In the dining room we spend a lot of time — and cook, and communicate with loved ones, and meet guests, so coziness and comfort in this part of the home is important. A well-chosen folding sofa in the kitchen will help in this: corner-shaped structures, or corners, serve as a place for eating and for relaxing.
Features and benefits of a sofa for the kitchen
Kitchen sofas are distinguished by the fact that they have a folding mechanism and are compact in size. The inner sections of the sofa are equipped with additional compartments for placing kitchen utensils. The sofa is comfortable and multifunctional, can be used to store cereals, sugar, vegetables. The lid of this model is easily lifted on hinges.
A folding kitchen sofa will also help in organizing a bed, if necessary, when you need to receive a guest for a short period, arrange a bed for a child or arrange a secluded place to relax. This space for relaxation is still temporary — a folding model will not replace a comfortable sleeping bed.
What type of sofa is suitable for the kitchen
For the kitchen, straight or angular models are suitable. The design of straight folding sofas allows you to place them anywhere. With a small area of the kitchen, it is worth carefully considering the layout and choosing an angular sofa. Such furniture will significantly save space.
For small kitchens, the most advantageous solution is sofas that do not have corner blocks. There are two options for this design. The first is a non-separable compact sofa that does not take up much space. The second option is a small folding sofa.
Among the proposals of furniture manufacturers there is also a narrow mini-sofa, which is suitable for small kitchens. You can place the structure next to the window. It is convenient if there is a place under the seats to place objects. The next option for folding furniture is a sofa bench. The model is made of wood, suitable for classic interiors. To create a comfortable environment, decorative pillows can be placed on the seats. All folding sofas are suitable for those who often have guests.
Transformation methods
In the designs of folding sofas, mechanisms for transformation are provided. The simplest option is a sofa-book, which allows you to quickly disassemble the structure thanks to the roll-out mechanism. When opening, it is required to tip the top element, and then lower the bottom part. The place to sleep consists of a back and a seat. Such mechanisms are installed in compact sofas.
A popular version of the transformer is the Eurobook. The sleeping part consists of sitting and back side of the back. To decompose such a structure, it is necessary to move the lower part, and then lower the back to the vacant seat. At the base, a box is certainly created, used to store various items in the kitchen. The design can be angular, so it is optimal in small spaces.
French are called folding beds with an elegant back, during the transformation it remains motionless. The mattress must be transformed according to the principle of a folding bed. This furniture option is suitable for compact kitchens, as it takes up little space when assembled. French-style folding beds are used to accommodate guests, and not as a permanent bed.
Materials and upholstery: what to look for in the store
When choosing a sofa for the dining area, the materials from which the furniture is made are important. To choose high-quality interior items, you need to pay attention to the wood from which the body is made. The material must undergo the necessary processing, since temperature changes and high humidity are frequent in the kitchen.
There are also requirements for the materials from which the soft parts of the sofa structure are designed. Tea and coffee can be spilled in the kitchen. Therefore, it is important to choose high-quality upholstery material that will withstand use in the kitchen.
The most popular material for the sofa frame is genuine leather. The solution is practical and will ensure the durability of the product and its visual appeal. Genuine leather is easy to care for.
Cheaper material — artificial leather. It is also attractive in appearance, practical, but has a shorter service life. A good choice for a kitchen sofa is polyester-coated cotton. The upholstery is lightweight and durable with proper care. Fleece has high resistance to mechanical stress, this material also tolerates moisture well. Wear-resistant and attractive finish of the sofa will be obtained from jacquard fabric. Increase the life of furniture upholstery and covers. You can choose them according to the interior of the room.
Furniture-transformer for the kitchen
Transforming interior items will help update a small kitchen. The furniture industry is developing various sliding and retractable designs. Such furniture involves the use of household items as needed. Some of the items can be compactly folded and, if necessary, transformed. Folding furniture saves space, improves ergonomics, creates comfort.
You can expand the space with a transforming table, folding chairs. There is another design solution to save space — transforming furniture for the kitchen, which is attached to the wall. Designs can be complex or simple. The transforming table can be fixed with a latch on the wall.
Manufacturers have provided options for tables that partially fold — side tables, book tables. When receiving guests, the kitchen table can be easily disassembled, and folded for everyday use. A practical option is transforming furniture with a bed. A compact transforming bed for a small apartment provides for the installation of a table, and for the night — beds. This is the best option to accommodate guests, as well as for cases where additional seating is required.
Where is the best place to put a sofa
A dining area with a sofa is often placed opposite the kitchen set. This option is most successful for rectangular standard kitchens. In the living rooms of a small area, the corner sofa is located by the window. This option is also suitable for kitchens with a bay window. Another solution is to place the corner structure against the wall that is opposite the window opening.
In a spacious kitchen or in a room combined with a balcony, you can put a sofa separately from the dining area. Combined kitchens and studio apartments are optimally divided by furniture into zones — for relaxation and for eating.
Sofa instead of or in addition to chairs
It happens that a sleeping place is not required in the living room, and the sofa will serve as an alternative or addition to the chairs. In this case, you can choose a bench, a corner structure or a straight-shaped sofa with storage containers. This solution will be optimal for small kitchens.
Manufacturers often offer chairs or stools for kitchen sofas. If design is more important than functionality, then the standard corner design can be replaced with a bench in the form of a garden bench. Storage compartments in such furniture are not designed.
The model in the form of a bench will fit into the interiors of a classic or rustic style. With the capacity of such structures, no chair can be compared. For kitchens with a bay window, special models of sofas are designed that fit into a niche. Instead of or in addition to chairs, a sofa can be made according to an author’s project to order, so that the sofa fits the existing niche in size.