When it comes to choosing a sofa for the living room or any other room, you should not give in to momentary emotions. Many people think that they know exactly what kind of sofa they want in their living room. But the range of furniture today is so wide that when you come to the store, your eyes run wide from the abundance. model range, varieties of styles, color ranges, upholstery material, constructive solutions and sizes. Therefore, before you go shopping for a sofa for the living room, it is recommended that you familiarize yourself with the basic selection criteria; this will help you clearly understand what kind of sofa you need and, in turn, will save time and money. You don’t want to buy a sofa that ultimately won’t fit into the interior of your room or the purchase turns out to be impractical?
What questions should you answer when choosing a sofa for your living room?
According to statistics, people change furniture only a couple of times in their lives. Therefore, it is extremely important to maintain the maximum balance of aesthetics and functionality. It is necessary to determine what requirements the sofa must meet and under what conditions it will be used. To do this, answer the following questions:
- What are the dimensions of your living room and how do you plan to arrange it?
- How many people will sit on it?
- How often will it be used?
- Will it be used as sleeping area, how often?
- Are there children or animals in the house?
Identifying your needs will allow you to determine the size, shape, availability of folding mechanisms and their types, as well as upholstery material. Now let's talk based on what criteria you need to choose a sofa for the living room.
Basic criteria for choosing sofas for the living room
Deciding on the size and shape
First of all, arm yourself with a tape measure, a sheet of paper and a pencil, take measurements and draw detailed plan rooms. This way you can decide on the size, shape and place where the sofa will be located. Standard sizes there are no sofas, there are solid and modular models consisting of several constituent elements, which can be added or removed, or swapped. So, for example, if the sofa is corner, then if necessary you can change the side of the ottoman (corner part). The modules can be used as chairs. The most difficult thing is to choose a sofa for a small living room; if you plan to purchase a folding model, then you also need to take this into account, since more space will be required when unfolded.
It is recommended to measure the width doorways. Otherwise, it may happen that the new sofa never makes it to the living room, getting stuck in doorway like Winnie the Pooh. When choosing furniture, do not forget to think about how it will be delivered to the place of use.
IN one-room apartments or studios, if the living space has an oblong shape, then the sofa can act as a partition, dividing the room into work area and a recreation area. Take this into account when planning the arrangement of furniture.
If you plan to sleep on the sofa, then the size of the sleeping place should be approximately 50cm larger than your height.
Transformation mechanisms, their types. Which one should you prefer when choosing a sofa for the living room?
Transformation mechanisms are divided into two types: for daily use and guest options. Of course, you can sleep on both, the point here is that the latter are less reliable and are not suitable for daily use; the mechanism will quickly become unusable. Also, they are not designed for heavy weight and regular loads; the structure is deformed. Therefore, if the sofa in the living room will serve as the master’s bed, the choice should definitely be made in favor of structures designed for daily sleep.
The main types of transformation mechanisms suitable for daily sleep:
- Dolphin. Quite reliable mechanism, suitable for daily use, folds out quickly and easily. The second berth is located in a retractable platform. It can often be found in corner models.
- Eurobook. Simple and convenient mechanism. The seat is pulled forward, and the back is lowered in its place. Suitable for every day.
- Tick-tock (Pantograph). This is a kind of Eurobook, except that the seat must be raised to move forward.
- Click-clack. To unfold the sofa, you need to lift the seat until the second click, then you can lower the back, and then the seat.
- Roll-out mechanism. It consists of several parts. To unfold, you need to pull the hinges; the last part emerges from under the middle one, similar to the “Dolphin” mechanism.
- Book. This is the most popular type of folding mechanisms. The principle of operation is that the seat rises up until it clicks, and the back takes a horizontal position. Then the seat is lowered and a sleeping place is obtained.
- Accordion. When unfolded, you get a flat and comfortable sleeping place with an orthopedic base. The accordion often has a removable cover. To unfold such a structure, you need to slightly lift the seat and pull it towards you and the mechanism will straighten itself.
If you do not plan to sleep on the sofa every day, then you can choose a sofa model for the living room with such mechanisms as:
- French folding bed. The design is very similar to a regular folding bed. The mechanism is hidden under the seat cushions. To unfold a French folding bed, you must first remove the pillows.
- Sedaflex. It is also called the American folding phone. The principle is the same as the previous option, only a little more reliable.
It should be noted that the name of the mechanism alone does not indicate the quality of the sofa. When choosing a sofa for the living room with a folding mechanism, pay attention to the design. It must not have any defects. Carefully inspect the connecting parts.
What should be the upholstery of the sofa in the living room?
The next step in choosing a good sofa for your living room is choosing the upholstery. She not only performs decorative functions, but also practical. This is an important stage and you cannot make a mistake here, otherwise beautiful sofa will quickly lose its original appearance.
Conventionally, sofa upholstery can be divided into 3 groups:
- Textile. If you have children or pets, then it is better to opt for fabric upholstery. She has a huge decorative selection. All types of fabrics are wear-resistant, and some have anti-vandal qualities - your cat’s claws will not cause fatal damage to the decor. The main types of fabrics used in the manufacture of sofas are: folk, chenille, velor, jacquard.
- Faux leather. High-quality material is difficult to distinguish from genuine leather; it has excellent abrasion properties, which cannot be said about cheap material. Low-quality artificial leather dries out over time, loses its elasticity and bursts. As a result, in a couple of years the once beautiful sofa in the living room will look like a mangy cat.
- Genuine Leather. It is durable and resistant to wear, but in order for a genuine leather sofa to retain its original appearance, it must be looked after. Also this material Expensive.
Upholstering a living room sofa is something you should not skimp on. Reupholstery will cost much more than several thousand overpaid rubles for higher quality upholstery material. Also keep in mind that although leather models look expensive and presentable, they are not very practical. So, for example, sitting on such a sofa, your body will sweat. And if you need a model not only for sitting in front of the TV, but also for daily sleep, then a not very pleasant surprise awaits you here - the sheet will slide off it. So, before making a final choice in favor of one or another upholstery material for a sofa in the living room, decide once again under what conditions the product will be used.
Choosing a filling for a sofa in the living room - what criteria should it meet?
The level of comfort and durability of the sofa largely depends on the filling. The most reliable is a spring block; it copes well with high loads and provides a smooth seat surface. The most popular is polyurethane foam, it is comfortable to sit on, easy to stand on, it is soft and adapts well to the shape of the body. The types of fillers do not end there; there are a number of others: Latex, Holofiber, Struttofiber, Sintepooh, Sintepon. To avoid sitting on the sofa, you need to try to choose a high-quality filling, which is quite difficult. Here you should be guided by the following rule - sit on the sofa, and then stand up and see how quickly it takes its previous shape. The faster the better. If the filler is in no hurry to recover, then during use, gray hair will soon appear on the seat, in other words, this is not the best option.
It seems that the most important thing in choosing a sofa is not to make a mistake with the size and find a color that is in harmony with the decor. However, a small living room makes its own adjustments. You can buy the first sofa you like, but it will crowd the living room and it will seem like there is even less space in it. Therefore, we will tell you the tricks that designers use when choosing furniture.
What is little space?
Freeing up space under the sofa is not enough. To make it look proportional, you need to have a space in front of the sofa equal to its longest side multiplied by two. For example, if you want a two-meter sofa, then make sure whether you can look at it from a distance of four meters, or whether the size of the room does not allow this?
So you need to buy a smaller sofa?
This is the first conclusion that suggests itself. Yes, a compact sofa will solve the problem of scale, but it will not solve the problem of seating the family in front of the TV or having a sleeping place of sufficient length. Therefore, start from the actual required length, but choose taking into account the tips below.
Illumination
First, prepare the surrounding area. Well-lit objects appear smaller than those in partial shade. Consider good lighting around the sofa. Let the light fall on it at an angle of 45 degrees to illuminate all planes as much as possible.
Rounded corners
All designers know that a square appears larger than it actually is, and a circle appears smaller. Use this illusion: buy a sofa with rounded corners and smooth shapes. Then he will, as it were, direct the energy inside the form and will not try to take over the entire living room.
Division into sections
The sum of several sections appears to be less than the whole. The sofa can be modular or have several dedicated seat cushions. At a minimum, you should use a backrest made of individual pillows, rather than a solid one.
The same problem is solved by a pattern: a large stripe or a cage. Be careful, a pattern that is too small, on the contrary, expands the volume of the sofa. To find a happy medium, simply rely on how you feel about the furniture.
Legs
A sofa standing on neat legs is perceived as less massive, as if floating in the air. The reception is also good because more of the floor is visible, making the living room area seem larger.
Color solution
Don't forget about our perception of color. It is important not only with other objects and decoration of the living room, not only the psychological impact of color, but also the effect of approaching and moving away. Deep cold shades such as blue, cyan, aqua, violet visually distance the subject. Warm red, yellow, orange - bring closer. So it’s better to choose for the sofa cool shade colors.
The darkness/lightness of the color is also very important. Dark color, despite the fact that it removes the object and makes it visually smaller, also absorbs light, thereby reducing the surrounding space. It is better not to make the sofa completely black, but black ones are allowed vertical elements. If, on the contrary, you make an object too light, it will appear larger. Therefore, it is better to choose a middle ground.
Proportions
Another important point when choosing a sofa for a small living room - its proportional combination with other items. It is better to place the sofa on a large carpet and not hang too small images above it - the contrast in sizes will affect the visual proportions of the sofa.
Material
For small room Choose upholstery for your sofa that is smooth and highly reflective of color. Velvety textures and patent leather work well with this. A fabric that is too textured, such as fleecy or rough, will visually make the sofa heavier.
Photos: cinemagraphs.com, homebnc.com, shopify.com, roommatesdecor.com
Upholstered furniture occupies important place in the interior of the living room. The right sofa should add special comfort and coziness to any room.
The choice of sofa is primarily based on personal preferences, but it is also important to consider the size of the space available to you
Therefore, you should not buy the first sample you like. A sofa that will look great in trading floor furniture center may not always organically fit the design of your room. In this article we will tell you how to choose a sofa for the living room and avoid mistakes.
Many sofas are very beautiful and comfortable, but have an inconvenient folding design; in some models it is completely absent
Dimensions of sofas depending on type
When choosing the size of a sofa for the living room, you need to start from the number of people who will have to fit on it. The most common models are designed for three people and are about two meters long. For a company of 5-6 people, a corner sofa is suitable.
Dimensions of sofas depending on the number of seats
Corner sofas have the added bonus of easily converting into a large sleeping area. An interesting option can become a semicircular sofa. It allows you to comfortably sit with an impressive group in front of the TV screen.
The corner sofa has the largest dimensions due to its shape and is suitable only for a spacious room
When the room is small, then new item interior design may make it difficult to access cabinets or block doorways. In such cases, it is better to think through the placement in advance by drawing a plan of the room with all the furnishings.
Living room layout with corner sofa and separate armchair
Design
Types of sofas by type of transformation
If the sofa in the living room will be used as a bed, you should choose a folding model. They come in several varieties.
Mechanisms for folding sofas
The book is a classic version, very popular. The back and seat fold out into a single plane in one movement. The disadvantage of the system is the need to constantly move the sofa away from the wall.
Modern sofa book filled with spring block
Eurobook - unfolds in the same way, only it has 2-3 additional positions for fixing the backrest.
Straight Eurobook sofa with unusual decorative pillows
American or French folding bed - extra sections are hidden down. When unfolded, it provides a large and durable bed with a good mattress.
For everyday use a sofa will do"American clamshell" type
Roll-out mechanism - provides a large sleeping area, but can leave tracks from the wheels on the floor or carpet.
Roll-out mechanism that easily transforms into a full-fledged bed
Accordion - provides maximum bed area with its own minimum sizes. Unfortunately, when unfolded you have to do without a headboard, and it folds this design hard enough.
Folding sofa without armrests with accordion mechanism
Each design has its own advantages and disadvantages; one cannot say that one is better than the other. Someone needs big square beds, for some people the speed and ease of transformation is more important. The main thing is to make sure of the quality of the mechanism used in the sofa you like: made of metal with a thickness of at least 3 mm, no scratches or dents, evenly painted.
Frame
Frame corner sofa from chipboard
The durability of a sofa is largely determined by the material from which its base is assembled. The simplest and cheapest ones usually have a frame made of chipboard. You should not buy such a sofa on the market or from an unreliable seller - low-quality chipboard will not only shorten the life of your sofa, but can also emit harmful substances for years. But if the frame is made of high-quality material, then such a sofa should be considered as a good purchase for reasonable money. The most common wood frames are: pine, birch, ash, beech, oak and other species. The most quality furniture has a frame made of oak beams, which are reinforced metal elements. Such sofas belong to the highest price category, but their long service life makes the purchase profitable.
Sofas with wooden frames is durable
Sofas with a metal frame stand somewhat apart. Typically such a frame has office furniture. Elements made of chromed steel look good in rooms with high-tech interiors and have a serious margin of safety. To the disadvantages metal frames include their excess weight and high cost.
Sofa with comfortable seats and chrome-plated metal frame
Filling and upholstery
The filler is one of the most important components of the sofa.
For seat cushions in sofas, either foam rubber or springs are used. Foam filling is cheaper, but loses its original shape after several years of use.
Furniture foam rubber or polyurethane foam is the main soft filler upholstered furniture
Spring mattresses are more expensive and must rest on a more massive base.
Spring block of Bonnel dependent springs made of steel
Sofas are upholstered with a variety of materials. Leather upholstery has become the standard for office upholstered furniture. For the living room, upholstery made of tapestry - a semi-synthetic material with water-repellent impregnation - is well suited.
Classic leather sofa Brown with ash frame
Sofa upholstered in tapestry fabric
Interior design experts unanimously recommend choosing neutral colors for upholstery in the living room that will not attract attention.
Beige corner sofa with brown inserts
One of the most common options color scheme for a modern living room - many shades of gray
If you want to add brightness, it is better to do this with the help of replaceable capes and decorative pillows.
Bright accents on pieces of furniture or decor are necessary to create a harmonious picture of the interior
By carefully considering the choice of sofa model you need before purchasing it, you will avoid possible disappointments, and new sofa in the living room will delight you and your guests for many years.
A corner sofa installed in the living room is good for its functionality and spaciousness
Video: How to choose a sofa for the living room
