Sofa expert - choose a sofa in the kitchen

Anyway, but the kitchen interior with a sofa can not be called standard. And the sofa itself is more difficult to choose than the chairs, because you need to consider factors such as: the ratio of its dimensions to the kitchen area, the capacity and dimensions in the assembled / unfolded form, the ease of transformation, the availability of storage spaces, the reliability of the design, the upholstery practicality and the pleasant design.

What kind of sofa is suitable for the kitchen?

How to sleep

If you need a sofa as a main or extra bed, then you need to choose a transforming model. There are more than 10 varieties of mechanisms for transforming sofas with a sleeper, let's get acquainted with some of them.

• "Dolphin" ("Kangaroo") - sofas with such a layout mechanism, perhaps the best option for a kitchen with a bed. It is "Dolphin" used in the construction of traditional kitchen corners. Extra bed at them easily stretches from under the seat of a long part of the sofa. This is the best option for any kitchen, especially small. In the photo on the right is a corner sofa for the kitchen, which is arranged in a single bed.

Advice: in the construction of a quality and reliable "Dolphin" should be springs-closers.

• Folding sofa-book and its variations: "Eurobook", "Click-clack" ("Relax") and "Tick-tak" - if you need a sleeping place that will be laid out daily, then choose Euro-Book or "Click-clack" - they are as reliable as possible and easily decomposed, and also have convenient places for storing things. But the standard "books" are suitable in the case if the "bed" is exceptionally guest and will not be laid out every day.

Tip: the "Eurobook" will last longer than the rollers.

• The "Accordion" model is a good option, as they are very easy and fast to decompose, but require a lot of space in front of you.

• "French clamshell" and "Sedaflex" - these sofas often have beautiful trimmed backs, as during the transformation they remain motionless, and the mattresses are laid out according to the clamshell principle. They are suitable for small kitchens, since in the assembled form they occupy very little space. Of these two types, "Sedaflex" is more suitable for regular use, but it also costs more. French clamshells are only suitable for guest use.

• Least of all for the conditions of the kitchen are, perhaps, rolling out sofas - in non-angular models one can not store things, they are relatively difficult to unfold, and the mechanism is not the most reliable. In addition, in disassembled form, they require a lot of space in front of them.

The kitchen with a sleeping place can be equipped not only with a sofa bed, but also with a single couch, sofa or ottoman on which you can sleep, relax and sit at the table.

Sofa instead or in addition to chairs

If the kitchen with a bed for you is not relevant and the sofa you only need as an alternative or an addition to the chairs, then you can choose the following types of furniture:

• Скамья, прямой или угловой диван для кухни, имеющие ящики для хранения – оптимальный вариант для small kitchens. Кухонный диван часто можно купить в комплекте со столом и парой табуреток. Подробнее почитать об обеденных уголках и увидеть больше фото можно в отдельной статье на эту тему (ссылка будет внизу).

Tip: If you often plan to use bulky boxes under the seat, then give preference to furniture with a lifting mechanism located on the side - so the opening will not interfere with the dining table.

• If you bet not on functionality, but on a beautiful design, then the traditional corner sofa for the kitchen can replace the bench, very similar to a garden bench. It does not have a storage compartment, but it fits organically into the kitchen interiors classical or rustic style.

• The kitchen sofa is designed for installation in an appropriate niche. As a rule, such furniture is made to order, so that it exactly matches the dimensions and shape of the existing niche. In the photo below, there is a kitchen interior with a sofa in a 3 m long bay window. You can read more about the kitchen design with a bay window here.

• Bancettes and ottomans are the most beautiful and most often expensive kind of sofa. The design of the kitchen with a sofa of this type will be stylish and not "overloaded".

Materials and upholstery - what to look for in the store

The most practical and stylish material for the frame remains natural wood, more precisely, its more dense and durable varieties: beech and oak, as well as birch and pine as a budget alternative. Wood is necessarily subjected to a special impregnation to protect against moisture. The most budget option is a laminated chipboard, but keep in mind that the sofas from the chipboard have a service life of only 5 years.

As for the upholstery, the most beautiful, practical, and therefore the most expensive solution will be genuine leather. It is easier to care for it than for absorbent fabric.

Leather is also different practicality and longevity, as well as externality - but only on the condition that you choose a truly high-quality material.

If the design of the kitchen with a sofa requires fabric upholstery, then you can pay attention to:

• mix fabric of cotton and polyester - a popular version of upholstery for modern sofas;

• resistant, resistant to mechanical damage and moisture-proof flock, in texture resembling suede. This type of material is also called "anti-smoking";

• hypoallergenic (but not moisture-resistant) chenille;

• wear-resistant furniture jacquard.

Advice:

• having decided to put a fabric sofa on kitchen, take care of effective work of an extract that the upholstery was not salted and was less impregnated with smells;
• it is better when the kitchen sofa is equipped with removable covers. So you do not have to worry about the safety of the upholstery, because the covers are easily erased or replaced with new ones. In addition, the design of the kitchen with a sofa with removable covers can easily change as you wish.

And it is also very important to choose the correct filler, especially if the kitchen is equipped with a bed. It should be practical and hypoallergenic. Therefore for fillers of kitchen furniture apply artificial materials - for example, holofayber or perfectly restoring the form пенополиуретан. Foam in modern models are rarely used - this is a budgetary material, the lifetime of which almost never exceeds 4 years.

See also: How to clean the sofa and other upholstered furniture at home.

More clearly and in detail the topic of choosing upholstery and fillers for the sofa is disclosed in the next video from the transfer "Control Purchase".

Where it is better to put a sofa?

You can choose the following kitchen design with a sofa:

• The sofa dining area opposite the kitchen set is the standard solution that is most appropriate in standard rectangular kitchens. In the photo below is an example of kitchen design with a sofa with a parallel scheme of furniture arrangement.

• Corner sofa in the kitchen of a small square or with a bay window is often placed in the corner near the window.

But in some cases it can be placed near the wall opposite the window as in the photo below.

• The sofa can be separated from the dining area if the kitchen is spacious, combined with balcony or has a bay window.

• AT integrated kitchen or in the kitchen in the apartment-studio sofa you can divide the space into zones - rest and dining.