Owners of modern apartments do not always have a large number of spacious rooms. Often, when purchasing furniture and interior items, the choice is between functionality and appearance. A compact transformable bed is a rare case when fashionable design is combined with practicality of use.
Its use will allow you to combine a bedroom with a living room or office in one room.
Which mechanism is more reliable?
The most reliable of those discussed above is the gas mechanism. Many manufacturers provide gas lifts with a very impressive warranty of 5 years or more.
The ease of use of the unit does not mean that its mechanism is also simple, therefore, there is a high probability that it will not last long.
Spring mechanisms fail over time; excessive force should not be applied to them; in addition, springs do not provide any support to the base of the bed, being responsible only for folding and unfolding.
Manufacturers quite often recommend transforming the bed less frequently.
The only advantage of the spring mechanism compared to the gas one is its relative accessibility. Therefore, if the bed you plan to purchase will not be used quite often, you can still opt for springs. For other cases, it is recommended to choose gas lifts.
Gas lift is the most common mechanism for assembling a transforming bed.
Variety of transformable beds
The bed occupies a special place in the apartment. Although this piece of furniture takes up a large area, it is one that cannot be abandoned even in the modern world. In large rooms, you can easily place the crib where it will be conveniently located and cause a minimum of disturbance.
The owner of a small premises can purchase a 3 in 1 transformable bed for a small apartment. This construction can be used in two ways:
- hide during the day, leaning against the wall;
- convert into another piece of furniture.
The simplest and most practical solution is a lift-up bed. It is attached to the bottom of the wall with movable hinge mechanisms. Anyone can handle the design: from a teenager to a pensioner. The back of such a bed can be disguised as a closet.
You can hide drawers or shelves inside such a transformable model, on which you can conveniently place a large number of different things, hiding them from prying eyes. In such designs, you can not even remove the bed linen for a day. It is attached using various devices.
Installation Rules
Instructions and necessary accessories for the wardrobe-bed are included, so if you have certain skills, you can carry out the installation yourself. There are only a number of nuances that need to be taken into account when installing vertical models of transformable furniture:
- You can attach the wardrobe-bed structure to a solid wall at least 2 bricks thick. If it is upholstered with plasterboard, you will need long fasteners that will pass through gypsum board, concrete or brick. If it is not securely fastened, there is a risk that the frame of the wardrobe-bed will come off and injure people.
- Installation on plasterboard partitions and walls made of cellular concrete is not allowed - they have insufficient load-bearing capacity.
- If the wardrobe-bed is made of laminated chipboard, it is worth strengthening the base with metal corners or a board. Basically, the vertical pillars of the box are reinforced.
- Cabinets with a niche for a bed are bulky; to secure them securely, they require flat surfaces without distortions. Sometimes you have to level the floor and walls, otherwise the strength of the fastening cannot be guaranteed.
Installing a wardrobe-bed is a rather labor-intensive process that requires certain tools and skills, so it is better to entrust it to professionals.
A horizontal transforming bed can be built into a closet, but is sometimes made in the form of a free-standing cabinet. It also needs to be securely fastened to the wall or floor. Since smaller loads are expected on the wardrobe bed, one reliable support point is sufficient.
From all of the above, it follows that transformable furniture is an excellent option for a small room. This type of design will also be appreciated by lovers of space and functionality. If there are often guests in the house, a convenient transformable wardrobe bed will allow you to comfortably accommodate several people.
Types of transformable bed mechanisms
In addition to the already mentioned options for location relative to the floor surface, transformable beds are usually distinguished by the type of mechanisms used that ensure folding and unfolding of the transformer. The most common mechanisms are those with shock absorbers. During operation, they do not create unnecessary noise, reliably coping with their main task.
A sofa that transforms into a bed is one of the most popular modifications for one-room apartments
In order not to make a mistake when choosing the most suitable mechanism, you need to take into account the maximum load on the bed structure. In this case, not only human weight, but also the dimensions of the mattress are used as data for calculations. It is best that the maximum permitted load on the bed has a small margin. This will significantly extend the life of the transforming bed.
Each buyer sees for himself the advantages and disadvantages of the mechanism of transforming beds.
Not very often, but the loop mechanism still occurs. To unfold such a bed, you will have to apply many times more effort than for other mechanisms.
Tips for choosing
Each buyer selects furniture depending on his taste and the interior of the room, but there are several aspects that you must pay attention to when choosing:
Quality of 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 should not opt for the cheapest models. A product that is very cheap may indicate low quality construction. It is better to give preference to a more expensive but proven furniture brand.
- 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 require much effort and is easy, then you can safely purchase this particular furniture.
Previously, transformable beds were produced exclusively by Western furniture brands (Germany, France, Spain). But modern furniture from domestic manufacturers is not much inferior in quality to its foreign competitors
Moreover, furniture from a domestic manufacturer will cost much less. Particular attention should be paid to the strength of fastenings, folding mechanisms and supports, because this is the main component of transformable beds. The dimensions of the furniture must correspond to the height of the person. There is a simple way to determine whether a bed will suit a person's configuration: to do this, you need to lie on the bed and put your hands behind your head
If the elbows do not extend beyond the bed, and there is a distance of 15-20 cm from the elbow to the edge, then such furniture is guaranteed to fit.
A small living space is not a reason to refuse comfortable and stylish furniture. Following the simple recommendations presented above will help you choose the right quality transforming bed for a small apartment that can last a long time.
Procedure
- Decide on the location of the furniture. When unfolded, the cabinet should not rest against objects or the wall of the room.
- For proper assembly, a sketch or finished drawing is required. You must clearly understand where and what detail is shown in the picture.
- Mark the installation location of the main mechanism.
- Assembly should begin with the bed frame (frame). Follow the drawing strictly and check the dimensions. Secure all components with self-tapping screws at a distance of 25 cm.
- Assemble the stock separately from the body. Secure the parts with corners and self-tapping screws.
- Attach the straps to the stock. They are necessary to fix the mattress.
- The box and the stock are connected to each other by a complex mechanism.
If you have questions about assembly and the description is not enough, you can refer to the video tutorials. They will provide detailed and accessible information on connecting the parts of the transforming cabinet.
Types of transformable beds
Many buyers are interested in the question: what types of transformable beds are there? Modern furniture manufacturers offer many options for transformable beds, so you can always choose furniture that best suits your needs.
There are the following main types of such structures:
- folding wardrobe bed;
- table-bed;
- sofa bed;
- transformable bed for newborns.
Folding wardrobe-bed transformer
A folding wardrobe bed is a design that can easily be transformed from a wardrobe to a sleeping place and back.
The wardrobe-bed consists of two main elements - a stationary wardrobe, which is the basis of the structure, and a folding bed.
Depending on the orientation in space, a folding bed can be either horizontal or vertical.
Vertical orientation is the most rational option for placing a bed in a small room. In this case, the sleeping place can be of any size - from single to “royal”.
The horizontal orientation of the bed is used if the structure is additionally equipped with a spacious storage system or a bedside stationary table.
Depending on the size, folding beds can be:
- singles for adults and teenagers: 90x190 or 80x190 cm;
- for tall people: 90x200 cm;
- for small children: 150x70 and 160x70 cm;
- one-and-a-half-sleeping: 120x190 cm;
- double: with a width from 160 to 220 cm.
Transformable table-bed
A table-bed allows you to profitably organize two zones at once - a working and a sleeping area. This design is a full-fledged bed that can be transformed into a comfortable table.
Depending on the transformation methods, there are two types of table-beds:
- “table-up”: in this case, the sleeping place is lowered down at night, and the table is at floor level. In the morning, the table rises up - to do this, just pull the bed by the side and push it into the niche. The main advantage of this mechanism is that you don’t have to remove things from the table;
- “table-down”: in this case, the bed is located directly under the tabletop. To expand the sleeping area, the table is raised up, and during the day, on the contrary, it is lowered.
Transformable sofa bed
A sofa bed is a full-fledged sleeping place that can easily be transformed into a sofa. Depending on the shape, sofas can be:
- rectangular: a classic option that is ideal for installation in the center of the room;
- corner: such sofa beds are installed in the corner of the room, freeing up additional space;
- irregular shape: with a rounded seat or in the shape of a wave.
Sofa beds can have different folding options. The most popular of them are:
- book: first the seat of the sofa is raised, and the back is leaned back, and then lowered. This folding mechanism is considered one of the most reliable; it has a significant drawback - the inability to provide a perfectly flat sleeping area;
- Eurobook: in this case, the seat moves forward and the back rests on it. This mechanism is convenient because there is no need to move the sofa away from the wall;
- roll-out mechanism: the berth moves forward. The advantages of this method are the compact size of the sofa when folded and the spacious bed when unfolded.
Transformable bed for newborns
A transformable crib for newborns is an excellent option for young families, allowing you to save space in the room.
There are many models of such furniture, differing from each other in functionality and design. Depending on the configuration, cribs consist of various modules - tables, chests of drawers, removable cradles. In some designs, the changing table serves as the supporting structure of the crib; in others, it is possible to transform the chest of drawers into bedside tables.
Features of elements
A transformable wardrobe bed is a complex structure consisting of many elements. The main factor influencing the reliability and ease of use of the product is the transformation mechanism. Also, such furniture differs in materials, design of facades, sizes and other features of the sleeping bed.
Facades
When the bed is put away in the closet, the façade remains visible. It can be made from various materials, so you can choose furniture that is not only multifunctional, but also suitable for any interior:
- Laminated chipboard is an inexpensive, easy-to-maintain, durable material. The surface of the wardrobe-bed is perfectly smooth, it can be matte or glossy, in a wide variety of colors and textures.
- MDF is a more durable and environmentally friendly material than chipboard. The fronts of the wardrobe beds are coated with acrylic paints, polished or varnished. You can achieve a variety of effects - mother of pearl, starry sky and so on.
- Plastic is inexpensive and practical. It is easy to care for and does not break during use. Therefore, a wardrobe-table-bed with such fronts would be a good choice for a children's room.
- Natural wood, although expensive, has significant advantages: environmental friendliness, durability, luxurious appearance.
- Glass - allows you to visually expand the space. Colored film and sand patterns can be used for decoration.
- A mirror also creates the illusion of a spacious room. A protective film is applied to the surface, so even if the front of the wardrobe-bed is damaged, the fragments will not fly apart and hurt anyone.
- Leather is not a cheap material, but it is natural, suitable for creating an elite interior.
Facades can be combined, when different materials and textures are combined.
Mechanisms of transformation
The lifting wardrobe bed can be transformed using a gas or spring mechanism, each with its own strengths and weaknesses:
- Gas design. The smooth lowering and raising of furniture is ensured by gas lifts - pistons filled with gas under pressure. These models are easier to fold without making noise, but are more likely to break.
- Spring type mechanism for a wardrobe bed. There is a spring inside that sets the structure in motion. This device is stronger, more reliable, but more expensive. The main disadvantage is that squeaking may occur over time.
Often, buyers are worried that the transformable product may suddenly collapse or collapse, which is dangerous to health and life. However, such worries are groundless. The fittings for wardrobe beds with a lifting mechanism include a protective corner to prevent them from tipping over. If the structure is too heavy, you can play it safe and fix it in a vertical position with latches or magnets.
Spring mechanism
Gas mechanism
Sleeping bed
The most important thing in a bed that goes into a closet is the sleeping place, so you need to choose it especially carefully. Its main elements:
- frame;
- base;
- mattress;
- retractable supports;
- false doors with handles.
The frame of the wardrobe-bed consists of side walls and additional functional elements - mezzanines, shelves, cabinets that are attached to the wall. It is better for it to be metal or wood, this guarantees high strength. Models made from synthetic materials are cheaper, but less reliable and durable.
The base of the transformable wardrobe bed is attached to the frame, serving as a support for the mattress. It comes in two types:
- From lamellas. It is a lattice made of wooden, metal or plastic slats. This transforming design is durable and promotes good ventilation of the mattress.
- Solid. This is a flat base made of wood, chipboard or plastic. It is designed for high loads, but does not provide proper air circulation.
Usually a folding bed-wardrobe is sold with a mattress included. It can be foam rubber or spring. In this case, it is necessary to ensure that the product fits perfectly in size to the sleeping bed.
Materials
The choice of material for a transformable bed must be taken responsibly. Let us describe some features of various types of materials.
| Material | Lifetime | Reliability |
| Chipboard | Less than 5 years | Low |
| MDF | More than 5 years. | Average |
| Natural wood | Unlimited | High |
| Metal | Unlimited | High |
Much attention should be paid to the quality of the material of the transformable bed fastenings. 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 a transformable bed is its support, that is, the legs. They bear the main load (about two-thirds), so it is worth choosing furniture with durable legs. In some models, the legs can be replaced with a wide support board or a curved steel pipe, which provides a fairly strong support.
How to make a transforming wardrobe with your own hands?
Such furniture is considered a complex product. All elements must be accurately selected and installed correctly. Any distortion can cause breakdown or problems during transformation. In addition, incorrectly assembled furniture leads to injuries and wasted money. Experts recommend not saving on assembly and entrusting it to professionals.
If you have experience assembling furniture, and you are excellent with carpentry tools and materials, then below we offer you a brief description of how to assemble or make an unusual cabinet yourself.
For work you will need the following tools: a hammer drill, a screwdriver, a tape measure, corners, self-tapping screws, a pencil and a ruler.
Materials include: assembly drawing, transformation mechanisms, parts of the structure body made of chipboard or wood.
You can draw a sketch of your future creation yourself, but the rest of the materials will have to be purchased at a furniture showroom. Don't skimp on the sliding mechanism. It must be reliable and durable, because the main load and functionality will be placed on it.
Of the entire range, it is preferable to buy a German device. When you have all the necessary elements in front of you, you can start working.
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Rules for choosing a mattress
Many models of transformable beds are sold already equipped with mattresses. However, such products are not suitable for everyone. Sometimes due to the orthopedic needs of the body, sometimes based on issues of convenience. Be that as it may, many people prefer to choose a mattress separately from the bed.
The mattress plays an important role for human health. Choose this product based on the size of the bed.
The main rule in this choice is the correspondence between the dimensions of the mattress and the proposed transformable bed. Most often, the manufacturer indicates the appropriate dimensions of mattresses directly in the characteristics of the offered models.
The mattress may have additional fasteners.
Many bed frames are initially designed so that either the mattress is securely fixed into them without additional equipment, or the possibility of attaching the mattress is provided.
Consider the dimensions of not only the mattress, but also other things nearby.
Operating principle and features of the lifting mechanism
The advantage of a transforming bed is that the sleeping place is completely hidden behind the facade of another type of furniture, freeing up space in the middle of the room. To implement the transformation process, 2 types of lifting mechanisms are used:
- Based on the ability of springs to stretch and regain their original shape. Requires precise selection according to the weight and dimensions of the bed. It will take some effort to activate it.
- Hydraulic (gas lift) operates silently and easily. Even a child and an old man can cope with it.
The second type is more reliable and of higher quality, but its cost is higher than the first.
Depending on the size of the sleeping bed, the design of the lifting mechanism can be vertical or horizontal.
If we are talking about a double bed, then it is mounted vertically (the headboard is fixed at the bottom of the wall, and the body moves from a horizontal position with the foot up and is placed along the entire height of the base). It is better to attach single beds to a horizontal structure, freeing up the upper part of the wall for other needs: installing shelves, mezzanines, mirrors and household utensils.
The legs can be stationary, representing shelves after being raised, or hidden together with the sleeping area behind the facade of the furniture. You can use a table that lowers with the bed and snaps into place after it is raised. Such models are especially in demand in living rooms, when they are used as an additional sleeping place for guests.
An important detail is ease of use due to the presence of special belts in the design, which are designed to hold not only the mattress, but also pillows, blankets, and other bedding. This eliminates the need to put items away in cabinets every morning, and in the evening you just need to lower the base and the bed is ready for rest and sleep.
Dimensions
The sizes of transformable furniture are very diverse and allow you to choose a bed individually for everyone. You can choose a transforming bed for a child, but when choosing, you should take into account his age. Properly selected furniture is the key to convenience and comfort.
For children
| Child's age | Bed width | Bed length |
| Up to 3 years | 60 cm | 120 cm |
| From 4 to 7 years | 70-80 cm | 140 cm |
| Teenagers | 90 cm | 180 cm |
For adults
Beds for adults can be double, single or single.
| Bed type | Bed width | Bed length |
| Single | 70 – 90 cm (in imported ones – 90 -100 cm) | 1.9 – 2 m |
| One and a half | 1.4 m | 1.9 – 2 m |
| Double | 1.4-1.6 m | 1.9 – 2 m |
Advantages of transform models
Furniture capable of transformation rationally helps to distribute the free space of the room. Similar models differ:
- the sleeping bed is unfolded and assembled using a simple mechanism, which includes special belts, an electric drive device, and strong springs that can withstand heavy loads;
- the ability to transform into a sofa, bed, wardrobe with a slight movement of the hand;
- the free space of the room is significantly saved;
- in addition to the sleeping space, a large number of things can be stored inside the model, and you can also use furniture to divide the space into zones;
- variety of sizes and colors of transformable beds;
- Possibility of installation anywhere in the apartment, even in a corner.
In small apartments you can install a transformable children's bed; this option is especially attractive for families raising several children.
But in addition to the advantages, these pieces of furniture are characterized by certain disadvantages:
- with frequent folding and unfolding, the design mechanism may fail;
- high cost of the headset, especially from foreign manufacturers;
- Elderly people may become tired assembling and disassembling the structure every day.
Roll-out bed-wardrobe
When folded, it is a regular wardrobe with compartments. However, as soon as you pull the handle, a sleeping bed pulls out from the bottom cabinet. The mechanism is an accordion that manages to take up minimal space when folded.
The closet can contain spacious shelves, space for a TV or a table. Such universal furniture is used in hotels or at home.
Photo of a transforming bed for a small apartment
Beautiful room interior ideas
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.
Crowding is the main disadvantage of small apartments, but this problem is quite easy to solve.
The main feature is the lighting. You should not hang heavy and dark curtains on windows. They are more suitable for spacious rooms. It is better to let more sunlight into the room. The main thing is to avoid the presence of dark corners. You can place artificial LED lighting along the floor or ceiling. This technique will visually expand the cramped space.
An even more interesting technique is photo 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 in cold tones will visually enlarge the room. It is best to choose wallpaper with an advantage of green, blue or blue colors.
You can use two different wallpaper variations. Plain wallpaper on all walls creates a feeling of enclosed space. It’s worth experimenting with colors or decorating one of the walls with stone or wood tiles.
Minimalism is a modern design style. The laconicism and rationality of the interior of a small room is both stylish and comfortable
An abundant accumulation of decorative items creates a feeling of oppressive space, so they should be used in a small room in doses and carefully. Do not clutter the walls with a large number of paintings, and the shelves with various vases and figurines
Space loves order.
An excellent option for visually increasing space are mirrors. A sliding wardrobe with a mirrored door will fit perfectly 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 be used for (rest, work, sports). Depending on this, it is worth placing decorative items and necessary furniture.
Multifunctional furniture, such as a transformable bed, will be an ideal solution for saving space in the room. By combining both a sleeping area and a closet in one design, you can solve the problem of lack of space.
By following these simple rules, you can easily and without much expense transform a cramped, gloomy home into a cozy, bright and spacious room where you can spend pleasant time with yourself and in company.
See even more transformer models in the next video.
Modern options from IKEA manufacturers
As mentioned above, one of the clearest examples of furniture that saves space in an apartment is Ikea products. With little effort, folding beds turn into a compact and spacious wardrobe.
The company's products are equipped with lifting mechanisms. The bed can be folded out on the side or end. The company provides a two-year warranty on its products, and a 20-year warranty on lifting mechanisms. The Ikea transforming wardrobe is a universal piece of furniture that allows you to optimally use the space in your apartment.
Advantages and disadvantages
Folding furniture was invented back in 1921 by the 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 spaces in modern apartments are small. Designers are creating new and creative ideas for hybrid and practical furniture.
A 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, which 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. A transforming bed is not only sleeping furniture. This 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, and a sofa, which makes it very mobile.
- Ease of use. Thanks to the simple design of the transformable bed, you do not need to make much effort to unfold or fold this furniture, and the time spent on this process is minimized.
- Saving space in the room. Transformable 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, without cluttering your workplace with large furniture.
Using inconvenient areas of the room. For areas of the room where it would be impossible to place full-size furniture, a transformable bed is perfect, which can even be placed in a corner.
Possibility to choose furniture of various sizes for both adults and children.
Affordability. Transformable beds are a fairly budget option for furnishing an apartment.
Taking care of your health. Modern transformable beds are equipped with orthopedic mattresses, which is perfect for caring for posture
This is especially important when buying a bed for a child.
But certain disadvantages were also identified in folding types of furniture, in particular:
Since the transforming bed has to be folded out often, the internal mechanisms wear out quickly, so when buying furniture it is important to pay attention to the quality of the material and the reliability of the folding structure. It is important to remember that it is not advisable to place a transforming bed near ordinary room partitions. Often they may not withstand the weight of a folding structure. Therefore, the installation of transformable furniture must be carried out near the main wall. Transformable beds should not be purchased by elderly or physically weak people, since unfolding this bed requires some effort, which can be difficult or traumatic for them.
However, despite some disadvantages of a transformable bed, such furniture has many more advantages, which indicates the undoubted need to purchase such products for a small apartment. Transformable beds can turn into pieces of furniture for absolutely any purpose.
Let's talk about the types of transformable furniture for small spaces.
How to choose a transforming wardrobe?
When purchasing a universal model of this type, you should contact companies that can offer a guarantee. One of the companies that has earned trust over the years is the Ikea group of companies. Their retail outlets are distributed throughout the world, including Russia. Residents of remote cities specially come to their stores or order goods via the Internet.
Thanks to a long period of work and high-quality performance, this manufacturer has earned the trust of the majority of Russians. Despite a number of advantages, before purchasing it is necessary to insure yourself and follow the following recommendations:
- in the store, the seller must check the functionality of the cabinet and demonstrate it to the buyer;
- ask for certificates of conformity to view;
- Before purchasing, you need to measure at home the dimensions that the bed will need when unfolded.
When buying at random, there is a likely risk of buying a model that is too large, which will not fit in the room, will block passages or rest against other objects. You will have to exchange furniture that does not fit, disassemble it again and choose a more suitable product. It is better to save yourself from such problems in advance and choose a cabinet in accordance with the space in the house.
