7 members
in the family, 20.37 per cent of the respondents had 1 to 3 members in the family and
11.48 of the respondents had 8 or above members in the family.

4.1.5 Monthly Family Income
The monthly family income was categorized into 4 range with equal interval.
Table 9: Distribution of the respondents according to their monthly family income

in ₹ n=270
Sr. Monthly Family Income

f %
No. (in ₹)
1. Less than 10000 18.00 6.67
2. 10000 to 50000 170.00 62.96
3. 50000 to 100000 59.00 21.85
4. More than 100000 23.00 8.52
Total 270 100
Monthly family income

80.00
62.96
60.00
Percentage
40.00
21.85
20.00 8.52
6.67
0.00
Family income of the respondets (per month)
Less than 10000 10000 to 50000 50000 to 100000 More than 100000
Figure 5: Distribution of the respondents according to the

monthly family income
The findings of the study revealed that 62.96 per cent of the respondent’s monthly
income `was between Rs. 10000 to 50000, 21.85 per cent of the respondent’s income
was ranging from Rs. 50000 to 100000, 8.52 per cent had more than Rs. 100000 and
6.67 per cent had less than Rs. 10000, family income per month.
4.1.6 Type of House

The respondents considered for the present study were dwelling in different
kinds of houses namely flat/ apartment, bungalow, tenement, duplex, studio
apartment and row house.
Table 10: Distribution of the respondents according to their type of house
n=270
Sr.
Type of House f %
No.
1. Flat/ Apartment 133 49.26
2. Bungalow 22 8.15
3. Tenement 79 29.26
4. Duplex 28 10.37
5. Studio Apartment 4 1.48
6. Row house 4 1.48
Total 270 100
Type of house
60.00
49.26
50.00
40.00
Percentage
29.26
30.00
20.00
10.37
8.15
10.00
1.48 1.48
0.00
Flat/ Bungalow Tenement Duplex Studio Row house
Apartment Apartment
Figure 6: Distribution of the respondents according to their type of

house
The findings of the study revealed that 49.26 per cent of the respondents were living in
flats or apartment, 29.26 per cent of the respondents were living in tenement 10.37 per
cent of the respondents lived in duplex, 8.15 per cent lived in bungalow, 1.48 per cent
of the respondents lived in studio apartment and 1.48 per cent of the respondents resided
in row house.
4.1.7 Size of the house
Size of the house in which respondents were living was purposively selected up to 600
sq. ft., and the respondents were divided into two categories, namely those having less

than 400 sq. ft. houses and those having between 400 sq. ft. to 600 sq. ft. area of the
house.
Table 11: Distribution of the respondents according to their size of the house
n=270
Sr.
Size of House f %
No.
1. Up to 400 Sq. Ft. 67 24.81
2. 400 to 600 Sq. Ft. 203 75.19
Total 270 100
Size of the house
upto 400 Sq.

Feet
25%
400 to 600
Sq. Feet
75%
Figure 7: Distribution of respondents according to their

size of the house
The data collected revealed that majority of the respondents 75.19 per cent were living
in the house with the size of 400 sq. ft. to 600 sq. ft. and 24.81 per cent of the
respondents were having a house size up to 400 sq. ft.
4.1.9 Duration of Stay in the current House (in years)
The duration of stay in the present house was considered for the present study. The data
was distributed in three categories ranging from 2 years to more than 7 years.

Table 12: Distribution of the respondents according to their duration of stay in the
current house (in years) n=270
Sr. Duration of stay in the current
f %
No. house (in years)
1. 2 to 4 72 26.67
2. 5 to 7 28 10.37
3. more than 7 170 62.96
Total 270 100
Duration of stay (in years)

80
Percentage
60
40
20
0
2 to 4 5 to 7 more than 7
Number of Years
Duration of stay (in years)
Figure 8: Distribution of the respondents according to their duration of
stay in the current house (in years)
The findings of the current study revealed that majority, 62.96 per cent of the
respondents were living for more than seven years in the current house, 26.67 per cent
of the respondents were residing for around 2 to 4 years in the current house, 10.37 per
cent of the respondents resided in the residents for around 5 to 7 years in the current
house.

Section II
4.2.Extent of problems experienced by the respondents residing in small houses
related to their existing furniture.
This section deals with the extent of problems experienced by the respondents
related to their existing furniture in various areas of the residence namely, foyer,
living room, kitchen, dining room, bedroom, bathroom, and other problems related
to furniture. The respondents were asked to respond to a 2-point continuum scale
in Experienced and not Experienced response structure. The scores of 2 through 1
were ascribed to each of the statements which depicted the extent of the problem
experienced by the respondents. The possible range of score was divided into two
categories having almost equal interval of number.
4.2.1 Extent of problems experienced by the respondents residing in small houses
related to furniture in foyer area.
Various parameters such as insufficient space for storing shoes, lack of space for
existing shoe rack, insufficient space to store all pairs of shoes, the improper
height of the shoe rack which made it inconvenient to sit and wear shoes, lack of
space to create a seating arrangement in the foyer and lack of clearance space in
the foyer; were the aspects related to the problems experienced by the respondents
with respect to furniture in foyer area.
Table 13: Distribution of respondents according to problems experienced by the

respondents related to furniture in the foyer area
Sr. Problems Respondents (n=270) Weighted

No. experienced by the Experienced Not mean
respondents related Experienced score
to furniture in the f % f % (2-1)
Foyer
1. Insufficient space for 234 86.67 36 13.33 1.87
storing shoes
2. Small size of shoe rack 215 79.63 55 20.37 1.80
3. Uncomfortable height 198 73.33 72 26.67 1.73
of seating, to sit and
wear shoes
4. Lack of seating space 192 71.11 78 28.89 1.71
in foyer
5. Insufficient clearance 165 61.11 105 38.89 1.61
space

The above table 18 revealed that 86.67 per cent of the respondents experienced problem
related to insufficient space to store their shoes, 79.63 per cent of the respondents had
a small size of shoe rack, 73.33 per cent of the respondents had uncomfortable seats
and 71.11 per cent had lack of space in the foyer and 61.11 per cent of the respondents
experienced problems of insufficient clearance in the foyer area.
Table 14: The extent of problems experienced by the respondents related to their
furniture in the foyer area
Distribution of the
Sr. Extent of Respondents (n=270)
Range of Score
No. Problem
f %
1 Low 5–7 54 20.00
2 High 8 – 10 216 80.00
Low extent
of problems
20%
High extent
of problems
80%
Low High
Figure 9: Extent of problems experienced by the

respondents related to their furniture in the foyer area
This section dealt with the extent of problems experienced by the respondents related
to furniture in Foyer. The possible score ranged between 5 to 10, which was divided
into 2 categories with almost equal interval. The range score 5 to 7 indicated low extent
of problems experienced by the respondents and 8 to 10 indicated high extent of
problem experienced by the respondents.
The data indicated that the majority (80 per cent) of the respondents were facing high
extent of problems related to furniture in the foyer area and very few (20 per cent) of
the respondents experienced a low extent of problems related to furniture in the foyer.

4.2.2 Extent of problems experienced by the respondents residing in small houses
related to furniture in the Living room:
Various parameters were considered to identify the problems in small space

houses with respect to the living room namely difficulty to bring the furniture
inside the house due to small entrance, scarcity of space to accommodate guests
in the living room, lack of clearance space, lack of clearance space, no TV unit or
existing TV unit, the distance between TV and seating arrangement was less,
which leads to discomfort in watching TV, lack of enough space to open the
cabinet doors, insufficient space to open the furniture drawers, lack of additional
storage units in Living room, difficulty in using the centre table from sofa or
another seating unit due to congested arrangement, height of Centre Table was
very low and therefore not comfortable to use, the size of the Centre Table was
small.

respondents related to furniture in the Living room
Respondents (n=270)
Problems experienced
Weighted
Problems experienced by the by the respondents
Sr. mean
respondents related to Experience Not
No. score
furniture in Living room d Experienc
(2-1)
ed
f % f %
1. Lack of space to accommodate 174 64.44 96 35.56 1.64
guests
2. Compact furniture arrangement 165 64.44 105 38.89 1.61
3. Lack of space for clearance 163 60.37 107 39.63 1.60
and movement
4. Inconvenience in cleaning the 166 61.48 104 38.52 1.61
room due to improper furniture
placement
5. No space for TV unit 156 57.78 114 42.22 1.58
6. Improper distance between TV 147 54.44 123 45.56 1.54
and seating
7. Insufficient space for storage 221 81.85 49 18.15 1.82
near TV
8. Improper clearance in front of 163 60.37 107 39.63 1.60
storage cabinets
9. Improper clearance in front of 132 48.89 138 51.11 1.49
drawer unit

10. Lack of additional storage units 186 68.89 84 31.11 1.69
in Living room
11. Height of Centre Table was 162 60 108 40.00 1.60
low and therefore not
comfortable to use
12. Difficulty in using centre table 206 76.3 64 23.70 1.76
from seating unit due to
congested arrangement.
13. Size of Centre Table was 145 53.7 125 46.30 1.54
small, to accommodate
necessary items.
14. Size of Centre table is too big 171 63.33 99 36.67 1.63
as compared to room size.
15. No separate area for storing 182 67.41 88 32.59 1.67
shoes.
16. Lack of comfortable seating 157 58.15 112 41.48 1.58
The data in the above table (table 20) revealed that most of the problems experienced
by the respondents in the living room was related to storage. 81.85 per cent of the
respondents had experienced insufficient space for storage near TV (76.3 per cent),
followed by the congested arrangement leading to difficulty in using centre table from
seating unit, which was experienced by around 76.30 per cent of the respondents.
There were 68.89 per cent of the respondents facing the problem of limited storage in
living room and were willing to have more storage space, 67.41 per cent of the
respondents had no separate area to store shoes, 64.44 per cent of the respondents had
lack of space to accommodate guests and 64.44 per cent of the respondents experienced
compact furniture arrangement.
Table 16: Extent of problems experienced by the respondents related to their

furniture in the living room.
Sr. No. Extent of Problem Range of Score Respondents (n=270)

f %
1 Low 16-23 66 24.44
2 High 24-32 204 75.56

24%
76%
Low 16-23 High 24-32

respondents related to their furniture in the living room
to furniture in living room. The possible score ranged between 16 to 32, which was
divided into 2 categories with almost equal interval. Range score in 16 to 23, indicated
low extent of problems experienced by the respondents and 24 to 32 indicated high
extent of problem experienced by the respondents. The data revealed that 75.56 per cent
of the respondents were facing high extent of problems related to furniture in the living
room and 24.44 per cent of the respondents were facing low extent of problems related
to furniture in the living room
4.2.3 Problems experienced by the respondents residing in small houses with
respect to furniture in Kitchen.
The problems experienced by the respondents related to furniture in their kitchen

were studied considering parameters such as; scarcity of space on the countertop
for meal preparation, low height or too heigh height of the countertop for the
homemaker to work comfortably, improper depth of the countertop, difficulty in
cleaning countertop due to its poor quality, insufficient storage under the kitchen
counter, no upper cabinets in the kitchen, lack of storage space in an upper cabinet
for storing things, lack of clearance space, to move in the kitchen, lack of cross
ventilation inside the kitchen, insufficient storage for storing utility things, poor
quality material used in kitchen furniture, opening and taking out items from

refrigerator was difficult due to less space in front of the refrigerator, insufficient
space for multiple workers to work together in the kitchen, placement of sink was
improper, which creates difficulty during washing utensils, improver height and
depth of the sink centre creating discomfort in washing utensils. The size of the
sink was small, lack of space near the sink centre to store washed utensils,
insufficient space for storing drinking water or storing earthen pot of drinking
water (matla) near the sink, no space for water purifier near sink centre, no space
for storing gas cylinder in kitchen, lack of pre-preparation space on the counter,
lack of storage space for crockery in the kitchen, lack of space for storing extra
grains in kitchen, no separate storeroom, insufficient storage space for storing
spices, flour, and other cooking ingredients, lack of space to keep electrical
appliances on the countertop, inadequate plug points for electrical appliances,
improper height of the cooking counter hinders with visibility of food during
cooking.
respondents related to furniture in their Kitchen
Respondents(n=270)
Problems experienced by Weighted
Sr. Problems related to furniture the respondents mean
No. in Kitchen Experienced Not score
Experienced (2-1)
f % f %
1. Insufficient space for meal 170 62.96 100 37.04 1.63
preparation
2. Height of the countertop was 157 58.15 113 41.85 1.58
improper
3. Uncomfortable depth of the 186 68.89 84 31.11 1.69
countertop to work.
4. Length of the countertop was 206 76.30 64 23.70 1.76
inappropriate, which creates
scarcity of space.
5. Cleaning countertop was difficult 120 44.44 150 55.56 1.44
due to poor quality of countertop.
6. Insufficient storage under the 232 85.93 38 14.07 1.86
kitchen counter.
7. Unorganized upper cabinets in the 206 76.30 64 23.70 1.76
kitchen.
8. Lack of space in upper cabinet for 235 87.04 35 12.96 1.87
storing things.

9. Lack of clearance space, to move 142 52.59 128 47.41 1.53
to-and-fro in kitchen
10. Lack of cross ventilation inside 157 58.15 113 41.85 1.58
the kitchen
11. Lack of storage for storing utility 175 64.81 95 35.19 1.65
things.
12. Poor quality of material used in 108 40.00 162 60.00 1.40
kitchen furniture
13. Insufficient space to access the 137 50.74 133 49.26 1.51
refrigerator
14. Insufficient space for multiple 223 82.59 47 17.41 1.83
workers to work together in the
kitchen
15. Placement of sink was not at a 174 64.44 96 35.56 1.64
proper place, which created
difficulty during washing
utensils.
16. Height of the sink centre was not 133 49.26 137 50.74 1.49
comfortable to wash Utensils.
17. Improper depth of the sink 174 64.44 96 35.56 1.64
18. Size of the sink was small 140 51.85 130 48.15 1.52
19. Lack of space near the sink centre 163 60.37 107 39.63 1.60
to store washed utensils.
20. No space for storing drinking 135 50.00 135 50.00 1.50
water near sink.
21. Insufficient storage near the sink 148 54.81 122 45.19 1.55
center
22. No space for garbage bin in 130 48.15 140 51.85 1.48
kitchen
23. No space for water purifier near 176 65.19 94 34.81 1.65
sink centre.
24. No space for storing gas cylinder 174 64.44 96 35.56 1.64
in kitchen.
25. Lack of pre-preparation space on 161 59.63 109 40.37 1.60
counter
26. Lack of storage space for 152 56.30 118 43.70 1.56
crockery in the kitchen.
27. No space for storing extra grains 159 58.89 111 41.11 1.59
in kitchen
28. No separate storeroom 172 63.70 98 36.30 1.64
29. Lack of storage space for storing 149 55.19 121 44.81 1.55
spices, flour, and other cooking
ingredients.
30. Lack of space to keep electrical 163 60.37 107 39.63 1.60
appliances on countertop.
31. Improper location of plug points 126 46.67 144 53.33 1.47
32. Lack of organizers in cabinets for 148 54.81 122 45.19 1.55
convenient storage

33. Improper height of cooking 109 40.37 161 59.63 1.40
counter while making food not
visible during cooking.
34. Lack of proper clearance due 126 46.67 144 53.33 1.47
small size of kitchen
The data revealed that 85.56 per cent of respondents had insufficient storage under the
kitchen counter and 87.04 per cent faced problems due to lack of space in upper cabinet
for storing things The data also showed that 82.59 per cent had insufficient space for
multiple workers to work together in the kitchen and 76.30 per cent of the respondents
had inappropriate length of the countertop which leads to scarcity of space. Lack of
organized upper cabinets in the kitchen was also a problem faced by 76.30 per cent of
the respondents.
furniture in the kitchen
Respondents (n=270)
Sr. No. Extent of Problem Range of Score
f %
1 Low 34-50 87 32.22
2 High 51-68 183 67.78
32%
68%
Low 34-50 High 51-68

respondents related to their furniture in the kitchen

to furniture in the kitchen. The possible score ranged between 34 to 68, which was
divided into 2 categories with almost equal interval. The range score in 34 to 50
indicated low extent of problems experienced by the respondents and 51 to 68 indicated
high extent of problem experienced by the respondents. The data revealed that 67.78
per cent of the respondents were facing high extent of problems related to furniture in
the kitchen and 32.22 per cent of the respondents were facing low extent of problems
related to furniture in the kitchen.
4.2.4 Problems Experienced by the respondents residing in small houses with
respect to Furniture in Dining Room
The problems experienced by the respondents concerning furniture in the dining
room were studied considering insufficient space for furniture, dining room
combined with the living room, or with the kitchen, the small size of the dining
table for family members residing in the house, the uncomfortable height of the
chair and table to sit and have a meal, lack of clearance space to pull out a chair
and sit on the table, improper depth of the seat to sit, the uncomfortable backrest
of the chair, lack of clearance space to move around the dining table while serving
meals, no storage units in the dining area, lack of space in an existing storage unit,
no space for decorative items in the dining room, no space for storing dining table
accessories in the dining room.

respondents related to furniture in the Dining room
Sr. Respondents(n=270)
No.
Problems related to furniture in the respondents mean
the Dining room Not score
Experienced (2-1)
Experienced
f % f %
1. Dining area is combined with 177 65.56 93 34.44 1.66
living room.
2. Dining area is combined with 132 48.89 138 51.11 1.49
kitchen.
3. Clearance Space was less to pull 131 48.52 139 51.48 1.49
out chair and sit on table.
4. Design of chair was 104 38.52 166 61.48 1.39
uncomfortable

5. Design of table was 112 41.48 158 58.52 1.41
uncomfortable
6. Size of Dining Table was too 197 72.96 73 27.04 1.73
small
7. Seat height is not convenient 126 46.67 144 53.33 1.47
8. Backrest of chair was not 130 48.15 140 51.85 1.48
comfortable while having meals.
9. Clearance space around the dining 214 79.26 56 20.74 1.79
table was too less.
10. No storage units in dining area. 162 60.00 108 40.00 1.60
11. Poor quality of material for the 154 57.04 116 42.96 1.57
dining table
12. Lack of space in existing dinning 167 61.85 103 38.15 1.62
for extra guest
13. Dining table also used for study 145 53.70 125 46.30 1.54
purpose.
14. Table and chairs occupy lot of 161 59.63 109 40.37 1.60
floor space
The data revealed that 79.26 per cent of the respondents had too less clearance space
around the dining table, which acted as a difficulty while serving meals, 72.96 per cent
respondents had small size of dining table, 65.56 per cent of the respondents had their
dining area combined with living room and 61.85 per cent of the respondents had lack
of space for extra guests in dining area.
furniture in dining room.
Sr. No. Extent of Problem Range of Score Respondents (n=270)

f %
1 Low 14-20 105 38.89
2 High 21-28 165 61.11
This section dealt with the extent of problem experienced by the respondents related to
furniture in dining room. The possible score ranged between 14 to 28, which was
divided into 2 categories with almost equal interval. Range score in 14 to 20 indicated
low extent of problems experienced by the respondents and 21 to 28 indicated high
extent of problem experienced by the respondents. The data revealed that 61.11 per cent
of the respondents were facing high extent of problems related to furniture in the dining
room/dining area and 38.89 per cent of the respondents were facing low extent of
problems related to furniture in the dining room/dining area.

39%
61%
Low 14-20 High 21-28
Figure 12: Extent of problems experienced by the respondents related to

their furniture in dining room.
4.2.5 Problems experienced by the respondents residing in small houses with

respect to Furniture in Bedroom.
The problems experienced by the respondents related to furniture in the

bedroom were studied considering aspects such as opening and the location of
bed, inconvenience in opening and closing wardrobe and other storage units, no
ledge or side table in bedroom, or improper height of exiting side table,
improper depth of side table to store things, lack of clearance space as furniture
in the room was closely kept, too big or too small bed as compared to the room
size, insufficient space to use the furniture conveniently (pulling out drawers,
opening doors), lack of floor space due to more furniture, insufficient space to
accommodate extra members (guest) in the bedroom, design of existing
furniture was not comfortable to use, difficulty was experienced to bring the
thing inside the bedroom due to small entrance, lack of additional storage unit
or lofts for storing extra things in the Bedroom, lack of space for hanging clothes
in the storage, no space for hanging used clothes so that they can be aired and
made odour free, lack of space to store folded clothes in the wardrobe, lack of
dressing unit or accessories storage, lack of separate storage for each family
member, lack of space for accessories storage, improper depth of the wardrobe,

improper height or depth of the study table or chair (located in the bedroom),
making it uncomfortable to sit and work for long hours, and the lofts in the
bedroom were not having doors.

respondents related to furniture in the Bedroom
Respondents(n=270)
Sr. Problems related to furniture in the respondents mean
No. the Bedroom Not score
Experienced (2-1)
Experienced
f % f %
1. Bedroom is shared space in living 158 58.52 112 41.48 1.59
room
2. Lack of clearance space due to 164 60.74 106 39.26 1.61
more furniture items in small
room
3. Two bedrooms are interconnected 162 60.00 108 40.00 1.60
4. Inconvenience in opening and 136 50.37 134 49.63 1.50
closing wardrobe
5. Difficulty in cleaning the room, 141 52.22 129 47.78 1.52
due to furniture design.
6. Lofts in the bedroom do not have 150 55.56 120 44.44 1.56
doors.
7. Bed is visible from common areas 140 51.85 130 48.15 1.52
8. Size of the bed is too small 165 61.11 105 38.89 1.61
9. Size of the bed is too big as 164 60.74 106 39.26 1.61
compared to the room size.
10. Lack of floor space due to more 171 63.33 99 36.67 1.63
furniture
11. Not enough space to use the 149 55.19 121 44.81 1.55
furniture conveniently. (Pulling
out drawers, opening doors)
12. Design of existing furniture was 158 58.52 112 41.48 1.59
not comfortable to use.
13. No space to accommodate extra 173 64.07 97 35.93 1.64
members in bedroom.
14. Difficulty in moving furniture 170 62.96 100 37.04 1.63
outside the bedroom due to small
entrance.
15. Lack of space for each member of 155 57.41 115 42.59 1.57
the house in bedrooms
16. Less space to store seasonal cloths 176 65.19 94 34.81 1.65
17. Lack of clearance space in front 153 56.67 117 43.33 1.57
of storage to access it.

18. Lack of space to store folded 157 58.15 113 41.85 1.58
clothes in wardrobe.
19. No lofts for storing extra things in 132 48.89 138 51.11 1.49
the Bedroom.
20. Less space for hanging clothes in 152 56.30 118 43.70 1.56
the storage.
21. No extra space for extra bedding 147 54.44 123 45.56 1.54
22. No space to air used cloths. 128 47.41 142 52.59 1.47
23. Lack of additional storage unit in 211 78.15 59 21.85 1.78
the Bedroom.
24. No dressing unit 149 55.19 121 44.81 1.55
25. No accessories storage. 163 60.37 107 39.63 1.60
26. No separate storage for each 143 52.96 127 47.04 1.53
family member.
27. Existing side table does not have 136 50.37 134 49.63 1.50
storage
28. Depth of the wardrobe was less to 120 44.44 150 55.56 1.44
store big clothes.
29. Study table was in the bedroom. 116 42.96 154 57.04 1.43
30. Height of the study table was not 131 48.52 139 51.48 1.49
comfortable to work.
31. Depth of the study table was not 115 42.59 155 57.41 1.43
comfortable to work.
32. Height of the study chair was not 133 49.26 137 50.74 1.49
comfortable to sit and work.
33. Study chair was not comfortable 129 47.78 141 52.22 1.48
to sit and work.
34. No side table in Bedroom. 221 81.85 49 18.15 1.82
35. Lack of space for locker 171 63.33 99 36.67 1.63
36. No storage inside the bed 162 60.00 108 40.00 1.60
The data revealed that 81.85 per cent of the respondents experienced problems as they
was no side table in the Bedroom, 78.15 per cent faced problems due to lack of space
for additional storage unit in the Bedroom.
The data also revealed that 65.19 per cent had less space to store seasonal cloths
whereas 64.07 per cent had no space to accommodate extra members in bedroom A
similar percentage of respondents that is 63.33 per cent faced problems due to lack of
floor space due to more furniture and lack of space for locker whereas 62.96 per cent
of the respondents faced difficulty in moving furniture outside the bedroom due to small
entrance.

furniture in Bedroom
Sr. Extent of Problem Range of Score Respondents (n=270)

No. F %
1 Low 36-53 101 37.41
2 High 54-72 169 62.59
Low 36-53
37%
High 54-72
63%
Low 36-53 High 54-72
Figure 13 Extent of problems experienced by the respondents related

to their furniture in bedroom
to furniture in bedroom. The possible score ranged between 36 to 72, which was divided
into 2 categories with almost equal interval. Range score in 36 to 53 indicated low
extent of problems experienced by the respondents and 54 to 72 indicated high extent
of problem experienced by the respondents. The data revealed that 62.59 per cent of the
respondents were facing high extent of problems related to furniture in the bedroom
and 37.41 per cent of the respondents were facing low extent of problems related to
furniture in the bedroom.

4.2.6 Problems Experienced by the respondents residing in small houses with
respect to Furniture in Bathroom
The problems experienced by the respondents related to furniture in the
bathroom were studied considering difficulties such as the too-small size of the
bathroom, lack of storage inside the bathroom, lack of space to store towels and
clothes.
respondents related to furniture in the Bathroom
Sr. Respondents(n=270)
No. Weighted
Problems experienced by
Problems related to furniture the respondents mean
in the Bathroom Not score
Experienced (2-1)
Experienced
f % f %
1. No Dressing vanity inside the 198 73.33 72 26.67 1.73
bathroom
2. No storage inside the bathroom 221 81.85 49 18.15 1.82
for daily cloths
3. No space to store extra utility 171 63.33 99 36.67 1.63
things (like soaps and shampoo)
4. No space to hang and store extra 145 53.70 125 46.30 1.54
towels.
It was observed that 81.85 per cent of the respondents had no storage inside the
bathroom for daily cloths, 73.33 per cent of the respondents has no dressing
vanity inside the bathroom, 63.33 per cent of the respondents had no space to
store extra utility things (like soaps and shampoo) and other utility things.
furniture in the bathroom.
Sr. Extent of Problem Range of Respondents (n=270)

No. Score
f %
1 Low 4-5 55 20.37
2 High 6-8 215 79.63

20%
80%
Low 04 to 5 High 6 to 8
Figure 14: Extent of problems experienced by the respondents related to their

furniture in bathroom
to furniture in bathroom. The possible score ranged between 4 to 8, which was divided
into 2 categories with almost equal interval. Range score in 4 to 5 indicated low extent
of problems experienced by the respondents and 6 to 8 indicated high extent of
problem experienced by the respondents. The data revealed that 79.63 per cent of the
respondents were facing high extent of problems related to furniture in the bathroom
and 20.37 per cent of the respondents were facing high extent of problems related to
furniture in the bathroom.
4.2.7 Other Problems experienced by the respondents residing in small houses
with respect to Furniture.
There were few other problems identified by the researcher, considering the
overall house; which included lack of overall space in house, small room is size
as compared to the family members residing in it, no separate space for washing
clothes (chokadi/ washing machine), washing area was too small which creates
difficulty during washing activity, lack of space for drying clothes, no space for
storing gardening tools and equipment, no storage near wash area, no space for
planting plants, no storage unit near wash basin, no space for placing swing/
outdoor furniture, insufficient space for storing electronic gadgets.

respondents related to furniture in other areas
Respondents(n=270)
Sr. Problems related to furniture in the respondents mean
No. other areas Experienced Not score
Experienced (2-1)
f % f %
1. Lack of overall space in House 175 64.81 95 35.19 1.65
2. Small room size as compared to 163 60.37 107 39.63 1.60
the family members residing in it.
3. No separate space for washing 124 45.93 146 54.07 1.46
clothes (chokadi/ washing
machine)
4. Washing area was too small 158 58.52 112 41.48 1.59
which creates difficulty during
washing activity
5. Lack of space for drying clothes. 126 46.67 144 53.33 1.47
6. No space for storing gardening 157 58.15 113 41.85 1.58
tools and equipment.
7. No storage near wash area 145 53.70 125 46.30 1.54
8. No space for planting plants. 143 52.96 127 47.04 1.53
9. No storage unit near wash basin. 158 58.52 112 41.48 1.59
10. No space for placing swing/ 163 60.37 107 39.63 1.60
outdoor furniture.
11. Insufficient space for storing 170 62.96 100 37.04 1.63
electronic gadgets.
According to above table, 64.81 per cent of the respondents faced problems due to lack
of overall space in the house followed by 62.96 per cent of the respondents experiencing
problems due to insufficient space for storing electronic gadgets. The data also revealed
that an equal percentage of respondents that is 60.37 per cent experienced problems due
to small room is size as compared to the family members residing in it and no space for
placing swing/ outdoor furniture.
furniture in other areas
Sr. Extent of Problem Range of Score Respondents (n=270)

No. F %
1 Low 11- 16 107 39.63
2 High 17 – 22 163 60.37

40%
60%
Low High
Figure 15: Extent of other problems experienced by the respondents related to

their furniture
This section dealt with the extent of other problems experienced by the respondents
related to their furniture. The possible score ranged from 11 to 22, divided into 2
categories with almost equal intervals. Range scores in 11 to 16 indicated a low extent
of problems experienced by the respondents and 17 to 22 indicated a high extent of
problems experienced by the respondents. The data depicted that 60.37 per cent of the
respondents were facing high extent of other problems related to their furniture.
Table 27: Overall Extent of problems experienced by the respondents related to

their furniture
Sr. Extent of Range of Score Distribution of the

No. Problem Respondents (n=270)
f %
1 Low 120-179 80 29.63
2 High 180-240 190 70.37
This section dealt with the overall extent of problems experienced by the respondents
related to the furniture in whole house. The possible score ranged between 120 to 240,
which was divided into 2 categories with almost equal interval. Range score in 120 to

179 indicated low extent of problems experienced by the respondents and 180 to 240
indicated high extent of problem experienced by the respondents. The data revealed
that 70.37 per cent of the respondents were facing high extent of problems related to
furniture in whole house and 29.63 per cent of the respondents were facing low extent
of overall problems related to furniture.
30%
70%
Low 120-179 High 180-240
Figure 16: Overall extent of problems experienced by the respondents related to

furniture in whole house

Section III
4.3.Proposed designs of multi-purpose furniture using a combination of interior
materials, for small houses.
To overcome the space crunch issue, the researcher developed new designs of multi-
purpose furniture using a combination of Interior materials, for each area of the
house; namely the foyer, living room, kitchen, bedroom, dining room, bathroom,
and other areas. The furniture was designed keeping in mind the scarcity of space,
for optimum utilization of available space, for which the researcher came up with
innovative multipurpose designs for various areas of the residential unit, especially
for small houses.
While designing furniture it is necessary to keep in mind factors such as strength,
durability, wear and tear, resistance, life of a furniture unit, and maintenance, along
with the consideration of its price. There is also a need to select, the proper material
for each furniture item, according to the room in which it is to be placed and
according to the people by whom it is to be used. The prices suggested in the
catalogue were according to the market research done by the researcher during the
duration of the research and may vary with changes in the price and brand of the
material and expertise of the labour used. The Multipurpose furniture was
conceptualized, sketched, and then designed with the help of AutoCAD 2022 and
SketchUp 2022, design software.
Table 28: Proposed Multi-purpose Furniture designs.
Furniture for Foyer and Living room
1) Utility storage with shoe rack and pull-out seating bench
2) Three-seater sofa with shoe rack and utility storage
Furniture for Kitchen and Dining room
3) Three-seater sofa cum bed with foldable Four-seater dining
(One table and Four chairs)
4) Portable pre-preparation center with extendable dining table,
chairs, and storage
Furniture for Bedroom, Bathroom, and other areas
5) Study unit with dressing and storage
6) Wardrobe with foldable iron board and study area and chair
7) Extendable Bed, storage, and folding seating
8) Folding office and Dressing
9) Centre Table, Storage, Chair, and bed

Furniture proposed for various areas:
4.3.1 Utility storage with shoe rack and pull-out seating bench
The unit was designed keeping in mind the problems issues experienced
by the respondents related to furniture in foyer. Some of the respondents
had electrical meters visible which was making the entrance of the house
unattractive, so this unit was designed to conceal the electrical meter as
a part of the unit and beautify the area along with storage and drawers.
The shoe rack was designed to the vision to and availing maximum
clearance space. This multipurpose furniture was designed with the
concept of pull-out furniture. The design of the furniture helps the user
utilize the space to hide the electrical meter, MCBs, and EELCBs behind
the shutter, the top drawers can be used to store things of first use like
keys, watches, wallets, purses, bills, and other important things, one can
also add a lock to the drawer if needed. The shoe rack was designed to
get maximum space to store daily wear, occasional and seasonal wear
shoes. This shoe rack was designed to accommodate a minimum of 16
pairs of shoes. There are two drawers underneath the shoe rack which
could be used to store newspapers and magazines and the bottom
drawers can also be used to store laptop bags and ladies’ purses. This
storage unit and shoe rack occupy 3’11” X 10-1/2” X 4’2” of space. The
sizes can be modified according to the availability of the space and
utility, as this unit can be used as half with 2’-0” in length and less height
if needed. The seating height for the pull-out bench is 1’7”.
For the proposed furniture, extensive market research helped the
researcher to come up with various material options. A variety of base
materials with suitable finishing materials can be used for constructing
this furniture. Various base materials like real wood, plywood, and MDF
with a combination of finishing materials like, laminate, veneer, and
polyurethane Polish can be used. Accessories to highlight the furniture
can be designed using different metals.

Table 29: Materials options for utility storage with shoe rack and pull-out bench
Parts of Material
Furniture
Plywood Plywood MDF and PU Real Plywood, Stainless Any
and and (Polyurethane Wood Foam, Steel other
Laminate Veneer polish)/ Nitro finished and metal
Cellulose (NC) with Fabric
Lacquer paint/stain
Drawers • • • •
Shutters • • • •
Shelves • • • •
Pull out • • • • •
the bench
seat
Handle • •
Drawer • •
Channel
Parts of the utility storage with shoe rack and pull-out bench are discussed below:
1. Drawers, shutters, shelves, and Pull-Out bench: The base material can be
constructed using Plywood Laminate/Veneer/ MDF with PU (Polyurethane
polish)/ Nitro Cellulose (NC) Lacquer finish and can also be constructed using
Real wood with painted/ stained finish.
2. Pull-out Bench Seat: Ply, Foam, and Fabric (Foam of different densities can
be used and closely woven fabric with high resistance to wear and tear such as
leather/velvet/jute/cotton or polyester can be used)
3. Hardware (Handles and Channels): Stainless steel/ any other metal handles
can be used. Also, channels with reasonable strength of stainless steel or any
other metal could bathe used.
As the proposed piece of furniture was designed for the foyer area, the design suggested
by the researcher is sleeker with concealed handles and edges that could be chamfered.
the colour options can be selected by the end user according to the theme of their house.
Price for this unit: Price would range from Rs. 5000 to Rs. 12000 depending on the
material chosen and its brand selected for construction.

Plate 10: 3D view of proposed Utility storage with shoe rack and pull-out
seating bench
(MDF and PU (Polyurethane polish)/ Nitro Cellulose (NC) Lacquer)
Plate 11: 3D view of proposed Utility storage with shoe rack and
pull-out seating bench (Plywood and Veneer finish) (open)

Plate 12: 3D view of proposed utility storage with shoe rack
(Plywood and Veneer finish) (closed)

4.3.2 Three-seater sofa with shoe rack and utility storage
This unit is designed keeping in mind the major problems experienced by the
respondents, who were not having a separate foyer area, or a separate designated
space to store shoes. The proposed multipurpose furniture is designed with a
concept of openable furniture, using different kinds of shutters, and opening
styles. The three-seater sofa provides sitting space fulfilling the major function
of the furniture but along with that, it provides storage space underneath the
seat. The space below the seat is divided into two sections, namely front side,
and backside. The researcher has incorporated shutters for storing newspapers,
purses, and other day-to-day items, while the back side of the sofa has drawers
to store extra seasonal things, which can be accessed by pulling the sofa out.
One can also skip this division of space and can use the underside of the seat as
full storage. Alongside, the sofa is also designed with hand rest, with a hidden
shoe rack in it. This shoe rack is designed to store shoes for daily use. This shoe
rack has a vertical storage space with a capacity of around 8-10 pairs on one
side and 8-10 pairs on another side.
This unit occupies 5’0” X 2’6” X 2’5” of floor space. The sizes can be modified
according to the availability of the space and utility, as this unit can be used as
a single chair with around 2’-0” in length, or by designing a shoe rack on either
side of the hand rest. The underneath storage can also be designed according to
the utility and need of the user. This furniture can be designed using different
combinations of materials.
For the proposed furniture, thorough market research assisted the researcher in
coming up with a range of material possibilities. A variety of base materials
with suitable finishing materials can be used for constructing this furniture.
Various base materials like real wood, plywood, and MDF with a combination
of finish materials like, laminate, veneer, and polyurethane Polish can be used.
Hardware designed using different metals can be incorporated. The design
suggested by the researcher is sleeker with concealed handles and chamfered
edges along with colour options that can be selected by the end user according
to the theme of their own house.

Parts of the Three-seater sofa with shoe rack and utility storage furniture are discussed
below:
1. Drawers, shutters, shoe rack shutters, sofa base: The base material can be
constructed using Plywood Laminate/Veneer/ MDF with PU (Polyurethane polish)/
Nitro Cellulose (NC) Lacquer finish and can also be constructed using Real wood with
painted/ stained finish.
2. Sofa seat, Backrest: Ply, Foam, and Fabric (Foam of different densities can be
used and closely woven fabric with high resistance to wear and tear such as
3. Hardware (Handles and Channels): Stainless steel/ any other metal handles can
be used. Also, channels with reasonable strength of stainless steel or any other metal
could be used.
(Note: These prices are according to the market research done by the researcher during
the duration of the research and may vary with changes in the n price of the material
used. The price would also depend on the brand of products and raw materials used,
and the craftsmanship cost will vary according to the expertise of the craftsman)
Table 30: Materials options for Three-seater sofa with shoe rack and utility
storage
Material
MDF and PU
Parts of Real Wood Plywood,
Plywood Plywood (Polyurethane Any
Furniture finished Foam, Stainless
and and polish)/ Nitro other
with and Steel
Laminate Veneer Cellulose metal
paint/stain Fabric
(NC) Lacquer
Drawers • • • •
Shutters • • • •
Shoe rack
• • • •
doors
Hardware
(Handles
• •
and
Channels)
Drawer
and shoe
• •
rack
Channel

Plate 20: 3D view of proposed three-seater sofa with shoe rack and
utility storage (Polyurethane polish)/ Nitro Cellulose (NC) Lacquer)
(with shoe rack un hand rest)
(
utility storage (Plywood and Veneer) (with shoe rack and hand rest)



4.3.3 Three-seater sofa cum bed with a foldable four-seater dining
This piece of furniture is designed keeping in mind the requirements of the small
space houses. This sofa cum bed serves the purpose of three individual furniture
items at the same time, namely a three-seater sofa, bed, and four-seater dining
table. The three-seater sofa can be converted into a bed. The shutters below the
seat of the sofa are designed to store a dining table along with four chairs. There
is a hidden dining table which can serve four people at a time, saving a lot of
floor space as it can be easily folded and kept inside whenever not in use. The
sofa-cum-bed is designed with a continuous mattress which is in three parts (two
parts are in seating and one part in the back rest, folded in such a way that it can
serve the purpose of the seat as well aa s backrest and can be pulled and laid
down whenever the furniture is used as a bed. This piece of furniture occupies
5’0” X 2’7” floor space.
Space-saving furniture can be used in a living room or a bedroom or other areas
of the residence. The researcher designed lightweight dining tables and chairs
so that they can be easily carried to different room wherever required. The
material chosen for this furniture unit could be plywood, MDF, or real wood.
Finishes such as laminate, veneer, and polyurethane polish can be used.
Hardware can be designed using different metals. The design suggested by the
researcher is sleek with concealed handles and chamfered edges and the colour
options can be selected by the end user according to the theme of their own
house.

Parts of the three-seater sofa cum bed with foldable four-seater dining are discussed
below:
1. Sofa and Shutters: The base material can be constructed using Plywood
Laminate/Veneer/ MDF with PU (Polyurethane polish)/ Nitro Cellulose (NC) Lacquer
finish and can also be constructed using Real wood with painted/ stained finish.
2. Sofa seat, Backrest, and mattress: Ply, Foam, and Fabric (Foam of different
densities can be used and tightly woven fabric with high resistance to wear and tear
such as leather/velvet/jute/cotton or polyester can be used)
be used. Also, channels with reasonable strength of stainless steel or any other metal
could be used.
4. Table and Chairs: Stainless steel/ any other metal handles can be used.
Table 31: Materials options for three-seater sofa cum bed with foldable four-seater
dining.
Material
MDF and PU Real

Parts of Plywood,
Plywood Plywood (Polyurethane Wood Any
Furniture Foam, Stainless
and and polish)/ Nitro finished other
and Steel
Laminate Veneer Cellulose with metal
Fabric
(NC) Lacquer paint/stain
Sofa and
• • • •
Shutters
Sofa seat,
Backrest,
• • • • •
and
mattress:
Hardware
(Handles
• •
and
Channels)
Table and
• •
Chairs

Plate 30: 3D view of proposed Three-seater sofa cum bed with a foldable four-seater
Dining (when used as a sofa)

Plate 31: 3D view of proposed Three-seater sofa cum bed with a
foldable four-seater dining (while using dinning)

Plate 32: 3D view of proposed Three-seater sofa cum bed with a foldable
four-seater dining (while using as a bed)

4.3.4 Portable pre-preparation center with extendable dining table,
chairs, and storage
This piece of furniture showcases characters of four types of furniture namely,

the pre-preparation centre of dining table, chair, and storage. This unit is
designed especially for houses in which they have a scarcity of space the in
kitchen, the countertop is small, don’t a separate dining area.
This piece of furniture occupies around 3’-4” X 2’-0”, this piece of furniture
can be created in various, and sizes can be modified according to the availability
of the space and utility and according to the number of users. The underneath
storage can also be designed according to the utility and need of the user. This
furniture can be designed using different combinations. Extensive market
research helped the researcher to come up with various material options for the
proposed furniture, the material for this furniture could be plywood, MDF, or
real wood; and finishes such as laminate, veneer, and polyurethane polish can
be used. Hardware can be designed using different metals. The design suggested
by the researcher is sleeker with concealed handles and chamfered edges. the
colour options can be selected by the end user according to the theme of their
own house.
Following are the parts of the Portable pre preparation center with an extendable
dining table, chairs, and storage.
1. Pre-preparation center, extendable dining table: The base material can

be constructed using Plywood Laminate/Veneer/ MDF with PU
(Polyurethane polish)/ Nitro Cellulose (NC) Lacquer finish and can also be
constructed using Real wood with painted/ stained finish.
2. Chair seat and Backrest: The base material can be constructed using
Plywood Laminate/Veneer/ MDF with PU (Polyurethane polish)/ Nitro
Cellulose (NC) Lacquer finish and can also be constructed using Real wood
with painted/ stained finish. If needed it could be upholstered; using a
combination of ply, foam, and fabric (Foam of different densities can be
used and closely woven fabric with high resistance to wear and tear such as
leather/velvet/jute/cotton or polyester can be used).

3. Hardware (Handles and Channels): Stainless steel/ any other metal can
be used. Also, channels with reasonable strength of stainless steel or any
other metal could be used.
4. Countertop: Natural or Artificial Stone could be used. Stone might make
the piece of furniture heavy. And so, if light furniture is preferred one can
use Laminate.
Price for this unit: Price would range from Rs. 6500 to Rs. 25000 depending
on the material chosen and the brand of the product selected for construction.
(Note: These prices are according to the market research done by the researcher
during the duration of the research and may vary with the passing of time. The
price would also depend on the brand on products and the raw materials used,
and the labour cost will vary according to the expertise of the labour)
Table 32: Materials options for the portable pre preparation centre with
Material
MDF and PU Real

Parts of Plywood,
Furniture Foam Stainless
and Steel
Fabric
Pre-
preparation
centre,
• • • •
extendable
dining table
Chair seat
and
• • • •
Backrest
Countertop
•
Hardware
(Handles
and • •
Channels)

Plate 36: 3D view of proposed Portable pre-preparation centre with
extendable dining table, chairs, and storage (ledge to open as a dinning)

extendable dining table, chairs, and storage (extended dinning)

extendable dining table, chairs, and storage (Pre-preparation counter)

4.3.5 Study unit with dressing and storage
This piece of furniture is specially designed to serve multiple purposes, namely,

storage, study, dressing, and a side table for the bed. This unit occupies around
1’-10” X 1’-5” of the floor space. The height could be designed in 2’-0” or 2’-
6”. The number of drawers would vary according to the height desired by the
user. The sizes can be modified according to the availability of the space and
utility, as this unit can also be designed in a large width. This furniture can be
designed using different combinations of materials. The market analysis helped
the researcher to come up with various material options for the proposed
furniture, the material for this furniture could be plywood, MDF, or real wood;
and finishes such as laminate, veneer, and polyurethane polish can be used.
researcher with concealed handles or push-to-open hinges and chamfered edges,
and the colour options can be selected by the end user according to the theme
of their own house. This multipurpose furniture can be used as a side table,
during nighttime. Once opened from top, it can be used as a dressing table, as it
has an openable mirror. The ledge on the side can be lifted and used as a
workstation to work on laptop.
Following are the parts of the study unit with dressing and storage.
1. Side table, drawers, removable seat: The base material can be constructed
using Plywood Laminate/Veneer/ MDF with PU (Polyurethane polish)/
Nitro Cellulose (NC) Lacquer finish and can also be constructed using Real
wood with painted/ stained finish.
2. Hardware (Handles and Channels): Stainless steel/ any other metal
handles can be used. Also, the channels with reasonable strength of stainless
steel or any other metal could be used.
3. Mirror and frame: Mirror with frame can be used for dressing, frame could
be of the same base material as of the table.
on the material chosen and the brand of product selected for construction. (Note:
These prices are according to the market research done by the researcher during
the duration of the research and may vary with passing of time. The price would

also depend on the brand on products and raw materials used, and the labour
cost will vary according to the expertise of the labour)
Table 33: Materials options for study unit with dressing and storage
Material
Parts of MDF and PU Real

Plywood,
Furniture Plywood Plywood (Polyurethane Wood Any
Foam, Stainless
and Steel
Fabric
Side table,
drawers,
• • • •
removable
seat
Hardware
(Handles
• •
and
Channels)
Mirror and
• • •
Frame

Plate 42: 3D view of proposed Study unit with dressing and storage
(with dressing and openable seat)
(
(with dressing and seat for seating)

(With seat inside)

(openable ledge used as workstation)

4.3.6 Wardrobe with slide-out iron board and study area and chair
This piece of furniture is specially designed to serve multiple purposes,
namely, storage, study, dressing and ironing. The top part is the
wardrobe to store big cloths, hanging can be designed in that part. And
the bottom part has slide-out panels which can serve as study and iron
board as per the need. Along with that there are two hidden chairs which
can be pulled out when ever needed and slide in when not in use. The
space beneath the chair is also designed as an open box from the top
which can be used as a storage for storing kids toys or purses or bags or
any other extra items.
This unit occupies around 3’3” X 2’1” of the floor space. The height can
be designed according to the availability of vertical space and can range
from as small as 5’0” to as large as 7’0” or even more if required.
The sizes can be modified according to the availability of the space and
utility, as this unit can also be designed with single chair. The
underneath storage can also be designed according to the utility and need
of the user.
This furniture can be designed using different combinations of materials.
An extensive market research helped the researcher to come up with
various material options for the proposed furniture, the material for this
furniture could be plywood, MDF or real wood; and finishes such as
laminate, veneer, polyurethane Polish can be used. Hardware can be
designed using different metals. The design suggested by the researcher
is with concealed handles or push to open hinges and chamfered edges
and the colour options can be selected by the end user according to the
theme of their own house.

Following are the parts wardrobe with slide-out iron board and study area and chair.
1. Wardrobe, storage boxes and slide-out study: The base material can be
constructed using Plywood Laminate/Veneer/ MDF with PU (Polyurethane polish)/
Nitro Cellulose (NC) Lacquer finish and can also be constructed using Real wood with
painted/ stained finish.
2. Chair and slide-out iron board: Ply, Foam and Fabric (Foam of different density
can be used and closely woven fabric with high resistance to wear and tear such as
be used. Also, the channels with reasonable strength of stainless steel or any other
metal could be used.
4. Mirror and frame: Mirror with or without frame can be used for dressing.
material chosen and the brand of product selected for construction. (Note: These prices
are according to the market research done by the researcher during the duration of the
research and may vary with passing of time. The price would also depend on the brand
on products and raw materials used, and the labour cost will vary according to the
expertise of the labour)
Table 34: Materials options for wardrobe with slide-out iron board and study area
and chair
Parts of Material
Furniture Plywood Plywood MDF and PU Real Plywood, Stainless Any
and and (Polyurethane Wood Foam Steel other
Laminate Veneer polish)/ Nitro finished and metal
Cellulose with Fabric
Wardrobe, • • • •
storage
boxes and
slide-out
study
Chair and • • • • •
slide-out
iron board
Hardware • •
(Handles
and
Channels)
Mirror • • •
and Frame

Plate 49: 3D view of proposed Wardrobe with slide-out iron board
and study area and chair (openable ledge and pull out chairs)

Plate 50: 3D view of proposed Wardrobe with slide-out iron board
and study area and chair (as a wardrobe and mirror for dressing)

Plate 51: 3D view of proposed Wardrobe with slide-out iron board and study
area and chair (storage drawer and storage bins underneath the chair)

Plate 52: 3D view of proposed Wardrobe with slide-out iron board and study
area and chair (slide-out iron board)

4.3.7 Extendable Bed, storage, and folding seating
This space-saving furniture can be used in any bedroom. This bed has a sliding
box extendable from the underside of the bed, with a removable bed back, which
can be used as a seating couch during the daytime in any corner of the house.
Apart from that there is also an extendable board designed to keep alarm clocks,
mobiles, lamps, or any other items during nighttime.
This bed occupies 3’-3” X 6’-6” of floor space and can be designed in various
sizes and materials according to the availability of the space. There is a storage
box designed underneath the extended bed to store useful things.
The material chosen for this furniture unit can be plywood, MDF, or natural
wood; along with finishes such as laminate, veneer, and polyurethane polish.
researcher is sleek with concealed handles and chamfered edges and the color
options can be selected by the end user according to the theme of their own
house.
Parts of the extendable bed, storage, and folding seating are described below:
1. Bed, Bed back and storage box underneath the bed: The base material
can be constructed using Plywood Laminate/Veneer/ MDF with PU
(Polyurethane polish)/ Nitro Cellulose (NC) Lacquer finish and can also be
constructed using Real wood with painted/ stained finish.
2. Bed-back: Ply, Foam, and Fabric (Foam of different density can be used
and closely woven fabric with high resistance to wear and tear such as
3. Hardware (Handles and Channels): Stainless steel/ any other metal
handles can be used. Also, the channels with reasonable strength of stainless
steel or any other metal could be used.
on the material chosen and the brand of product selected for construction.
during the duration of the research and may vary with passing of time. The price

would also depend on the brand on products and raw materials used, and the
labour cost will vary according to the expertise of the labour)
Table 35: Materials options for the extendable bed, storage and folding seating
Material
MDF and PU Real
Plywood,
Parts of Plywood Plywood (Polyurethane Wood Any
Foam Stainless
Furniture and and polish)/ Nitro finished other
and Steel
Fabric
Bed, Bed
back and
storage box • • • •
underneath
the bed
Bed back • • • • •
Hardware
(Handles
• •
and
Channels)

Plate 58: 3D view of proposed Extendable Bed, storage, and folding seating
(Slide out bed)

(Foldable seating)

(openable storage bed)

4.3.8 Folding office and Dressing
This furniture is designed especially for people who do not have a separate study
room or office space in the house. This piece of furniture can be accommodated
in as small as 2’-6” X 5’-0” of a space, and can accommodate 2 chairs, 2 work
desks, 1 bulletin board, 3 open shelves for storage, 1 small storage cabinet behind
the door, and 2 drawers; on one side and dressing unit with mirror and slide out
drawer on the other side. The height can be designed according to the availability
of vertical space and can range from as small as 5’0” to as large as 7’0” or even
more if required.
This piece of furniture is designed on castors so that it can be rotated when not in
use and displayed as a regular dressing cabinet/ wardrobe. The sizes can be
modified according to the availability of the space and utility, as this unit can also
be designed with a single chair. The underneath storage can also be designed
according to the utility and need of the user. This furniture can be designed using
different combinations of materials as per user’s requirements.
An extensive market research helped the researcher to come up with various
material options for the proposed furniture, the material for this furniture could
be plywood, MDF or natural wood; and finishes such as laminate, veneer,
polyurethane Polish can be used. Hardware can be designed using different
metals. The design suggested by the researcher is with concealed handles or push
to open hinges and chamfered edges and the colour options can be selected by the
end user according to the theme of their own house.
Parts of folding office and dressing are discussed below:

1. Dressing, folding office, cabinets shelves and drawer: The base material can
be constructed using Plywood Laminate/Veneer/ MDF with PU (Polyurethane
polish)/ Nitro Cellulose (NC) Lacquer finish and can also be constructed using
Real wood with painted/ stained finish.
2. Chair: Ply, Foam and Fabric (Foam of different density can be used and closely
woven fabric with high resistance to wear and tear such as
3. Hardware (Handles and Channels): Stainless steel/ any other metal handles
can be used. Also, the channels with reasonable strength of stainless steel or any
other metal could be used.

4. Mirror and frame: Mirror with or without frame can be used for dressing.
Price for this unit: Price would range from Rs. 10000 to Rs. 40000 depending on
the material chosen and the brand of product selected for construction.
during the duration of the research and may vary with passing of time. The price
would also depend on the brand on products and raw materials used, and the labour
cost will vary according to the expertise of the labour)
Table 36: Materials options for folding office and dressing
Material
MDF and PU Real

Parts of Plywood,
Furniture Foam Stainless
and Steel
Fabric
Dressing,
folding
office,
cabinets • • • •
shelves
and
drawer
Chair • • • • •
Hardware
(Handles
• •
and
Channels)
Mirror
and • • •
Frame

Plate 64: 3D view of proposed Folding office and Dressing (Open)

Plate 65: 3D view of proposed Folding office and Dressing (closed)

4.3.9 Centre table, storage drawer, chair and bed
The proposed furniture serves the purpose of sofa chair which can be extended to bed
and folded and used as centre table. There is also a sleek drawer designed underneath
to store beddings for guests. This furniture occupies 2’-7 ½” X 3’-0” floor space. This
extendable bed can be used for guests as well as for children. The folding feature of
turning it into a centre table makes it space saving and can be stored in some other room
and used whenever needed. An extensive market research helped the researcher to come
up with various material options for the proposed furniture, the material for this
furniture can be plywood, MDF or natural wood; and finishes such as laminate, veneer,
polyurethane Polish can be used. Hardware can be designed using different metals. The
design suggested by the researcher is sleeker with concealed handles and chamfered
edges. The colour options can be selected by the end user according to the theme of
their own house.
The sizes can be modified according to the availability of the space and utility, as this
unit can also be designed with three-seater sofa. The underneath storage can also be
designed according to the utility and need of the user. This furniture can be designed
using different combinations of materials.
Parts wardrobe with slide-out iron board and study area and chair are discussed below:
1. Chair frame and drawer: The base material can be constructed using Plywood
Laminate/Veneer/ MDF with PU (Polyurethane polish)/ Nitro Cellulose (NC) Lacquer
finish and can also be constructed using Real wood with painted/ stained finish.
2. Chair and extended bed mattress: Ply, Foam and Fabric (Foam of different
density can be used and closely woven fabric with high resistance to wear and tear
such as leather/velvet/jute/cotton or polyester can be used)
be used. Also, the channels with reasonable strength of stainless steel or any other
metal could be used.
material chosen and the brand of product selected for construction.

Table 37: Materials options for centre table, storage drawer, chair and bed
Material
MDF and PU Real
Parts of
Plywood Plywood (Polyurethane Wood Plywood, Any
Furniture Stainless
and and polish)/ Nitro finished Foam and other
Steel
Laminate Veneer Cellulose with Fabric metal
Chair
frame and • • • •
drawer
Chair and
extended
• • • • •
bed
mattress
Hardware
(Handles
• •
and
Channels)

Plate 69: 3D view of proposed Centre table, storage drawer, chair and bed

PAGE 154
Plate 70: 3D view of proposed Centre table, storage drawer, chair and bed

Section IV
4.4. A catalogue of proposed designs with detailed specification, construction detail
and cost.
A catalogue of the proposed multipurpose furniture designs was prepared by the

researcher applicable in various small space houses. The catalogue included details
of furniture proposed for various spaces, namely foyer, living room, kitchen, dining
room, bedroom, bathroom, and other areas of the house. It consisted of the Furniture
for Foyer and Living room which included Utility storage with a shoe rack and pull-
out seating bench, a Three-seater sofa with a shoe rack, and utility storage. Furniture
for the Kitchen and Dining room consisted of a Three-seater sofa cum bed with
foldable Four-seater dining (One table and Four chairs), a Portable pre-preparation
centre with an extendable dining table, chairs, and storage. Furniture for Bedroom,
Bathroom, and other areas consisted of a Study unit with dressing and storage,
Wardrobe with foldable iron board and study area and chair, Extendable Bed,
storage, and folding seating, Folding office and Dressing and Centre Table, storage
Chair and bed. The material specifications along with its price was included in the
catalogue. Various parts of the designed furniture along with the material options
were specified and described in the catalogue and details of each proposed designs
were discussed in section III of the findings, which consisted of all the AutoCAD
drawings with detailed specifications and dimension.
The catalogue also included material options applicable to various budget groups.
The catalogue can be used as a ready reference book by the small space owners, to
design their small houses in a smart and effective manner. This can help them
organize their home by designing multipurpose furniture in a cost-effective manner.
Multipurpose furniture is also known as space saving furniture, foldable furniture
and transformable furniture. Space-saving furniture helps an individual to achieve
multiple goals through one piece of furniture. It saves resources like labour engaged
in constructing multiple pieces of furniture, the material cost involved in purchasing
raw materials for building a piece of furniture and saves time in the construction of
the furniture. Multipurpose furniture occupies less floor space in comparison with
individual furniture items. Researcher designed multipurpose furniture for small
space houses with different material options, with different price range for all the
areas of the residential unit. The Multipurpose furniture was conceptualized,

sketched, and then designed with the help of AutoCAD 2022 and Google 3D
SketchUp. The catalogue of proposed designs of multipurpose furniture was
designed by the researcher which could be used as a ready reference by the residents
of small houses to help solve their furniture-related problems. This catalogue
contains 9 major furniture pieces, consisting of 30 sub pieces of furniture. Each
furniture was designed keeping in mind small houses with the suggestions of variety
of furniture material options.

Section V
4.5. Intervention Program for homeowners to enhance knowledge regarding multi-
purpose furniture, its use and benefits in interiors of small houses.
An intervention program was conducted for the residents of the small space houses
along with the respondents of the study. The aim of the intervention program was
to focus on enhancing the knowledge of the residents of small spaces regarding the
use of multipurpose furniture.
The major focus of the intervention program was to discuss the various design
options of space saving, multipurpose furniture proposed by the researcher.
Plate 71: Intervention Program conducted by the researcher
The intervention program was conducted according to the availability of the

respondents and time preferred. The sessions were planned, and respondents
were divided in 6 groups. The beneficiaries ranged from around 45-84 for
various sessions. Apart from the respondents of the study, the intervention
program was also attended by some interior designers, architects, and aspiring
designers.

Plate 72: Researcher explaining the benefits of multipurpose
furniture during Intervention Program
An intervention program was delivered in a Hindi, Gujarati, and English language for
better understanding, according to the preference of the audience. Minute attention was
given to explain each design to the respondents and feedback was also taken from the
respondents in terms of look and functionality of the design.
The Intervention program highlighted, the importance of Multipurpose furniture

especially in small spaces. An interactive session was conducted to identify the
knowledge of beneficiaries, and as most of the respondents were not much familiar with
the concept of multipurpose furniture, a brief explanation was given by the researcher
to enhance the knowledge of the respondents.
The proposed multipurpose designs were discussed in detail with the respondents and
question answer session was conducted at the end of the program. An overwhelming
response was availed and many of the respondents were looking forward for
implementing the furniture designs in their home in near future. Researcher shared the
catalogue with the beneficiaries, which they could use as a ready reference to construct
proposed multipurpose furniture for their house.

Plate 73: Researcher explaining the design of furniture
Plate 74: Feedback session during the Intervention Program

SUMMARY AND
CONCLUSION
CHAPTER – V
SUMMARY AND CONCLUSION
The housing sector has a noteworthy imbalance in our country. This includes all
different people living in luxurious villas, farmhouses, and grand mansions, as well
as the ones living in townhouses, row houses, flats, slum houses, tenements, and
many more. Few have all the luxuries in their house while few strive hard to have a
functional house. People living in townhouses, row houses, flats, and tenements
majorly face the issue of small space in their residences. Space is a scarce resource,
which is creating a challenge for space planners, designers, architects, construction
engineers, as well as city planners to design a functional house in a limited space
for the individuals of the country. Effective space planning using advanced
technology and making optimum utilization of space are a few important ways to
achieve this goal.
The basic problems faced by the homeowners of small space houses are scarcity of
space, lack of clearance, and floor space, which imposes designers to utilize
whatever is there with thoughtfulness and utmost care. Designing multipurpose
furniture can help in the efficient designing of small spaces, as the basic problem of
the scarcity of space can be addressed by designing a single piece of furniture that
accomplishes more than one purpose. Space-saving furniture helps an individual to
achieve multiple goals through one piece of furniture. It saves resources like labour
engaged in constructing multiple pieces of furniture and the material cost involved
in purchasing raw materials for building various pieces of furniture. Apart from that
it also saves time applicable in the construction of the furniture. Apart from this,
multipurpose furniture occupies less floor space in comparison to the individual
furniture items. The above reasons motivate the users to incline towards the use of
multifunctional furniture.
Several studies conducted in India focused on satisfaction experienced by the users
of different furniture, designing study tables for hostel girls, design development of
residential units, bank interiors, preschool furniture, and children’s room furniture,
lighting design for residential, electrical design for schools, theme-based restaurant
design, and ergonomic assessment of existing furniture design. Thus, the literature
collected concluded that various studies focusing on furniture design, furniture
169 | Page Summary and Conclusion

analysis, commercial furniture design, material survey, residential and commercial
space planning, and designing, space optimization, and small space designing were
conducted but a dearth of studies were found on multipurpose furniture with
different material options for small space houses which motivated the researcher to
take this less explored area.
The researcher aimed to design multipurpose furniture for small spaces, with the
use of a variety of interior materials. The researcher was interested in identifying
the problems experienced by homeowners of small houses, related to furniture
concerning the foyer, living room, kitchen, dining, bedroom, bathroom, and other
areas of the residence. This research is going to be beneficial to the students of the
Department of Family and Community Resource Management, as Interior design is
one of the specializations offered at the Graduate and Post Graduate level. It will
also be beneficial to the students of the Post Graduate Diploma in Hotel Interiors
and higher payment program offered in Interior Design specialization. It would also
be helpful to professional Architects and Interior Designers for the development of
multipurpose furniture in their projects.
The central thought of this research was to identify the problems faced by the
residents of the small space houses related to furniture and design of multipurpose
furniture, especially for small space houses of Vadodara city, with different material
options, and different price ranges, for which furniture was designed for all the areas
of the residential unit combining multiple furniture purposes into one unit. The
Multipurpose furniture was conceptualized, sketched, and then designed with the
help of AutoCAD 2022 and SketchUp 2022. The research also aimed at educating
the homeowners of the small spaces regarding the importance of multipurpose
furniture along with sharing designs of the proposed furniture options with the
respondents of the study and the homeowners of small spaces. The catalogue of
proposed designs of multipurpose furniture was designed by the researcher which
could be used as a ready reference by the residents of small houses. An intervention
program was also conducted to enhance the knowledge of residents of small space
houses regarding the use of multipurpose furniture.

STATEMENT OF PROBLEM
The present research aimed to design multi-purpose furniture for small spaces using
a combination of Interior materials.
OBJECTIVES
1. To identify the extent of problems faced by the homeowners residing in
small houses.
2. To propose designs of multi-purpose furniture using a combination of
Interior materials, for small houses.
3. To develop a catalogue of proposed multipurpose furniture with detailed
specifications of its construction, materials, and cost.
4. To conduct an intervention program for homeowners to enhance their
knowledge regarding multi-purpose furniture, its use, and its benefits in the
interiors of small houses.
DELIMITATIONS OF THE STUDY
1. The study was limited to 270 respondents living in small houses in Vadodara
city.
2. The built-up area of the respondent’s residence considered for research was
limited to 600 sq. ft.
METHODOLOGY
For the present study, the descriptive research design was used. An in-depth
study of the problems experienced by the residents of the small houses,
especially related to furniture, was conducted in the various parts of Vadodara
city. A total of 270 houses were selected purposively as samples, from various
areas. The sample for the study comprised homeowners residing in small
houses. The questionnaire was used for gathering the data. The questionnaire
was divided into two sections. Section 1 dealt with the demographic profile of
the respondents. Section 2 dealt with extent of the problems regarding existing
furniture. The respondents were asked to respond to a 2-point continuum scale
in terms of “Experienced” and “Not Experienced”. The scores of 2 through 1
were ascribed to each statement, which depicted the extent of the problems
faced. To obtain the categories of the extent of the problem faced, the score
range was divided on an equal interval basis. The procedure of analysis of the

data comprised categorization, coding, tabulation, and statistical analysis. An
intervention program was conducted for the respondents to enhance the
knowledge of homeowners regarding multi-purpose furniture. It was delivered
in Hindi, Gujarati, and English for better understanding, according to the
audience's preference. A question-answer session was conducted at the end with
the beneficiaries of the program. A catalogue of the proposed furniture design
was shared, which they can use as a ready reference.
MAJOR FINDINGS OF THE STUDY
The major findings of the study are presented underneath:
Section 1: Demographic Profile of the respondents.
It was found that 47.78 per cent of the respondents were graduates. It was
observed that 84.07 per cent of the respondents were employed. It was observed
that 62.59 per cent of the respondents lived in nuclear families. The data
collected, revealed that 68.15 per cent of the respondents had 4 to 7 members in
the family. The findings of the study revealed that 62.96 per cent of the
respondent’s monthly income `was between Rs. 10000 to 50000. The findings
of the study revealed that 49.26 per cent of the respondents were living in flats
or apartments. The data collected revealed that the majority of the respondents
(75.19%) were living in a house with a size of 400 sq. ft. to 600 sq. ft. The
findings of the current study revealed that 62.96 per cent of the respondents
were living for more than seven years in their current house.
Section 2: Extent of problems faced by the respondents residing in small

houses.
The findings revealed that 86.67 per cent of the respondents experienced a
problem related to insufficient space to store the shoe. 81.85 per cent of the
respondents had experienced insufficient space for storage near the TV. The
data revealed that 85.56 per cent of respondents had insufficient storage under
the kitchen counter. The data showed that 79.26 per cent of the respondents had
too less clearance space around the dining table, which acted as a difficulty
while serving meals. The data revealed that 81.85 per cent of the respondents’

experienced problems as there were no side table in the Bedroom. The data also
states 64.81 per cent of the respondents faced problems due to a lack of overall
space in the house. The data further revealed that 70.37 per cent of the
respondents were facing high extent of problems related to furniture in the entire
house.
The data indicated that the majority (80 %) of the respondents were facing high
extent of problems related to furniture in the foyer area. The data revealed that
75.56 per cent of the respondents were facing high extent of problems related
to furniture in the living room, 61.11 per cent of the respondents were facing
high extent of problems related to furniture in the dining room/dining area 62.59
per cent of the respondents were facing high extent of problems related to
furniture in the bedroom, 79.63 per cent of the respondents were facing high
extent of problems related to furniture in the bathroom and 70.37 per cent of the
respondents were facing high extent of problems related to furniture in the
entire house.
Section 3: Proposed designs of multi-purpose furniture using a

combination of interior materials, for small houses: The furniture was
designed keeping in mind the scarcity of space for optimum utilization of
available space for which researcher proposed innovative multipurpose designs
for various areas of the residential unit, especially for small houses. The
Multipurpose furniture was conceptualized, sketched, and then designed with
the help of AutoCAD 2022 and SketchUp 2022, design software. The Furniture
for Foyer and Living room consisted of Utility storage with a shoe rack and pull-
out seating bench, a Three-seater sofa with a shoe rack, and utility storage.
Furniture for the Kitchen and Dining room consisted of a Three-seater sofa cum
bed with foldable Four-seater dining (One table and Four chairs), a Portable pre-
preparation center with an extendable dining table, chairs, and storage.
Furniture for Bedroom, Bathroom, and other areas consisted of a Study unit with
dressing and storage, Wardrobe with foldable iron board and study area and
chair, Extendable Bed, storage, and folding seating, Folding office and Dressing
and Centre Table, storage Chair and bed.

Section 4: A catalogue of proposed designs with detailed specifications,
construction detail and cost.
A catalogue was prepared with the proposed designs prepared by the researcher
applicable in various small space houses. The catalogue included details of
furniture proposed for various spaces, namely the foyer, living room, kitchen,
dining room, bedroom, bathroom, and other areas of the house. The construction
details, material specifications along with its price were included in it. The
catalogue also included material options applicable to various budget groups.
This catalogue can be used as a ready reference book by small space owners, to
design their small houses smartly and effectively. This can help them organize
their home by cost-effectively designing multipurpose furniture.
Section 5: Intervention Program for the respondents to enhance knowledge

regarding multi-purpose furniture, its use, and benefits in interiors of small
houses.
An intervention program was conducted for the respondents of the study which
was focused on enhancing the knowledge of the residents of small spaces
regarding the use of multipurpose furniture. The proposed multipurpose designs
were discussed in detail with the respondents and a question-answer session was
conducted at the end of the program. An overwhelming response was availed
and many of the respondents were looking forward to implementing the
furniture designs in their residences shortly. The researcher shared the catalogue
with the beneficiaries, which they could use as a ready reference to construct
the proposed multipurpose furniture for their house.
CONCLUSION
It was observed that respondents experienced various problems related to furniture, in

foyer such as insufficient space for storing shoes, size of the shoe-rack was small,
uncomfortable height of seating, lack of seating to wear shoes, and lack of clearance
space in the foyer which made the researcher to come up with compact utility storage
with shoe rack and pull-out seating option applicable in foyer or living room. It was
observed that the respondents had insufficient storage under the kitchen counter they
faced problems due to lack of space in upper cabinet for storing things. The other

problem faced by the respondents was insufficient space for multiple workers to work
together in the kitchen and inappropriate length of the countertop which leads to
scarcity of space. Lack of organized upper cabinets in the kitchen was also a problem
faced by the respondents. The respondents had too less clearance space around the
dining table, which acted as a difficulty while serving meals. They had small size of
dining table. The other major problems faced by the respondents was most of them had
their dining area combined with living room and had lack of space for extra guests in
dining area. Most of the respondents experienced problems as there were no side table
in the Bedroom, other major problems was lack of space for additional storage unit in
the Bedroom. The respondents also had less space to store seasonal clothes and had no
space to accommodate extra members and guests in the bedroom. It was observed that
the respondents had no storage inside the bathroom for daily cloths, has no dressing
vanity inside the bathroom, and had no space to store extra utility things (like soaps and
shampoo) and other utility things.
Thus, the researcher identified the problems experienced by the respondents and came
up with various multipurpose furniture design options to address them. The researcher
came up with innovative furniture options for various areas of the house. The furniture
was designed keeping in mind the various problems identified by the researcher in the
study.

IMPLICATIONS OF THE STUDY
• For the field of Family and Community Resource management

The proposed designs will be beneficial to the interior design students of BSc,
MSc, and students of Post Graduate Diploma in Hotel Interiors in enhancing
their knowledge regarding multipurpose furniture.
• For the homeowners of small space houses
The furniture options proposed by the researcher can be used by the
homeowners of small houses to implement in their houses. The catalogue of
proposed designs of multipurpose furniture can be used as a ready reference by
the residents of small houses to help solve their furniture-related problems.
• For the field of Interior Designers and Architects
The design would be helpful to professional Architects and Interior Designers
for the development of multipurpose furniture in their residential projects.
5.4 RECOMMENDATIONS FOR FUTURE STUDIES

1. A similar study can be conducted for commercial spaces.
2. Study of similar nature can be conducted on a larger sample.
3. A study to design environmentally friendly multipurpose furniture can be
conducted.
4. A similar study can be conducted to design automated multipurpose furniture.

APPENDICES
APPENDIX 1
QUESTIONNAIRE
Section I: Demographic Profile of the respondents

Kindly provide the following information and Put a Tick (✓) in the box, with the most
appropriate answer applicable to you and your family.
1. Name : ______________________________________
2. Address: : ______________________________________
3. Phone Number : ______________________________________
4. Email ID : ______________________________________
: Nuclear
5. Type of Family
Joint
: • Number of Children
Number of Members in
6. • Number of Adults
the Family
• Number of Elderly
Educational :
7. Qualification of the _____________________________________
respondent
8. Occupation of the : • Job
respondent • Business
• Self Employed
• Unemployed
• Retired
Monthly Family : ______________________________________
9.
Income
: • Flat/ Apartment
• Bungalow
• Tenement
10. Type of House
• Duplex
• Studio Apartment
• Row House
11. Size of House (in : • Up to 400

square feet) • 400 to 600
186 | P a g e Appendix
Years of stay in this :
12. ______________________________________
House
Section II: Extent of problems experienced by the respondents

residing in small houses related to their existing furniture.
Following are the statements for the extent of problems experienced by the
respondents residing in small house related to furniture in various areas of the house.
Put a Tick (✓) against “Yes” and “No”, as per the most suitable answer applicable to
you, in your opinion.
Sr. Problems experienced by the respondents residing in Yes No

No. small houses related to their existing furniture
Foyer
1. There is Insufficient space for storing shoes.
2. Size of the shoe rack is small.
3. The height of seating, to sit and wear shoes is
uncomfortable.
4. There is lack of seating space in foyer.
5. There is Insufficient clearance around the furniture.
Living Room
6. There is lack of space to accommodate guests.
7. The arrangement for furniture is compact.
8. There is lack of clearance space in the room.
9. There is inconvenience in cleaning the room due to

improper furniture placement.
10. There is not sufficient space for TV unit.
11. Distance between TV and seating is improper.
12. There is not sufficient space for storage near TV.
13. There is improper clearance in front of storage cabinets.
14. There is improper clearance in front of drawer unit.
15. There is lack of additional storage units in Living room.
16. The height of Centre Table was low and therefore not
comfortable to use.
17. There is difficulty in using centre table from seating unit

due to congested arrangement.
18. Size of Centre Table is small, to accommodate necessary

items.
19. Size of Centre table is too big as compared to room size.
20. There is no separate area for storing shoes.
21. There is lack of comfortable seat in living room.
Kitchen
22. There is insufficient space for meal preparation.
23. The height of the countertop is improper.
24. The depth of the countertop is uncomfortable to work.
25. Length of the countertop is inappropriate, which creates

scarcity of space.
26. Cleaning countertop is difficult due to poor quality of

countertop.
27. There is insufficient storage under the kitchen counter.
28. There are unorganized upper cabinets in the kitchen.
29. There is lack of space in upper cabinet for storing things.
30. There is lack of clearance space, to move to-and-fro in
kitchen.
31. There is lack of cross ventilation inside the kitchen.
32. There is lack of storage for storing utility things.
33. The quality of material used in kitchen furniture is not

good.
34. There is not sufficient space to access the refrigerator.
35. There is not sufficient space for multiple workers to work

together in the kitchen.
36. Placement of sink is at an improper place, which creates

difficulty during washing utensils.
37. Height of the sink centre is not comfortable to wash

Utensils.
38. The depth of the sink is improper.
39. Size of the sink installed is too small.
40. There is lack of space near the sink centre to store washed
utensils.
41. There is no space for storing drinking water near sink.
42. There is insufficient storage near the sink center.
43. There is no space for garbage bin inside the kitchen.
44. There is no space for water purifier near sink centre.
45. There is no space for storing gas cylinder inside kitchen.
46. There is lack of pre-preparation space on counter.
47. Lack of storage space for crockery in the kitchen.
48. There is lack of space for storing extra grains in kitchen.
49. There is no separate storeroom in the house.
50. There is lack of storage space for storing spices, flour, and
other cooking ingredients.
51. There is lack of space to keep electrical appliances on

countertop.
52. There is proper location of plug points.
53. There are insufficient organizers in cabinets for convenient

storage.
54. The height of cooking counter is not proper, which food

not properly visible during cooking.
55. There is improper clearance as the kitchen is small.

Dining Room
56. Is the dining area combined with living room.
57. Is the dining area combined with kitchen.
58. There is less clearance space, while dinning.
59. The design of chair is uncomfortable.
60. The design of table is uncomfortable.
61. Size of Dining Table is too small.
62. The seat height of the chair is not convenient to sit and
have meals.
63. Backrest of chair is not comfortable while having meals.
64. Clearance space around the dining table is too less.
65. There are no storage units in dining area.
66. The quality of material used in the dining table is not
durable.
67. There is lack of space in existing dinning for extra

members and guests.
68. The dining table is also used for study purpose.
69. Table and chairs occupy lot of floor space.
Bedroom
70. Bedroom is shared space in living room.
71. There is lack of clearance space due to more furniture

items in small room.
72. Two bedrooms are interconnected.
73. There is inconvenience in opening and closing wardrobe.
74. It is difficult to clean the room, due to furniture design.
75. There are no doors in the Lofts of the bedroom.
76. The Bed is visible from common areas and other rooms.
77. Size of the bed is too small.
78. Size of the bed is too big as compared to the room size.
79. There is lack of floor space due to more furniture.
80. There is not enough space to use the furniture

conveniently. (Pulling out drawers, opening doors).
81. The design of existing furniture is not comfortable to use.
82. There is no extra space to accommodate extra members in

the bedroom.
83. It is difficult to move furniture outside the bedroom due to
small entrance.
84. Lack of space for each member of the house in bedroom.
85. There is insufficient space to store seasonal cloths.
86. There is lack of clearance space in front of storage to

access it.
87. There is lack of space to store folded clothes in wardrobe.
88. There are no lofts for storing extra things in the bedroom.
89. There is less space for hanging clothes in the storage.
90. There is no space for extra bedding.
91. There is no space to air dry, used cloths.
92. There is lack of additional storage unit in the bedroom.
93. There is no dressing unit.
94. There is no accessories storage.
95. There is no separate storage for each family member.
96. The existing side table does not have storage.
97. Depth of the wardrobe is less to store big clothes.
98. Study table is in the bedroom.
99. Height of the study table is not comfortable to work.
100. Depth of the study table is not comfortable to work.
101. Height of the study chair is not comfortable to sit and

work.
102. Study chair is not comfortable to sit and work.
103. There is no side table in bedroom.
104. There is lack of space for locker in the bedroom.
105. There is no storage inside the bed.
Bathroom
106. There is no dressing vanity inside the bathroom.
107. There is no storage inside the bathroom for daily cloths.
108. There is no space to store extra utility things (like soaps

and shampoo).
109. There is no space to hang and store extra towels.
Other Problems
110. There is lack of overall space in House.
111. The size of the rooms is small and number of family

members residing house is more.
112. There is no separate space for washing clothes (chokadi/

washing machine).
113. The washing area is too small which creates difficulty

during washing activity.
114. There is lack of space for drying clothes.
115. There is no space for storing gardening tools and

equipment.
116. There is no storage near wash area.
117. There is no space for planting plants.
118. There is no storage unit near wash basin.
119. There is no space for placing swing/ outdoor furniture.
120. There is insufficient space for storing electronic gadgets.
APPENDIX 2
Educational Material for Intervention Programme
(PowerPoint Presentation)
SLIDE 1
SLIDE 2
SLIDE 3
SLIDE 4
SLIDE 5
SLIDE 6
SLIDE 7
SLIDE 8
SLIDE 9
SLIDE 10
SLIDE 11
SLIDE 12
SLIDE 13
SLIDE 14
SLIDE 15
SLIDE 16
SLIDE 17
SLIDE 18
SLIDE 19
SLIDE 20
APPENDIX 3
PAPER PUBLICATION CERTIFICATE
APPENDIX 4
International Journal of Early Childhood Special Education (INT-JECSE)
DOI:10.9756/INTJECSE/V14I5.351 ISSN: 1308-5581 Vol 14, Issue 05 2022
DESIGNING MULTIPURPOSE FURNITURE FOR LIVING ROOM OF

SMALL HOUSES
Ms. Nidhi Chirag Desai 1 and Dr. Sarjoo Patel 2
Ms. Nidhi Desai 1

Research Scholar
Department of Family and Community Resource Management,
Faculty of Family and Community Sciences,
The Maharaja Sayajirao University of Baroda, Vadodara 390001
Dr. Sarjoo Patel 2

Assistant Professor (Stage-III) and Associate Director, Post Graduate Diploma in Hotel Interiors,
Department of Family and Community Resource Management, Faculty of Family and Community
Sciences, The Maharaja Sayajirao University of Baroda, Vadodara 390001
Abstract
Furniture is a necessity and not a luxury, everybody needs. Furniture is generally taking almost 50 % of a
normal floorspace. Therefore, living in a small space requires smart and space-saving furniture solutions to
maintain the balance between available and used space. Multifunctional furniture goes by several names:
multipurpose furniture, space-saving furniture, and transformable furniture. House consists of various areas
amongst them the most important area is living room. Living room gives first impression of the entire house to
the person entering in the house. Therefore, researcher was interested to find out problemsfaced by owners of
small spaces specifically related to furniture in the living room. The research was conducted by identifying
problems related to foyer and living room of small spaces. The sample for the study comprised of270 residents
of small spaces residing in Vadodara city with a built-up area of 600 sq. ft. Findings of the study highlighted
the extent of problems faced by the respondents. The researcher suggested multipurpose furniture as a solution
for the various problems, which were identified by the researcher. An intervention program was conducted to
educate the residents of small spaces regarding the use of multipurpose furniture, who were facing problems
related to furniture.
Keywords:Multipurpose, Furniture, Small spaces, living room
Introduction
A house is a place where a person aspires to cherish quality time with family, creates memorable moments and
spends most of the part of their life. So, it is very important to design a relaxing, pleasant, and aesthetically
appealing house for an individual. Living room is the most important part of the house, because each member of
the family spends their common time there, together, moreover guests’ friends and relatives who visit their
house, spend most of the time in living room.The migration of people is leading to a space crunch, especially in
big cities, which is forcing people to reside in small houses where space is less. Scarcity of space forces to
utilize the available resource, in an optimum manner and forces to make wise usage of available space. It can be
done by designing space-saving furniture, multipurpose furniture, and foldable furniture. Various international
brands are selling such furniture items, but designing it in a customized way, considering Indian climatology,
needs of people residing in small houses is very necessary. To design such furniture there is a wide range of
interior materials available in the market with different peculiarities and benefits. Selecting proper material
according to the climatic conditions, care and maintenance is a challenge faced by most people. There are
different types of furniture, and each has its unique. Furniture can be a creation of the arrangement and can be
designed considering, the function which it fulfils, using different materials with excellent craftsmanship.
(Binag & Caranguian, 2015) Multifunctional furniture goes by several names: multipurpose furniture, space-
saving furniture, and transformable furniture. As the name suggests, the basic idea of multifunctional furniture is
to perform more than one function (Thøgersen, 2019). Numerous variables are required to be considered for
planning space-sparing or transformable space saving furniture, the plan of the furniture should be based on the
concept of its visual appearance and use (Astonkar & Kherde, 2015).
Each house consists of different rooms, in small houses, the living room is often combined with foyer area. This
room is the first area through which the family members or guests enter the house, and so design of living room
is considered to be one of the most important aspect in the design of entire house. In the present study problems
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faced by the residents of small houses related to furniture in living room were identified by the researcher and an
intervention program was conducted to educate the respondents about the use of multipurpose furniture as a
solution to optimize the space utilization of the available space to fulfil their needs.
Objectives:
1. To study the problems faced by the homeowners residing in small houses related to furniture in Living
Room.
2. Proposing furniture for foyer and Living room for respondents residing in small houses.
3. To conduct an intervention program for homeowners to enhance their knowledge regarding multi-
purpose furniture in living room, its use and benefits in interiors of small houses.
Methodology
The research design was descriptive. An in-depth study of the problems faced by the residents of the small
houses especially related to furniture in living room,residing in the various parts of the Vadodara city was
conducted. A questionnaire was used to collect the data related to various problems.The locale of the study was
270 small houses from Vadodara city whose built-up area was up to 600 sq. ft. Based on the objectives of the
research questionnaire was prepared. While preparing the questionnaire, care was taken to include all such
questions that would elicit the information necessary to attain the objectives of the study.The questionnaire had
two sections. Section I dealt with the questions regarding the background information of the respondents, which
included name, address, phone no, family income, type of house, area of the residential unit, number of family
members residing in it, age group of each family member and family income.Section II dealt with the extent of
problems faced by the homeowners residing in common areas. This section was further divided into 2 sub-
sections.Problems Faced by the homeowners residing in small houses concerning Furniture in Foyer and in
Living Room. The respondents were asked to respond to the problems experienced in terms of “Yes” and “No”
the scores from 2 through 1 were given to the statements respectively. Further, the data were classified into a
range of scores as “high” and “low” extent of problems. The data was analysed using descriptive statistics.
Findings
Following results were revealed through the study:
Section 1- Demographic profile of the respondents:

This section of the study dealt with background information of the respondents which consisted of education
qualification, occupation, type of family, number of family members, composition of the family, monthly family
income, type of house, ownership of property, size of house and duration of stay in house.
Section 2- Problems experienced by the respondents related to furniture in the foyer area: Various
parameters such as insufficient space for storing shoes, lack of space for existing shoe rack, insufficient space to
store all pairs of shoes, the improper height of the shoe rack which made it inconvenient to sit and wear shoes,
lack of space to create a seating arrangement in the foyer and lack of clearance space in the foyer; were
considered to identify the problems faced by the respondents living in a small house. The respondents were
asked to respond to the problems experienced in terms of “Yes” and “No” the scores from 2 through 1 were
given to the statements respectively. Further, the data were classified into a range of scores as “high” and “low”
extent of problems.
Table 1: Distribution of respondents according to the extent of problems faced related to furniture in the
foyer area
Sr. Extent of Respondents (n=270)

Range of Scores
No. Problems f %
1 Low 5–7 54 20
2 High 8 – 10 216 80
The data revealed that 80 per cent of the respondents were facing high extent of problems related to furniture in
the foyer area.
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Graph 1: Percentage distribution of respondents according to theextent of problems faced related to

furniture in the foyer area
Low extent of
problems 20%
High extent of
problems 80%
Section 3- Problems experienced by the respondents related to furniture in the Living room:
Various parameters considered to identify the problems in small space houses with respect to the living room
were; difficulty to bring the furniture inside the house due to small entrance, scarcity of space to accommodate
guests in the living room, serving food to the guests becomes difficult due to compact furniture arrangement,
lack of clearance space which leads to difficulty in movement, lack of clearance space leading to difficulty in
cleaning the room, no TV unit or existing TV unit does not provide enough storage space, the distance between
TV and seating arrangement was less, which leads to discomfort in watching TV, lack of enough space to open
the cabinet doors and access the inner things from the cabinet, insufficient space to open the furniture drawers
and access the stored items, lack of additional storage units in Living room, difficulty in using the centre table
from sofa or another seating unit due to congested arrangement, height of Centre table was very low and
therefore not comfortable to use, the size of the Centre table was small, to accommodate necessary items, size of
Centre able was too big as compared to room size, there was no separate area for storing shoes. The respondents
were asked to respond to the problems experienced in terms of “Yes” and “No” the scores from 2 through 1
were given to the statements respectively. Further, the data were classified into a range of scores as “high” and
“low” extent of problems.
Table 2: Distribution of respondents according to the extent of problems faced related to furniture in the
living room
Respondents (n=270)
Sr. No. Extent of Problems Range of Scores
f %
1 Low 15-22 66 24.44
2 High 23-30 204 75.56
The data revealed that 75.5 per cent of the respondents were facing high extent of problems related to furniture
in the living room
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Graph 2: Percentage distribution of respondents according to the extent of problems faced related to
furniture in the living room
24%
76%
Low 15-22 High 23-30
Proposed furniture for the foyer and living room:

Furniture1:
Figure 1: Utility storage and shoe rack with pull out bench
This furniture was designed specially for small houses to conceal the electric meters in the foyer area, and to
have a utility storage in the two drawers, which can be used to store keys, watches, wallets, googles and other
things required at first use. Underneath is the shoe rack with the capacity of around 12 pairs designed with pull
out bench, which can be pulled out to sit and wear shoes and slide in when not, providing more floor space. The
bottom 2 drawers can be used to store read newspapers.
Furniture 2:
Figure 2: 3-seater sofa with storage and shoe rack inside the hand-rest
This piece of furniture is designed as a 3-seater sofa, providing maximum storage underneath to store extra
furnishings, newspapers, magazines, purses in living room; along with the shoe rack designed inside the hand
rest of the sofa to store more than 4-8 pairs of shoes.
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An intervention program:
An intervention program was conducted for the respondents of the study which was focused on enhancing the
knowledge of the residents of small spaces regarding the use of multipurpose furniture. An intervention program
was delivered in a Hindilanguage for better understanding by the audience. The major focus of the intervention
program was to discuss the various design options of space saving, multipurpose furniture for living rooms of
small houses, which were cost effective.
Figure3: Images of Intervention program conducted by the researcher
Conclusion
The study revealed that the majority (86.6 percent) of the respondents had insufficient space to store the shoes,
nearly four fifth of the respondents had small size of shoe rack, 73.3 per cent of the respondents had
uncomfortable seat and 71.11 per cent lack of space in foyer and almost 61.11 per cent of the respondents faced
the problem of insufficient clearance in the foyer area.And the biggest problem faced by the respondents in the
living room was related to storage. 81.85 per cent of the respondents had insufficient space for storage near TV,
followed by the congested arrangement leading to difficulty in using centre table from seating unit, which was
faced by around 76.30 per cent of the respondents, where as there were 68.89 per cent of the respondents facing
the problem of limited storage in living room and were willing to have more storage space and 64.44 per cent of
the respondents had lack of space to accommodate guests, 67.41 per cent no separate area to store shoes and
64.44 per cent of the respondents had compact furniture arrangement.To overcome the identified problems. An
intervention program was conducted to enhance the knowledge regarding multipurpose furniture its use and
benefit in the interiors of small houses.The designs of multipurpose furniture were discussed with the
beneficiaries of the intervention program.The designs comprised of utility storage and shoe rack with pull out
bench and a 3-seater sofa with storage and shoe rack inside the hand-rest. The furniture was designed keeping in
mind the small spaces; hence the dimensions of the furniture were considered as little as possible by the
researcher. The Multipurpose furniture was conceptualized, sketched and then designed with the help of
AutoCAD and SketchUp, design software.
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Appendix 4
Urkund Certificate
Document Information
Analyzed document Nidhi Desai.pdf (D159380144)
Submitted 2023-02-24 07:17:00
Submitted by
Submitter email sarjoo.patel-fcrm@msubaroda.ac.in
Similarity 5%
Analysis address sarjoo.patelfcrm.msub@analysis.urkund.com
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Entire Document
DESIGNING MULTIPURPOSE FURNITURE FOR SMALL SPACES USING COMBINATION OF INTERIOR MATERIALS Ph.D.
THESIS NIDHI CHIRAG DESAI FEBRUARY 2023
DESIGNING MULTIPURPOSE FURNITURE FOR SMALL SPACES USING COMBINATION OF INTERIOR MATERIALS A THESIS
SUBMITTED TO THE MAHARAJA SAYAJIRAO UNIVERSITY OF BARODA IN PARTIAL FULFILMENT FOR THE DEGREE OF
DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY (FAMILY AND COMMUNITY RESOURCE MANAGEMENT) By NIDHI CHIRAG DESAI
212
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DESIGNING MULTIPURPOSE

FURNITURE FOR SMALL SPACES

DEPARTMENT OF FAMILY AND COMMUNITY

This is to certify that the thesis entitled “Designing Multipurpose

Nidhi Chirag Desai Dr. Sarjoo Patel

I am grateful to my respected mother-in-law; Ms. Badrunnisha Desai and my father-in-law,

3.9 Establishment of reliability of the tool 44

3.10 Data Collection 45

3.11 Data Analysis 45

SR. NO. TITLE PAGE NO.

1. Vertical Lift-Up Hinge Mechanism 26

2. Bed Lift-up Hinge Mechanism 27

3. Different channels used in drawers 27

4. Size of drawer and size of cabinet 28

5. Wall bed fitting mechanism 28

6. Hydraulic-based dining table fitting 29

Plan of proposed utility storage with pull-out bench and shoe

1. Vertical Lift-Up Hinge Mechanism 26

2. Bed Lift-up Hinge Mechanism 27

3. Different channels used in drawers 27

4. Size of drawer and size of cabinet 28

5. Wall bed fitting mechanism 28

6. Hydraulic-based dining table fitting 29

Plan of proposed utility storage with pull-out bench and shoe

3D view of proposed Three-seater sofa cum bed with a

Front elevation for proposed study unit with dressing and

Plan view of proposed wardrobe with slide-out iron board

62. Internal detail of proposed folding office and dressing 149

Back and side elevation of proposed folding office and

64. 3D view of proposed Folding office and Dressing (Open) 151

65. 3D view of proposed Folding office and Dressing (closed) 152

Plan view of proposed center table, storage drawer, chair and

71. Intervention Program conducted by the researcher 162

Researcher explaining the benefits of multipurpose furniture

73. Researcher explaining the design of furniture 164

74. Feedback session during the Intervention Program 164

Sr. No. Title Page No.

SR. NO. TITLE PAGE NO.

“Humans strive to make a home, a nest, a place for their

“Furniture is precious to its owners if it has more

1.1 Space scarcity in India:

1.2 Small space houses:

Designing good furniture talks about designing aesthetically beautiful furniture,

According to Mastroeni, 2022

According to Eckelman, 2003, it is correctly explained that,

1.5 Multipurpose furniture or transformable space-saving furniture:

DELIMITATIONS OF THE STUDY

The theoretical orientation includes related literature reviewed by the researcher

2.1 Theoretical Orientation

2.1.1 Problems faced due to Scarcity of Space

2.1.2 Space Planning

2.1.3 Multipurpose Furniture

2.1.4 Furniture Materials

2.1.5 Need to Plan Multipurpose Furniture for Small Space Houses

2.2 Empirical Studies

2.2.1 Studies on small spaces

2.2.2 Studies related to multipurpose furniture

2.2.3 Studies related to multipurpose furniture designing

2.1.1 Problems faced due to Scarcity of Space

Everyone wants their home to be big, pleasant, comfortable, and beautiful

When it comes to small spaces, there is a common misconception that it is not

The Indian furniture industry is anticipated to witness healthy progress soon.

Space planning is a broad concept that includes utilizing available space

2.1.2.1 Meaning of space planning.