Double duty is something busy moms know a lot about. They typically have an infant strapped in a sling to their front and are making dinner or taking care of another child at the same time. These hardworking women learn how to multi-task while sleep deprived. What if we demanded the same dual performance from the furnishings we select for a compact home?

What could happen if we insisted that each piece of furniture perform more than one task at a time? For instance, the sofa back table in this vignette (hidden from view) could be a simple Parsons-style table or it could be a storage chest. Items that aren't accessed often such as old tax records, family photo albums or mementos could be packed away. Not only would the stored pieces be out of site, but the table provides necessary support for the two table lamps. My sleek TV sits atop an antique chest, circa 1790 Austria, that is the size of a trousseau trunk. I'm not sure what I stashed inside the body of the chest, but the lower drawer holds special pieces of fabrics that I occasionally use as table decor. The concept of getting hidden storage out of a table straddles all style periods, from contemporary to old fashioned.

The narrow cocktail tables shown here feature two shallow drawers each. Canadian designer Brian Gluckstein of Gluckstein Home uses the tables back-to-back in a clever way. Not only does he achieve a comfortable proportion for the furniture layout in this space, but his arrangement delivers much appreciated and practical storage. Imagine the useful things that might be stored: TV and media controls, iPods, magazines, mail, scissors, tape, stamps and paperclips. You could even keep the household junk drawer hidden in plain sight! Dietary supplements or vitamins could also be organized in these shallow drawers, along with a first aid kit or a box of tissues.

Often, the secret to maximum function hinges on how flexible you are at imagining out-of-the-box space utilization. Make a dresser into a foyer piece that holds a charging station for family phones. Turn a buffet into a wide nightstand instead of a traditional dining room piece. Install robe hooks near the front door to serve as jacket, windbreaker and umbrella storage instead of an umbrella stand. Why can't a lift-top bench in your entry also store out-of-season clothes? Who will know what is inside? Why can't an ottoman in the living room hold extra bedding for the guest room or sleeper sofa? Who will know if the wall unit hides receipts or recipes?

I found myself short on kitchen storage once my kitchen re-do was finished. My cookbooks and recipes have landed in a small glass-front armoire. It is a French oak piece from the 1920s that used to be in my office and now sits narrowly against a wall in the living room. The well-used culinary books are just four steps out of the kitchen proper and in an easily accessed spot. Nevertheless, storage is where you can squeeze it in and making it flexible is critical. Therefore, look for features that transform a piece. Anything that will roll on casters or concealed glides is always a plus. Swing, retractable or flip doors have been part of furniture design for generations. Think back to the classic roll-top-desk of yesteryear for example of a way to close off a messy work area. Armoires came to be because medieval households needed a place to stash away guns, swords and armor. We hide things away in cupboards, built-in or free-standing, following the example of ages ago.

Photo Credit: Gluckstein Home

Christine Brun, ASID, is a San Diego-based interior designer and the author of "Small Space Living." Send questions and comments to her by email at [email protected]. To find out more about Christine Brun and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate website at www.creators.com.