Small sofa beds: varieties and selection criteria

A small sofa is a godsend for a small apartment. It almost does not take up space during the day, and at night the transformation mechanism allows it to acquire a full double bed.

It is a mistake to think that size diminishes the chances of product variety. Compact models can be used in a living room, bedroom, children's room, kitchen and even a hallway. They are also acquired in spacious rooms when they form a recreation area from various pieces of upholstered furniture. They can perfectly complement a large sofa or keep a company of several small ones.

A small sofa bed differs from a large model only in size, in the variety of types it is in no way inferior. According to the form and design features, the product can be divided into several types.

The most common type of upholstered furniture, endowed with a flat frame and installed against the wall. The sofa may or may not have armrests, has a folding berth, has a linen box.

If a corner in a small room is allocated to the recreation area, soft miniature structures made in the shape of the letter "L" help out. They are also endowed with a sleeping place and a storage box.

Such models have equal upholstery on all sides, which allows them to be displayed in the center of the room.

These are spectacular sofas created for extraordinary interiors. The frame of such a product is a flexible line that has no corners.Models can look like the letter "C" or half a circle.

The sofa consists of several modules that can be installed as you like: in one line, with the letter "G", lay out a sleeping place from them.

Modern transformation mechanisms help turn a small sofa into a full-fledged sleeping place. Most often this happens by folding the structure forward, but there are other ways. To familiarize yourself with them, we propose to consider various transformation mechanisms.

The system is borrowed from Soviet sofas. When unfolding, a certain effort is applied, it is necessary to raise and push the back. The transformation will require a gap between the wall and the furniture. The width of the sofa doubles and, due to the high backrest, can create enough space for sleeping. But it should be borne in mind that the length will not change after transforming the mini-model.

With a simple movement of the hand, the sofa can be disassembled into a comfortable voluminous bed with a thick seamless mattress. To decompose it, it is enough to slightly raise the seat and pull it towards you.

Reliable sturdy mechanism, gently "pacing" out of the sofa. It has no rollers and does not break the carpet. Folds out forward protruding the entire length of the berth.

French folding mechanism capable of holding the product in three versions: sitting, lying, reclining. It unfolds forward, making sounds similar to two clicks - "click" and "gag".

The transformation is very easy, the berth is rolled out on rollers and placed on special brackets. The mechanism is reliable, recommended for daily unfolding.

The material of the sofa is not limited to the upholstery. Inside, the structure consists of a frame, a folding mechanism and a filler. All components for manufacture require different types of materials, and they should be considered separately.

The durability of the model, as well as its cost, depends on the quality of the frame. A real durable product can be made from hard varieties of trees - larch, walnut, oak, maple. To reduce the cost of construction, less durable wood is used, for example, pine.

Pressed plywood, chipboard or MDF will be even cheaper. Of the last two materials, it is better to choose finely dispersed fraction (MDF) slabs - they form a stronger and safer base. Chipboard (chipboard) consists of coarse shavings, which are impregnated with hazardous adhesives and are capable of emitting toxic fumes at high ambient temperatures.

Most types of lifting and folding mechanisms are made of metal. Some of them, such as the "accordion", require a reinforced metal frame. Such products are especially durable and can transform daily.

The filler, like the frame, affects the durability of the sofa. Low-quality material will quickly sag, and the entire product will become unusable. In addition, thanks to the variety of models, you can choose a comfortable, seamless mattress with orthopedic properties. There are several types of fillers.

• Spring loaded... They are divided into two categories: dependent ("bonnel") and independent blocks. All springs of the first design are interconnected in a solid block. It can withstand a lot of weight, but cannot redistribute the load, and this affects the comfort of the mattress. All springs of an independent unit are independent elements, each of them is packed in a case. They shrink only in the place where the load is going, and do not pull the entire mattress with them.
• Polyurethane foam (PPU). A porous substance, 90% filled with air. A high-quality anti-fungal filler is safe, durable, and quickly regains its shape.For the sofa, you should use expensive types of polyurethane foam.
• Latex. The most expensive material is made on the basis of natural rubber with the addition of inhibitors. Elastic, wear-resistant, resilient filler, suitable for orthopedic mattresses.
• Holofiber. Consists of soft fluffy lumps, hygienic, breathable, does not absorb odors, quickly regains its shape. But too soft to be used alone. It is used as a component with more durable materials to make the sofa more comfortable.

If the small sofa is for the kitchen, the best upholstery option would be leatherette or fabrics with water-repellent impregnation - they do not absorb water and dirt. Unfortunately, such products do not allow air to pass through, so for the rest of the premises it is better to choose durable, safe and "breathable" materials, such as jacquard, flock, tapestry, matting... But you need to remember that the threads are easily pulled out of the matting, such sofas are not suitable for families with animals.

Small sofas have different dimensions and methods of transformation, this should be taken into account by the future owner, since the unfolded model may not be in size for him.

A small sofa has the following parameters: length 139 cm, depth 74 cm.The product unfolds forward 180 cm.If you subtract the dimensions of the handrails and add a high back, the berth in its pure form can be 120 by 180 cm, that is, have the dimensions of a half-double bed ... To transform a double bed (160x200 cm), the sofa should be chosen without handrails, 160 cm long.

Choosing a sofa, you need to understand for yourself the tasks that he has to solve. If you just need to fill in a free wall, a model is purchased that is suitable in size and style.

A different attitude to the product with the possibility of transformation. It is important to know how many people will use the berth, what height and weight they are, how often the sofa will have to be disassembled.

Using the structure as a bed, you should take care of a comfortable mattress, for example, orthopedic on a latex basis or with independent springs. You can choose the "accordion" system, it has a mattress at least 20 cm thick.

The furniture industry produces a large number of small sofas for different rooms, they can be matched in shape, color and style to any setting. To be convinced of this, let's look at examples of how compact upholstered furniture integrates into interiors:

• designer sofa for a minimalist setting;

• island group of upholstered furniture;

• avant-garde sofas;

• cozy model with a click-and-gag mechanism;

• a small corner piece took its place on the podium;

• beautiful compact model in Italian style;

• radius sofa bed unfolded.

Miniature sofas of beautiful shapes and colors are very attractive and can decorate any interior. The ability to transform into a comfortable bed makes them even more desirable.

See below for an overview of the mini-sofa.