Modular living room furniture: types and options in the interior
The living room is a place where people relax every day, chat with friends, and arrange celebrations. The room should be furnished with maximum comfort, while the interior should be pleasing to the eye. Modular furniture is a modern and practical solution. Consider the features of such a setting, its varieties and nuances of choice.
Advantages and disadvantages
Modular systems are an innovation that has expanded design possibilities in home improvement. They are a collection of items that can be purchased in any quantity and placed in any order. Modular walls and sofas are often purchased for the living room.
The advantages of such furniture have already been appreciated by many users.
- Diversity. Modules have different sizes, shapes and purposes. You can purchase several of the same elements or take different ones (depending on your needs), which will make it easy to compose furniture sets for both large and small rooms.
- Style. Modules of each series are made in the same design. This means that regardless of the number of elements and their location in the room, the furnishings will be harmonious and stylish.
- Practicality. Since each piece of furniture is selected separately, the set is as convenient and functional as possible. Also, you don't have to purchase all of the items at once. You can buy and install the most needed items first, and add the rest gradually.The main thing is to buy all modules from one manufacturer so that the design is the same.
- Mobility. All modules can be installed anywhere. You can connect them to each other, creating the illusion of a single design, or use them separately. Moreover, all elements can be interchanged at will. The harmony of the set will not be disturbed, which will make it easy to "update" the decor of the room.
- Visual lightness... Cabinet models are often bulky, so they are not suitable for small living rooms. Modern modular systems not only allow the most convenient distribution of modules over the area of the room, but also seem to be more compact. Separate placement of elements makes the interior light, and the space - more free.
- Ease of use. No special skills for installing and reinstalling modules are required.
- Availability... There is a wide range of modular living room designs on the market. These are both elite expensive models and nice budget options. A buyer with an average income may well afford to furnish a room with beautiful and practical furniture.
There are no drawbacks to modular designs. We can only note a more complex calculation of the kit's dimensions.
If, when choosing a body wall, you can immediately find out the size of the product, then here you will have to add together the parameters of each selected element.
Varieties of designs
Modern manufacturers offer different furniture sets, consisting of modules. The most common option is a wall. Depending on the design, it can be a set of smooth minimalistic blocks combined into different hanging and floor structures, or a set of independent pieces of furniture made in the same style and color scheme. Moreover, each element has its own purpose. Let's consider the main modules.
- High base cabinet (swing or sliding wardrobe). It can be a dress model with a barbell or a pencil case with shelves for linen.
- Showcase. A cabinet with glass doors is designed to display beautiful tableware and souvenirs.
- Small hanging cabinets. You can store any personal items in them.
- Shelving units and separate open shelves. They are used to place books, photo albums, discs, awards, fresh flowers, and various design details.
- Dresser. This is a design consisting of several pull-out roomy drawers. They can be used to store clothes, linen or other items.
- Curbstone. This item can also hold a couple of crates or open compartments. However, unlike a chest of drawers, the cabinet is lower. Due to this, you can put a TV on it.
- Table. Most often it is a desk or computer desk, but some models can be transformed into a dining option. This solution will be successful in a small living room.
Upholstered furniture can also be modular. Thanks to individual elements, an ordinary sofa can be converted into a structure with an ottoman, into several separate armchairs or poufs. In this case, you can take blocks of the same color, or different ones.
In the latter case, you will get not only a comfortable, but also an original resting place.
Manufacturing materials
Solid wood
For the manufacture of luxury furniture, noble materials are used, including an array of valuable wood species. These are pine, oak, birch, ash, beech and other varieties. Such items are environmentally friendly and durable. They look solid, are durable and durable.
The tree is varnished, if it is necessary to preserve the natural shade and texture, or paint. In some styles, the second option is preferable. Patina can be used for decoration. Often, wooden elements are art cut. Such facades look very elegant.
Chipboard, MDF
The middle class of modular furniture is made of chipboard and MDF. The first option can even be attributed to the economy category.In its production, formaldehydes are used, which make the material more resistant to the environment. It is believed that the fumes emanating from furniture do not bring tangible harm to a person, but many try to make a choice in favor of the second material. MDF is considered to be of higher quality and safer. Sometimes both options are combined.
Veneer or film is used as a decorative finish. Some high quality veneered products can be difficult to distinguish from natural wood. This allows people of all income levels to purchase elegant furnishings. Laminated surfaces are relevant in modern interiors. Thanks to the film, the material can acquire any shade, become matte or glossy. On the models of the Art Nouveau style, at the request of the customer, various drawings are made.
Photo printing allows you to decorate products with both ordinary patterns and realistic paintings.
Glass, mirrors
Glass elements make furniture more elegant and also allow for a variety of designs. Glass can be transparent, frosted or colored. It all depends on the style and design. As for the mirrors, then they can even visually enlarge the room, creating the illusion of extra space. Mirrors can also be additionally decorated with, for example, sandblasted patterns. Custom-made furniture with this decor becomes truly exclusive.
Metal
Metal is used for fastening internal, as well as some small external parts. The classics are characterized by metal fittings in gold and bronze. Chromed elements are used in modern models.
Fabrics, leather
For upholstery of upholstered furniture, you can choose natural or artificial leather, and also one of the durable materials that manufacturers offer in their catalogs. These are chenille, jacquard, flock, velor and other options. They all differ in texture, colors and cost.
Fillers for upholstered furniture
Used as fillers foam rubber, holofiber, polyurethane foam, synthetic winterizer, durafil, latex. Spring blocks are still popular. Sometimes these fillers are combined. Due to this, manufacturers achieve optimal rigidity and convenience.
Color and design
Shades of modular walls are varied.
- White color - one of the most popular options, which is not surprising. Such furniture always looks stylish. This color is associated with purity, freshness, spaciousness. Even large snow-white structures seem light and weightless. For a small room, this is ideal.
- You can choose another light shade - beige. It is a versatile color. There is no coldness in it, as in whiteness. On the contrary, the interior with such items seems warm and cozy at home. Creamy, caramel tones look good in both gloss and matte.
Good in beige and woody textures (for example, the shade "milk oak").
- Brown Is another wonderful calm color. If the living room is spacious and decorated in light colors, wenge-colored furniture will look just fine in it. You can combine this tone with beige. The combination will turn out to be very expressive.
- Black is often paired with white... Such a striking contrast is appropriate in a modern setting. A completely black wall is a risky choice. If the design is made up of a large number of modules, the result may look bleak.
However, if the wall is small, and the room is spacious and light, you can choose this design. Glass and lighting will help make the headset more interesting.
- Headsets of bright colors are appropriate only in living rooms decorated in a modern style (classic assumes calm tones). Red, blue, green, purple, yellow and other rich colors usually complement the basic tone (white, black, gray). If the shade is muted, all modules may be the same.For example, cherry or pistachio color can look very noble.
As for the colors of upholstered furniture, the choice is huge. These are both monochrome models and printed versions. You can combine two monochromatic materials in one product. You can combine a monochromatic version with a variegated pattern. The main thing is not to overdo it with the choice of the original colors.
If wallpaper with patterns is pasted in the room, it is better to choose one-color upholstered furniture.
Use in different styles
Classic
Classic furniture sets have a vintage design. Used as material wood or veneer boards. Calm, natural colors (beige, brown). Furniture can be discreet and elegant or pompous and luxurious. In the first case, the decor is limited to moldings, cornices, simple carved patterns.
In the second case, gilding and curly legs are connected. Objects are obtained more graceful and elegant, as in the apartments of the royal palace.
It is worth highlighting the trend that is fashionable today - neoclassicism. It combines classic and modern features. There are also carved decor, exquisite fittings, but the furniture seems to be lighter. There is a lot of glass in such headsets, white color, sandblasted patterns are often used. You can also find models in a stylish shade of coffee with milk.
Basically, classic living room sets are separate elements (wardrobes, showcases, chests of drawers, and so on). They can be combined into one large structure, combined with small wall cabinets, shelves, or installed separately in the room. Symmetry is usually maintained. However, if the neoclassical direction is chosen, you can also compose an original composition.
Provence, country
"Rustic" styles are mainly used for decorating country houses, although there are exceptions. Such furniture also has a touch of vintage, but here the design is as simple as possible. Country is a rougher direction. It assumes woody textures (mostly dark shades), lack of decor.
Provence is more romantic... Furniture in this style is painted in light colors (white, blue, beige, pale gray, pistachio). Curly legs, small carved elements can take place here.
The fittings in both styles imitate bronze.
Scandinavian style
This direction of interior design is very popular in Europe today. Simplicity, comfort and functionality are the main qualities of such an environment. Scandinavian style suggests an abundance of white, which is why furniture usually has this color.
Often, whiteness is combined with natural beige shades of wood. This makes the interior more cozy and warm. There is no decor, the facades are usually smooth, the fittings are compact. The legs, which are found in many headsets, add even more lightness to the furniture.
Minimalism, hi-tech
All living room sets in these styles are modular. This is logical, because modern trends should keep up with the times and include all design innovations. The main principle of such furniture is brevity. As a rule, these are sets of smooth matte or glossy rectangles or squares. In combination with open compartments of the same shape and shelves, they create futuristic compositions.
It is very easy to make a living room in this style unique, because you can arrange the blocks in any order. For more effect, you can combine two or three colors in one headset (for example, black, gray and turquoise). The black and white combination is very effective. Glass (often darkened) and backlighting may be present as additional decorations.
Modern
Those who find the two previous styles too cold and restrained can choose modern. Here modern forms are combined with any decor options.Any color combinations are acceptable, wood textures are welcome.
Such modules do not have to be strict... They can be decorated with photo printing, patterned glass. Often, different colors are combined in one element (more often beige and wenge, but other options are also possible). As for modular sofas, such models are suitable for both minimalism and modernity.
As a rule, these are designs with or without soft armrests. Materials and colors are varied.
Subtleties of placement
When choosing headset modules, you need to immediately decide where the items will be placed. In most cases, the headset is placed against a long wall. In the center, a place is allocated for a TV zone (if the owners are watching TV). The equipment is placed on a curbstone or hung on the wall, and modules are placed around in random order.
However, there are times when the layout does not allow a large number of pieces of furniture to be placed against one wall. In this case, you can use the corner by concentrating the modules in it.
Another option that is suitable for small spaces is distribute the elements of the headset throughout the room. For example, you can put a cabinet and a pencil case on one wall, and a large showcase or chest of drawers on the other. In this case, it is worthwhile to draw a plan of the room in advance, taking into account its size and other existing furniture, and schematically arrange the modules that you are going to buy on it. It is important that all the elements fit into the living room without creating a feeling of clutter and not interfering with free movement in space.
If the headset layout is linear (against one wall), also it is better to think in advance in what order the modules will be located. If classic is chosen, follow the principle of symmetry. If the room is decorated in a modern style, you can create a fantasy composition. It is advisable to combine closed blocks with open ones. Shelves and shelves will add variety to the design and make the headset visually lighter. Glass modules will create the same effect.
If your furniture set includes additional items (such as a dining or coffee table), take them too, which will help create the perfect atmosphere in the room.
As for the modular sofa, its location depends on the area of the room, furnishings and personal preferences of the owners. It can stand opposite the TV area or in the corner, it can be permanently assembled, or, conversely, be distributed throughout the hall in the form of separate seating areas.
How to choose?
When choosing furniture, it is recommended to take all items from one series from one manufacturer. This is the only way to get a harmoniously decorated living room. In addition, there are several important points to consider.
- Style. Furniture design should match the interior.
- Colour... If the living room is not large, it is better to opt for a light set of furniture. An exception can be made if there are few modules, and the room is decorated in white or beige. If the hall is spacious, the color of the furniture can be any. In this case, it is worth starting from the wall decoration (contrasts look more effective) and personal taste.
- Size and number of blocks... As already mentioned, it is better to first make calculations in order to find out how much space you can allocate for furniture. Decide where the modules will be located, specify the sizes of all the blocks you are interested in.
- Functionality... Think about what you will store in the wall (outerwear, underwear, dishes, documents, or something else). Decide if you need a TV niche built into the wall of the workstation. Based on this, determine which modules are most important to you (wardrobe, chest of drawers, showcase, etc.). Write them down first. Then, if space permits, you can add shelves for decor and other secondary elements.
- Price... If the question of money is not important to you, you can consider the products of well-known brands offering luxury expensive furniture. If your budget is tight, opt for less popular firms. You can save money by excluding the illumination of glass cabinets, sandblasting glass, patina from the project. But you shouldn't save on quality. Pre-read reviews of furniture owners from companies you are interested in. If you wish, you can find inexpensive, but quite decent products.
Successful examples
Elegant snow-white furniture in style neoclassicism makes the interior elegant and sophisticated. If all things are distributed among cabinets in other places, decorating the area with airy display cases and open shelves will be an excellent solution.
Scandinavian style - the embodiment of simplicity and comfort. Small closed modules merge with the light wall, as if dissolving in space. The table, made in the same design, becomes the perfect finishing touch to a harmonious interior composition.
The combination of traditional Japanese style and modern minimalism - a good design idea. The arrangement of the small modules separately creates a sense of spaciousness and impeccable order. On the other wall, you can put a wardrobe, which will hide in itself all the things that are not intended for prying eyes.
Black glossy blocks look spectacular against the background of a light wall. This is an excellent choice for those who prefer restraint and laconic furnishings.
Juicy cherry tone transforms the room, makes it interesting. The perfect combination of the color of the furniture with the decoration of the room speaks of the good taste of the owners of the house.
Careful selection of shades allows you to harmoniously combine even as many as 5 colors in one typeface. Light and dark gray, blue, white and muted yellow clearly show that minimalism is not always strict. The furnishings around the wall are in gray, but blue or snow-white elements would also fit well here.
For an overview of the modular furniture set, see the following video.