The holiday season is here again with a vengeance! Thanksgiving just ended and now we are gearing up for Hanukkah, Christmas and the New Year festivities. If you just hosted your family gathering and realized how difficult it was to house aunts, uncles, nieces and nephews without making your home look like a shelter of fold-up beds and air mattresses, maybe now is the time to consider making an investment in all those not-so-occasional family gatherings to come.

Preparations for the holidays and the inevitable family stay-overs challenge us to be creative with how we use our space to house guests. We want to make them feel comfortable and welcome, yet still have a home that doesn't look like a refugee camp. Maybe now is the time to convert the old nursery to an office with room for the occasional sleep over, or make part of the L-shaped living room or den into a cozy library nook that can be transformed into a bedroom when needed.

Wall beds have been in use since the early 1900s, when William Murphy patented his invention, but newer innovative designs have appeared on the market in the last few years that are far superior in both design and technical sophistication.

My absolute favorites are Clei Systems from Italy, which are available in the United States and Canada through Resource Furniture.The style is modern, sleek Italian. Take a look at this video demonstration. You will also find a variety of tables that can transform in both shape and size.

For a more contemporary look and simpler wall entertainment unit system, try Zoom-Room. It satisfies basic needs in a nice and thoughtful package that fits with the look of most homes.

The original Murphy Bed wall systems are still available and speak to more traditional design sensitivity. Many cabinet manufacturers use the Murphy Bed system in their designs, including California Closets, and Texas Wall Beds, to name a few. If you want custom cabinetry, the Murphy frame is easy for any carpenter to integrate into your design. If you'd like to know more about the history of this revolutionary design, visit the Murphy Bed Company website.

Last but not least, the space age company Boxetti has taken compact living to an extreme. You might call this furniture for the transformer generation. I call it the coolest thing I have seen yet!

Happy Holidays and cheers from all of us at Kaja Gam Design and KG Home. We wish you a happy and prosperous 2012.

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