The sofa in the nursery should be chosen carefully and thoroughly, with greater care than for adults. Properly chosen, it can be a real salvation for a small room.
Content:
In the afternoon, a child can sit on a compactly folded sofa, read aloud and silently, play and build tents, and roll on typewriters or build a puppet castle on the free floor. And at night, you can gently expand the mechanism and get a wide comfortable bedwhich in the morning again turn into a small sofa.
But caution is needed, because the child's body is still being formed. Future posture depends heavily on the bed, insomnia may begin due to an incorrectly chosen color, and you can hit a sharp corner on a sharp bruise. When choosing, parents should consider all this - and not only.
Technical aspects: safety, materials, construction
Any sofa is considered from several positions:
- safety technology - how likely is the child to be injured;
- material - everything plays a role, from the frame to the upholstery;
- construction - not every sofa will fit any age and it will not be comfortable to sleep on every sofa.
Only by choosing the technical characteristics, you can think about the design.
The sofa for the child must be chosen carefully and thoroughly.
Safety engineering
No matter how old the child is, the sofa must meet the standards. No one is immune from hitting an acute angle, not even a teenager. Consider:
- Softness. The sofa that will stand in the nursery should be free from sharp corners. Solid armrests, rectangular solid seat, shiny metal legs - all this is better to save for living roomwhere the child will spend significantly less time than at home.
- Width. Most children sleep uneasily, tossing and turning, throwing off the blanket and can fall to the floor. A narrow sofa increases the chances of falling by several times - a safe u / wide seat, where the child can lie diagonally or sprawled as a "starfish" if he wants, is much better suited.
- Mechanism reliability. All sofa beds have a specific mechanism that provides them with a disclosure. Before you put one of them into the room, you need to make sure that the mechanism will work well and will not open at the wrong time, causing injury to the child. Best of all, if it is heavy enough so that the child, in principle, could not lift it.
- Reliability of elements. Some mechanisms have wheels - you need to make sure that they will not ride by themselves. Some mechanisms have boxes - you need to make sure that the child has no chance to get stuck inside.Some of the sofas have armrests and backs - you need to make sure that they are securely fixed enough and will not fall off during an active game.
Be careful when choosing
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Any thing the child interacts with must be safe to use. But this item is only the beginning of the selection. After all, not every sofa that can be called safe is suitable for a child sleeping on it.
Frame materials
A sofa with any mechanism consists of a frame covered with a filler instead of a mattress and covered with upholstery fabric. Variations of the first, and second, and third, there is a huge variety.
All frames can be divided into three large groups:
Chipboard frames. The cheapest and lowest quality material possible - it is made from recycled wood. The only plus is worth less than all other materials. The minuses are much more - fragility, unreliability. If the manufacturer turned out to be unfair, DSP can emit a pair of toxic substances. A sofa with such a frame will fail in two to three years of intensive use.
Make sure its frame is well tucked away.
Wood frames. Real wood is a beautiful, reliable material that always remains in fashion. The frame of it can serve for several decades, it smells good, is light enough, with very little probability will cause allergies and is completely natural. However, the tree is burning, it is sensitive to biological threats (for example, a pest can get a bug in it), succumbs to moisture. Over time, it will crack and begin to creak. This will happen faster if pine or fir were used for production. In addition, the tree has a high cost.
Metal frames. Metal is a material that is very difficult to incapacitate. The frame of it can serve for decades, does not burn, is resistant to biological threats, does not crack, does not rot, does not cause allergies. Its only drawback is weight. If the design of the sofa implies that it will have to partially lift, it can be difficult. Buying a sofa with a metal frame, you need to make sure that it can not harm the child in any way - to open unexpectedly, for example.
Option for a little princess
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When buying a sofa in the nursery, you need to make sure that its frame is well hidden and disguised with soft filler, so that even if the child runs into the sofa, it does not cause a serious injury.
Filler
The filler is very important for the sofa, which is planned to be put in the nursery. Depending on the age of the child, it should be different:
- newborn children need the most rigid mattress - the spine is only formed, any soft filler can cause the development of scoliosis;
- children from three to seven years old need a mattress of medium hardness, repeating the bends of the body whenever possible - the posture is still forming;
- children older than seven and up to twelve need a mattress of medium hardness with a soft coating so that it is comfortable to sleep on;
- children over twelve are equal to adults, since their posture is already formed - the mattress should not be too soft, and that is all that is required of it.
The filler is very important for this product.
In addition to softness-hardness, it is necessary to take into account whether the filler absorbs odors — this is especially important for young children who might not wake up in the toilet at night. It is also necessary to give preference to materials that do not cause allergies.
All fillers can be divided into three large groups.
The first - spring. Among them:
- Dependent spring block. It consists of a frame and a spring blade, which sags when it lies on it. This construction has existed for more than sixty years, is notable for reliability, and can last for ten years. But over time it is forced and starts to creak.It is not suitable for a child - it bends over large areas, it does not adjust individually.
- Block independent springs. Consists of separate vertical springs, each of which is separated from the others. It can also last for ten years, is distinguished by reliability and high orthopedic comfort - the springs sags exactly where the load is placed on them. Does not creak, the failed spring is easy to replace. Great for kids but expensive.
It is necessary to consider whether the filler absorbs odors.
Spring frames have good air exchange and do not absorb odors at all.
Not all materials of the second group - synthetic fillers - differ in the same. Among them:
1Polyurethane foam. It exists in two versions - either the material is cut into blocks and a structure is formed from it, or it is poured into a mold and the finished soft part of the sofa is obtained. Does not absorb odors, does not suffer from dust, retains its shape for a long time, and is distinguished by medium hardness. But at the same time it is afraid of the sun and does not have great orthopedic comfort - it is suitable only for a small child.
2Streamfiber. It has a high degree of orthopedic comfort, does not absorb odors, does not burn, does not absorb moisture. Does not cause allergies. It is expensive relative to other materials and very hard - for the younger student will need an additional soft lining.
3Polystyrene balls. For the sofa, on which the child will play and occasionally nap, this is an excellent material - the balls do not absorb moisture, do not burn, are resistant to biological threats and easily repeat the bends of the body. But in order to sleep on them every night, do not fit - too soft, do not maintain posture. They are also quickly pressed, lumped together and they have to be re-filled.
4Holofiber. The material, which was developed at the beginning of the twenty-first century and gathered all the advantages of synthetic materials. Does not burn, is not subject to biological threats, does not absorb anything, is often used in sofas.
Spring frames have good air exchange.
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Definitely not worth buying a sofa filled with padding polyester and foam rubber - they easily absorb odors, stains remain on them and they serve for a very short time, huddling in ugly and uncomfortable lumps.
With the third group - natural materials - this happens less often. Among them:
- Latex. It is made of rubber juice, serves up to twenty years, possesses the highest orthopedic qualities among natural materials.
- Coconut wipe Made from durable coconut fiber. Does not cause allergies, environmentally friendly and cheap, but it is very rigid - it is very uncomfortable to sit and lie on it.
- Horsehair. One of the most expensive medium soft fillers.
Can be used as a bed
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Choosing a sofa, you should take into account the state of health of the child. If he has back problems - a good solution would be to first visit the orthopedic surgeon and consult with him.
Upholstery
Upholstery performs a decorative function and is important for the appearance of the room - not every material will fit into a specific interior. In addition, the padding with which the child is constantly in contact should not cause allergies, absorb odors and be sensitive to stains. Best of all - to be able to wash it when needed.
For covering the sofa you can use:
- Velours. Soft, velvety natural material, which is distinguished by a large number of colors, does not cause allergies and fits well into a cozy little nursery. Warm, easily breathable, pleasant to the touch, cheap. It can be cleaned with a vacuum cleaner or, if it is very dirty, with a dry laundry detergent. There are only two drawbacks: in a few years scuffs will appear on the upholstery and it is difficult to remove stains from it. Suitable for a teenager's room, but for a small child - definitely not.
- Flock. Also velvety and pleasant to the touch material, which is suitable for the nursery to a much greater extent - it can be washed, it is not afraid of moisture and it is easy to remove stains from it. It features a variety of colors and durability, it is hard to break. Over time, however, it wears off, and also absorbs odors. If a child has problems in order to feel in time that it is time to go to the toilet, it is better to choose another material.
Upholstery performs a decorative function
- Tapestry. The option for the bedroom of a serious teenager, and not for the kid, is too expensive and beautiful material, so that it makes sense to fit a sofa in the preschooler’s room. Differs in rigidity and easily washes - even the most old spots can be removed. Very durable, but not very pleasant to the touch.
- Microfiber. Synthetic, but expensive and good. It is erased only in delicate mode, it dries only in fresh air, but stains can be removed with delicate detergents and a soft brush or rag. With eaten will have to tinker. The smell does not absorb.
- Ecoleur. Very durable fabric based on natural raw materials, similar to velor. Pleasant, soft, does not fade and does not stretch. Wash only with dry products.
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Before ordering a sofa with a specific upholstery material, it is worth asking the opinion of the child on this matter. Let him wander around with you through the salon, touch different options and also express his opinion - if, of course, he already knows how to speak.
Disney's Tale
Sofas covered with leather and skin replacements for children’s rooms are not suitable. Firstly, they are stylistically absolutely not combined with bright toys and the general bright mood of the room. Secondly, the skin is slippery and cool to the touch - the sheet will slide down all the time. In addition, the skin is capricious in the care and the road.
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Design
An important point of choice. It depends on the design not only how the sofa will look, but also how comfortable it will be, how safe it will be, and how long it will last.
There are a variety of options:
Book. The simplest, oldest and cheapest of all possible options - it has been used for many decades. It is an ordinary sofa with soft armrests - to expand it, you need to raise the seat. The backrest will go down and flush with it. Under the seat is often a drawer for storing clothes. Due to the simplicity of the mechanism, it wears out slowly, but requires considerable effort to decompose. It can be dangerous for a small child - not all models have a fixer that prevents pinching. For an older child, it may be uncomfortable - in the middle, between the back and the seat, a gap remains.
Option with a spacious wardrobe for bed
Tango. In fact, exactly the same “book”, but with one addition - “tango” can be fixed in any intermediate position. For the child - a good option, since intermediate positions can be used in games. The disadvantages of the "book", however, remain.
Eurobook. A variant with a slightly more complicated mechanism than that of a regular book - here you need not to lift the seat, but to pull it over so that it rolls forward. After the back is lowered into the resulting void and as a result, a wide berth is obtained. Below - a box for linen. The only drawback - the gap between the back and the seat can be noticeable.
Puma. The mechanism is very similar to the "eurobook", only the seat does not roll out. You just need to pull it up so that the mechanism starts inside and it decomposes itself. After you can lay back.Does not require physical strength.
Do not rush to quickly choose one or another option.
Dolphin. Perhaps the most popular option, it does not require much strength - even a child can decompose such a sofa. It is enough just to pull the loop on the seat towards you and slightly upwards, and it will go forward and automatically rise flush with the rolling part, under which the laundry box is usually located. The only minus is the mechanism, with active use, easily fails, because the skeleton must be chosen reliable, preferably metal.
For a large children's room
French cot. The temporary option will fail rather quickly due to the nature of the mechanism. The berth consists of three sections, just pull the seat up so that it opens. The irregularities on it are almost imperceptible, almost no strength is required, the folded sofa is very neat and compact. But fails for a couple of years of active use.
Be sure to consider the opinion of your child.
Roll out sofa. When assembled, it is no different from other sofas, but in the unfolded it is well suited for a small child - a very low seat, comfortable to climb. The mechanism is simple - the berth extends from below, from under the bottom, then the back is lowered. Physical strength is not required, there is no laundry box.
Accordion. Just pull the mechanism to decompose - the back is also lowered, the armrests remain in place. Differs in large compactness in a curtailed form, but has no special box for linen.
Spartacus. In fact - a variation of the "French folding bed", supplemented and more reliable. Sections are covered with a special grid, which, unfolding, forms an even comfortable place to sleep.
Elf. The most original of the options - the seat does not unfold in any way, on either side of it the armrests simply fall. It is very convenient, since the level of their inclination can be freely adjusted and no force is needed for this. Suitable for children - there are no sharp corners of the sofa and it is wide enough.
The choice of the mechanism depends on whether an adult will always be there to decompose the sofa, and whether he has any diseases that complicate the process. In addition, it is better to choose a sofa with a drawer for bedding - it provides not only a place to store toys, but also opens up a huge scope for games.
return to menu ↑Constructional refinement: transforming sofa
Technically, sofas, the designs of which we have just considered, can be attributed to transforming sofas, because they are transformed from an ordinary sofa into a bed. But this is not the most impressive transformation - the development of recent years allows you to buy in one piece of furniture:
- Sofa and bunk bed. This is a great solution for a small nursery, where two children of the same age or same age live. In the afternoon, the sofa will serve as a place where you can drink tea and watch TV, make a tent out of a blanket, or play together in quiet board games. It can be turned into a fortress or just take a nap on it after a hard day at school. But at nightfall, you can turn the sofa so that the backrest rises and will be a meter above the seat. A small ladder is attached to the construction. In the morning it will be possible to roll up the bedding, put it in a drawer under the bottom and then roll the beds back into one sofa.
- Sofa and table. It is also a good solution for a small nursery, where the size of the room does not allow the child to arrange a more complex workplace - or his layout. When folded, the table top is stored behind the back or under the seat. But it is enough to use the mechanism so that it faces the seat, takes the place of the table. And then - the matter of technology. Put the lamp to the left of the child, get notebooks and books, and you can safely prepare for tomorrow's school day. Here you can drink tea, spread out a board game or draw.
- Sofa and wardrobe. The solution for the nursery, in which there is simply no room for a separate cabinet. It looks like a cabinet wall, in the middle of which there is a sofa attached to it. Around - drawers, above him - shelves. At night, when no one needs a place on the floor, the sofa unfolds and the child can go to bed. In the afternoon bed linen is removed in one of the boxes.
- Sofa and two beds. This is an option for a home with two children. Instead of putting two beds in the room, which will occupy most of the space, you can put a transforming sofa, which has two options. In the first, it is just a roll-out sofa, the sleeping places of which are separated by the seat element. In the second - this is the same roll-out sofa, from which two beds are made - one closer to the floor, the second where the seat used to be.
Having finished choosing a sofa according to its technical characteristics, one can delve into more subtle and interesting matters - convenience for a particular child and designer delights.
Option for a boy
Design: features and location
There are features that a sofa should have simply because you buy it for a child:
- it should be soft enough to make it hard to hit;
- he must have armrests so that the child does not fall off him;
- he must have a wide seat so that the child does not fall in his sleep;
- he must have a box so that he can remove some of the toys.
Do not absorb odors, easy to clean - it's all versatile. But the color and design of the sofa should be chosen based on the age, gender and nature of the child.
And the character in this short list is most important.
And the first step in selecting a particular sofa should be a discussion.. Invite your child to plan your room with you. Think with him where the sofa will best stand and think about how it should look. Visit together the furniture salon, sit on all the sofas you like and discuss their qualities.
The choice can be turned into a fascinating interaction with the child, no matter what age he is.
Sofa for younger students
It is a good idea to buy a kid in the form of a castle in the form of a castle, but for a younger student this is already a completed stage. Of course, games are still important for him, but gradually attention is shifting to communication, to school events, to knowledge and more adult activities. Here the brightest sofa with patterns is no longer suitable. Here you need to approach more subtly.
- Patterned sofa. The option is always relevant - and its main plus is that when the child grows up, it will be possible to simply change the upholstery to a more relaxed and adult. In the meantime, a sofa with Pokémon, monster hi and other popular characters will fit into the interior of the children's room. The main thing is to first make sure that the child loves them specifically.
- Plain sofa. Bright colors that delight preschoolers are no longer relevant. Of course, upholstered sofa gray or brown - still a bad idea, but you might prefer pastel colors, delicate shades green and blue. Depending on what combination will look good with the rest of the room.
- Sofa table. For the student - an excellent solution, especially in a small room. It adjusts to the working mode, saves space.
It is better to choose pacifying, pleasant for the eye colors for the sofa - and, of course, still pay attention to the child's opinion.
Great room for a teenager
Sofa for teen
After thirteen, what can delight a preschooler is perceived with some contempt: any teenager wants to quickly grow up and become equal to an adult. Sofas with pictures, sofas in the form of machines do not contribute to this in any way.
Therefore, you can choose a sofa for a teenager more carefully, guided not only by the desire to entertain the child, but also to make the room truly beautiful.
There are basic color matching options:
- Monochrome.If your child’s room is made in shades of the same color, then you can also choose a sofa in them. For example, if the walls are light green, then the sofa can be taken dark green or a beautiful grass color. If the walls are light lilac, the sofa can be rich, purple. But if the walls are dark, then, on the contrary, the sofa should be lighter. The effect should be interesting, with all the simplicity of reception.
- Contrast. Contrast is a game that is so nice to play when decorating. The main thing is to choose really suitable colors. In a room with white walls will be defiant and look great bright sofa - red, blue, purple. In a room where the walls are painted orange, the purple sofa will be perfect. In order not to confuse and not put in the room frankly inappropriate furniture, it is worth checking with the tables of combinations.
- Neutral. In a perfectly selected interior, where everything is in place, you can leave the sofa an island of neutrality. Let it be beige, soft gray, blue or white - then it will fit into any design and look at the same time isolated and interesting.
- Saturated. In a neutral, relaxed interior, a rich color sofa will also look great. Let it attract attention, let it become the center of the interior.
The sofa should fit the rest of the environment.
With the choice of a particular color harder - the sofa should fit the rest of the situation, fit into it, like a native.
Each color carries a specific message and has a different effect on the nervous system.
- Beige. Warm, simple, neutral color that will fit in almost any interior, except bright or cold. It is sensitive to dirt, it will have to be cleaned often enough, and any stain will be removed as quickly as possible. Any little thing will be visible from afar.
- White. The most neutral of the colors that few teenagers fit. Children do not differ in accuracy, and it will be too difficult to remove paint or juice stains from a white sofa - it’s better to choose another color right away.
- The black. For a nursery, it is too gloomy in its pure form - it will create a depressed mood for the child and get out, even if in principle it fits the interior colors. But suppose if it is diluted with bright patterns, drawings, or if the child himself chose black for ideological reasons.
- Red. Bright, strong color, which can provide a sofa, but a little suitable for sleeping. But you can use his pale and delicate shades, which are not associated either with blood, or with love, or with other similar things.
- Yellow. Sunny, pleasant color - it is believed that it has a positive effect on mood. It is not too difficult to fit into the interior, it will "illuminate" even the smallest and gloomy room. Demands leaving, as well as all light colors. You can choose both warm and cold shade.
- Green. Differs in a large number of shades. Pacifies, adjusts for a quiet harmony which can be applied both for a dream, and for work. It is well combined with patterns in the form of leaves or flowers.
- Blue. Shades of blue are also an excellent solution for bedrooms, also pacifies and adjusts to calm. You can choose any option - from light to darkest, almost black. Look good on blue patterns in the form of clouds or fish.
- Orange. Also, warm, pleasant color, which is designed to improve the mood and make the room more comfortable. Needs constant care.
Choose a sofa with your child
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A good solution when choosing a color is to draw a sofa in the interior with the child. You can do it with pencils and felt-tip pens, you can - on the computer. The main thing is to see together what the selected combination will look like.
Location
When the sofa is already selected and the design activity has almost come to an end, it remains only to put it in a certain place in the room. And for this you need to know two simple rules:
- Do not put the sofa too close to the radiator. If you close it with a back, the room will always be cold, the child will be cold and may catch a cold. And if you put the armrest, the air very close to the bed will be constantly dried out and the child will breathe heavily.
- You can not put the sofa head or feet to the door, if you can avoid it. The problem is not even in the widespread superstition about death, but in how the doorway and the possibility that parents can enter at any moment through it, will affect the child’s psyche. It is much better to place the sofa on the opposite side of the room, so that the child can look at the door at any time and see the person entering.
Bright colors will make the child happier.
Otherwise, the choice of location is completely yours. Put the sofa next to the table so that the child can reach it at any moment? Why not? Put it on the wall to the right of the door, and close? Also a good idea.
It is only important that the room as a result looks simple and organic, so that the sofa does not stand out from the general range and looks good. Safe, with a mattress of medium hardness, covered with a fabric that is not afraid of not too careful handling, it will be an excellent sleeping place.
Buy a sofa for a children's room is a great idea, and the selection process can be turned into a real adventure.
How to choose a children's sofa?
Tips and tricks
