Man is made that way. No matter how much space do you have, it is never enough. Although it is well known that our defects are just continuations of our merits. But it is not life we are talking about here. We are going to talk about folding furniture since they are always topical and we never have enough space. The idea of folding furniture we have to accept in a broad sense. It allows us not only to use every inch of the space we have but also has the ability to modify the space and make it multifunctional. The variety of folding chairs, tables, beds etc. proves that the folding furniture is created not only in order to save space.

The mobility, variability and functionality are the main criteria that define the living standards of a man. Designers of this type of furniture should meet the following requirements: this furniture should be comfortable, compact, beautiful and should have ingenious folding devices. Therefore the designers should combine and meet heterogeneous requirements – for example, the requirements of comfort and compactness are totally opposite. This goals they meet using ergonomic forms and different material. Of course, the most important thing is always their design.

One of the most popular tricks is to turn a three-dimensional object into a two-dimensional. But seeing some of the products of Ipnos company, you certainly will be astonished: the folding chair Andros and its folding table Andromache that can be used also as a serving table. Andros is the Greek for “man” and Andromache is the wife of Hector, the leader of Trojans. The advertisement says that Andromache can carry as a Trojan horse 6-7 men. Yes, these Italian designers certainly have interesting sense of humour. The folding chair Andros has variety of wood constructions that are in accordance with the spirit of Greece.

There is another main principle used when designing folding chairs, tables etc. This is the principle of concertina folding. The whole Art & Form collection of Le Pieghevoli company is based on this principle. Already classic in design are the folding serving tables Battista, Gastone of Antonio Citterio and Kartell of Oliver Loew.

Another designer solution in production of folding tables and chairs is the production of dismountable furniture. For example, Aeo folding chairs of Paolo Deganello (Cassina company) and Equity (Matteograssi company) are dismountable and totally modern. Philip Stark’s folding chair Miss Trip became the bestseller of Kartell company.

Of course, the most popular types of folding furniture are the folding chairs and tables but there are also folding beds, ladders, benches, shelves, serving tables etc. Maybe it will sound strange but there are also folding sofas, armchairs, cabinets etc.There is no doubt that designers will not stop developing and creating new folding furniture in order to make our lives easier. Folding furniture allow us to create functional, dynamic and universal interior. Many companies begin to manufacture folding chairs and tables lately. Among them are solid companies like Fasem, Elam, driade/Aleph, De Padova, Cappellini etc.

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