Sunday, January 23, 2011

Multipurpose Furniture Meets Urbanite Needs

Real estate comes and goes in the ever-changing SOMA section of San Francisco. The location once belonging to the urban furnishing giant EQ3 is now the discount store 9th Street Designer Clearance. Fortunately, for space challenged apartment and homeowners, EQ3 still stands in Emeryville.

Josh and Caroline Quick, who brought EQ3 to the Bay Area, added to a market not yet fully tapped. EQ3 fits the niche for quasi-adults who are transitioning into "grown-up" furniture and those who have somewhat "made it" able to splurge on items quite trendy and cool looking, less than traditional but very functional. Not quite part of the Thomasville or Crate & Barrel crowd, EQ3 is a step above IKEA and in the ranks of CB3.




EQ3 has a wide selection of couches, dining room and bedroom furniture, patterned linens, sleek accessories, and punchy throw pillows. Prices start at around $85.

The number one selling point of EQ3 is that their furniture is modern and multifunctional, which is popular among urbanites. The former SF Assistant Manager Dolph told me, "Particularly in San Francisco, houses are smaller and income is less disposable." Dual function furniture becomes a must have and want for many city dwellers. For example, one of the bed sets sold at EQ3 can easily be turned into a couch simply by moving the headboard. That bed is only one example of the versatility the furniture sold at EQ3 has to offer. "If your needs change later on, a nightstand can become an end table," Dolph added.




Quick, who owns EQ3 with her husband, said, "One of the biggest benefits is that a lot of people in cities are renters. As you move, multifunctional furniture can move with you." Lofts and tight quarters are examples of spaces where versatile pieces can be useful. "Sometimes people want to use their bedroom for entertaining. Rather than it looking just like a bedroom, multifunctional furniture gives you an option to define the space," explained Quick.

EQ3 is a reliable resource for those living the city lifestyle, those who want to get twice the usage out of their furniture and anyone who has a space they want to transform. The budget friendly prices, stylish options, and functionality of EQ3 make it a big contender in the furnishing world.


EQ3
5603 Bay Street
Emeryville, CA 94608
T 510-601-0400
eq3.com

2 comments:

  1. Rachie!!! Speaking of EQ3 I'm a big fan of their cocktail tables.

    Before the 19th Century low-laying tables in front of a sofa were referred to as cocktail tables. It wasn't until the late 19th that the phrase coffee table was coined.

    I prefer the term cocktail table btw. =)

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  2. Agreed. Thank you for the tidbit. I'll be using that knowledge for Jeopardy!

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