Happy owners of one-room apartments or studios, after purchasing them, first of all decide how to optimally use the space in order to place everything rationally and conveniently. Of course, one of the main interior items is the bed. On the one hand, it should be spacious, and on the other hand, it should be placed as compactly as possible. How can these conflicting desires be reconciled?
On the one hand, the bed should be spacious, and on the other hand, it should be placed as compactly as possible.
The dimensions of the folding bed depend on the sleeping place, the standard dimensions of which are 0.9 -1.6 m * 2 m.
Owners of two- and three-room apartments are also thinking about how to accommodate visiting relatives and friends. You need a comfortable sleeping place, but if you put a bed, most of the time it will just get in the way. What if two children live in the nursery at the same time? In this case, it is not possible to place two beds and provide sufficient space for games. Which exit? In all these cases, the best option would be a bed that retracts into the wall.
Owners of two- and three-room apartments are also thinking about how to accommodate visiting relatives and friends.
Strengths of the foldable design
- Significant savings in room space. The freed space (2.5 - 3 square meters) is available for eating, working, studying, children's games, meetings and conversations with guests.
- Creates comfort in the room. A large bed takes up a large area and in a small room there is an impression of overload and clutter.
- There is no need to make and unfold the bed, remove pillows and blankets every day.
- Makes wet cleaning in the room easier.
In all these cases, the best option would be a bed that retracts into the wall.
In a nursery, it is better to use a horizontal lift mechanism.
Weaknesses of such structures
- The daily need to raise and lower the structure.
- Fear of bed falling.
- High price.
Significant savings in room space.
Based on the fact that fear passes over time, and such a piece of furniture is not bought for one day, a bed in the wall is the most optimal solution to this housing problem.
Creates comfort in the room.
The beds vary in the number of beds: single, one and a half and double.
Advantages and disadvantages of folding beds
Before you buy a folding bed built into a closet, combined with a sofa, or another type of similar transformable furniture, you need to consider the pros and cons of such products.
Wardrobe beds are real lifesavers for owners of small apartments.
Among the advantages are:
- Space saving. This is true in rooms with a small area, where it is almost impossible to place a full bed, table, wardrobe and still leave free space.
- Functionality. If the bed is combined with a wardrobe or table, this will allow you to arrange everything you need in the room and not deprive yourself of this or that furniture.
- Comfort and ergonomics. Nowadays, most folding beds are equipped with orthopedic mattresses. This allows you to relax in comfort while maintaining your back health.
- Aesthetics. If you place this piece of furniture correctly in the interior, you can create an attractive design.
- Today's technologies make it possible to build a single and double bed into the wall or in some other way. At the same time, the unfolding process will be easy and comfortable due to the smoothly opening mechanisms.
- They simultaneously ensure the reliability of the entire structure and a long service life without loss of basic properties and characteristics.
Among the shortcomings, the following points are highlighted. Buying low-quality transformable furniture can result in quick breakdowns or a difficult and inconvenient way to unfold it. Therefore, the choice must be made very carefully.
They can be installed in any living room and perform a variety of functions.
Before purchasing, you should accurately assess whether a sofa or bed is needed in the interior of the room. After all, if this is a living room with a TV, then it is better to buy a folding sofa on which you and other family members can sit. Whereas a bed put away in a closet will deprive household members of the opportunity to sit comfortably in front of the TV.
Technical features of folding beds built into the closet
According to its technical characteristics and the loads placed on it, the folding bed must be firmly held at the base. Obviously, it makes sense to expect high reliability, wear resistance and strength from a piece of furniture that performs at least two functions. These are the requirements that apply to all functional systems and elements of transformer modules.
A wardrobe with a built-in folding bed is a whole base of functional elements:
- the metal frame (most often from a hoist) at the base of the module is made from tubes with a diameter of 2 to 5 cm;
- a German silent and easy-to-slide system of elements is used as a lifting mechanism to change the position of the transformer;
- a lamella system consisting of 12 to 24 elements is used as a support for the mattress. The slats can be made of wood or be made of light aluminum alloy;
- the bed in the transformable sleeping module is equipped with retractable legs or a solid platform to ensure stability;
- as a rule, the bed is equipped with special belts for securing the bed linen (the finished bed will appear in the living room or office with literally one movement of the folding mechanism);
- The style of execution of the cabinet doors (in case of purchasing a ready-made furniture solution) meets modern requirements and is presented in a fairly wide range of color and texture solutions.
Some ready-made solutions with a bed built into a closet are not equipped with a mattress and you will need to purchase it separately. In this case, it is necessary to take into account that the thickness of the mattress should be no more than 25 cm, so as not to prevent the bed from taking a vertical position and securing it in a closet or niche.
Types of mechanisms
Thanks to the various mechanisms that are installed in transformable furniture, including beds, it is easy to assemble, rotate or lift them. The better the connecting and folding element is made, the easier and longer it will be possible to use such a product.
The structure, located in the wall in a closed form, imitates cabinet panels, occupies a small space and can be decorated in various designs.
Folding
Most often, a bed built into a closet, which is equipped with a folding mechanism, can provide functionality, since it replaces several pieces of furniture at once. It can be transformed into a closet, freeing up about 2 m² of usable space in the room.
It is convenient to have such a bed in a large family, where space is needed in all rooms during the day.
Among the advantages of bedroom furniture equipped with folding mechanisms are the following characteristics:
- Most often there is a storage box here.
- You can also organize shelves or additional storage systems in the folding space.
- It is possible to use different shapes of the bed - rectangular, square, oval.
- You can save on purchasing a bedside table.
- There are models that are suitable for children and adults.
- Folding legs allow you to move the bed quite close to the wall.
For those in whose home you often see many friends or relatives, you need to install a sofa cabinet in the living room.
Tilt&Turn
When considering this type of mechanism in furniture design, it is worth noting the following possibilities:
- The bed can not only be tilted upward, but also rotated in a different plane. This is especially convenient in small spaces where it is necessary to save space not only on the floor plane, but also on the walls.
- Such beds are made exclusively according to individual drawings, taking into account individual placement in space.
For a small room, it is important to have free space during the day and a comfortable place to sleep at night.
Types of built-in sleeping modules
The classic model of folding beds is a vertical type product. A longitudinally folding bed can be a single, one-and-a-half-bed or double. For small rooms, but with fairly high ceilings, this option of a sleeping place “hidden” in a closet can be optimal. When assembled, the design looks like a regular wardrobe with a front that matches the interior of your room. The wardrobe becomes a sleeping place after using the lift-and-fold mechanism.
Typically, the model line of folding bed manufacturers includes products for children and teenagers (depending on the capabilities of the room and the needs of customers, you can find an option for any occasion). In this case, the depth of the transforming cabinet does not exceed 45 cm. Well, the width of the cabinet will depend on the size of the sleeping space you need.
The folding bed is mounted to the wall with its end side, and the lifting mechanism structure is also located there. With the help of a lift, the bed quickly and easily moves into a vertical position - and now your bedroom already looks like a living room or office.
You can install lighting inside the closet for comfortable reading before bed.
There are models in which the bed is hidden in a vertical position behind a rack with shelves, which also have a roll-out mechanism.
In some cases, it is more expedient to build a folding bed into a niche made of plasterboard (but the product itself is attached to a brick or concrete wall).
As for the horizontal type models, their design differs significantly from the vertical lift options. A bed built horizontally into a closet differs not only in appearance, but also in the principle of folding out.
The horizontal folding bed is only available as a single module. A cabinet for such a model requires a much smaller size, which means a room with any ceiling height is suitable.
What types of folding beds are there?
If the folding mechanism allows you to exclusively assemble the structure in the desired direction, then from the point of view of structure and design there is another classification of designer furniture.
Bed built into wardrobe
There are beds that can be converted into a wardrobe. In this case, folding occurs by combining the bed with the wall.
The location of such a bed can be either the side part towards the wall or the headboard. Most often, the choice of location depends on the number of beds.
Owners of modest-sized apartments can purchase the desired double bed instead of a single bed or a sofa with a heavy disassembly mechanism.
If a folding wardrobe bed is intended for one person - an adult or a child - then it can be adjacent to the wall plane with its side. Most often, the cabinet shelves into which the structure is folded are located on top and sometimes on the side.
If the bed is a double, then in order to save space, it is fixed to the closet with the headboard. Thus, it rises almost to the ceiling, and the storage system shelves surround it on the sides.
Modern technologies equip the folding model with mechanisms that make the transformation procedure very easy and fast.
Sofa-wardrobe-bed
This option is ideal for living rooms when it is impossible to place a full-fledged soft furniture set and a cabinet wall in the room. As a rule, the sofa transforms into a bed - folding out can be done using the book system or moving forward. But, if you need to free up space in the room as much as possible, then everything rises into the plane of the wall, forming part of the closet. Thus, the built-in transformer bed is a double design that combines with a sofa and wardrobe.
Despite the ease of use, such a mechanism can withstand a fairly large weight load.
Such a universal thing makes it possible to sit on it during the day, sleep during the night or day, and, if necessary, put it away in the closet, freeing up space in the room.
Nightstand bed
This option is most often a short bed for a child or teenager. Usually it is represented by a single bed, which can be folded into a compact cabinet or chest of drawers.
A limitless palette of options is offered, which are limited only by the level of the engineer’s thoughts and the designer’s imagination.
Designers often offer this transformable furniture solution for bedrooms where it is necessary to accommodate two children with the greatest possible comfort.
Other types
Today's technologies make it possible to create a variety of design solutions for comfortable living. But, it is worth understanding that most often such structures that fold and retract into a niche are needed to save space in the interior.
The design built into the closet is often complemented by special compartments for storing bed linen. In this case, the bed is really in no way inferior to the practicality of the closet.
In addition to the above options, there are the following varieties:
- Two-tier children's or teenage products. The upper part of such a combined bed remains stationary, while the lower part turns into a desk.
- There are options for modular furniture. Most often, in this case, the problem of placing 2 children in one room is also solved. On the designer market you can find two beds that can be folded into each other. This is achieved by making the sleeping places of different heights. The dimensions are chosen in such a way that a smaller bed fits under a larger bed, saving space in the room for exactly one sleeping place. Of course, the sizes will vary slightly. But this is quite suitable when you need to comfortably place an older and younger child in the same bedroom.
Transformers fully justify their price with excellent quality and practicality.
Features of modular children's beds with wardrobe
All parents strive to make the children's room not only cozy and bright, but also comfortable. When looking for original ideas for arranging a bedroom for a child, you can come across a lot of interesting design and furniture options. These include wardrobe beds, which even in the tightest space can create an area for relaxation, creativity and development of the baby.
Models of various configurations are available on sale. In this case, the wardrobe can be placed at the head of the bed or on the side of it. Folding models look interesting; when folded, they free up space for games. For large rooms, designers are developing full-wall designs. They include everything you need and still look very impressive.
Modular loft beds with wardrobe and work area
Modular loft beds with a work area and a wardrobe can significantly save space in a children's room. The sleeping place in such models is located on top, and the lower part is equipped with various elements taking into account the wishes and needs of the child.
Among these elements:
- closet;
- workplace;
- containers designed for storing all kinds of small items;
- free space for games;
- stationary or folding table;
- boxes for toys, etc.
Modular beds with a wardrobe and table allow you to rationally use space in the children's room
Such designs allow you to productively use the free space in the room. In addition, for children, climbing stairs turns into an adventure.
What you should pay attention to when choosing a children's loft bed with a wardrobe and a table:
- The table can be placed in various places in the structure.
- A wardrobe can be part of a complex or attached to it as a separate structure.
- A rack with shelves is not present in all models. The modification of the bed is selected taking into account personal preferences.
- There are several design options for stairs. This can be a simple structure with lifting bars or a complex system consisting of drawers.
Helpful advice! You should not choose a model with a long and narrow tabletop. It is better to give preference to an option with a wide working area so that the child has enough space on the table to place textbooks and notebooks, writing instruments, etc.
Bunk beds with wardrobe for several children
If several children live in one room, you should resort to a universal option - a bunk bed with a table and a wardrobe. Modern stores offer combined designs that are suitable not only for children of the same sex, but also for a boy and a girl. In addition, there are models designed for children and teenagers.
A two-tier modular design combined with a wardrobe and a table is ideal for children of different ages
If the space in the children's room is very limited, in this case the ideal solution would be a design with two pull-out beds or a bunk modification.
What you should pay attention to when choosing a bunk children's bed with a table and wardrobe:
- If the room is too small, you should abandon bulky models.
- For a dark nursery, it is advisable to choose beds made in a light color.
- It is necessary to select in advance the place where the bed will be installed. In this case, it is advisable to take into account not only the dimensions of the room, but also the dimensions of all pieces of furniture in it.
- All mechanisms must be checked for serviceability and ease of operation.
- The service life of the bed and its quality directly depend on the materials used.
- It is advisable to avoid models made entirely of plastic. This type of raw material in its pure form is short-lived.
For a children's room, the best option would be a bed made from natural, environmentally friendly materials.
Application in the interior
The idea of building furniture into a closet or a spacious chest of drawers appeared relatively recently. The opportunity to realize it arose thanks to the development of modern technological materials, precisely designed folding mechanisms, as well as the need to save space in smart apartments.
Such products are raised to a vertical position using a special mechanism and unfolded by pulling down the top edge.
But we should not forget about attractiveness, since functionality and aesthetics should form one harmonious whole and not contradict each other.
Vertical transformers are combined with the wall in the part that is located at the head.
Here's what designers recommend paying attention to when purchasing transformable furniture for an adult bedroom, living room or children's room:
- The general design direction should correspond to styles such as minimalism, hi-tech, industrial (industrial), Scandinavian, loft or postmodern. Simple shapes, synthetic materials, frame structures and geometric images fit most harmoniously into the principle of modularity.
- When the bed is in the unfolded state, you should carefully consider how the place from which it was lowered will look. In some cases this will be a plane adjacent to the side of the product, and sometimes it will be the headboard. It is desirable that the part of the wall adjacent to the sleeping area is in harmony with the overall decoration of the furniture.
- If you don’t want to repeat the color and texture of the upholstery or blanket on the bed, then you can hang pictures at the head of the bed or organize a storage system. True, at the same time, the depth of the framing cabinet should include the thickness of the bed with mattress + the width of the shelves that are arranged along the wall.
- It is important to understand that the feeling of harmony, comfort and coziness in the room depends on how well thought out the design of the wall is after reclining the bed.
- Also, do not forget about sanitary and hygienic requirements and safety conditions, especially if such designs are used in children's rooms. All fasteners must be secure. And this applies not only to the folding mechanism, but also to the elements that secure the furniture in the raised state. The weight of the bed should be minimal, which is most often achieved using a frame frame.
- The legs must be secured securely enough so that the bed does not collapse under the weight of the person resting on it.
- It is also worth paying attention to the textile design. It should match the overall style of the room.
Lifting mechanisms
When planning to install a bed in the wall, I advise you to first think about a lifting mechanism.
Please note that you will often have to raise and lower the entire structure. And it weighs far from 2-3 kilograms.
Lifting systems are:
- manual;
- spring;
- based on gas lifts.
The manual mechanism is the simplest and most complex. It will have to be adjusted periodically, and great efforts must be made during transformation. There are no additional elements here.
The second option takes less effort. It has twisted springs built into it, which take the bulk of the load on themselves. It is important that the springs are made of strong carbon steel wires. The spring can last more than 20 years. But over time they make noise and squeak. Poor quality springs stretch and need to be replaced.
Gas lifts are the most convenient to use, but they are complicated. They operate on the basis of piston devices that are filled with compressed air. The effort applied is minimal, and the entire load falls on the elevators. The system is expensive, but practical. Suitable even for children.
Recently, systems with electric drive and remote control have begun to appear. Very expensive. But this is an ideal choice for modern people and those who have health problems. A person is not able to raise or lower the structure himself.
How to choose the right folding bed and what to look for
When choosing a folding or tilt-and-turn bed or sofa, you need to pay attention to the following important points that can ensure safe operation, long service life and attractive appearance:
- Once assembled, the structure must be secured with reliable fastenings.
- Installation of the product must be carried out by experienced, qualified craftsmen to prevent incorrect actions.
- When purchasing such designs, you need to focus only on those brands that have been producing such furniture for a long time and have managed to win their own place in the market. You should not buy products from unknown companies - this can not only lead to rapid breakdown, but also unsafe operation.
- It is worth carefully considering the interior of the room and the overall design of the room before building a transforming structure. Only in this case will it be possible to fit such furniture harmoniously, while ensuring ergonomics, aesthetics and style.
- Pay attention to the reliability of fastenings and folding mechanisms.
- Be sure to ask sellers for certificates for the bed designs they sell. This will guarantee not only the reliability of the mechanism, but also the environmental friendliness of the materials from which the structure is made.
An important factor when choosing a bed-wardrobe is its compatibility with the decor in the room, with the interior style and decor.
Today you can find a wide variety of transformable furniture on the market. Therefore, the consumer always has the opportunity to furnish even the smallest room with all the necessary furniture elements.
When assembled, the product should be in harmony with the bedroom set or furniture wall installed earlier.