Convertible bed for a small apartment

An excellent option for arranging a small room is a transforming bed, which is a practical and comfortable furniture. Such a bed will perfectly fit into any interior, transform the room and allow rational use of square meters even in small rooms. With the help of a simple mechanism, the transforming bed with a slight movement of the hand turns into any other piece of furniture. A transforming bed will help ensure the availability of free space even in the smallest apartment.

Folding furniture was invented back in 1921 by American William Murphy. Since then, the design of such furniture has been constantly improved. Today, the topic of saving space is especially relevant, because the living space in modern apartments is small. Designers create new and creative ideas for hybrid and practical furniture.

The transforming bed is perfect for lovers of minimalism and will allow you to save as much free space in the room as possible. Their distinctive feature is the presence of a special lifting mechanism that allows you to change the shape of an object in a couple of moments.

The obvious advantages of this type of furniture are as follows:

• Practicality and functionality. The transforming bed is not only bedroom furniture. Such a bed can also be used as other pieces of furniture when arranging an apartment. The transformer can easily turn into a chest of drawers, a table or a sofa, which makes it very mobile.
• Ease of use. Thanks to the simple design of the transformer bed, you do not need to make great efforts to unfold or fold this furniture, while the time spent on this process is minimized.
• Saving space in the room. Transforming beds can be used not only at home, but even in an office space, which will allow you to fully relax right at work during a break, while not cluttering the workplace with large-sized furniture.

• Using awkward areas of the room. For areas of the room where it would be impossible to put full-size furniture, a transformer bed is perfect, which can even be placed in a corner.
• Possibility to select furniture of various sizes for both adults and children.
• Affordability... Convertible beds are a fairly budget option for arranging an apartment.
• Health care. Modern transformer beds are equipped with orthopedic mattresses, which are perfect for posture care. This is especially important when buying a bed for a child.

However, despite some of the shortcomings of the transformer bed, there are much more advantages to such furniture, which indicates the undoubted need to purchase such products for a small apartment. Transforming beds can turn into pieces of furniture for absolutely any purpose.

Let's talk about the varieties of transforming furniture for small rooms.

There are several types of transforming beds, each of which can be selected based on the purpose of the room.

Here is some of them:

1. bed-table;
2. armchair-bed;
3. chest of drawers;
4. wardrobe bed.

• Bed-table. Your child goes to school, and there is not enough space in the nursery for both the table and the bed? A very suitable option in this case is the furniture-transformer model "bed-table". Such furniture is relevant for placement in children's and teenage rooms. Such transformers, as a rule, have shelves for textbooks and drawers. The bed combines two zones at once - sleeping and working. This furniture allows the child to have an individual space where he can do homework, play and have a good rest. Also, such a transformer is perfect for placement in a home office, even with a minimum of free space.

• Chair-bed. One of the most famous and popular options for folding furniture is the chair-bed. This model is great for a studio apartment or for placement in a living room. It is possible to leave a guest for the night even if there are not enough sleeping places in the apartment thanks to the armchair-bed. This model usually has convenient drawers underneath for storing linen and bedding.

• Chest of drawers bed. A stylish chest of drawers turns into a full-fledged sleeping place. This model is equipped with several drawers for storing bed linen or other small items.

• Wardrobe bed. A variation of this model allows you to store wardrobe items, turning from a berth into a full-fledged wardrobe. When choosing such furniture, it is necessary to take into account the types of folding mechanisms. There are wardrobes-beds with a horizontal transformation direction. Such a model is capable of accommodating both a sleeping place and a wardrobe in one wardrobe. The horizontal placement model has, as a rule, one berth. In this case, the lifting mechanism is attached to the side of the bed and to the wall. That is, the bed is along the wall. In the daytime, the bed folds up into the chest of drawers, freeing up the space of the room. The folding model significantly saves room space.

• Double bed-transformer usually has a vertical position when unfolded. The headboard of such a model is fixed to the wall, being perpendicular to it, and in the assembled state the bed is located along the height of the wall.

When choosing transforming furniture, the most important aspect is the transformation mechanism. Indeed, with the constant use of a transforming bed, you need to be confident in the reliability and durability of the folding structure. There are three main types of mechanisms:

• spring;
• gas lift;
• counterweight.

Any of these mechanisms has a certain number of working cycles, in other words, an expiration date.

• Spring mechanism is the most popular due to its low cost and simplicity. It is believed that the spring mechanism is quite reliable, because there is nothing special to break there. But it is obvious that springs stretch rapidly over time and lose their elasticity. Therefore, the working life of the spring mechanisms is, on average, twenty thousand cycles.

• Gas lift mechanism will work many times more - about ninety thousand times.Transforming beds with such mechanisms unfold without the slightest effort. It is best to choose a bed with a gas lift mechanism that is filled with nitrogen rather than air. Such a mechanism includes a piston that is filled with nitrogen, a metal axle and steel swivel plates. Due to the nitrogen filling, corrosion of the mechanism parts is reduced. Accordingly, furniture with a gas-lift mechanism will cost more than spring furniture, but its reliability is much higher.

• The rarest, but the most durable mechanism is considered to be a counterweight. Its disadvantage lies in the need to allocate a separate space for the counterweight. Such a mechanism is very reliable, but, as a rule, furniture with such mechanisms is made to order or by hand.

The choice of material for the transforming bed must be taken responsibly. Let's describe some of the features of various kinds of materials.

• The most popular and budgetary option is chipboard transforming sofas. (wood chips of coarse dispersion). But a model of chipboard furniture is unlikely to be able to last more than five years. In addition, it is important to know that this material is 90% waste components. Particleboard contains some formaldehyde resins and various adhesive mixtures that can have a negative effect on human health. Therefore, when choosing furniture for a child or a person prone to allergies, this option should not be considered.

• A much more durable, harmless and reliable option is MDF furniture (finely dispersed fraction). MDF material is more environmentally friendly and dense. The service life of furniture made of this material is guaranteed for more than five years.

• Well, the most durable options are models made of natural wood, which is absolutely harmless to humans and is guaranteed to last for many years.

• Recently, manufacturers of some brands often offer metal frame beds, which is also the basis for the reliability and durability of transformable furniture.

Much attention should be paid to the quality of the material of the transformer bed mountings. For reliable fastening, it is worth using confirmations (that is, the same screws, but with a blunt tip), as well as reinforced steel corners. One of the main parts of the transformer bed is its support, that is, the legs. They carry the main load (about two-thirds), so it is worth choosing furniture with strong legs. In some models, the legs can be replaced with a wide support board or curved steel tube, which is a fairly solid support.

The sizes of transformable furniture are very diverse and allow you to choose a bed individually for everyone. You can also choose a transforming bed for a child, but when choosing, you should take into account his age. Correctly selected furniture is the key to convenience and comfort.

Beds for adults can be double, one and a half and single beds.

A complete rest is impossible without a quality mattress. Today there are many mattresses with different fillings and price categories.Many of them have health-improving functions. But not every mattress is suitable for transforming furniture, so its choice should be treated responsibly and with attention.

• For a transforming bed, it is best to choose a mattress without springs. Spring mattresses, often in an upright position, quickly deteriorate. Metal springs can rust quickly. Few people will be happy with an unpleasant metal squeak or a sagging sleeping place. Moreover, spring mattresses accumulate dust inside themselves, which may not have the best effect on health.

• The best option for a mattress for a transforming bed is a model with latex filling. Such a mattress has orthopedic properties, is very light, elastic and able to maintain its shape for a long time. Thanks to the latex filler, the weight is evenly distributed over the surface, which protects the mattress from sagging. The cost of a latex mattress will be higher compared to a spring mattress, but this type of mattress guarantees a sound and healthy sleep.

Each buyer selects furniture depending on his taste and the interior of the room, but there are several aspects that you should definitely pay attention to when choosing:

• The quality of the material. It is best to choose a transforming bed made of MDF or natural wood. This material guarantees a long service life of the furniture.

• You shouldn't stop choosing the cheapest models. The great cheapness of the product may indicate a low quality of construction. It is better to give preference to a more expensive but proven brand of furniture.
• When choosing a product in a store, you should ask for the opportunity to personally try to disassemble and reassemble the transforming bed. Furniture should be used without load. If disassembly does not cause much effort and is easy, then you can safely purchase this particular furniture.

• Previously, transforming beds were produced exclusively by Western furniture brands (Germany, France, Spain). But modern furniture of domestic manufacturers is not much inferior in quality to its foreign competitors. Moreover, the cost of furniture from a domestic manufacturer will be much cheaper.
• You should pay special attention to the strength of fasteners, folding mechanisms and supports, because this is the main component of transformer beds.
• The dimensions of the furniture must correspond to the height of the person. There is a simple way to determine if a bed is suitable for a person's configuration: to do this, you need to lie down on the bed and put your hands behind your head. If the elbows do not go beyond the bed, and a distance of 15-20 cm remains from the elbow to the edge, then such furniture is guaranteed to fit in size.

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Small living space is not a reason to refuse comfortable and stylish furniture. Compliance with the above presented simple recommendations will help you choose the right high-quality transforming bed for a small apartment that can last a long time.

Practicality and compactness are the main features of a modern interior. A creative design move can turn even the smallest apartment into a bright and spacious room.

Crampedness is the main disadvantage of small apartments, but it is quite easy to solve this problem.

The main feature is lighting. Heavy and dark curtains should not be hung on windows. Rather, they are suitable for spacious rooms.Better to let more sunlight into the room. The main thing is to avoid the presence of dark corners. Artificial LED lighting can be used along the floor or ceiling. This technique will visually expand the cramped space.

An even more interesting technique is wallpaper. The image of a spacious landscape or city panorama on the wall gives a feeling of freedom, expanding the room and, as it were, continuing it further, transferring the inhabitants to another place. It should be noted that images of cold tones will visually enlarge the room. It is best to choose wallpaper with the advantage of green, light blue or blue.

You can use the wallpaper in two different variations. Solid color wallpaper on all walls creates the feeling of an enclosed space. It is worth experimenting with colors or decorating one of the walls with stone or wood tiles.

Minimalism is a modern design style. The laconism and rationality of the interior of a small room is both stylish and comfortable. The abundant jumble of decor items creates a feeling of oppressive space, therefore, they should be used in a small room with dosage and caution. Do not clutter the walls with a large number of paintings, and the shelves with various vases and figurines. Space loves order.

Mirrors are an excellent option for visually increasing space. A sliding wardrobe with a mirrored door will perfectly fit into any interior and create a feeling of freedom.

When decorating a small room, you should divide the room into functional zones.... That is, you need to imagine what exactly this or that area will serve (rest, work, sports). Depending on this, it is worth placing decor items and necessary furniture.

Multifunctional furniture, such as a convertible bed, will be the ideal solution to save space in the room. By combining both a sleeping place and a wardrobe in one design, you can solve the problem of a lack of space.

Following these simple rules, you can easily and inexpensively transform a cramped, gloomy home into a cozy, bright and spacious room where it will be pleasant to spend time both with yourself and in the company.

For even more transformer models, see the next video.