Sofa - this, features, forms, device, selection tips

The sofa is an important component of any interior; this upholstered furniture is multifunctional, practical, comfortable, and durable. Day and evening it is a comfortable place to relax watching a movie or reading a book, and at night it becomes a cozy, spacious sleeping bed. The invention successfully combined stylish design and maximum convenience, so today the sofa is an indispensable part of the living room, kitchen, bedroom, dining room, study or guest room. When choosing a suitable model among a huge assortment of offers, you should pay attention to the materials of manufacture, the transformation mechanism, the shape and design of the structure, and the manufacturing company. The life and quality of this furniture directly depend on the totality of all parameters.

Distinctive features

As a standard, it is customary to call a kind of upholstered furniture designed for sitting or lying down. The design, depending on the size, is designed for a comfortable sitting position of 2-4 people. It consists of a spacious, roomy seat and an ergonomic backrest, which is an excellent support for the back. Some models are supplemented with armrests, decorative pillows, other useful elements - drawers for linen, niches for books and remote control, a built-in table. Modern manufacturers offer sofas of various shapes and sizes. The choice of design depends not only on individual preferences, but also on the characteristics of the room where the furniture is supposed to be placed. To make the right choice, you should familiarize yourself with the characteristics of each form:

A straight sofa is an invariable classic. It is usually equipped with a soft, straight back and armrests. Suitable for any interior, but they use such furniture mainly in small living rooms. Folded, it can accommodate from 2 to 4 people. When disassembled, the model turns into a comfortable double bed.
Angular construction is widespread. From the name it is clear that this furniture has a corresponding shape. It is appropriate both in small rooms and in spacious living rooms. In addition, the model folds out into a large bed. But this is a dimensional design, especially when unfolded. Although there are also compact sofas designed for kitchens and dining rooms.
G and U-shaped forms belong to modular designs. The model consists of a main rectangular sofa, as well as attached sections on both sides. Usually they are equipped with legs in the form of rollers, which allows you to easily move the components. Despite the impressive dimensions, the products are convenient to use.

There are oval, round, designer forms of sofas. And for children's rooms, models are made in the form of animals and vehicles, such as a car, ship, plane, carriage.

Straight

Angular

U-shaped

Round

Children's unusual shape

Designer

Device

Most often, when choosing a sofa, buyers focus only on the appearance of the product, choosing it for a ready-made interior. But the raw material from which the sofa is made also plays an important role, determining the reliability as well as the safety of the structure. So that the purchase does not disappoint, it is worth understanding what the parts of the sofa are called, what elements affect the life of this furniture.

Frame

The most important part is the frame. The stability of the whole structure depends on it. The material from which it is made determines the possible load, intensity of use:

Metal structures have proven themselves - they have an interesting appearance, good performance and maintainability. Among the minuses - the furniture is rather heavy, and folding mechanisms for it are practically not used.
Models based on particleboard or fiberboard are environmentally friendly, lightweight, their cost is always available. Meanwhile, these materials are not strong enough, they are not always able to withstand heavy loads.
A wooden frame made of hardwood is characterized by a long service life, the highest quality, naturalness. Products from birch, oak or beech have also proven themselves well. Softwoods are quite fragile; furniture with such frames is not recommended. The lack of wood is the high cost, which not everyone can afford.

Modern novelty - frameless sofas. This is ideal for children's rooms: the furniture does not have corners, solid components, products are light, mobile.

Metal carcass

Natural wood

Fibreboard box

Frameless model

Armrests

The armrests of sofas are also made of various materials, which have their advantages and disadvantages:

Models with wooden armrests harmoniously look in home and office interiors. Usually they are made in a simple, concise design.
Sofas with chipboard elements are universal, multifunctional. Armrests can be blocks, shelves, drawers or even tables for storing small items. They can be upholstered or varnished.
The metal armrests are sturdy and resistant to mechanical damage. Look expensive on sofas upholstered in genuine leather.
Compact furniture models designed for small rooms are not equipped with armrests at all. Instead, pillows can be used.

Most sofa models feature soft armrests upholstered in faux leather. They are resistant to abrasions and damage, unlike fabric ones, it is convenient to lean on them during rest. But compared with products made from genuine leather, they are less durable, wear out faster.

Wooden

Leather-covered

Without armrests

Metal

Seat

One of the main elements that make up the sofa is the seat. No less important is its filler, which is spring or soft. The first option, in turn, is divided into dependent and independent spring blocks.

In a dependent, all elements are interconnected. If one of them undergoes deformation, then the one located next to it also fails. If the unit is edged with a metal frame, its design is much stronger.

Barrel springs form an independent unit. Each barrel is placed in a fabric cover. Due to the fact that the elements do not touch, the sofa does not creak during use, does not sag from changing the pose of the person who is sitting on it. Such models are used not only for sitting, but also for constant sleep.

What makes a sofa of any model with a seat without springs:

A special layer of synthetic winterizer. This filler is obtained from synthetics consisting of polyester fibers. In the furniture industry, it is used for stuffing armrests and pillows. Also, it is often used as an additional layer directly under the upholstery. The plus is the low cost. But at the same time, syntepon does not have a single standard, therefore there is a risk of acquiring goods made from poor-quality or unhealthy raw materials.
The main filler is foam rubber, one of the most popular types, used for many decades in the manufacture of sofas. It can consist of separate pieces or have the form of a plate equal to the length of the surface of the furniture. Lumpy filling quickly rolls and sags, so it is advisable to choose whole sheets of material. Often foam rubber is used as an additional layer to provide softness. Its low price is due to its short service life: it quickly loses its shape and wears out.

The most preferred material for an additional layer of filler is polyurethane foam, due to a number of its positive properties:

smooth shape, maintaining the proportions of the human body;
depreciation when sitting;
orthopedic effect;
uniform weight distribution;
an obstacle to the appearance of extraneous sounds when using an additional layer of fabric - felt or burlap.

The only drawback of polyurethane foam is that it is afraid of direct sunlight, under the influence of which its structure is destroyed, so it must be packed in lightproof fabric covers.

Layers

Foam rubber

Synthetic winterizer

Transformation mechanism

For the right choice of sofa model, it is important to know what its transformation mechanism consists of. Not only the term of operation, but also the convenience of using furniture depends on the features of this design. There are sofas without a folding mechanism - these are compact models that are suitable for small rooms. Under the seat is usually a box for storing things.

The main types of transformation mechanisms:

"Dolphin" is used mainly in corner products. Special handles in the form of loops are attached to the section under the seat, for which you need to pull up, then towards yourself. The sliding part will roll out, rise and stand next to the main seat, forming a comfortable and large place to relax. Such a working scheme puts a heavy load on the furniture body, so it should be made of durable, high-quality materials.
Eurocomfort. The principle of operation is based on the advancement of the seat due to the rollers. The back is placed in the formed niche. This design is characterized by ease of transformation and reliability. In addition, under the seat there is plenty of storage space.
"Pantograph", the second name is "cougar". The layout of such sofas is carried out similar to the previous view, but without rollers. The seat is extended by a special complex mechanism that extends up and down.
"Telescope". To lay out the furniture, you need to pull the lower part, after which all the other elements will roll out one after another, like a telescope. This mechanism is easy to use.
The rotary transformation method is often used in the manufacture of corner sofas. Unfolding it is very simple, for this you need to turn the seat to another part.
Puma is a reliable and simple mechanism that has appeared recently, but has managed to gain popularity. The layout takes place in a few seconds, and is absolutely silent. The upper seat of the sofa stretches towards itself, at this time the lower one rises to the elongated level. An even berth is formed.
Modular - a universal mechanism that allows the owner to modify furniture at will. Since the sofa consists of individual elements, they can be interchanged, buy other parts, make the sleeping bed compact or wide.
Roll-out consists of two sections, which are located in the furniture. To spread out the sofa, you need to extend the lower segment, while making room for another pillow.
"Accordion" - the mechanism is so called because of its similarity to a musical instrument. The sofa, unfolding, extends forward, then stretches.
The "American clamshell" is a design of two sections, hidden in the body. To lay out the furniture, you need to pull the seat up, then down.

The above mechanisms are the most common, but there are other designs for transforming sofas that are just as comfortable and easy to operate.

American clamshell

Roll-out

Turning

Accordion

Modular

Dolphin

Pantograph

Cougar

Eurobook

Telescope

Upholstery

For the upholstery of sofas, two types of materials are used: leather (natural and artificial) and fabrics. The first option is durable, durable. The skin is able to withstand prolonged loads without being deformed at the same time. In addition, it provides a prestigious appearance for furniture. Leather products successfully fit into the interior, filling it with luxury, chic and aristocratic notes. Due to the special structure, the leather upholstery is undemanding to clean and easy to clean, so it is it that becomes the best option if the sofa is used intensively.

Fabrics can be natural and artificial. Upholstery made from the first group of materials, environmentally friendly, safe for health. It is often used in the manufacture of upholstered furniture for children's rooms. Popular fabrics that are used as upholstery:

Cotton - characterized by a variety of color schemes, environmental safety.
Jacquard is an expensive, elite material of high strength and durability, has a huge selection of colors or patterns.
Tapestry is a natural material with an attractive look. Minus - not suitable for heavy use.
Flock - its dense structure provides upholstery strength and durability, has a water-repellent effect, is not afraid of direct sunlight, does not fade.

The upholstery of the sofa is selected in relation to the interior and purpose of the room. For example, natural materials are optimal for the nursery, and wear-resistant for the living room. In the kitchen, preference should be given to furniture that is easy to clean.

Leather

Flock

Cotton

Jacquard

Tapestry

Selection tips

Summing up the above, we can distinguish several basic recommendations of experts on the selection of such upholstered furniture. Be sure to consider:

Frame material. If you intend to use the sofa intensively, you should choose a model with a frame made of wood or metal, because they are the most durable.
A filler, which may be a spring block or soft synthetic materials.
Purpose of furniture. If the sofa is needed for constant sleep, durable and comfortable designs that last a long time are preferable.
The mechanism of transformation. Unfolding furniture should not take much time and involve the application of excessive physical effort. The mechanism must be reliable and safe to operate.

The last selection criterion is the design of furniture, it should harmoniously fit into the interior, complementing or emphasizing it, because just sofas are an integral element of any home. It is also necessary to choose a model so that it creates an atmosphere of comfort and home warmth.