With a new sofa, a feeling of comfort comes to the house - after all, it is big, soft and created for a comfortable rest. But when it comes time to choose a new "tenant", the eyes diverge from the variety of furniture in the salons. I want to buy three at once and one more - in the corner. Do not get confused and get exactly the sofa that you need, our advice will help. Consider all the basic elements and capabilities of modern models, and at the same time we estimate how much the purchase will cost.
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Top sofa manufacturers
If you are looking for beautiful and durable furniture, pay attention to the products of the following brands:
- Rival
- Anderssen
- Bellus
Quickly find a good model in the lines of these manufacturers will help you our top sofas for home. Others who wish to independently understand all the nuances and buy the perfect sofa, it's time to get comfortable - we will explore the subtleties of choosing upholstered furniture.
Device of various sofas
The sofa can be not only a cozy corner for a family holiday, but also simultaneously serve as a bed or additional storage space. But the product is simple and regardless of the configuration consists of only several main parts:
- The frame - the basis of the furniture, which takes on all the loads.
- Soft elements - these include seats, backrests, armrests, and head restraints.
- Upholstery - not only the appearance of the sofa depends on it, but also how long it will retain its beauty.
In transforming sofas, an equally important part is the folding mechanism. This is a system of levers, hinges and hinges that allow you to turn upholstered furniture into a full-fledged sleeping place. There are many such mechanisms invented and each of them works in its own way:
1. Book - folds with fixed loops. It is enough to raise the seat by 90 °, “filling up” the back, and when you hear a click, lower it into place. Similarly, the click-klyak mechanism works, but it still has a stopper in an intermediate reclining position.
2. Eurobook - only the back folds here, and the seat moves forward, making room for it.
3. Puma - the back remains motionless, the seat in an arc is pushed forward and pulls behind it a hidden soft block.
4. The accordion consists of series-connected elements: a seat and a folded backrest. Pulling the pillow forward, you pull the rest of the section - as if stretching the fur.
5. Roll-out - here is a double pillow lying on the seat. To spread out such a sofa you need to roll out the lower "shelf" forward and fold half of the folding mattress. The same principle of transformation is realized in telescopic sofas, only the soft seat leaves with the mobile unit on the guides and leans back.
6. Folding bed (American, French) - a real three-section folding bed with a soft segmented mattress and folding legs hides under the seat of such a sofa.
7. Verona and Dolphin - another variation on the topic of a folding bed, this time hidden in a sliding box. In the first case, it has two sections; in the second, only one - an additional pillow is simply pulled out of the loop up and placed on the slats.
8. Lit - not quite a full-fledged transformer, since only armrests are laid out here. Thanks to them, the length of the berth increases, but not the width.
There are still many different systems for folding sofas (pantograph, tik-tak, Meralat, Aleko, etc.), but their principles of operation are only a combination of the considered schemes.
Types of sofas
Divided into types of sofas based on their design, and more often - on the form. And each of the presented families can be complemented by a transformation mechanism that makes the furniture more functional, but does not change its appearance.
Straight lines
The easiest option is an elongated sofa for 2-4 seats, arranged in a single line. The seat can be a set of pillows (according to the number of people sitting) or be solid. The second option is preferred for folding models.
Pros:
- Simple and reliable design;
- Does not take up much space in the room;
- Can be placed against a wall or in the center of a room - for zoning;
- Convenient to use as a bed for one;
- The design allows for any type of transformation.
Minuses:
- The complexity of transportation - usually with such sofas nothing to remove;
- It is inconvenient to look at the interlocutor;
- Sitting on the edges of too long a sofa will not be able to reach, for example, a coffee table.
Straight sofas are ideal for "spectators" and "waiting." This model can be put at home in the TV zone or used in the office. The most compact copies are freely placed near the short wall in a small room (in the hall, on a loggia) or in the center of a spacious room, dividing it into semantic zones.
Corner
Compared with direct models, such designs look cumbersome, although in fact the L-shaped form allows you to place the maximum number of people in a small area. Corner sofas can have the same length of wings, although more often one of them is shorter than the other and is designed only for one seat. There are right-and left-sided asymmetrical models, but most manufacturers offer collapsible options with the ability to reorient the furniture in the right direction.
Pros:
- Spaciousness, including at the expense of an additional corner seat;
- Convenient form for sitting;
- The folding design simplifying transportation.
Minuses:
- Overall size;
- The design is not solid, and over time the connections of the modules may loosen.
Corner sofas should be chosen in cases where the maximum capacity of the furniture is required. This also applies to apartments where a large family lives (at least 4 people), and public places.
Compact L-shaped models have found their place in small kitchens, where all households gather at the table at the same time. This design allows you to leave a maximum of free space in the center for the dinner table, but freely accommodates all family members. Kitchen corners are divided into a separate group of upholstered furniture, since they have relatively high and shallow seats.
Selection options
Dimensions
Having defined the shape of the sofa, you can go to the details. First, decide what size the new furniture should be. Everything here is very individual and depends on the layout of the room, but there are a few rules that should be followed:
- Dimensions of the sofa are selected in accordance with the size of the room. In the spacious living room need furniture that does not get lost in a large area. And in the tiny kitchen or in the hallway the sofa should not take up too much space or block the passage.
- For transformers, you must also take into account the dimensions in the unfolded position.
- The sofa should go through the doorway - many people simply forget about it at the time of purchase.
- Models that will be used instead of beds come with a long main section - at least 180-200 cm without armrests.
- Before buying a kitchen sofa, you need to measure the height of the dining table. It is desirable that the distance from the seat to the table top be 30 (± 5) cm.
When choosing, it is also advisable to focus on family composition. If you often receive guests, count the number of adults in the house and add at least 2-3 seats to them - this will be the optimum capacity of the sofa.
Manufacturing materials
The strength and durability of the whole structure is determined by the frame material.Ideal if it is a natural array (beech, birch, in extreme cases, fir or pine) or metal tubes. Furniture that is not used extensively can be complemented or made entirely from plywood, MDF and chipboard. This solution is suitable for kitchen corners or compact sofas in the hallway, but in the nursery from such materials it is better to refuse because they are not completely safe and environmentally friendly.
The next stage is stuffing. The best filling material for soft elements of the sofa is considered to be PU foam, as it is durable and is able to withstand high loads, keeping the original volume. In the budgetary series of furniture foam is still used, but it quickly loses its shape and after 5-7 years crumbles into dust.
Upholstery materials are chosen not only on the principle of "like - do not like", but also taking into account the peculiarities of the operation of the sofa. The fabric should be moisture resistant if it is to be cleaned often, or breathable - if the household sits on the sofa for hours. For furniture that is used most intensively, the absence of a long nap on the upholstery is important: if it coils down after a year, the sofa will look sloppy.
Which sofa to choose
Here you have to make a start from the purpose of the sofa and the room where you plan to “lodge” it. Each room has its own requirements for upholstered furniture, because its functions are different:
In the living room
For a recreation area, it is better to choose a large corner model with high backs and armrests, as well as soft and deep seats. The frame is wooden, it is possible with additions of extruded plates. Order upholstery material to your taste, but it is better to have natural and breathable fabrics such as flax, cotton or wool, preferably with the addition of synthetic threads. The use of plush, velor, flock or velvet is allowed.
In the TV-zone is better to put a straight sofa for 2-3 seats. The frame can be any, but the metal allows manufacturers to make furniture more compact. The owners can choose the softness of the pillows, as well as the height of the backrest. But the material is better to take a dense and easily cleaned from stains - very few people watch TV without a plate of snacks and favorite drinks. Genuine leather or any substitute for it will suit; polyester and acrylic can be recommended from fabrics.
In the nursery
The child needs a compact and bright sofa, made entirely from safe materials: solid wood and hypoallergenic lint-free fabrics (linen, cotton, chenille). You will have to pay for good quality - it is better to look for children's furniture among products of famous and expensive brands. You should also pay attention to the shape and features of the decor of the sofa: there should not be protruding corners and hard edges about which the child can be injured during games.
In the kitchen
For the dining area, look for special kitchen corners with high seats (50 cm from the floor) and not too soft pillows. The frame is desirable to choose metal - chrome, painted or stainless steel. The tree is allowed, but it will require careful maintenance. It is better to have moisture-resistant varieties such as oak or larch, although such furniture is made only to order.
Many families are quite costing complete sets of laminated chipboard or laminated MDF. If you are ready in 5 years to completely change the soft headset, this approach is justified. Just look for a sofa with high cuts on the legs and carefully glued edges - the kitchen floor is often cleaned, and when water seeps into the thickness of the plate, pressing swells and quickly becomes unusable. In the small room immediately take a sofa with inner boxes or drawers under the seats. They will be able to store utensils and cereals, completely unloading the whole cabinet in the work area.
Before buying a kitchen sofa, ask about the characteristics of the upholstery. It must be moisture-resistant, do not accumulate odors and is easy to clean.Eco-leather, microfiber, and most synthetic fabrics will do a good job with this task, and on a colorful and durable tapestry spots will not be visible at all. You can buy a model with linen or cotton upholstery, if the fabric is treated with water-repellent impregnation.
Cost of sofas
1. The corner model for the living room from some "popular" manufacturer will cost 12-25 thousand rubles. In famous brands, the order of numbers on the price tags of another - from 100 to 200 thousand.
2. Direct models are a bit cheaper: 5–20 thousand rubles in the lower price segment and from 50,000 in the premium.
3. Prices for transforming structures are usually 15-50% higher than for non-folding counterparts.
4. You can find a children's sofa of good quality in the segment from 15 to 35 thousand rubles.
5. A simple kitchen corner can be bought for 3–8 thousand, luxury models already have a price tag from 20,000 to 40,000.
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