Modular sofas are a solution that is ideal for modern, non-classical interior options. The main feature of the furniture is the presence of modules, the position of which can be changed relative to each other . As a result, you can create dozens of compositions to suit your taste and mood. Along with soft sofa blocks, the set may include poufs, tables and other items.
Modular sofas are always an individual solution. The number, sizes and other characteristics of blocks are selected at the request of the buyer. This is the case when you can easily create unique furniture that no one else will have.
It is necessary to distinguish between modular transformable products and modular sectional ones. In the first case, all blocks can be moved and swapped at any time. Sectional models are structures in which elements are selected individually, but then still attached to each other. Most often, by the word “modular”, manufacturers and sellers understand the first option.
Belluno modular system
Example of built-in options and module options:
Advantages and disadvantages
Modular systems have several serious advantages over traditional upholstered furniture.
Advantages
- Mobility. The most obvious advantage is the ability to choose not just the size of upholstered furniture, but also to maximally adjust it to the characteristics of the room. Prefabricated structures allow you to design a recreation area taking into account ergonomics. They can fit into a room of a non-standard shape or fill a niche. And transformable models can be changed as you wish.
- Multifunctionality. Large modular sofas can hide the functionality of an entire room: from storage systems to a full-fledged sleeping place. At the same time, everything is aesthetically collected into one stylistic composition. This eliminates the issue of combining different pieces of furniture.
- Beautiful design. Prefabricated systems, as a rule, are made in a modern style and look very impressive in the interior. Depending on the color, they can act as a bright accent or become the main element of a restrained monochrome interior.
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Flaws
- Non-universality. The trendy design of prefabricated products can be considered both pros and cons. It is suitable for modern style, minimalism, loft or hi-tech, but in a classic, vintage or country interior such furniture will look foreign. Although you can play on this contrast if you decorate a room in a fusion style: a combination of traditional style with modern pieces of furniture can look very interesting. Elegant leather models will also fit into the classic interior.
- Dimensions. Although a minimal set of two sections can fit into most living rooms, modular designs are still bulkier than some classic models and require space.
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Tips for choosing
Before choosing a modular sofa, set aside some space for it so you have an idea of how many pieces you need.
Next, you need to decide on the style, fabric and color of the upholstery. Try to buy products made from quality materials. Pay special attention to the strength of the frame, because the modules often move, which means that the joint elements will be subject to additional load.
If you plan to use the sofa for sleeping, make sure that the sleeping area is comfortable, of sufficient size and that there are no seams or other protrusions.
Types of modular structures
Prefabricated systems come in two types.
- Sectional - modules are fixed during assembly, then this form remains static and cannot be changed independently. A set of elements and their quantity are selected when ordering, then they are sent to the factory, where the product is assembled upon request.
- Transformers - unlike sectional ones, transformable models are not assembled into a single system, and the components of the composition can be easily changed at any time. It turns out to be a real construction set, the parts of which move as the situation requires. This is the most convenient option.
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The shape of the models is straight, angular, island, letter P.
If the modules are placed in the center of the room, square or round layouts look interesting. Also, the elements of the system can be located randomly throughout the entire area of the room.
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Common sofa models
English sofas / English style sofas / English rolled arm style
Features - conservative shape, spacious seat, low, rounded armrests, high-quality upholstery, most often in natural colors, brown, beige, gray, olive. English sofas are placed in halls, lobbies and living rooms, complemented by armchairs. A light English sofa with a folding mechanism is suitable for the bedroom; English-style sofas of compact size and practical upholstery are good in the dining room and children's room. Suitable styles are English proper, classic and neoclassical, retro, eclectic and fusion.
Bridgewater
Sofa models - Bridgewater
A type of English sofa. Features – a skirt (loose fabric from the armrests), low bolsters on the sides, removable pillows in covers, lush, somewhat “puffy” lines. Where to put it. In halls, living rooms, bedrooms. Suitable styles are English, Provence, retro.
Vis-a-vis / confidential / tete-a-tete
A piquant sofa model, invented, according to legend, for intimate dates. Peculiarities. It is a combination of chairs located in relation to each other in half a turn. Where to put it - in a spacious living room in addition to a regular sofa, bedroom, boudoir. Suitable styles are historical (empire, baroque, rococo), classic, antique vintage.
Oriental sofas
They can be rigid and frameless, since both are popular in the East. Features: rich wood color, carvings, curly legs, bright, rich upholstery with velvet or brocade. Oriental sofas are located in lounge areas, tea drinking corners, and bedrooms. Suitable styles are Arabic, Moorish.
Desados
Antique salon sofa. Peculiarities. The model consists of two small seats on either side of a common backrest. Desados was created for large living rooms and state rooms. Suitable styles are historical, vintage, retro.
Cabriole
A small sofa, popular in the second half of the 18th century. Features - the height of the back and sides is the same, the legs are curved, and there is a wooden trim along the top. Where to put it – convertibles for salons, living rooms, dining rooms. Suitable styles are historical, classic, lounge, pop art, fusion.
Kemelbek
The work of English cabinetmaker Thomas Chippendale. Features: an elegant back with a raised center. Where to put it - in hallways, living rooms, offices, libraries. Suitable styles are historical, English, classic.
Chaise
An old-fashioned two-seater sofa for conversation (causette means "to talk" in French). Peculiarities. The back is made of two parts and a decorative lintel between them. The transition points between the backrest and the armrests are smooth and rounded. Where to put it - in halls, lobbies, salons, living rooms and bedrooms, duplicating ancient interiors. Suitable styles are historical.
Daybed / chasey lounge
Antique and medieval prototype of a sofa for one person. Types of couches - duchess-breeze, meridien, recamier, chaise longue. It is a bed with a headrest, often with a separate footrest. Where to put it - in large living rooms, boudoirs adjacent to bedrooms, bathrooms. Suitable styles are historical, classic, vintage.
Knol
A small sofa of original shape. Features – the side armrests are located at an angle. Where to put it - in the living room, personal office, library. Suitable styles are classic, modern European.
Lawson
Sofa models - Lawson
Named after the financier Thomas Lawson, for whom it was developed at the beginning of the last century. Features: low, springy seat, soft armrests, removable pillows. The sofa can be straight or angular. Where to put it - in large living rooms, home offices. Suitable styles are traditional, retro and modern classic.
Lovesit
Sofa models - Love Seat
A laconic two-seater sofa “for lovers”. Features: narrow seat and armrests that extend into a high backrest. Where to put it - in the hallway, living room, bedroom instead of an armchair, in a reading corner. Suitable styles are vintage, romantic, classic.
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A set of sections or a “Constructor set for adults”?
Modular sofas come in two types, which can be distinguished by the appearance of the parts.
- Sectional sofas for the living room (consist of sectors fastened together)
- Transformable (consists of parts of different shapes that are not held together. They can be rearranged and obtain different configurations).
Sectional models are convenient because they are easier to bring into the apartment. But during installation they are fastened together, and then it is quite difficult to separate the parts yourself.
Transformable ones can be quickly disassembled without the help of tools, because the blocks in them are not fastened together. For example, each time guests arrive they can be turned into a set of armchairs and poufs, and for family evenings they can be assembled into one whole.
Eurobook
Ormatek Easy Home Middle model with a frame made of chipboard and fabric upholstery.
Another mechanism whose work is compared to a book. Eurobooks do not need free space in the rear part of the case to unfold. They can be easily placed close to the wall. But to arrange such furniture, you need to perform more actions. First move the seat forward and then lower the backrest. Assembling the “Eurobook” is also simple - just repeat the steps in reverse order.
The structure of the design is simpler than the classic “book”. The backrest is hinged, and the seat moves forward on wheels. Typically, frame parts and wheel guides are made of hardwood or plywood. Simplicity of design and durable materials ensure longevity of the furniture.
Be careful - when unfolding, the back of the sofa may fall on its own. Hold it and carefully lower it, otherwise the retaining hinges will eventually become loose from the constant fall of the backrest under its own weight.
Pros:
- The folding mechanism does not take up much space, so many manufacturers provide a niche inside for storing things. If you use the sofa for its intended purpose every day, you can store sleeping accessories there: pillows, blankets, a thin mattress pad.
- The “Eurobook” is devoid of a significant drawback of the “book” - the depression between the back and the seat when unfolded. It will be more comfortable to sleep on it.
- The simplest model in the top, which means more durable.
- The price is comparable to the “book”.
Minuses:
- It cannot be folded and unfolded in one motion.
- When choosing upholstered furniture, make sure that the front part is retractable on wheels. If they are not there, there is a risk of ruining the floor covering or carpet.
How to find “yours”?
Despite all the advantages of “designer furniture,” it is not very comfortable for night sleep. Therefore, if your living room is used as a bedroom every day, you are better off choosing a sectional or monolithic sofa for it.
But if you want to create a creative space in your living room that can easily change according to your desires, a transformable sofa is exactly what you need. Large upholstered furniture from individual blocks can fill the space if it is large enough. And with its help it is convenient to do zoning: for example, to isolate the eating area in a studio apartment (dining room) from the recreation area, in front of the TV or fireplace.
conclusions
So, buying a modular sofa is a responsible matter that requires a certain minimum of knowledge. Summarizing the above data, we formulate the main recommendations for choosing a sofa design that involves the presence of separate soft modules:
- Take into account the placement, the size of the space where the furniture is supposed to be placed. A perfectly “fitted” sofa can smooth out defects or shortcomings in the layout, favorably emphasizing the advantages.
- The components of a modular system should be selected based on the principle of meeting the needs of the buyer, ensuring the achievement of the maximum degree of ease of use.
- Keep in mind that transformable sofas are more mobile and have greater functionality. Consisting of several sections - a more economical option, with a durable internal load-bearing structure due to a single fastening, but inferior in mobility and possibility of transformation.
- It is worth giving preference to wood, chipboards made by hot pressing (chipboard or laminated chipboard), plywood with significant thickness. The upholstery material is selected based on your own preferences, but it is better to focus on more practical materials that are resistant to abrasion, friction and stretching, for example, flocked or leather.
- The best option when choosing layout mechanisms is “Eurobook”, “French folding”.
- and simple tips will help you cope with the choice of a suitable model of non-monolithic sofa design that will satisfy your needs and meet your expectations.
