Multipurpose furniture solves space problems.

• Position: Your Life - Brief Article

For the space-challenged room, homeowners consider it essential to make every square foot count. As a result, furniture makers are continually finding new ways to incorporate more than one function into a single piece. "Furniture is the most-important asset to a small area," maintains American Furniture Manufacturers Association vice president Jackie Hirschhaut. "The right furnishings will create an intimate, cozy feeling, while enhancing style, organization, and comfort."

Some of the most-popular pieces of multipurpose furniture include:

* Cocktail and end tables, with a wide variety of bookshelves, drawers, and optional extending tabletops.

* A strategically placed ottoman can be sophisticated, comfortable, and functional, serving as a spot to rest weary feet, sit, store a blanket, or place a cup of coffee.

* Sofa-sleepers, daybeds, or trundle beds are...