Modular Furniture: What Became of the Four Concepts from 2020

In 2020 we asked whether modular furniture might be the answer to lives that keep being reshuffled. Five years later, the answer is clear: yes. What was once a niche topic for design enthusiasts has become a sought-after living concept. “Modular” means you can expand, shrink, or reconfigure your furniture instead of tossing it when you move. We look at what became of the four concepts from back then and what matters most today.

We live on the move. A new job in another city, the dream apartment finally found, or a growing family: life rearranges itself faster than most furniture can keep up. The snag? That sofa suddenly sits in the wrong spot on the new floor plan, and the bookcase is one wall too long. All too often, such pieces end up on the scrap heap. It’s neither sustainable nor cost-effective in the long run.

Modular furniture flips that equation. Instead of buying a finished piece that only fits one specific apartment, you combine individual modules to create exactly what you need right now. When you move, you rearrange. When the family expands, you buy more parts. The principle is best known for shelving, yet kitchens, sofas, and beds now follow the same logic. Industry watchers credit smaller apartments, home offices, and the desire for flexibility with driving today’s demand for multifunctional furniture. Germany’s furniture market hit around €23 billion in 2024, and sustainable, long-lasting products are a key growth engine.

Why go modular right now?

The appeal of modular furniture isn’t just about moving house. It’s a different way of relating to possessions. You invest once in a solid system and adapt it over years instead of replacing everything every few years. That’s exactly what resonates today: consumers are actively seeking recyclable materials, certified supply chains and designs that last longer than one tenancy. Products bearing recognised eco-labels such as FSC certification or the Blue Angel enjoy a measurable advantage at the till.

A modular piece of furniture isn’t made for one flat; it’s made for a life that keeps changing.

There’s also an aesthetic angle. Modular systems force you to curate consciously. You decide which compartments stay open, where a door goes, what colour a carcass should be. The result is far rarer off-the-peg and far more often a one-off. The four makers below show how differently this idea can be executed.

Cubit – the flexible cube boxes

Let’s start with a classic. Few names are as synonymous with modular shelving as Cubit, a brand of the East Westphalian Mymito GmbH, founded by interior architect Minou Farkhondeh and Thomas Reichel. Since its launch in 2006, the cubic shelving system has won over the design world. The idea is radically simple: freely arrangeable cubes that you stack according to your own rules. Every assembled Cubit shelf therefore becomes a unique piece. Today the system comprises more than 30 shelving modules in over 20 colours plus real-wood veneers, ranging from narrow side tables to floor-to-ceiling wall units.

Cubit has stayed true to its principle and expanded it. Since 2024 Mymito has been manufacturing upholstered furniture itself in its own East Westphalian facility. The promise remains identical to the one made nearly two decades ago: a shelf without rules that moves and grows with you.

Fantin – kitchens that survive every move

Fantin hasn’t just been making kitchens for years; the Italian manufacturer has been producing metal furniture since 1968. Yet its Frame collection’s modular kitchen is something special. Designed by Art Director Salvatore Indriolo, it consists of two or three modules made from four-millimetre-thick steel. That makes it virtually indestructible. And that’s the point: anything that doesn’t need fixed water or power connections can be shifted, expanded and simply taken along when you move.

To prevent the kitchen from feeling like a cold industrial object, Fantin adds colour. The Frame palette runs to about 40 shades, from understated grey and black to rose and bold lime-green. Matching sideboards, tables and shelves can extend the kitchen into the living space when required. Once you’ve invested in such a system, you’re essentially buying furniture for life.

Muuto – a sofa tailor-made to your wishes

Muuto hails from Copenhagen and stands for Scandinavian cosiness. The name derives from the Finnish “muutos,” meaning a new perspective. The Connect sofa, designed by the duo Anderssen & Voll, blends pared-back design with clean, modern lines. What’s special is its uncompromising flexibility: you pick the modules you want from the kit of parts and can later add more without any fuss. When the student flat becomes a family home, the sofa simply grows with the household.

That the brand has endured for more than two decades is no accident. In 2017 US giant Knoll-now part of MillerKnoll-acquired the company. Muuto continues to operate independently from Copenhagen and collaborates with design talent across Scandinavia. If you want to live Scandinavian yet refuse to sacrifice flexibility, here’s one of the most convincing answers. Read more about the look in our guide to Scandi style.

Sebra – a bed that grows with you

Most parents of small children face this problem: kids grow so fast that clothes and furniture are soon too small. For one of those headaches, the Danish brand Sebra offers an elegant solution. The Sebra bed starts small and fully gated, perfect for babies. Later you lower the sleeping surface, remove the side rails, and the cot becomes a junior bed that accompanies a child up to about seven years-all without extra accessories.

Behind the simple design lies substance. The bed is made from FSC-certified beechwood, finished with child-safe lacquers and meets the European safety standard EN 716. In Denmark it’s often handed down through generations, which says more about the quality than any advert. A fine example of how modular furniture and sustainability go hand in hand.

What Remains of the Idea?

Five years after our initial look at the topic, it’s clear: modularity was no passing trend. All four concepts we introduced are still around, and the principle has become more popular than ever because it serves two desires simultaneously. You live flexibly and you live more sustainably. If you’re considering getting started yourself, it’s worth looking at three things: Can modules be repurchased long-term, are the materials robust enough for multiple living phases, and are there certificates like FSC that stand for responsible sourcing? Those who look closely here aren’t just buying a piece of furniture, but a system that lasts for many years. How you can furnish your home more consciously overall, we show you in our guide on how to furnish your apartment sustainably and ecologically.