Sofas for the kitchen: a variety of models and recommendations for choosing
Modern cuisine is not only the place where food is prepared. They try to equip the kitchen space for maximum convenience. If the room allows, even sofas are placed there, and their choice is not as simple as it might seem.
Peculiarities
The most common problem in this part of the house is the lack of space. And this is usually the case in an apartment building. However, just picking up a very modest in size or equipped with a transformation mechanism is not all. For a kitchen sofa, it is extremely important to resist the specific conditions of this room, for example, to high humidity or dirt.
Therefore, you will have to abandon not only an oversized ottoman or sofa, but also products with heavily soiled materials.
Another nuance that should not escape attention - functionality of upholstered kitchen furniture... It must not only improve the appearance of the room, but also give it additional opportunities.
A sofa is a great opportunity to place guests in the kitchen during tea drinking, to retire in the evening with a cup of tea and an interesting book, to organize a temporary sleeping place, if the need arises. And of course, the sofa should be combined with other furniture and correspond to the general style of the room.
Types and functionality
Manufacturers can offer a huge variety of upholstered kitchen furniture. The straight sofa is a real classic. This form is simple and convenient. It is often believed that such a design will take up a lot of space. but with the right selection, you can harmoniously fit it into any interior.
A single sofa will not suit everyone. After all, the whole family usually gathers in the kitchen, and even a lonely person is periodically visited by guests. That's why much more in demand for double and triple models.
In a small room, it is very good to use a built-in two-seater sofa.
Among these versions, shortened copies are the most convenient.
But the elite soft type is more suitable for large-sized kitchens. Therefore, it is used mainly by residents of new buildings and cottages. Such products do not necessarily have significant dimensions. Relatively small sofas can make an equally chic impression if they have an exotic shape.
Deserve special attention high back models. This design meets all the basic requirements of ergonomics. Provides head and neck support while relaxing the back muscles. Sometimes there are even designs with headrests that increase the surface on which the head rests. In this case, the pillows are raised using a special mechanism.
They are very popular these days modular designs. Their important advantage is the ability to combine several functions at once. There are models that combine:
- a place for sitting;
- miniature bar;
- additional boxes and other details.
But no less often, to form a comfortable cozy atmosphere, it is used transforming sofa. They allow you to guarantee the same comfort during the day and at night. When folded, the structure will not take up much space and at the same time will provide all the possibilities for quality family leisure. Modern transforming products are created taking into account:
- target destination;
- features of operation;
- total area of space;
- interior nuances;
- individual preferences and material opportunities.
- The oldest and well-deserved version of transformers are "Books". The peak of their popularity came in the last years of the twentieth century. But even the appearance of a number of more promising designs had little effect on the demand for books. They still have hundreds of thousands of adherents. The undoubted advantages of the "book" scheme are:
- convenience for sleeping and relaxing during the day;
- the presence of a capacious box for various things;
- minimum required space;
- mechanical fortress;
- long service life.
- But such a sofa can harm the floor covering if handled carelessly. Further development of the "books" was the execution "Click-gag", so named for its unusual sound when laid out. Users quickly appreciated the ability to fold out the backrest in several positions at once. Another good option for transformers is the so-called roll-out models (including the popular Eurobooks).
Their characteristic feature is the equipping of the seat with wheels that make it easy to roll back the structure.... This solution reduces the risk of floor collapse and allows you to equip the sofa with a capacious linen drawer. At the same time, the berth is spacious and completely flat.
Some manufacturers supply sofas with orthopedic elements. The difference between them lies in the type of filler and in the level of its hardness. It is advisable to distinguish between furniture and the type of upholstery. As for the corner transforming sofas, they appeared somewhat later than the "book" and "eurobook". However, consumers almost immediately discovered how good such furniture is in everyday life.
- Even the common name "dolphin" has appeared. Corner transformers fold out conveniently and simply, allow you to provide a huge (in relation to other models) sleeping space.
Due to its chic appearance and large seating area, you can use such furniture even in a spacious room.
- Deserves attention and sofas "accordions", which are found in both the economical and expensive segments. The advantages of "accordions" are:
- simplicity and ease of layout;
- a significant amount of berth;
- ease of repairing the main mechanism.
- But engineering thought does not stand still. Relatively recently, this type of sofa has appeared, such as pantograph... When it is laid out, there is no contact with the floor, which excludes its damage. Note that the pantograph serves for a long time and is quite practical.
- The puma system is appreciated for its simplicity and ease of layout. It is advisable to use such a sofa if it is supposed to be opened daily. There are both straight and angular cougars.
- But even better is a design called "Konrad". Its peculiarity is that the back does not participate in the creation of the sleeping area.
Innovation is evident not only in the use of the transformer circuit. Currently, you can buy a sofa, where there is a bar cabinet or mini-buffet. In the kitchen, such products turn out to be quite logical. Combined furniture of this kind can be placed in the corner and in the middle of the room.
Quite often there are sofas without armrests. Such products are externally beautiful and very functional. When folded, they are compact, while after the layout they will serve as a full-fledged place to sleep. Almost any sliding structure is equipped with a drawer (sometimes more than one), which allows you to store bed linen. Models without armrests can have the most original shapes.
The absence of hard edges and sharp corners is extremely important if children will use the sofa.
Rejection of armrests allows you to fit furniture into any interior... You can find matching models in any store. Most often there are slippers (this is the name for ordinary straight sofas that fit perfectly into small rooms). They are equipped with built-in pillows.
If in the first place is not practicality, but originality, you should pay attention to the sofa table. However, in terms of practical properties, this product turns out to be quite good - a number of reviews testify to this. The modular sofa table is able to combine not only two, but even four functions. Modules are rearranged if necessary and simply at will, thus obtaining a completely new solution. But sofa-tables can also be made according to a folding scheme; they differ from modular ones in greater visual solidity.
The fixed version of the sofa also deserves attention.... It is such a product that is usually equipped with a high back and a flat seat. Dimensions can vary greatly, which allows you to choose a copy for a specific area. Regardless of the size, the non-folding design will be relatively cheap. Savings are achieved due to the absence of complex mechanical elements.
Roll-out sofas are considered by some experts in the furniture industry to be the most reliable and practical solution.
The withdrawable mechanism most often turns out to be simple rollers... The difference in the height of the extendable parts is corrected by the different thicknesses of the pillow filling. The mechanism is set in motion easily and simply, without excessive physical effort.
Some manufacturers also offer lightweight type of sofa. It features a simple design with no additional parts. A characteristic feature of these models is their suitability for almost any kitchen interiors. The main thing is that the type and size of the finished product is taken into account.... Some lightweight sofas are equipped with drawers.
To create an unusual effect, it can be useful radius sofa. Similar designs are made in both monolithic and modular versions.
Semicircular furniture will only look good in rooms with thoughtful furnishings; professional designers may have to work on this.
In spacious rooms, models will look harmonious, made in the form of the letter P. It is these products that turn out to be very convenient and practical, while at the same time helping to properly organize the living space. An optimal balance of functionality and external beauty is achieved. You can refuse a separate coffee table if a corner surface or a table built into the armrests is provided. After laying out the U-shaped furniture, a decent sleeping area is found.
Shapes and sizes
When assessing the size of a sofa, it must be remembered that its dimensions in the folded and unfolded states can differ significantly. In a small room, it is very important to leave free passage in all desired directions. When furniture takes up all the free space, it is not just inconvenient, but sometimes also threatens with injuries. The width of commercially available products ranges from 0.9 to 2.1 m.The length of the sofa can be 1.5-2 m.
The double type is more common than others, because it is very compact. Such a piece of furniture can be placed both in a modest room and in a very large room. Typical dimensions are 1.7 m long and 0.8 to 1 m wide. Three-seater structures are longer - up to 2, and sometimes up to 2.5 m. Lorries, they are also children's sofas, vary - from 0.9 to 2 m in length.
The most popular are designs with dimensions of 1.8x2 or 1.8x2.2 m. The U-shaped type does not always have a folding mechanism. This affects the cost of the finished product. A semicircular sofa may not be so practical, but it will certainly attract everyone's attention. But you should carefully consider the interior.
So that the sofa does not seem outwardly contradictory in a semicircle, does not stand out from the overall composition, it is imperative to complement it with accessories with radial contours.
The round type of furniture also deserves attention. True, you can use it fully only in a very large kitchen.
Materials (edit)
In addition to the shape and size, you need to take into account the materials that are used to make the sofa. A luxurious classic solution - the so-called couch couches. Similar designs began to be created in France in the 18th century, and their designers knew a lot about elite exquisite furniture. By the end of the next century, the popularity of this finishing method became simply gigantic in all European countries.
The capitonné technique (this is its second name) allows you to create a chic look and embody the real charm of France without any restrictions.
Curiously, the carriage coupler was borrowed by the furniture industry from horse saddle makers. The size of a particular piece of furniture does not matter. When using a carriage finish, it will look equally nice and beautiful. The tie can be made in the form of rhombuses and squares, buttons are often used. As for the main part of the sofa, in the overwhelming majority of cases it is made of wooden parts.
For many millennia, wood has proven its indisputable perfection. A high-quality durable material will serve people consistently if it is resistant to the known unfavorable parameters of the kitchen environment. Periodically, wicker sofas are used, which are light and pleasant, creating a beautiful environment. But it is desirable to complement them in the form of harmoniously combined accessories and a certain style in which wicker furniture is appropriate, for example, Provence or rustic.
Forged furniture has a noble graceful appearance, but its use is severely limited due to the weight of the metal. The compromise is the models in which forging is used only in single parts.
As far as upholstery is concerned, cotton is an almost win-win option.This is a completely safe fabric, in addition to being moisture resistant.
In order for the service life to be longer, the matter will have to be impregnated with special compounds.
Jacquard is appreciated for its spectacular relief and excellent density. Jacquard fabrics perfectly tolerate the effects of ultraviolet rays, which is very important in rooms facing south. The best option is multilayer jacquards with the introduction of gold or silver thread... True, the cost of such products turns out to be very high. Thanks to the antistatic impregnation, the accumulation of dirt is very slow.
A good alternative can be considered tapestry... Such fabric can last a long time. Wherein it is imperative to exclude direct contact with ultraviolet rays.
Alternatively, consider:
- skin;
- silk;
- arpatek;
- scotchguard;
- flock.
Where to place?
Much depends on the performance of a particular product. So, things with a laconic design (without armrests, in the spirit of minimalism) are recommended to be placed in the dining area, near the table. Disassembled sofas cannot be put in this place. But they can become a complete addition to the leisure area. This solution is perfect for studio apartments.
Corner furniture is placed either near the table, or close to the bay window. But it is no less logical to put it in a corner. Direct modifications are mainly placed along free walls or near windows. When the area of the room is large, there is no need to necessarily combine a sofa and a dining area, in which case it is better suited for a rest area. The narrowest rooms are advised to be equipped with two single sofas, set opposite each other.
Design options
A stylish designer sofa will significantly improve the appearance of the room. But it is imperative to take into account which room the furniture will be in.
- Flawless classics implies a clear choice of the main object around which the entire interior is built. Use beautiful textiles as complements. The logical choice would be textiles of the same color, combined with curtains or other interior detail. The modern style allows the use of materials of any origin, the main attention is paid to their practical parameters and texture.
- Hi-tech style you can use sofas of an interesting configuration, to which the corresponding furniture and other accessories should become a harmonious addition. Tables with metal elements and glass tops, leather upholstery of sofas are perfect. Preferred colors: white, gray, black. You can make bright accents, for example, using red.
- For Provence design light elegant sofas with floral upholstery are suitable, pieces of furniture with rounded shapes will look good. Sofas can be either corner or sofa-like. Framed pictures, original floor lamps, bouquets in vases will complement the interior.
Choosing a color scheme
The variety of tones of upholstered kitchen furniture is so great that the choice must be made based on your own preferences and the chosen style. You just need to remember that colors should be combined with each other. It is not recommended to mix more than three primary colors.
The kitchen looks beautiful in beige tones with the addition of white and brown. The combination of black and red looks bright and stylish. Orange and peach tones give comfort and coziness. Blue and green are organically combined.
If the sofa is selected in a certain shade, then it is desirable that some other design element is combined with it, for example, curtains or a tablecloth.
When choosing a color scheme, you need to choose such shades so that they do not get bored in a month, and it was pleasant to be in the kitchen - both to cook and to relax.
How to choose?
It is not difficult to buy a comfortable beautiful sofa with today's variety. But you can choose the right one for a particular kitchen, taking into account certain nuances:
- general style of the interior;
- the size of the room in which you want to place the sofa;
- convenience of design - which sofa is more suitable: sliding, folding, roll-out;
- how many people it is designed for;
- which modification is more convenient - straight, angular, original shape, with additional elements.
The choice is individual. Only after deciding what the sofa should be, you can start looking for the one you need.
In the store, of course, you should carefully study how durable the sofa is, whether it can be easily expanded, whether all the details are in place, whether it is convenient to use.
Advice
It is necessary to take into account some points that can help when choosing. A corner sofa is not always practical. In a small room, sometimes it is not possible to find a free corner. A good solution then is to place a straight sofa near the wall.
Experts advise to choose models with the least number of parts.
It is imperative to evaluate the reliability and stability of the frame. The most durable structures are made of steel. Wood turns out to be a little worse, and chipboard is considered the worst choice.
It is better to choose a sofa with simpler mechanisms and designs. Such furniture can be repaired by yourself if necessary. In addition, you should pay attention to the warranty period given by the store.
For tips on choosing a sofa, see the following video.