Narrow sofas: types and secrets of choice

It is better to conduct sincere conversations not on hard chairs or stools, but climbing with your feet on a cozy sofa. If a similar one is located in the kitchen of a city apartment, by definition it cannot be too deep and wide, because most kitchens cannot boast of vast areas. But this does not mean at all that you cannot put a comfortable narrow sofa - straight or corner - in the kitchen or in a small living room.

There are enough pluses for narrow sofas:

• optimal for placement in a small area - kitchen, loggia, terrace;
• despite the narrow seat, can accommodate three or more peopleespecially circular or angular models;
• presence of boxes for bedding (if located in the bedroom, hall) or for kitchen utensils (if in the kitchen);
• folding model turns into an extra bed, if required;
• issued in a huge number of styles and colors, which makes it possible to choose the right model for any room.

There are also disadvantages, but there are not too many of them.

• If it is necessary to turn the sofa bed into a sleeping place, it must be constantly folded and unfolded.
• When unfolded, they do not always have a flat surface.
• The straight model can completely occupy the walls, making it impossible to move more comfortably in the room.

When buying a narrow sofa, you need to choose it in accordance with a number of characteristics. The models on the market differ in shape, mechanism of action, assembly options and, of course, price. Narrow sofas can be shaped like this.

• Straight... Such products are most often found in the kitchen or on the loggia. They perfectly save space due to their compactness. In most cases, they have a solid seat that can accommodate two or three people. The seat folds back to provide access to the inner storage box for anything.
• Corner. A great option for a small kitchen or room with a minimum footprint. Such a sofa will leave as much free space as possible, while at the same time it is quite comfortable. In most cases, it unfolds, creating an extra bed.
• Semicircular... Looks better in large rooms, as it takes up a lot of space. In most cases, it is not folding.

For narrow folding sofas, the following transformation mechanisms are most often found.

• "Dolphin"... Unfolding occurs as follows: the lower part is pulled out from under the seat (most often by the hinges) and rises one level with the seat.

• "Accordion" - this model is folded out by simply pulling it forward until the seat is completely straightened.

• "Book" is a seat, divided longitudinally into two halves, which, when unfolded, turn into a solid berth.

• "Eurobook" stretches out in the same way as the "dolphin", but it is not the lower tier that fits into the free space, but the back of the sofa.

If we talk about the construction, then the smaller the area of ​​the room, the more likely it is that the sofa will be fixed and straight. The corner requires two free walls, while the straight one requires only one. In the case when it is a clamshell model that is needed, it is better to choose mini-models that unfold in the way that suits you. If they have drawers or built-in shelves, great.

As for the color solutions, the optimal combination will be the one that will suit the rest of the room decor. If you do not make repairs and do not change furniture, wallpaper and flooring at the same time, you need to correctly "fit" your purchase into an already furnished room.

Depending on the manufacturer and the price segment in which the furniture is presented, raw materials for its production can be very expensive, expensive and budgetary. However, you need to pay attention not only and not so much on the cost as on the quality of raw materials.

The basis of any sofa is its frame, and it depends on its strength whether the product will serve you for a long time or will fail at the first overloads. Frameworks are:

• steel (chrome-plated);
• from MDF;
• high quality plywood - multi-layer and waterproof;
• from chipboard sheets.

Wooden structures are considered more ergonomic and environmentally friendly, but, for example, furniture with an iron (steel) frame would be optimal for placement in the kitchen. It is more resistant to temperature extremes and high humidity in the air. But if the wood frame is impregnated with special water-repellent compounds, this will prevent the furniture from swelling and cracking. You should be prepared for the fact that such a sofa will not be cheap.

What your sofa is stuffed with is no less important, because comfort and convenience depend on the filler. In order for the seat and backrest to retain their original appearance for a long time, you need a high-quality filler. Of the modern "fillings" for sofas, the following can be distinguished.

• Foam rubber from Norwegian and German manufacturers. Modern foam rubber is hypoallergenic, repels dust, keeps it clean for a long time and is not susceptible to deformation.

• Polyurethane foam it is used in a wide variety of forms - from hard to super soft and highly elastic. It is thanks to polyurethane foam that sofas have elastic seats and backs, not taking the shape of the body of the person sitting on them.

• Padding polyester most often stuff the back of the sofa. It is resistant to moisture, elastic, retains heat, while being quite soft.

• Durafil filler gives furniture softness and splendor, it is highly elastic and similar in properties to a spring block. Allows the backrest and seat not to lose their appearance, even if there are several people on it.

• The springs can be arranged "snake" or be independent from each other. In the second case, each spiral is placed in a separate textile cover, which gives stability to the supporting base and maintains an even surface appearance for a long time.

• Spring blocks are a frame device in which the springs are intertwined. Blocks are most often used in orthopedic mattresses.

The easier it is to maintain the upholstery of the sofa, the better. After all, those models that are in the kitchen can get dirty very quickly. And they must be cleaned just as quickly, otherwise stubborn stains, soot and grease will be extremely difficult to remove. It is good if the product has removable covers that can be either washed or cleaned. The materials for the upholstery of sofas (including narrow ones) are as follows.

• Eco leather - this is not the dermantin used previously. Modern artificial leather is of very high quality, and in appearance it is practically indistinguishable from natural. It is easy to clean, durable and has a wide range of colors, however, it can quickly lose its attractiveness.
• Genuine leather upholstery looks gorgeous and is very expensive.
• Flock upholstered sofas easy to wash and clean. The range of colors is quite extensive.
• Velor upholstery very soft and pleasant to the touch, however, it can be exposed to static electricity and attract wool, threads, dust, and therefore need systematic cleaning.
• Jacquard-covered furniture, withstands a large number of washes and cleanings, therefore it is optimal both in children's rooms and in the kitchen. At the same time, the appearance does not deteriorate.

Today there is no single standard - neither in width, nor in depth, nor in length. It all depends on the manufacturer and his decision. One sofa, designed for seating two people, will be 160 cm long, and the other - 190 cm.The design of the sofas can be compact (designed for seating a maximum of 3 people, and in most cases - double) and long - they can accommodate and 5 and more people. In terms of seat depth, the standard is 90 cm.

It is imperative to take into account the parameters of the room in which the sofa will stand. The size of the room determines which model and what size can be put into it. Be sure to evaluate how much free space you have along the walls, whether there is a free corner if you want to put a corner model. You also need to consider how many people are planned to be placed on the couch.

There is hardly a person who is not interested in the cost of furniture. Everyone is looking for the best price-quality combination. Ask the furniture manufacturer how long it has been on the market and what reputation it has. Since a sofa is a thing that is not purchased for a day or two, it must be of high quality, durable and reliable.

A cute vintage sofa in the hallway looks stylish and attractive.

An original model with a high back and an unusual color for the kitchen.

Built-in storage in this compact sofa saves even more space.

A sofa on the balcony? Why not?

The corner model perfectly zones the space.

An overview of the straight narrow sofa is presented below.