# Shifting Furniture Collections Ian Stell's Modern Furniture Pieces Expand and Contract in Shape By Michael Hemsworth | Published 2016-05-12 | Art & Design Source: Trend Hunter, https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/modern-furniture-piece References: [curbed](http://www.curbed.com/2016/5/11/11658358/transforming-furniture-designs-ian-stell) & [ianstell](http://www.ianstell.com/) The modern furniture pieces created by New York-based designer Ian Stell offers a revolutionary and design-conscious approach to [small space living](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/the-transformer-table). Drawing inspiration from the pantograph -- an ancient drawing tool -- the furniture pieces expand and contract from one design, to another in a matter of moments. The tables created by Stell include the Sinan, Sidewinder, Lattive and Big Pivot, while there is also the Austrian Loop that is a bench that converts from a stout, to elongated bench. The modern furniture pieces created by Stell offer us a contemporary view of what furniture design in the future will inherently need to focus on. As more consumers move into metropolitan areas and require furniture pieces that are more flexible, we'll likely see more [modular and shifting designs](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/gioco) entering the market. ## Trend Insights (Trend Hunter) - Score: 5.7/10 - Popularity: 86% | Activity: 77% | Freshness: 8% - Audience gender: 50% men, 50% women - Primary generations: Millennial, Gen X - Top markets: North America ## Categories [Trend Hunter](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends) > [Art & Design](https://www.trendhunter.com/artdesign) > [Design](https://www.trendhunter.com/design) ## Key Themes ### Key Themes Behind This Trend - **Modular Furniture:** Designing modular furniture pieces that can expand and contract to meet design and space needs in a moment's notice. - **Small Space Living:** Designing furniture pieces for smaller apartments and houses that leverage smart expansion and contraction design principles. - **Flexible Furniture:** Innovating furniture designs that expand and collapse in a matter of moments to adapt to changing domestic and commercial space usage needs. ### Where This Applies - **Furniture:** Designing modular and shifting furniture pieces that enable large and small living spaces to stay organized and functional. - **Architecture:** Innovating building designs that leverage modular and shifting furniture pieces to create more efficient and versatile spaces for people to live and work. - **Interior Design:** Creating innovative functional spaces that flex and bend with daily activities by selecting modular and shifting furniture designs. ## Related on Trend Hunter - [Angular Transforming Furniture Pieces](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/optimus-furniture.md) - [Industrial Shapeshifting Table Designs](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/jointable.md) - [Expanding Three-in-One Furniture](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/expandy.md) - [Dynamic Sculptural Tables](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/interactive-transformation-table.md) - [Sliding Grid-Affixed Furniture](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/square-to-square.md) - [Dynamic Moving-Illusion Furniture](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/moving-furniture.md) - [Versatile Modular Couches](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/transformer-couch-20.md) - [Transforming Workspace Furniture Designs](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/asytron-furniture.md) - [Transformative Furniture Forms](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/metamorphosis-collection-2.md)