Named after the famous nesting dolls, Matroshka is designed for those who live in compact dwellings — it includes everything needed in an apartment except the kitchen sink and the bathroom. The system was designed by four students (Sara Remnerth, Anna Fossane, Magnus Gustavsson and Anna Thorseaus) in 2007 as an Industrial Design project at Mid Sweden University in Sundsvall. The group was tasked with finding new solutions for people living in small residences, so they focused their attention on maximizing space, providing storage, and improving the social functions of small-space living.
What resulted was the Matroshka living system, which provides space for working, study, sleep, eating, socializing and relaxing, and even has enough room to store clothes, books, and cleaning supplies. The furniture pieces nest inside of one another and slide underneath the raised workspace, which consists of desk and shelves. Stairs to the work platform provide valuable storage, and each dining stool stows away underneath the bed/bench to provide more storage. The system can expand to seat up to twelve people for dinner and social occasions, and can be compacted to provide extra room.
Currently the designers of Matroshka are seeking investors and business partners to turn this amazing furniture system into a reality. You’d think with them being in Sweden, that IKEA would snap this idea up and run with it.
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Efficient small-scale living requires space-saving furniture, an organized storage system, and multi-functional items that make the most of the space you have. Matroshka is a fascinating space-efficient living system composed of nesting furniture pieces
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Matroshka is a space saving furniture and living system that uses nesting furniture. In its most compact form it is less than 4 sq meters in size.
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The entire system provides everything needed to sleep, work, and store clothes and other items, and it even provides a place to rest or eat.
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The system was designed by four industrial design students in Sweden, who were exploring new solutions for compact living in small spaces.
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The name Matroshka comes from the Russian word, grandmother. It’s also often used as a moniker for the famous nesting dolls.
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The nesting furniture can expand to provide socializing and dining space by pulling out the table and four stools.
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When fully expanded the entire system can seat up to twelve people, which is a pretty big party for a tiny apartment.
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The nesting box can be pulled out to provide a resting sofa-like space and multiple cushions can be arranged to provide comfort where desired.
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The fully expanded system
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The system offers many different storage options.
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Aa raised platform behind the bench serves as a work space and is accessed with stairs that double as storage boxes.
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The nesting furnishings all tuck neatly away underneath the bench and the work platform.
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The work space can expand with storage that hides away or additional shelves to create a divider between work and living spaces.
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Currently the designers of the Matroshka system are seeking investors and business partners to bring this design to market.
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