Carolina George: Chic Multi-functional Furniture

While there was lots of great furniture at last week's New York International Gift Fair, there was one company that really stood out as being truly unique and innovative, and that was Carolina George. The company is the artistic collaboration of Caroline Cummings and Georgia Tapert who have a combined experience in art history and interior design as well as furniture design. The duo's web site says, "We believe that good furniture and design should be able to adapt to your ever-changing life and tastes."And I'd say they are off to a pretty good start with their current collection.

The 5 O'clock Slipper Chair (above) is sleek and modern while still being comfortable, and you never have to worry about where to put your drink (should you be one to put it down) with the built in side table. I'm hoping they have plans to make this chair as part of an outdoor line of furniture. I just want to sink into it with a cocktail and watch the sunset.

So many people have the need for a little office in their home, but don't have the space. Well, that excuse no longer exists with the School Girl Desk and Chair. This petite desk could easily double as a side table or a place to rest your keys in an entryway.

But it then turns into a sweet little spot to sit and write letters (yes, some people actually still correspond via snail mail) or hop on your laptop.

The Sideboard Dining Table isn't quite as glamorous as some of the other pieces, but it might just be the most ingenious of them all. I am a firm believer that houses should have dining rooms, but so many people gave up on them in the '90s in exchange for the "great room" that opens into the kitchen. This table allows you to turn any room into a dining room easily.

With shelving in the sideboard to store your dishes and glassware, you simply slide out the table (on the hidden locking wheels) and can configure it a few different ways, and then set the table with the items stored on the shelves. The table seats up to 6 people, but you also have the option of leaving the sideboard in place and only opening up one side of the table to seat up to 3 people.

Clearly, this furniture is great for anyone who lives in a tiny apartment, but still likes to entertain, but I have a feeling we'll be seeing it far beyond city abodes. And with several different finishes and fabric choices, you can truly create your own look with it whether you want a lacquer finish or one in high gloss mahogany. I can't wait to see what they think of next!