Types of transformable furniture and selection rules

Furniture products belonging to the transformer category are in demand and popular among a wide audience of consumers. The stores offer furniture for everyday use - tables and chairs for the home, garden; for commercial establishments - office sofas, tables, chests of drawers; as well as options for open space - sets of tables and chairs. A feature of each type of transformable furniture is original structural and design solutions, but the most important characteristic is considered to be compact dimensions. Transformer furniture unfolds in one motion thanks to simple mechanisms.

Advantages and disadvantages

Compact furniture combines two main functional features: mobility and ease of use. Therefore, each piece of this category of furniture possesses them to one degree or another. Folding tables and chairs are designed to save space not only indoors, but also in open areas - this could be a recreation area, areas near a cafe, restaurant. When purchasing transformable tables and chairs for your home or garden, you need to know what to look for.

Transformable furniture has a lot of undeniable advantages:

• Ergonomic design;
• Wide range of designs - the presence of transforming mechanisms allows you to make more variable furniture;
• Multifunctionality - in a matter of seconds you can completely change not only the appearance of the item, but also the purpose of folding pieces of furniture in the room;
• Ease of use;
• Mobility and practicality - space-saving furniture is suitable for temporary use, but when it is not needed, it can be put away until next time;
• Reliability of mechanisms, which ensures durability.

Common disadvantages are:

• Possibility of premature failure of folding mechanisms;
• Increased fragility of the structure - it is not recommended to exceed the calculated loads.

Any breakdown of the mechanism leads to the need for repairs, which hits the budget. You can avoid unpleasant moments during operation if you choose the right product and check the operation of the mechanism in the store. Try unfolding and folding the piece of furniture several times; the mechanism should not “stick.”

Features of garden furniture

Every summer resident will appreciate transformable garden furniture. For example, a practical bench, which when folded looks like a simple bench, is of interest. If you unfold it, you get a fairly large table and two comfortable benches. For a dacha, this is not only a functional device that can be brought indoors without any problems. A wooden or metal structure will be an excellent element of site decor.

Interesting furniture design options:

1. Flower bench - when assembled it resembles a bud, can accommodate up to 5 people. When disassembled, indentations form on it, which cause discomfort when sitting.
2. The design bench is its main advantage in its absolute functionality, because even when assembled it can accommodate 2 people. If you take it apart, six can sit freely.
3. Corner bench - includes several variations of rotations of individual elements, due to which it provides a large number of seats.
4. A bench-table with benches is the most common option, saving maximum usable space. When unfolded, one bench turns into 2 along with a table.

What furniture is chosen for libraries, the basic requirements for it

When folded, transformable furniture does not have a very presentable appearance, which is its only drawback. Any of the presented modifications can be used for dachas and country houses. The designs are so simple that it is quite possible to make them yourself. The most difficult stage is drawing up the drawings. If you do not have the proper experience, you can use ready-made diagrams or seek help from specialists. Assembly can be done even by those who do not have much experience in the field of furniture making.

Varieties

The furniture market offers stunning transformable furniture that fits harmoniously into the interior of any room. These are not simple products for everyday use, but multifunctional items that are installed in the nursery, living room, hall, bedroom, and kitchen. Their functionality is rated as 2-in-1 or 3-in-1. Some models are kits that consist of several transformable items.

The market is overflowing with offers from domestic and foreign manufacturers, but Italy remains the standard of sophistication. The main feature of modern transformable furniture is a non-standard approach to design and structural solutions. To understand the design of transformer upholstered furniture, drawings of the folding mechanism are provided.

Multifunctional transformable furniture is available in several versions:

• Hull;
• Modular;
• Soft.

You can learn how to use furniture attributes of all types from the video, which demonstrates the operation of each type of product. Numerous photos on the Internet will help you decide on the choice of model for a specific room.

Soft

Modular

Cabinet
Also, folding furniture can be:

• Single;
• Complete.

According to their purpose, furniture products can be divided into the following types:

• Household;
• For public places.

Both household and public furniture is divided into the following subtypes:

• Designed for sitting and lying;
• For work and meals;
• Other items.

The most common among them are the products described below. They are valued due to the fact that they can perform maximum functions: they will save space and create convenience.

For household purposes

For public places

To the nursery

During the development and production, special attention should be paid to furniture attributes for teenagers. The main items that furnish the room are:

• Bed;
• Desk or computer desk;
• Closet.

Products with maximum comfort for relaxation, study, and sleep are specially created for a teenager’s room. Multifunctional furniture includes bed wardrobes with vertical and horizontal transformation, as well as 2-tier models that fit well in small rooms.

A children's room is most often small in size, so a modern wall for a teenager is suitable for it, which has compact dimensions and, if necessary, can easily be created from a table with a spacious sleeping area. Furniture can be placed against a wall or near a window where street light can easily enter. There are a lot of varieties of attributes, so for each buyer there is an optimal option that satisfies all requirements and will look harmonious in the room.

For zoning space

To decorate spacious rooms, you can use transformable furniture. Separate items (sofas, armchairs, sliding tables, walls, cabinets and bars) are used for zoning space when one room is intended to perform several functions at once:

• Living room - kitchen;
• Living room - bedrooms;
• Relaxation areas - study.

Individual attributes are located at the border of two or more zones. The most practical is a set that includes two functional items, for example, a corner sofa with a mini bar, transformable coffee tables. To rationally arrange objects in a room, you can use visual cues in the form of photos on the Internet.

For the dacha

Transformable garden furniture is in high demand. These are practical items designed to create maximum comfort in the fresh air. Original garden furniture is made of wood, metal, and plastic.

One of the common designs is a wooden bench, which can be easily transformed into a comfortable table with benches on both sides. Such furniture will become a real “treasure” for any summer resident.

In many dachas you can find plastic sets of folding tables and chairs. Pieces of furniture for the garden, unfolding and folding like a Lego set, acquire the desired shapes and sizes. Modern models of elite garden furniture for summer cottages are specially developed. Simple items can decorate a seating area and create a cozy and comfortable environment.

For kitchen

Smart furniture placed in small kitchens not only saves space, but also does not take up useful territory. Items that are not needed for constant use (components - shelves, drawers, work surface, table) are pulled out only for a certain time and then returned to their previous position. This includes products such as:

• Modular sets: cabinet, table top with shelves, hanging shelves;
• Folding chairs - found in all kitchens.

Models of kitchen sets with folding and sliding elements are designed
to save space in a small area, making food preparation convenient.

Types of mechanisms

The ability to change shape is provided by transformation mechanisms for furniture. Without them, the product cannot be multifunctional. Depending on the type of fittings used, designs are distinguished:

1. Retractable. Among them are various tables, shelves and even sofas. Typically, one part slides out and the other drops down, locking the first. Roller mechanisms last a long time, are inexpensive, and are easy to replace. They are very practical.
2. Folding. These mainly include upholstered furniture: armchairs, sofas, beds. They are suitable for any room, including small ones. Folds out to the sides or forward and does not require special physical effort. They are distinguished by reliability, safety, affordable cost, and ease of use. The only drawback of the furniture is that a folding sofa takes up 2-3 times more space when disassembled than when folded.
3. Rising. The most obvious example is a bed built into a closet. It descends from top to bottom from a vertical to a horizontal position. Moreover, when it is assembled, there is not even a hint of a sleeping place. Such designs are not the safest for children, since a heavy box can injure a child. A cheap mechanism that can quickly fail is unacceptable here.
4. Modular. Transforming sofas of this type consist of several parts, the placement variations of which are unlimited. Different items can be used both together and separately. Such options are among the most expensive, which is a significant drawback.

Classification of cabinet furniture, photos in interiors of different styles
The market offers transformable furniture for the home, varying in functionality. Some models are radically transformed from one subject to another; the properties of the elements have little in common, for example, a chair-bed or a table-cabinet. There are models such as bed-bed. There is no mistake in the name, the manufacturer simply provided the opportunity to make a larger one out of a smaller structure. This option is best used in a schoolchild’s room. As he grows up, you won’t have to buy new furniture, because a simple transformation will allow you to lengthen the old one.

Retractable mechanism

Folding

Rising

Modular

Types of transformation mechanisms

Folding furniture is an integral part of our life, as it is convenient and practical to use. The most popular model of folding furniture is the sofa. The variety of types allows us to say that this item contains almost all types of folding transformation mechanisms for upholstered furniture, which determines the type and shape of the sofa:

• The “book” is the most common model - it is not only a spacious sleeping area, which is created in two movements, but also has a spacious drawer for bedding;
• “Eurobook” with a roll-out seat, in place of which there is a folding backrest. This model of sofa can be installed close to the wall, so there is no need to move it when transforming upholstered furniture;
• The draw-out system is a reliable mechanism and is suitable for daily use;
• "Dolphin" is used in corner sofas. The disadvantages of this design include the lack of a spacious drawer for linen, the place of which is occupied by a pull-out part;
• “Accordion” or “Accordion” - the mechanism is distinguished by its ease of unfolding and the presence of a spacious sleeping area;
• “French folding bed”, reminiscent of the mechanism of a regular folding bed.

Due to the fact that there are several mechanisms for transforming furniture, you can choose the optimal design option. You can clearly see how each mechanism works using photos that show the step-by-step unfolding process. Along with the kit, instructions are provided, which contain diagrams for unfolding the item.

Dolphin

Book

Eurobook

Roll-out

Harmonic

French folding bed

Variety of multifunctional tables

Transformable tables are very popular. The most famous modification is where a sliding mechanism turns a small tabletop into a large one. The last option is indispensable for holidays, but it is not needed on ordinary days. Considering how much space the furniture takes up, it is rational to purchase a transformable option. After all, it not only saves space, but is also fully used in everyday life. The length by which the table can be extended varies from 20 to 150 cm.

There are transformable tables not only for eating and relaxing, but also for work. The design, which turns into an easel or drawing board, is an original furniture option for a small room. There are also cabinet tables that hide sewing machines. Handicraftsmen especially value such furniture, because this minimizes the risk of accidental mechanical damage to the device outside of work.

Various cabinet tables are used in dining rooms, kitchens, children's rooms, living rooms, and offices. When unfolded, they can become larger in length and height. A small storage system for things is often organized inside. There are straight and angular.

For the kitchen, cabinet tables on wheels with a coating that is resistant to moisture, mechanical damage and temperature changes are preferred.

There is another functional modification - a table-bed. Here the working surface is raised and the bed is lowered due to rotary hinges. By placing the mattress horizontally, you can significantly save space. This solution is ideal for a teenager's room. There is furniture for dining rooms, living rooms, as well as a more complex modification - table-bed-wardrobe. The latter is complemented by shelves on the sides or on top, if the ceiling height allows.

Designer tips for choosing and the best photos of furniture for different rooms

Which transformable furniture is better to choose?

Cheap convertible furniture cannot guarantee reliability and durability. When choosing, you should pay attention to high-quality models with a small set of functions and at an affordable price. Mobile furniture requires ease of transformation and transfer, so when choosing a massive item you need to pay attention to the number of removable parts, their size and transportability. When ordering transformer furniture individually, a project is developed, drawings are drawn up, on the basis of which the design idea is realized.

Folding types

Multifunctional furniture is very popular due to the variety of models and folding methods. It will not be difficult to choose a product suitable for a specific home. The most popular designs are:

• The “book” mechanism can be considered the most famous. To unfold, you need to raise the seat until it clicks and lower it. The back rests horizontally, turning the sofa into a full-fledged sleeping place. It is the simplicity of the design and the presence of a spacious internal compartment that make this model in demand for many years;
• “Accordion” is distinguished by the ability to create a sleeping place without noticeable joints and differences in planes. To unfold the sofa, just pull the seat forward by a special loop, and the backrest folds out. When choosing such a model, it is important that there is enough free space in front of it. But this nuance is compensated by the ease of folding;
• The “French folding bed” can be called a stylish European version of multifunctional furniture. But we must keep in mind that the sofa does not have a linen drawer, and the unfolding procedure takes some time. Therefore, it is better to have this model as a guest sleeping option;
• The eurosofa has a simple folding mechanism - you need to lightly press on the edge of the backrest, which will smoothly lower and take a horizontal position. Special advantages - the sofa does not need to be moved away from the wall when unfolding, this is an excellent option for a sleeping place for every night;
• The book table when assembled is used as a cabinet. If necessary, you can raise the surface only on one side (a retractable support is used for fixation);
• for a sliding table model, the halves of the tabletop are moved from the center and an additional part of the table is installed in the free space;
• The bed chest of drawers has a sleeping place, which, when raised, is located horizontally. Some models are equipped with a folding tabletop, which allows you to organize a full-fledged workplace.

It is impossible to single out the ideal design of multifunctional furniture, since everyone has their own priorities.

Bed chest of drawers

Accordion

Book

Desk book

French folding bed