£25K in Adaptable Millwork Gives a Tiny London Flat “Rooms Within a Room”

admin — Thu, 16 Oct 2025 12:05:09 +0000

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Houses We Love: Every day we feature a remarkable space submitted by our community of architects, designers, builders, and homeowners. Have one to share? Post it here.

Project Details:

Location: London, United Kingdom

Photographer: Nicholas Worley / @nicholasworley_

From the Architect: “The Green Machine was born out of the need to rethink how to live in a compact studio flat in East London by providing adaptable spaces to suit many different uses such as sleeping, eating, working, entertaining, lounging, etc. Our client, a young professional, was struggling to make the tiny studio flat work for all her needs, especially as these needs expanded to include working from home during the pandemic. The design strategy focused the tight £25,000 budget on a grouping of millwork elements resulting in a bold intervention in one 97-square-foot zone to create multiple ‘rooms within a room.’”

“The Green Machine showcases that impactful sustainable design can happen at any scale and with any budget. Using color and paint to repurpose and refinish rather than remove and replace as well as thoughtfully selecting material for the millwork elements resulted in both a beautiful and environmentally responsible solution to our client’s brief. The challenge was to find something for the millwork zone of intervention that would be durable and robust, bold and fun, but equally easy to manipulate and eco-friendly. Valchromat fit the bill perfectly. As an FCS-certified nontoxic MDF wood, it is not only moisture-resistant and flame-retardant but is manufactured from recycled pine wood and mill waste. The bold colors are created with organic dyes and unlike most man-made boards, Valchromat can be recycled at the end of its lifespan.

“The Green Machine is a project which demonstrates that with carefully orchestrated programming, thoughtful materiality, and joyful detailing, architecture can truly be a ‘machine’ for contemporary living. By collaborating closely with local tradespeople, designing flexible and adaptable zones to suit not only specific needs but future desires as well, with ample storage, this colorful insertion transformed the underutilized space in the flat, cleverly rethinking how we live.”

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Amazon is selling a $540 loveseat sofa bed for $243 that's 'comfortable and sturdy'

admin — Wed, 24 Sep 2025 04:27:54 +0000

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TheStreet aims to feature only the best products and services. If you buy something via one of our links, we may earn a commission.

Why we love this deal

Not everyone has a sprawling living room that can accommodate seats for a crowd. People living in dorms or studio apartments have to make the most of their space. One way to really preserve precious real estate in your living area is to kill two birds with one stone with your couch.

The $540 Maxyoyo Loveseat Sofa Bed is on sale at Amazon for only $243, and it’s an excellent addition to cramped living rooms or guest rooms. Shoppers love this versatile couch, calling it “comfortable and sturdy.”

Maxyoyo Loveseat Sofa Bed, $243 (was $540) at Amazon

Courtesy of Amazon

Why do shoppers love it?

Sofa beds have their retractors, and with good reason. That ubiquitous metal bar in many sofa beds is an absolute pain to contend with and not exactly anyone’s idea of “cozy.” This sofa bed acts more like a futon, with a modular design that folds out quickly and easily anytime you want to take a nap, get your daily eight hours, or just want to kick back with extra legroom.

When it’s in couch mode, it comfortably accommodates two people, with a removable center armrest that makes room for a smaller person, child, or pet. However, the removable armrest does have two built-in cupholders, which make it perfect for movie night. There are also two super soft pillows that would make excellent backrests when seated or for cradling your head when sleeping.

The pillows, armrest, and seat of this couch are lined in a soft corded fabric that requires no additional sheets or comforters to be cozy. The fabric is breathable, comfortable, friction-resistant, and even skin-friendly. But of course, like in any mattress and with people, “it’s what’s inside that counts.”

The inside of this sofa bed is made of high-density memory foam, which is firm enough to be supportive but with enough give that it cradles your body whether you sleep on your stomach, side, or back. Switching this couch from sofa to bed takes minutes, if not seconds, and almost feels like a game of real-life Tetris.

Details to know

Couch dimensions: 37.4 inches long by 63.8 inches wide by 29.5 inches high.
Bed dimensions: 75.6 inches long by 63.8 inches wide by 13.5 inches high.
Colors: Beige, black, dark gray, and green.

This couch arrives compressed, and once it’s free from its vacuum-sealed packaging, shoppers are advised to let it “breathe” for up to 72 hours, where it will inflate to its maximum size. And while this couch is available in four different charming colors, the deepest discount is on the black couch. However, all colors are available for a fairly impressive discount.

Shop more deals

The Maxyoyo Loveseat Sofa Bed retails for $540, but you can shop it at Amazon for only $243 for a limited time.