Sofa accordion (75 photos): types, how to choose

The issue of space saving is extremely relevant for residents of small apartments and studios, where the living room often serves as the main or additional bedroom. One of the best decisions when choosing furniture for such a zone is the sofa accordion. Its design allows you to quickly and effortlessly turn a compact seat into a comfortable bed, and the drawer built into the bottom is ideal for storing bedding and small pillows. Read more about this type of sofa in this article.

The accordion mechanism differs from others in its convenience and simplicity in everyday use. Simulating the tensile movement of the accordion, it is enough to lift the sofa by the lower edge (only until the safety lock clicks) and unfold the folded parts onto itself. Physical strength is almost not required for this, and the transformation itself usually takes no more than 20 seconds. To further simplify the process, some models are equipped with rubberized wheels or automatic levers.

The advantage of the sofa-accordion is also that the resulting bed does not have height differences, as is the case in "books" and other guest-type cots. In the expanded form, the backrest occupies the central part of the bed, the seat becomes a foot, and the back is under the head. The whole design is characterized by high strength and stability. Such sofas do not need to be moved before folding, but free space should be provided so that a very spacious berth can be arranged.

True nighttime comfort is provided by a base of flexible orthopedic lamellas, which are installed on top of the box-box or attached with legs. The upper part of the sofa bed is a mattress of three transverse mattress blocks. These blocks are fastened together by elastic bundles, which make it easy to move the structure in the right direction.

Like other types of sofas, models with the accordion mechanism are straight and angular. Lines are usually located in the center of the room, sometimes they are supplemented with soft chairs. These are models with a fairly simple design of three frame and three mattress elements located across, with a small back-head, sometimes armrests.

Corner accordion sofas have an additional part with an elongated seat - an ottoman. As a rule, it takes 1/4 or 1/5 of the width of the sofa and does not consist of three, but of two or one fragment. The Ottoman increases the sleeping area, making the bed even more spacious and comfortable. Some corner sofas have built-in wooden coasters that can be used as a coffee table or bedside tables.

It is from the frame that the strength and durability of the furniture product depend to the greatest extent. In accordion sofas, aluminum bases, metal mesh, as well as boxes made of wood, MDF or particleboard can be used. Separately, the material of the lamellas should be clarified. These jumpers are made of plastic, rubber, polypropylene, plywood, wood. Rubber and polypropylene strap mounts seal them and eliminate squeaks when using the bed.

Comfort during sitting and sleeping is determined by the quality of the soft component of the sofa - mattress.It can be of any type: spring or springless, of varying degrees of stiffness, with fillers such as polyurethane foam, latex, coconut fiber, felt, elastic memory foam, cotton, wool.

As a rule, furniture manufacturers give customers the opportunity to choose the type of upholstery on their own, focusing on their taste and aesthetic requirements. Popular materials - leather (natural or artificial), jacquard, tapestry, suede, flock. If you plan to use the sofa often for sleeping, it is better to use natural and maximum wear-resistant fabric. Dense upholstery based on cotton and linen is not electrified and attract dust less, and fleecy plush synthetics due to constant loads can quickly lose their attractive appearance.

The internal content of the sofa largely determines the comfort and duration of its operation. The quality of the materials used affects the price, but definitely not worth saving on things that are so necessary in everyday life. In general, when choosing an accordion sofa, it is important to pay attention to such components as:

The size of the berth depends on the length and width of the mattresses and can be up to 2x2 m, and sometimes more. The result is a full single or double bed, so the room should have enough free space, not cluttered with other pieces of furniture.

If the sofa will be located in one of the corners, it makes sense to give preference to products with an ottoman. In addition to effectively filling the space, they can be used both for sitting and lying down (on an elongated part). A sofa with two corner parts can fill a niche. In the center of the wall or in the middle of the room, direct models look better.

The quality of the foundation determines how easily the entire mechanism will be displayed and how long it can be operated without repair. The best features are aluminum structures - they are lightweight, durable and not susceptible to rust. Solid boxes also have a long service life, but only if the material is properly dried. But the base of particleboard or MDF can be deformed after a few years under the influence of natural humidity and various kinds of mechanical friction.

When choosing a filler for a mattress, you should focus primarily on its density. For example, for polyurethane foam (it is also called foam rubber), the value should not be lower than 35 kg / m3, latex foam-memori - not lower than 30 kg / m3. Spring blocks - both solid (bonnel) and independent type - are rarely found in mattresses for accordion sofas due to their rather heavy weight. More often it is a soft, completely springless flooring, the orthopedic effect of which is achieved by laying on top of flexible slats.

Due to its wide variation, upholstery does not present a particular problem when buying a sofa. It is worth remembering that this piece of furniture will be regularly transformed and in unfolded form will come in contact with bedding. For this reason, it is desirable to choose neutral, non-shedding, lint-free materials that are resistant to friction and frequent mechanical stress. It is very good if the manufacturer offers interchangeable covers in the kit - this way you can save the main upholstery, and use a clean, washable, inexpensive fabric for sleeping.

The box for linen in accordion sofas is usually small, since it is attached only to the bottom of the front compartment. It can be retractable or recline with the help of special fittings. In addition to the box, the sofa is sometimes supplemented with other functional elements - armrests with integrated shelves, wooden, plastic or metal coasters, chests of drawers, coffee or changing tables.

In the photo gallery on this page you will find a whole collection of interesting examples of how an accordion sofa can look in the interior. The selection may interest not only those who wish to purchase this item for their living room, but also designers, as well as representatives of companies that manufacture upholstered furniture.

A variety of sofas with the “accordion” transformation type allows you to use them in any environment, the main thing is that there should be enough space to transform a comfortable seat into a full sleeper. Choose your favorite model and let your home become even more comfortable!