Corner sofas with a berth in the kitchen: varieties and tips for choosing
Quite often, instead of standard chairs, a corner sofa is installed in the kitchen, which also serves as a sleeping place. Such designs do not look good in all kitchens, as they have their own specifics.
Peculiarities
A corner sofa with a sleeping place is ideally located in a small kitchen. The versatility and peculiarity of the design itself makes it possible to correctly use the limited space, and most importantly, to use an unused corner in most cases. Often times, the kitchen sofa is equipped with storage boxes for linen, utensils or cooking accessories. Thus, just one piece of furniture provides an opportunity for sleeping, storing and eating.
The standard length of the sofa is up to 200 centimeters, and the width when unfolded reaches from 110 to 175 centimeters, but, of course, the dimensions may vary.
The backrest is in most cases flat, firmly fixed to the wall. The presence of armrests is variable. Preference should be given to models with them only if the area of the room allows. When choosing a corner sofa for the kitchen, it is equally important to position it successfully. The structure should not get in the way, but it should be easily and easily accessible. It is best to install a corner sofa near the window opposite the main kitchen set.
Advantages and disadvantages
A corner sofa for the kitchen has a number of important advantages. With drawers and other compartments that are very easy to access, the storage issue can be resolved. The folding mechanism provides an additional sleeping area that will come to the rescue when guests arrive. This piece of furniture is available in various sizes and shapes, and therefore the best option can be selected for any kitchen interior. Corner placement does not take away important free space, and the sofa itself is much more comfortable than standard chairs and stools.
The kitchen "corner" is very compact, and therefore is often used for space zoning. In principle, if you place it opposite the kitchen unit, then visually it will immediately be possible to distinguish between the work area and the area for eating, and therefore rest. Some people prefer to unfold the sofa so that its back faces the kitchen unit. In this case, again, there will be a distinction between the zone of food preparation and its consumption.
By the way, it is believed that the use of this type of sofa helps to preserve the cleanliness of the walls.
Nevertheless, the corner structure also has a number of disadvantages, the main of which is the high price. In most cases, the selection of a table for such non-standard furniture is problematic. If you try to save money and buy a sofa made from cheap materials, then it will suffer from the complex furnishings of the kitchen space. For example, it will absorb odors during cooking, and the upholstery may be damaged due to dripping of hot fat or increased vapors. The folding mechanism breaks down rather quickly with frequent use.
What are they?
There are several criteria according to which corner sofas for the kitchen are divided into separate groups. First of all, this is the frame, filler and upholstery, which will be discussed a little later. Besides, for a folding sofa, the folding mechanism is also important - "dolphin" or "accordion"... The first mechanism is considered to be more reliable and of high quality. The essence of its functioning lies in the fact that the narrow part does not move, but the wide one is pulled forward.
There is a block directly under the seat that becomes an integral part of the sofa itself. The result is a wide and comfortable surface that does not take up much of the room. The folding mechanism "accordion", in fact, is a large space, so it becomes no less comfortable to rest on it. However, when unfolded, it takes up a lot of space, which forces the owners to leave most of the kitchen free for transforming furniture.
Corner kitchen sofas also differ in the presence of additional functions. In this case, we are talking about the types of boxes, armrests, benches and, most importantly, the possibility or impossibility of folding the sofa to get a berth. Each of the elements increases the cost of the product, but makes it more comfortable.
Materials and fillers
Corner sofas for the kitchen are assembled from a frame, filler and upholstery, which, in turn, can be made of various materials. The frame is responsible for the reliability and durability of the structure; it is made either of metal or wood. The aluminum frame is light and durable, but it is quite expensive, and therefore it is not often used for this type of furniture. Other metals are also not very popular, since reliability is accompanied by high cost and heavy construction. A frame made of wood can serve its owners for quite a long time without problems if the assembly is carried out according to the instructions.
Nevertheless, it cannot be called budgetary either. To save money in this case is possible only by purchasing a corner sofa with a frame made of MDF or chipboard. The service life, however, cannot be long for a cheap product.
The padding determines how comfortable the seat will be to use. More often than not, kitchen sofas are stuffed with tough material and the back is kept straight and thin. However, there are also models filled with soft polyurethane, often reinforced with a fiber layer. It is customary to stuff budget sofas with foam rubber or polyurethane foam. Foam rubber breaks down for several years, after which it has to be changed. A material such as holofiber has proven itself well. Although it resembles ordinary padding polyester balls, the material does not absorb moisture, mold and does not lose shape.
When choosing upholstery, it is important to ensure that it is easy to care for, it does not absorb unnecessary odors and blends harmoniously with the existing interior. The upholstery made of artificial and sometimes natural leather is considered quite popular. Its surface is difficult to stain, and care is carried out using a regular damp cloth. Unfortunately, in hot weather, sitting on such a "corner" is not very comfortable, and it is quite expensive. Among other materials, experts recommend giving preference to jacquard with a short pile or dense and high-quality chenille. We must not forget that it is better to choose designs with removable covers, which, if necessary, can be easily tidied up in the washing machine.
Eco-leather is an affordable material with high performance characteristics. The surface is air permeable due to the presence of small pores, and therefore perfectly manifests itself in the summer season. In winter, the low thermal conductivity of the material also turns out to be a significant advantage of the material. To clean the eco-leather, it is enough to wipe it with a damp cloth, and remove strong dirt with ordinary soap. The disadvantage of this material is its insufficient strength, since any cutting object will irrevocably damage the upholstery.
Genuine leather is more expensive than eco-leather, but it serves its owners for a much longer time and is more durable. However, as mentioned above, high temperatures make it difficult to use such a "corner". In winter, with severe frosts, the skin can become hardened. Popular materials are modern materials capable of "pushing" liquid, dirt and grease that get inside. For households with pets, it is recommended to purchase sofas with an anti-claw effect.
It is not recommended to use velor and velvet for the kitchen, because despite regular cleaning, the materials still absorb odors. In the event that the "corner" is nevertheless regularly used for sleeping, an unpleasant amber will cause quite a lot of trouble.
Dimensions (edit)
A corner sofa for the kitchen should be small, as its main task is to create a comfortable seating area. The height of the back of a small module ranges from 80 to 95 centimeters, although sometimes it reaches 100 centimeters. The height of the seating position ranges from 40 to 50 centimeters, and its depth reaches 70 centimeters. The length of the folding sofa ranges from 180 to 200 centimeters, but if there is no need to create an additional bed, then you can reduce it to a gap of 110-140 centimeters. Of course, the most comfortable sofa will be the one that is made according to individual parameters.
How to choose?
The choice of a sofa for the kitchen is based on several criteria. Its size should ideally "fit" into the space allocated for it, without interfering with the movement and use of kitchen equipment. The upholstery meets the basic requirements for the material, that is, it is easy to clean and does not absorb odors. It is important to take into account that the correct filler is dense and non-deformable, as this largely determines the durability of the structure.
In addition, even in the store, you will have to inspect the selected copy from all sides to check that there are no protruding threads, sloppy folds or other defects.
The dolphin model must necessarily have spring-closers, and the accordion model must fit in an open state in a free area. If the choice is made in favor of a model with spacious boxes for storing things, then it is better to choose such a design, the lifting mechanism of which is located on the side. In this case, the dining table will not interfere with opening the sofa and taking out the necessary items. Since the kitchen is most often a small room, it is better to choose light and monochromatic palettes that look as natural as possible.
In principle, the uniformity or the presence of patterns is determined depending on the style of the kitchen interior. In classic cuisine, both options look appropriate, models with national ornaments organically fit into ethnic spaces, and for minimalism and hi-tech it is better to choose monochrome options. A corner sofa in a room can become a necessary bright accent, so it can be of any color - from red to black. It is important that the color of the sofa matches the color of the walls. Visually, the furniture should not overload the kitchen in any way, but accommodate all family members.
For information on how to choose the right corner sofa with a berth in the kitchen, see the next video.