In a small apartment, you have to save on everything, and first of all, on the space of the rooms. Therefore, multifunctional interior items are often used here, which can be used not only for their intended purpose. Often, it is the children's furniture transformer that is most in demand, since children need more free space, but recently such headsets and beds have begun to be used in other rooms of small houses and apartments.
Features and Benefits
An important and main feature that distinguishes transformer furniture from other varieties is the presence of a mechanism that allows you to perform transformation, or change its appearance. The main criterion when choosing this type of furniture for the house is the selection of a reliable and durable piece of furniture with the same mechanism that will be able to withstand the loads of transformation and is designed for a long service life.
Among the main advantages of this type of furniture are:
The video shows various options for transformer furniture.
Important! Self-production of this type of furniture is a rather complex undertaking that requires maximum accuracy of calculations, high-quality visual drawings of which must meet high reliability and safety.
Varieties
Transformer furniture is very popular for arranging children's bedrooms. This is especially true when the family has two or more children, and the square meters of the children's room do not allow placing full-fledged interior items or furniture in it without hesitation. Then solutions come to the rescue, which are distinguished by functionality and practicality.
Transformer furniture, the photos of which are presented below, occupy a worthy place among household items for children's rooms.
At first, it can be just a cradle for the baby, which over time can be transformed into a table or wardrobe as the child grows and matures. With this functionality, both space and money are saved, and, in addition, you do not have to waste time looking for a new headset or furniture for sleeping.
Convertible wardrobes are also a popular type of furniture of this type, which, with the help of simple manipulations, can quickly and easily be converted into a sleeping place. Moreover, the bed unfolds as needed, only for sleep, during the rest of the period the bed is a wardrobe.
The next type of multifunctional wardrobe is an option when the bed is located under the ceiling, and there is a comfortable sofa at the bottom, while the transformation mechanism is triggered using the remote control, which lowers the bed at the required time.
Another popular transformer is a wardrobe table. It is convenient to place this in the living room, and lay it out when there is a need for it.
Attention! In such a cabinet, you should not put objects that can break or break when the position of the mechanism is changed, which should be taken into account when filling the furniture.
The sofa bed is not the last place in the variety of furniture options that can be transformed. Such a sofa easily turns into a bed, sometimes even into a two-story one, and some models can also be a wardrobe and a table.
To please lovers of coffee tables, transforming tables, which are capable of performing the function of a full-fledged dining table, will be able to. With a quick movement of the hand, they are transformed into a necessary piece of furniture.
The video presents a variety of options for transforming tables, which are produced by modern furniture factories:
Mechanisms and systems
To create furniture that can be transformed, various functional elements are used - hinges, hinges and latches, which will facilitate the ease of changing the modification of the sets. Beds are most often equipped with swing-out mechanisms, telescopic guides.
Many mechanisms can include elements such as levers and hinges.
Self-production
Some options for making do-it-yourself transforming furniture are shown in the video:
Self-production of transformable and multifunctional furniture is not the easiest thing, but if you approach the process in a balanced and competent manner, the result can exceed all expectations. Such work will save not only space but also money as a result. It may not necessarily be some kind of complex object; it is quite possible to make such an interesting interior object as a bed that becomes a wardrobe.
In this case, it is best to take a standard orthopedic base, as well as a mattress, as a basis.
The curved slats are removed from the structure, and instead of legs, the bed is equipped with medium-sized bars. Further, markings are made on the side walls of the cabinet to install the bed mountings.
After that, the base of the cabinet should be docked with the side panels of the bed and the upper part should be fixed. Then the base is attached to the wall, on which the transforming cabinet will be located. With the use of gas springs and various lifting mechanisms, depending on the size of the bed, the frame is installed. At the same time, the frame is fastened to the base. The facade of the future cabinet is mounted with the necessary front strips, in accordance with the design of the room. One of the editing options is shown in the video:
Transforming furniture will become an indispensable attribute of any room in a house or apartment, it will help to significantly save space and distribute the functionality of interior items as conveniently as possible. When choosing such furniture, do not forget that it should be as reliable, safe, durable and durable as possible.
In the modern world, it is difficult to place all previously purchased furniture, so a transformer sofa bed becomes the best option. You can do it yourself.
Advantages of DIY furniture
- The uniqueness of the completed product, which will be presented only in a single copy.
- Execution according to their drawings and projects posted on the Internet.
- Guidance according to your preferences.
- Saving free space.
- The possibility of transformation depending on the growth of children and their wishes.
Folding furniture options
A large number of furnishings can be made for apartments and country houses, which can be folded / unfolded when needed. You can do:
- desk-desk with the possibility of converting, if desired, into an easel;
- transformer bunk bed for children;
- a changing table, which then turns into a coffee table;
- single or double bed;
- double bed with the possibility of converting into a single bed.
Preparatory stage
Before making a transformer bed, you should get an electric jigsaw, a saw, a screwdriver, a tape measure, a square, a level, an electric drill with a sufficient number of drills, a hammer drill and pliers.
In addition, it is necessary to purchase the necessary materials from which the structure will be assembled. It is worth paying attention to the quality of raw materials.
At the next stage, you should get a drawing of the furniture option you like. It can be found freely available on various sites on the Internet or you can draw it yourself.
If you develop the design yourself, then first you should think about what type of transformation will be. For this, a sketch of the future furniture is drawn with the specification of the overall dimensions.
Based on the sketch, a drawing is made - a diagram of a transforming bed with the display of all the details. Especially carefully it is worth calculating the places where the joints of the parts will be located.
Assembling the structure
First, a box is assembled, similar in appearance to the design of a floor cabinet. So that the shield for the bed does not bend, it is worth strengthening it with 5 boards. They are laid along and across the future furnishings.
To make the frame conveniently installed, you can equip the structure with bumpers. It is worth making sure that they do not interfere with the folding mechanism to do its job.
At a further stage, joints are made into the surface of the slab using a screwdriver. First, small holes are drilled to produce the screed. Then the remaining parts of the box are screwed in.
It is worthwhile to carefully consider the assembly of the structure of the transformer bed mechanism. With its help, it is possible to lower and raise furniture. Next, it is necessary to install the stiffening ribs and the mattress topper.
For this, the following activities are carried out:
Laying of 2 bars is carried out, which are located in the central part of the shield. Fix them from the inside with self-tapping screws. In this case, it is impossible to pierce the shield structure through and through. If, nevertheless, a mistake was made and the shield was broken, then it is necessary to completely redo all the work from the very beginning.
Between the mounted bars, another one is squeezed in with fixing on self-tapping screws. To level the structure, you should use a wooden batten and a level.
An edged board is laid in width, having a step of 10 centimeters. With an increase in the step, there is a risk of the mattress falling into the hole made, and if you decrease it, the stiffness of the bed appears.
In the last step, the plate is screwed to the back of the cabinet. Fixation of 2 longitudinal shields under the bed with a distance of 1 centimeter between them is carried out. During this work, care should be taken not to split the shield. If you wish, furniture handles are installed, which will allow you to simulate the design of an ordinary cabinet.
If you do not feel the strength to assemble transformer furniture, then you can contact a professional workshop. Here you can, after looking at various photos of the transformer bed, choose what you like. And experienced craftsmen will quickly and without various costs assemble the furniture you need.
Photo of a transformer bed with your own hands
Despite the large selection of ready-made furniture, many people spend a lot of time and energy looking for the right wardrobe or bed. Through the "sieve of doubts" various models are sifted, differing from each other in design, color and size, but nothing fits. This is exactly the problem faced by a user of our site with a nickname avamonster, and a homemade bed became an excellent way out of the "furniture impasse" for him. In this article, we make a bed together with our user!
Review of lifting bed models.
- What tools and materials are needed to make a bed.
- Operating procedure.
DIY bed
avamonster FORUMHOUSE user
I need a transforming bed in my house, which can be quickly and easily put into a closet against the wall. When folded, the front of such a bed should be completely identical to the "front" of a conventional wardrobe. Therefore, there should not be any protruding handles, protruding legs, etc. outside. Such a bed should not take up much space. When unfolded, the "transformer" should turn into a fully functional bed designed for comfortable sleep, and not a guest "crib".
Shoveling the Internet, reviewing dozens of bed layouts and sketches and visiting several furniture stores, the forum user could not find a model that would fully satisfy his needs. Namely:
- You need a transformer for a standard mattress size 1600x2000x150 mm, like a normal sofa; The height of the unfolded bed should not exceed 45-55 cm;
- The width of the transforming bed is equal to: the width of the mattress (1600 mm) plus the thickness of the side walls of the cabinet, made of chipboard. That is, approximately 1632 mm. The depth of the bed is equal to the depth of the cabinet - 450 mm. In the unfolded state, the length of the bed should not exceed 2100-2200 mm;
- In the open position, the folding bed should fit well into the interior of the apartment, and not look like the simplest analogue of a "folding bed". Should be easily and quickly removed;
- The unfolded bed should not take up much space in the house and impede free movement around the room, opening of adjacent wardrobes, cupboards, drawers, etc .;
- Safety: the bed should not have sharp corners that you can hit with your foot, hidden cavities and crevices where pets or small children can climb. The gas lift or the springs of the opening mechanism should not be located near the head of the sleeper;
- "Humane" price tag.
We present a selection of photos of those folding beds that the forum member looked at, as well as give his comments on why this or that model did not suit him.
A quick glance at this picture is enough to understand that this is not a simple wardrobe, but a wardrobe into which they have managed to build a "folding bed". It would be better not to build in - the slots are visible from below and from above, and the handles are very inconveniently located.
This lifting model when folded is no different from a regular wardrobe, but once it is unfolded, the bed blocks access to cabinets and drawers. This means that it must constantly be removed and lowered, which is very inconvenient.
Option of a wardrobe bed with sliding doors. This model does not take up much space, and when folded is indistinguishable from a standard cabinet. The main inconvenience is the large depth of the "transformer" - 80 cm. You will have to sleep, practically lying with your head and shoulders in the closet. Not everyone will like it. So this "guest" option was also dropped.
A typical model that you can often see in stores. Avamonster was not satisfied with the fact that, instead of springs or a gas lift, the bed is removed using a counterweight. When it leans back, you can see that the bottoms are similar to the legs of a "clamshell". And the price exceeds 40 thousand rubles.
Another common option. Avamonster's main claims to this folding bed are that the legs stick out like "antennae" from above, and when open, the mattress lies inside the bed frame. Passing next to such a bed, you can accidentally hit your foot on its sharp corner. A block with springs hangs next to the head, and by the "tram" handles you can immediately determine that this is not an ordinary cabinet, but a "transformer".
avamonster FORUMHOUSE user
All the models that I saw in the store had a construct: "a box made of chipboard or plywood, into which a mattress is simply inserted." It didn't suit me. I happened to be in the USA, where I saw another construct: the frame is "inside" the base under the mattress, and the mattress itself is slightly wider than the base. The springs or gas lift are located under the mattress, and not stick out in front of the face. It seems to me that this option is safer and easier to use.
There is also an option with a double bed-caterpillar, but such "transformers" are expensive and do not often catch your eye.
The search for a ready-made folding bed was not crowned with success, but a negative result is also a result. As a result of his ordeals, avamonster finally decided on the list of requirements for the product and therefore decided to assemble the bed himself.
Another interesting option is this "two in one" option, but this "DIY your own double bed" project is much more difficult to implement at home.
Material required for assembling a transforming bed
Looking ahead, let's say that the forum user managed to assemble a double bed, which is no different and even surpasses industrial or custom-made samples. The width of the "transformer" is 1640 mm, the length in the unfolded state is 2130 mm, the height is 500 mm.
According to avamonster, sketchup helped him achieve the success of the project and do everything right the first time, without numerous alterations and changes. Having spent three months studying the program from "0", having sat over the drawings and dimensions, the forum member sketched virtual models of the crib and diagrams of its nodes that can be twisted on the monitor screen (see pictures).
This approach allowed us to avoid many mistakes. Indeed, many novice craftsmen often forget the main building proverb: "measure seven times, cut once." An attempt to immediately translate everything "into metal", without plans, drawings and competent calculation of several options, leads to damage to the material due to constant changes in the design of the product.
A DIY bed is made from simple materials and does not require any special tools to make it.
What you need to make a product
- Chipboard sheets - 1580x995x16 mm. Sawing to size, and edging of the ends of the slabs was done "on the side". It took 12 thousand rubles;
- Tailor-made springs for the hoist. Those. spring parameters: bar diameter - 4 mm, outer diameter - 36 mm, number of turns - 30. Spring length with hooks - 18 cm. Stretching stroke - 21 cm. Applied force -55 kg. The parameters of the spring, which depend on the "shoulder" of the lever and the total weight of the bed, were calculated by the forum member in a special calculator. A set of 5 parts cost avamonster 3.5 thousand rubles;
- The frame of the "do it yourself" bed is a shaped tube with dimensions of 4x2 cm. The wall thickness of the frame tube is 2 mm. In total, 18 meters of such a pipe were purchased. The pipe was cut to size into elements on the spot so that it could be taken home in a regular "passenger car". It took another 1.5 thousand rubles;
avamonster
Because I do not have a welding machine, so I had to drill holes in the pipes for the fastening bolts. This made the task of assembling the wardrobe bed much more difficult. The best option is to cook everything yourself or have it done to a locksmith's shop to order, otherwise I also had to clean the pipes from rust. I pasted over the surfaces of all visible metal parts of the pipes with a film imitating wood.
- Hardware. The DIY bed was assembled with bolts, nuts and screws. A homemade frame for strength and rigidity was twisted into corners for M6 bolts. All bolted connections were also calculated for the shear load. For all the necessary fasteners, the member of the forum spent another 4 thousand rubles.
How to assemble a transforming bed yourself: the main steps
The base for the mattress (chipboard sheets) was screwed to a homemade frame with special drilled screws. Such self-tapping screws have a "drill" at the end: the chipboard should be passed with a large diameter, steel - with a smaller one, and already at the finish, a recess under the head of the self-tapping screw is countersunk in the wood. Thus, in one step, the chipboard board is attracted to the metal frame without preliminary drilling.
The structure of the frame is designed so that the soft mattress is the widest part of the crib. In this case, it is impossible to hit the hard edge of the frame with your foot.
Modern furniture doesn't just look beautiful in a room and accommodates a lot of things. It is a functional element that performs several tasks. Another feature of this design is that it allows you to fit more furniture in a small room and at the same time save precious square meters. In most cases, such techniques are used for small apartments and living rooms, which are also bedrooms. Putting a full bed is not always convenient, and sleeping on the couch is another test for your back. The ideal solution in such cases is a wardrobe bed. She will be discussed in this article.
How to make furniture with your own hands?
The process of making a bed with your own hands begins with sketches and selection of a place. In fact, these are two boxes, which are interconnected by a special mechanism and decorated with cabinet doors.
In the company, where they are engaged in cutting LDPC, you can order all the necessary structural details, choose the shade of the veneer and the design of the cabinet's facade. As for the bed itself, you can disassemble the old one or order a frame with slats without a mattress at a furniture factory. Moreover, this will have to be done first of all, since all other measurements and the location of the furniture depend on the size of the bed frame.
Outwardly, the design will look like a regular one. If necessary, it is lowered and there is a large full bed in the room. Consider a step-by-step lesson in making transformer furniture with your own hands.
- As a basis, the author of the lesson suggests taking an orthopedic bed base. Sleeping place 180 x 200 cm.
- We remove all lamellas from the base. Only the skeleton should remain.
- We will put the frame of the structure, which will hold all the weight, on bars of 40 x 50 cm. You can certainly try to take standard furniture legs instead of a bar, but they almost certainly will not support such a weight.
- On the blanks for the cabinet, we mark the seats for the side parts.
- Next, we join the parts of the structure.
- Finally, fix the top panel.
- This is what the frame of the entire wardrobe-bed looks like.
- We make furniture ourselves and fix it in the load-bearing wall.
- There will be a lot of dirt in the process, so the author of the lesson advises to immediately use a vacuum cleaner and not leave behind shavings and dust.
- Now we mount the bed frame, which we disassembled at the very beginning, using the bed lift mechanism and gas springs.
- This unit will withstand the greatest loads during operation. It is worth choosing the thickness of the chipboard sheet according to these loads and discussing it with specialists at the stage of sketching and cutting.
- It's time to join the two pieces of the furniture base.
- After installation and joining, it is necessary to strengthen the structure and replace the lamellas.
- The last stage of the master class on how to make furniture with your own hands will be the fastening of the facade.
- According to the drawings, the facade of the furniture-transformer with their own hands has the simplest form. The bed is brought to a horizontal position by the handles of the cabinet. This part can be done at your discretion, the only condition is that the facade should be combined with the furniture in the room, and the fittings and its location are not so important.
- The cornice simultaneously serves as a bed leg. And the next bedside table can accommodate bedding. By the way, all the furniture in the room is made of the same material, and the design of the cabinet itself is laconic and stylish at the same time. As a result, the furniture really takes up little space and becomes invisible.
- Here is such a stylish and inconspicuous do-it-yourself transforming furniture turned out in the end.
Reading time ≈ 10 minutes
Not every modern apartment has enough room for large furniture. Many people do not want to sacrifice free space for the sake of comfortable furniture. In this case, beds, wardrobes, and transforming sofas come to the rescue, which can transform the interior of a room in an instant.
Features and types of transforming furniture
Today, modern technologies allow pieces of furniture to change shape, size and even purpose: a wardrobe can be easily transformed into a bed, and a table - into a design picture. Such furniture has its advantages:
- Multifunctionality.
- Compactness.
- Creativity.
- A wide range of models in various sizes, shapes, styles and configurations.
- Fast transformation due to robust mechanisms.
- Can be installed anywhere.
- Affordable price of many models.
- Practicality.
Shelf that instantly transforms into a chair
However, such furniture has its drawbacks:
What opportunities open up transforming furniture elements in small apartments:
Varieties of transforming furniture differ in purpose, finish material and type of mechanism:
The principle of operation of fastening mechanisms
The transformation of pieces of furniture is provided by separate devices consisting of several components. These can be various stamped metal parts, springs, rods, bushings, wheels of different sizes, furniture hinges, retainers and even bearings.
Types of mechanisms:
The manufacturers have made serious demands on the quality of the mechanisms, because the functioning of each piece of furniture depends on their durability and condition:
- All these parts must be made of durable materials, treated with anti-corrosion compounds or special enamel.
- Although the mechanisms are not visible during operation, their surface should be smooth, even and free from burrs.
- The material of the parts must be strong and tough to withstand the regular stress of movement.
It is very simple to check the quality of the mechanism: it is enough to assemble and disassemble (fold and unfold, etc.) the furniture several times. Transformations should not be accompanied by strong efforts, squeaks and delays, elements should also not jam and jump off.
Coffee-working table-transformer in the interior of a small apartment
How to choose a transformer for a small apartment
In order to correctly decorate the interior of a small apartment and choose the right multifunctional furniture, it is important to pay attention to its characteristics:
When choosing transforming furniture, it is important to take into account the number of households and the possible frequency of use in order to correctly calculate the load. The presence of animals and small children also plays an important role in the selection of the material for removable covers and upholstery.
Rooms of a small apartment with transformable furniture
Even in a compact apartment of a small area, you can pick up original and comfortable furniture without sacrificing comfort. With the help of transformable multifunctional pieces of furniture, you can organize the space of any room:
Table transformer
It is very easy to choose transforming furniture for a small apartment, especially for various countertops, folding bar counters and dressers.
Varieties of designs:
Transforming tables can be made of metal, wood, glass and plastic. Metal structures are heavy and therefore not popular. And plastic furniture is considered the most budgetary option because of its fragility. Most often, you can find wooden countertops in houses due to their strength and environmental friendliness.
Mechanisms for folding and sliding tables:
Tables-paintings look especially original in the interior. This original design looks elegant and is an independent decorative element in the house. In this case, the frame serves as the table legs, as shown in the photo.
Table-painting in the interior
Transformer bed
In small apartments, it is important to properly manage the space when arranging furniture. The design of a multifunctional bed is perfect for decorating a small bedroom.
What are the advantages of such furniture:
- The ability to save space by freeing up space for recreation areas, workspace and playroom.
- Inside the structure, you can store bed linen and personal items without using a closet.
- An orthopedic mattress can be easily placed on the lamellas, which is able to ensure healthy sleep and has a beneficial effect on the condition of the spine.
Types of smart beds:
Wardrobes-beds on gas-lift mechanisms are very popular, since they can be folded back and closed without effort, and are also strong and durable. The downside is the high cost of this design.
Smart Bed Gas Lift Mechanism
Convertible sofa
Smart furniture manufacturers offer the modern buyer a huge assortment of different models. These products are in great demand, as they are represented by a variety of styles, upholstery materials, colors and dimensions.
Varieties of sofa beds:
Original design solutions:
Smart furniture is the optimal solution for interior design for owners of small apartments. It helps to save space and make space multifunctional. Transforming furniture can be made by hand, the assembly process is shown in the video of the master class.