Inspired by Russian wooden nesting dolls, the Matroshka system of multifunctional furniture originated as a school project at Mid Sweden University. The minds behind Matroshka-Sara Remnerth, Anna Fossane and Anna Thorsaeus-"were fascinated by this delightful slice of Russian folk art." What if the concept of the Matroshka could be translated into furniture? Then tiny city apartments could have a lot of usable space in very little square footage.

Matroshka. Manufactured by Matroshka Furniture AB.

Complete Living in 15 Square Meters

Presented at the Stockholm Furniture Fair, Matroshka gained an instant following, not only with urban dwellers but also with metropolitan offices. The three students thus formed Matroshka Furniture AB in order to turn their prototype into reality. The current Matroshka system measures 15 meters squared and remains true to the original design concept to create "an expandable system that is easy to build up and adjust, and whose constituent parts nest inside each other." Matroshka is a work station, break room, meeting room, and store cupboard in one piece of space-saving furniture.

The Matroshka system comes in oak veneer, birch plywood, and other materials. Upholstery can also be specified, although the company suggests wool. For best results, Matroshka requires floor space of 12 square meters or more. Designed to nest in a left-hand or right-hand corner, Matroshka offers an L-shaped desk "with a standard height and depth," generous storage compartments, a table, and seats for visitors. For office environments, Matroshka lets you keep your messy desk a secret; the raised platform (at 60 centimeters) keeps papers and files out of sight when you descend to meet with clients.

The latest prototype, created at the joiners Ramsele Snickeri, had an expected completion date of February 2011. Improvements on the previous model include an ingenious hydraulic function that raises and lowers the table.

Via Inhabitat.

About the Company: Matroshka Furniture AB, based halfway up the coast of Sweden in Sundsvall, was started in 2009 by three industrial design students at Mid Sweden University: Sara Remnerth, Anna Fossane, and Anna Thorsaeus. Their idea is to create multifunctional furniture that is "built to be used, which makes quality, comfort and function three key elements."