Portable furniture for nomads

As our lifestyles become increasingly nomadic, furniture design has had to adapt itself. Dutch design studio Makkink & Bey is the latest brand to address the issue, creating a furniture collection that can literally be carried on your back.

As our lifestyles become increasingly nomadic, furniture design has had to adapt itself. Dutch design studio Makkink & Bey is the latest brand to address the issue, creating a furniture collection that can literally be carried on your back.

The studio designed a range of conceptual pieces for the Living Spaces exhibition currently on show at the Textiel Museum in Tilburg, the Netherlands. The museum commissioned the studio to develop a vision of the interior of the future.

The centerpiece of the collection is Vouw Plaats, a knitted mattress which comes with a light wooden frame which functions both as a bed or a seat. The piece can also be rolled up and transported like a rucksack.

A handmade wooden table which can be turned upside down and used as a carry cot and a flexible room divider which resembles an umbrella when folded up can also be found in the range. A table cloth and rug draws upon cultural traditions while retaining a modern aesthetic.

The range will potentially be made into a commercial collection by Makkink & Bey after the show. Prices are not yet known.

Multi-purpose interiors are becoming increasingly sought-after as the urban population becomes both more mobile and increasingly pressed for space. This April, Ikea will launch its largest PS range yet, a collection of adaptable interiors for young urbanites on the move.