What is the guideline for most buyers when choosing a sofa? Of course, emotions! Best buy models of unusual shape with bright upholstery. Not always they are convenient and suitable for the interior of the room, so the list of requirements for this piece of furniture must be drawn up before shopping and take into account many details in it.
Purpose
Before buying you need to ask: why do you need a sofa? Will you sleep on it every night or take guests, laying out only from time to time? Do you like to sit comfortably in front of a TV set or spend a little time in the living room? And maybe he is chosen for the kitchen or the nursery? The answers are very important, because they will depend on the choice of a particular model.
Typically, the sofas, which are very comfortable to sit, not too fit for sleep, because they have a soft and sloping seat. If you need a high-grade bed, you will have to make compromises. The choice is influenced by many small things, such as, for example, the growth of family members. High will not be easy to get up from a low seat, and the sleeper should be long enough.
Sofas for children, on the contrary, should be quite low, without protruding sharp corners and faces, with a particularly wear-resistant coating. If the furniture is purchased for rest, pay attention to the fact that it had wide seats, a soft backrest and armrests.
Style
Style sofas can be divided into classical, baroque, modern and minimalist. Classical are characterized by soft outlines, an abundance of draperies and buttons, baroque - intricate patterns on the fabric, carved armrests and high legs. Minimalistic models have rectangular shapes and ascetic design, often lacking armrests.
Size and shape
The easiest way to choose a sofa for a spacious room. In this case, you can build on only the number of people you want to place on it. The most common are three-local models of dina about 2 meters. If you often meet friendly companies or you love to communicate with your family, get a corner sofa with 5-6 seats. Its additional advantage is a large and comfortable bed. A large sofa will allow you to give up extra armchairs and chairs in the living room.
An unusual option for a large living room is a semi-circular sofa. It will inevitably become the center of attraction for family members and guests. It is also convenient to install it in front of the home theater - all viewers will be provided with comfortable viewing. Both angular and semicircular models can serve as dividers separating the living room from the dining room or the hall in the studio apartment.
When choosing a sofa for a small room, its dimensions can be critical. It should not block the entrance or access to the cabinets or the balcony, do not clutter the room. It is best to draw a plan of the room and sofa on a scale to make sure the possibility and convenience of its placement. In addition, you need to make sure that the furniture can be brought into the room, and then decomposed. Optimal choice for a small room - a direct sofa for 2-3 places.
Sofas can be divided into stationary and modular. The latter are produced and sold in the form of separate elements, which can be selected and compiled on the basis of needs.
The transformation mechanism
When choosing the sofa that will be used as the main bed, you must especially carefully choose the transformation mechanism. Manufacturers today offer many options, each of which can find pros and cons. Conditionally sofas, according to the way of unfolding, can be divided into those in which the sleeper is parallel to the wall, and those at which the back serves as a headboard.
Book , its modern name click-clack, one of the oldest versions. The seat of such a sofa rises to a click, and then falls. The result is an even double seat. The advantages of this mechanism are: the rate of unfolding and assembly, the possibility of using a spring unit as a filling. Minus - there should be some distance to the wall so that you can lay out the sofa.
Evroknizhka - an improved version of the previous mechanism. The seat extends forward, and the backrest reclines into its place. Obvious advantages: strength, associated with the simplicity of the mechanism, ease and speed of unfolding, an even place for sleep. Eurobook - a great option for everyday use.
The sofa is laid out simply: the lower part is pulled out, then the seat is folded onto it, which is a mattress folded in half. The design is simple and reliable, it is convenient to use.
The Dolphin is a relatively new mechanism. The seat of the sofa remains in place, and the other half of the sleeper is pulled out with a loop and then "emerges" from under it. First you need to use this design, but in the future it will be as easy and convenient to use as usual options. Another drawback is the lack of a box for linen. The mechanism of the dolphin is equipped with most of the corner sofas.
The withdrawable mechanism is the simplest and cheapest option if you want to get a large sleeper that is perpendicular to the wall. The lower part of the sofa rolls out forward, and in the resulting recess the pillows or mattresses that come in the kit are laid out. The sleeping place is located quite low in comparison with other models. Despite the strength of the mechanism, it has a small drawback. If there is a carpet under the sofa, then over time, there will appear tracks from the wheels. Avoid this problem can be, replacing the wheels from the manufacturer to soft silicone.
The accordion also unfolds perpendicular to the wall. The seat is raised to a click and pulled forward, followed by a backrest that consists of two parts. Plus the design - the opportunity to get a wide place to sleep with a small sofa. Weak places - loops, which can eventually loosen and leave the frame. The resulting "bed" does not have a head, and it is quite heavy.
The American clamshell completely disappears under the seat. This mechanism allows you to get a sleeper as much as possible on a high-grade bed, because the base is a strong metal frame and a thick mattress. Another advantage is the wide sofa seat in the folded state.
The French clamshell is a more compact and lightweight version of the "American".More suitable as a spare or guest option.
When buying a sofa, it is necessary to check whether it is easy to decompose, if the mechanism does not stick. There are models where the armrests are laid out according to the click-clack principle. The recommended load on them is not more than 50 kg, this means that an adult should not sit on it. As practice shows, such armrests quickly fail, although they look at first attractive.
Frame and filler
Frame is a skeleton of a sofa, mechanisms, upholstery, filler are attached to it. He must withstand the weight of the number of people on which a sofa is provided. The best material is a wooden beam reinforced with metal elements. In cheaper models, partially chipboard or plywood can be used in those parts where the minimum load is required.
The cheapest filler is polyurethane foam, or PPU.Seats from it with intensive use are quickly squeezed out, and to sleep it is uncomfortable. The best option - spring blocks Bonnel or snake. They are used in pure form or in combination. A sleeper with a filler Bonnel for convenience can be compared with an orthopedic mattress. From above, the spring block is covered with a thermal head, a layer of horsehair or coconut.
Upholstery material
The upholstery has to withstand a lot: the claws of animals, children's games, fidgeting and puddles of tea. No matter how beautiful the white suede sofa looked in the furniture salon, in a real living room it will quickly lose its appearance. Choose the upholstery material, based on the intensity of use, the availability of children, animals and habits is on it. The most resistant to the effects of the material - the skin. The dark leather sofa keeps its original appearance for years. However, it can be uncomfortable to sit on it.
All fabrics are divided into price categories. The cheapest - the first, the higher the category, the better and more expensive the fabric. The most budgetary option is the flock, followed by velor and micro-velvet, tapestry, chenille, jacquard, leatherette, artificial suede and leather. The flock may seem pleasant to the touch, but its wear resistance is extremely low. After 1-2 years, the appearance of the sofa will deteriorate significantly even with non-intensive use.
Price
Sofa is one of the most expensive pieces of furniture in an average apartment. Its price depends on the size, mechanism of transformation, filler and upholstery. Also affects the manufacturer and the country of manufacture. The simplest models with a flock upholstery, a 180-200 cm PPU filler made in Russia, are laid out according to the principle of a book, stand in the region of 6 thousand "Eurobook" and "dolphins" with a more interesting design, a spring block and upholstery of 3-4 categories will cost 10-15 thousand. A simple corner sofa with similar characteristics - 13-20 thousand, and in the upholstery of jacquard fabric in combination with leatherette - from 30 thousand and more. The upper threshold of prices is not, the cost of the Italian models of genuine leather is hundreds of thousands of rubles.
