Convertible beds

An excellent way to save the surrounding space, especially in modest living conditions, are convertible beds. They are becoming more and more popular among Russian consumers. There are people who are still wary of such non-standard options due to the fact that each of them is equipped with a certain mechanism, which, according to some, can quickly fail. But at the present stage, any mechanized design of a transforming bed is durable and reliable, so such an interior solution can be safely called safe.

The main advantage of any transforming model is the ability to save space around you and not purchase additional pieces of furniture. For small rooms, this option is sometimes the only and optimal way out of the situation if it is possible to securely fix the structure against a strong load-bearing wall. However, not all apartments have the opportunity to do this, for example, due to the peculiarities of the layout or the presence of interior partitions that are not suitable for fixing the bed and the lifting mechanism because they cannot withstand such a load.

Also, the transformer requires the most careful attitude towards itself, mainly due to the regularly operating lifting mechanism, which can break down due to its poor quality or because it was treated carelessly.

Convertible models can be used everywhere: in a large bedroom, a classic wardrobe bed can be decorated with a print or a mirrored panel, and it fits neatly into the room, providing maximum free space. Chest of drawers are especially in demand in small apartments and studios. There is a large selection of models for children's rooms, from cots for the little ones with changing tables and convenient drawers to bunk beds for schoolchildren. Small transformers in the form of poufs, chairs and benches are used in offices where it may be necessary to stay to work overnight.

All transforming beds, based on their design features, can be divided into vertical and horizontal. One of the vivid examples of vertical construction is an "adult" double wardrobe-bed-transformer, the headboard of which is fixed against the wall, and the main part is placed at its full height. As for the horizontal bed, it is mainly intended for use as a single bed, attached to the wall with the side part. The advantage of a horizontal model is that the wall space remains unoccupied, and you can place paintings or book shelves on it, moreover, when unfolded, it looks less bulky and takes up little space.

Other types include:

• One of the most famous examples is convertible bed with a roll-out berth, if necessary, retractable directly from under it. This is one of the simplest models: the spare bed is built into the other.With its help, you can optimize the space, and the ability to organize a second bed will be available at any time.

• Lifting folding convertible bed - it can be disguised as other furniture in the apartment, for example, by installing it in a closet or wall. A pneumatic-based mechanism lifts it up and puts it in a specially designated place. Most often this is an adult double bed, but there are also similar models designed specifically for children. The mechanism itself is quite simple to use, and a school-age child will cope with it without difficulty.

• Chest of drawers bed - popular in studios or one-room apartments, ideal for single people who do not need to purchase an extra bed. With the help of a soft mechanical drive, it is pulled out of a special box, which in the daytime looks just like an ordinary chest of drawers. There is also the simplest, folding model of such a bed, when it is simply removed into the box using a simple lifting mechanism.

• One of the most interesting and eye-catching models is pouf bed... It is deservedly called the most modern clamshell in the world. When folded, it looks like a soft ottoman, the dimensions of which are very compact. But if you lift the lid, inside is the most common metal structure on legs with a comfortable mattress that slides out vertically. The model can be easily transformed back: you just need to fold it like a regular folding bed and put it inside the pouf.

• Banquet bed differs from the pouf-transformer in even smaller dimensions, as well as the ability to organize two or three seats in any conditions, in case of their shortage. When these three places are folded together, they can be used as a comfortable folding bed. Another difference from a pouf of a similar design is that in the first case, the folding bed is removed directly into the pouf, and in the case of a banquet bed, its complete transformation takes place.

• Chair-bed is a modern modification of a folding chair, well known to the Russian consumer. The folding mechanism helps to push the bed on the metal frame forward. There are also very comfortable and pleasant to the touch types of such a chair with a frameless design: the soft mattress simply folds up or down, and the whole composition looks like a small soft chair without legs.

• Beds with convertible headboards provides an opportunity to set the headboard in a position more comfortable for a person. You can raise this part of the bed so that it turns into a comfortable support for the back: in this position it is very good to read books or watch TV, while relaxing at home with maximum comfort.

• Bench bed made of wood or metal, but the best option is a wooden bench, which is a simple retractable structure that can be folded forward or on the principle of a sofa-book. The option is well suited for giving. The main thing is that a good orthopedic mattress is always at hand: it will help to organize an extra bed as best as possible.

• Baby. For a schoolchild, one of the best options would be a children's transforming bed, in which two objects change places day and night: in the daytime, the bed rises upward, and the table moves downward. There is enough space under the table to store small items or toys. The advantage of this design is that order will always be maintained in the child's room and there will be enough free space for games.

The distance between the lower and upper tiers can be small, therefore, if the berths are assembled, they will take up a minimum amount of space. Also, bunk beds for children can be folding. A pendulum bed for small children is the best way to rock a child without additional psychological costs. It is equipped with a pendulum-like mechanism that sets the crib in motion. The smart crib sways, rotates, and the baby falls asleep much faster.

Basically, beds of a standard rectangular shape with a longitudinal or transverse position relative to the wall are widespread. However, there are models with more attractive and unusual shapes. Most often, these are baby cots. Round transforming beds are ideal for small children, even newborns. This type of bed is the greatest safety for the child, because there are no corners in it.

The most popular are roll-out models on wheels due to the fact that such a crib can be rearranged anywhere. The casters are equipped with a reliable locking mechanism that completely eliminates the possibility of minimal danger to the child. When the child grows up, such a crib can be "adjusted" according to his height and used as a playpen. The oval canopy cradle for babies was specially designed by Norwegian manufacturers. It can be transformed into two chairs, a playpen and a small sofa.

There are two main mechanisms of operation of transforming beds: spring and hydraulic:

• The spring mechanism is set depending on the size of the bed and its weight. Its price is low, and it is designed for about 20,000 unfoldings. This is enough for the bed to serve for many years. In order for the mechanism to take effect, a tangible physical effort is required.
• Hydraulic (or gas) is the most modern type of mechanism. All new products are equipped, mainly, only with them. With its help, the bed can be easily fixed in any state, and the transformation itself is soft. The hydraulic mechanism is completely safe and does not make any noise.

The dimensions of the berth are selected based on the age, height and weight of a person. For preschoolers, a 60 cm wide bed will suffice. The student will already need a standard single bed with a width of up to 80 cm. Teenagers can already count on a one-and-a-half bed. Its width can be 90, 120, 165 cm. Compact beds 160x200 cm are universal for people of all ages with an average build, and can become a useful and pleasant piece of furniture in any room. A wide double bed of 1400 mm or 1800x2000 mm is suitable for a person of any age and weight - it is important that the lifting mechanism is strong and reliable.

Transforming bed frames are made from solid wood, often in combination with a strong metal alloy. There are also lighter beds on a metal frame, which facilitates their transformation both manually and using any lifting mechanism. Of course, the frame of the combined structure is both stronger and more aesthetically pleasing, but it requires more advanced bed raising and lowering mechanics that can support the weight of both wood and metal. Portable models in the form of ottomans, benches or armchairs have flexible but durable metal frames.

A wardrobe-transformer bed in white, beige or ivory will look very delicate and create a feeling of airiness and lightness of the space for relaxation, despite the massiveness of such a structure. These color schemes are especially good when it comes to a separate bedroom.

One and a half double bed-transformer in wenge color and dark blue will look good in the interior of a studio apartment or living room combined with a bedroom. When folded, it will not differ from another piece of furniture (wardrobe or chest of drawers), and the dense and rich colors of this range will give the space an indescribable feeling of home comfort. Wenge of various shades is also preferable if it is planned to install a transformer of any design in a country house or in a country house. In lime or honey color, you can arrange a two-story transforming bed for school-age children or a bed for a teenage girl.

First of all, when choosing, you should always pay attention to the quality of the materials from which the transforming bed is made. If the load is calculated incorrectly, then, together with budget types of materials, any model of this type can very quickly fail. In this case, you should not give preference to the usual chipboard. It is better to opt for more durable models made of MDF, and if possible, then purchase a product made of natural wood. Two-thirds of the full load in such beds falls on its legs, therefore their optimal shape is the letter "G" or in the form of a wide board, which is capable of carrying a support.

Many people want to immediately purchase a transforming bed with a mattress in the complete set. Since the structures themselves are distinguished by a certain specificity and a great variety, it is not possible to complete each of them with a mattress: the bed moves daily, changing its location, and the mattress can simply fall, even if it is fixed with something. It is not recommended to take the currently fashionable "ecological mattresses" for transformers: they are filled with coconut shavings, which, due to their weight, will create an unnecessary additional load on the bed mechanism.

In order to assemble a crib with a pendulum with your own hands, you need a small screwdriver, plugs and screws.

First, a fence is installed, which must be fixed. Screws, using a screwdriver, connect the head of the bed, the side and the bottom. Then the berth itself is installed: it is fixed on all 4 sides, and only after that the movable fence is mounted. It is installed in special grooves that are located on the sides of the crib. The final fixation of the movable fence is done with screws.

The pendulum is assembled like this: four guides are mounted between its bottom and top.... The bottom is installed between the two guides located on top. Then the bottom of the pendulum is mounted. All fasteners must also be fixed with screws. The box is assembled according to the same principle as the pendulum. It must be placed inside the pendulum itself, and the bed must be placed on top. To install the bed, two movable parts are mounted on top of the pendulum, to which the legs of the bed are attached. The screws are additionally fixed with plugs.

The leaders in the production of such furniture are:

• Italian companies Colombo 907 and Clei. They produce durable and safe transforming mechanisms. One of the most popular models of Italian designers is a modular transforming bed: sofa-table-wardrobe-bed. Manufacturers Calligaris, Colombo and Clei at the present stage not only produce well-known wardrobes-beds of a classic vertical design, but also boast novelties in the form of wardrobes-beds with a rotation mechanism.
• American firm Resource Furniture developed the concept of a spatial solution, which has become a kind and very convenient know-how: one object that occupies the minimum space in the room can act as a bed with shelves, as well as a work, dining and even coffee table.
• German company Belitec is an innovator and developer of models with a transformable base with electric drive and massage. This mechanism is unique in that it can be activated by simply pressing a button. Of course, the price of a product with such a control system will be an order of magnitude higher, but it can justify itself many times over. Among the German manufacturers, it is worth noting the Geuther company, which has made additional innovations in children's transformers, improving them with the help of a spacious box for things and an additional place for sleeping.

• Decadrages - a French company that owns the original idea of ​​solving the problem of how to equip a non-standard sleeping place for a schoolchild. The bed is equipped with a special lifting mechanism that lifts it to the ceiling during the day, and during sleep it can be lowered down to any desired height.
• Convertible sofas are also regularly updated in all sorts of ways. HeyTeam has created a sofa called "Multiplo", which is a modular system consisting of different blocks, and can perfectly fit into any interior solution. This company creates multi-modular models of transformers: 3 in 1, 6 in 1, 7 in 1 and even 8 in 1.
• Of the Russian manufacturers, two companies can be noted that deserve attention: these are "Metra" and "Narnia". They produce transformers with sturdy steel frames and good quality mechanisms. The products are cheaper than those of foreign colleagues, and these companies are located in Lyubertsy and Kaliningrad.

The first place in the reviews is taken by a transforming bed with an additional roll-out bed. Buyers appreciate it for being able to be accommodated in a small apartment and for its reasonable cost. Such a bed hides inside a great backup option in case of arrival of guests.

A wardrobe-bed-transformer is a classic option already beloved by many buyers in case they want to combine the idea of ​​a large bed and saving the surrounding space. The opportunity to masterfully "pack" a large berth so that it is not visible during the day is appreciated. The hydraulic lifting mechanism is soft and quiet and has a long service life. For many families, the idea of ​​a transformer turned out to be much more attractive than a podium bed.

Customers call the pouf bed a "surprise box" and willingly purchase it as a gift for family and friends, because such an original piece of furniture represents not only aesthetic beauty, but also benefits: a folding bed inside can come in handy at any time. Children's bunk beds-transformers of various modifications literally "save" the situation of parents who have two children. This allows not only to organize comfortable sleeping places for both, but also to save space in the nursery.

Of course, a built-in transforming bed should not always be perceived as the only choice in those conditions when the living space is small. In the living room, this solution can be a great extra bed. For example, there is a variety that camouflages well when combined with a sofa. It is a vertical folding structure, made in the same color and style with the central part of the sofa, which can be placed in a special niche next to the wardrobe. When folded, the ensemble looks natural and cozy.

If there is a desire and opportunity, then the transformer sleeping place can be arranged so that when folded it will completely merge with the surrounding environment and will be completely invisible.

Transformer 3 in 1 (wardrobe-sofa-bed) is a comfortable and functional classic version. When folded, it looks like a wardrobe with a sofa in the middle, and when unfolded it is a large double bed, the legs of which, when folded, turn into a hinged shelf. For a small living room, there is nothing better than a horizontal sofa bed built into a plasterboard niche. This extra bed can also be perfectly camouflaged by using the top of the niche as a shelf for souvenirs.

One of the most popular options for a bedroom is a convertible wardrobe. It is perfect for those who wish to sleep on an extra large bed and still save space in the room. Clothes and bed linen are placed in the closet, and due to the fact that the bed folds upstairs in the daytime, the bedroom will always look neat and harmonious.

In the next video, you can see an overview of the models of transforming beds.