Shape-Shifting Coffee Table That Expands When Friends Come Over

Tiny apartments are miserable for a lot of reasons, but the most frustrating is when you can’t make the most of your space without a clutter of furniture everywhere. Consider my coffee table problem: It doesn’t take up too much space, but if there’s more than one person hanging out, it’s too small. The REK coffee table by Dutch designer Reiner de Jong would change everything.

The REK coffee table reminds me of the dinner tables with expandable leaves. Only this one has an updated, minimalist design. At its core, the table is a big wooden box made of three sections that slide together like a puzzle. On most days, you could leave it all packaged up, but when you’ve got guests over, and need space for glasses and the like, you can slide one or both of the interior sections to make a long table. In case you don’t want to just make a big long table, the interior sections also slide out in two directions so you can tailor the table’s form to whatever a particular situation demands. It’s a great idea, and beyond its functionality, the table’s understated design is beautiful. But consideringFor that kind of money, I could probably get a bigger apartment. [Reiner de Jong via Dezeen]