This was a great idea (hey, it was designed by Ben Franklin!) but it still needs some 21st Century work.  

The side chair converts into a step stool rather ingeniously but it's a bit cumbersome to do.  The chair is a bit too heavy for easy conversion from the chair to the step stool.  It's also a bit fussy with the hardware.  My wife is a bit afraid of it, which is too bad because we got it for her to use in the kitchen.