When arranging the living space around us, we increasingly strive to minimize the number of possible actions and movements so that nothing can interfere with our relaxation. In search of another solution to this non-trivial problem, designers around the world have proposed a new design option for a seat - a sofa with built-in shelves.
This element of furniture is a successful combination of soft sections and hard structures, created to store pleasant little things that can diversify the rest of the household. A sofa with wooden shelves can be a great place for your favorite books and magazines, light snacks if you prefer to have snacks while watching movies and TV shows, as well as for storing necessary small items, including the TV remote control.
Depending on the design, such sofas can be built into a corner or placed along the wall. The location of this interior element is determined by the location of the shelves and the needs of the owners themselves, in order to provide the necessary access to the items on the shelves.
Useful benefits
Creating such comfort in the sofa area, it is impossible not to voice the advantages that a convenient design with built-in shelves gives its owners:
- provides constant free access to the necessary little things: books, magazines, a bowl of fruit, etc. You no longer have to pause the movie to get up and go get popcorn or your phone; all this can now be conveniently placed on the side shelf;
- the modular shape of the sofa allows you to install shelves in a variety of places: in the corner, between sections or on the side;
- sofas with shelves usually don’t cost much more than regular soft structures, so this solution won’t put a dent in your wallet;
- The versatility of such a sofa has no analogues - in addition to a comfortable sitting or sleeping place, you have a convenient shelving unit. The entire design perfectly saves free space (you can dispense with bulky cabinets and wall shelves), while remaining a comfortable place to relax.
The only disadvantage of such designs is that sofas with shelves for books and other nice little things will take you a little more time to clean, because, like any horizontal surfaces, the shelves collect dust, which will need to be cleaned periodically. It can also be said that such a design is dangerous for children; some corners of the shelves are dangerous for small family members, however, with the right choice of design, it is possible to avoid all the troubles associated with this.
Advantages and disadvantages of the product
The design of almost all sofas by default involves some kind of storage compartments. Most often these are retractable or regular laundry drawers. In corner models, such a compartment is placed in a corner module, where the lid is a soft seat. However, these devices are difficult to access: few people will like to drive household members off the couch to get their book out of the drawer.
Shelves are a very convenient and useful addition.
- Things on the shelves are always freely available. There is nothing easier than leaning over the armrest and taking out a magazine.
- The design of the sofa allows them to be mounted in a variety of places: on the back, as the back wall of a corner sector, under the armrest, and so on.
- Installing them has little effect on the cost, since they are made from more affordable materials - plywood, MDF.
- A large model, designed to be located in the center of the room, can be equipped with shelves on literally all sides and serve as a real rack, it is so spacious.
There are no disadvantages to this solution. Unless, a couple more planes are added, from which you need to periodically brush off the dust.
Photo of a corner sofa with corner shelves
Design features
Depending on where exactly the wooden structures for storing things will be located, there are several most popular options:
- in the armrests;
- in the corner;
- in the back.
All these options are convenient and ergonomic; the correct choice of the required design can only be determined by the dimensions of the room where the sofa will be installed and the wishes of the owner.
Sofa with shelves in the armrests
Everyone has probably noticed that the outer side of the sofa armrest is usually a durable wooden frame, covered with the fabric from which the rest of the upholstery is made.
So, furniture designers decided that this place was unforgivably stupid to remain uncovered and proposed sofa designs in which the outer side of the armrest sides is equipped with comfortable and spacious shelves.
Here you can place your favorite books or magazines, framed photographs or figurines. Shelves in this form are very convenient to use - you just need to bend over or even put your hand over the windowsill to get the necessary items. If the shelves serve only as a decorative element of the interior, then they will perfectly accommodate interesting decorative items made in the same style.
It is important to note that this design of a sofa with shelves is more suitable for families without small children and pets. The low location of the shelves and the accessibility of objects on them will provoke minor troubles. However, it is always possible to cover these shelves with frosted or transparent glass, as well as solid wooden doors, which may even make the design of the sofa more original.
Sofas with a shelf in the corner
As the name implies, structures of this type must have an angle into which the necessary shelves can be built. Therefore, only a corner sofa with a shelf in the corner fits this description. Such designs are most often installed in small rooms; they save space well, while remaining a comfortable place to relax and convenient storage for books, decorative items and even flower arrangements.
The shelf in such sofas is located in the corner between the soft sections, separating and simultaneously uniting both sides of the sofa. Here you can store books, magazines, put framed photographs, flowers in pots, and simply put the TV remote control.
Many residents of modern apartments prefer to install such a sofa in the kitchen, usually in the dining area. Guests and household members are seated around the table in this way, and at the same time you can place a fruit basket, napkin holder or bread bin on the shelves. In free time from the feast, a telephone or TV can be placed on the shelves so that the hostess does not look away from her favorite TV show while cooking.
There are also options when the corner shelf pulls out and turns into a small but convenient table on which you can have a pleasant tea party. Such a corner sofa with a table and shelves provides the convenience of meeting and sitting with friends when it is not possible to organize large feasts.
Tips and nuances on how to buy a good corner sofa with a shelf
What you should pay attention to when making a purchase:
- how deep are the seats?
- what is the height of the backrest;
- availability of a sleeping place;
- is there additional storage space?
- are there shelves?
- what quality is the furniture upholstery;
- upholstery color.
For each consumer, the criteria for choosing furniture will be individual. Some points will be useful, others not so important.
Furniture upholstery is made from textiles, genuine leather, leather substitute and eco-leather, which is popular today.
The corner sofa upholstered in genuine leather looks luxurious. Such furniture can “boast” not only of beauty, but also of high wear resistance and durability. However, you will have to pay a lot for the product, so despite all the advantages, this is not the most popular choice.
Corner sofas with leatherette shelves are a budget option. The appearance is practically the same as furniture upholstered in genuine leather, but there are still differences - leatherette feels rougher to the touch, plus it is not as durable. After some time, cracks and abrasions may appear that cannot be removed. In addition, the material reacts poorly to temperature changes.
Increasingly, preference is given to corner sofas with shelves made of eco-leather - it is softer and more elastic than leatherette, more pleasant to the touch. The long service life inspires confidence, and the stylish appearance pleases. If you decide to purchase eco-leather furniture, we advise you to make a purchase in furniture stores with a good reputation, so as not to receive a low-quality product that will too quickly lose its color brightness and freshness. The biggest advantage of eco-leather is its easy care. It is easy to remove dirt from it; maintaining its original appearance does not require much effort.
If you want to buy inexpensive corner sofas with a shelf, then choose models with fabric upholstery - they are the most affordable. For furniture, manufacturers select textiles that are pleasant to the touch - corduroy, matting, cotton, tapestry, velvet plush. Main disadvantages: the fabric gets dirty quickly, absorbs odors, and collects a lot of dust. It is very difficult to clean such upholstery, and you will have to do it regularly. To make your task easier, you will have to acquire special furniture cleaning products.
For this reason, avoid fabric corner sofas in light shades. This model will constantly get dirty, and you will have to clean it endlessly. Otherwise, the product will quickly lose its attractiveness.
The most popular materials for filling upholstered furniture:
- polyurethane foam (foam rubber);
- padding polyester;
- holofiber (hollow polyester fibers similar to springs);
- synthetic fluff;
- spring block.
For corner sofas with shelves, a metal frame is considered the most reliable design. The seats of high-quality models will not sag even over time and will not deteriorate (this is a problem with mesh bases).
Before you go to a furniture showroom to make a purchase, measure the room in which you plan to place the desired model.
Decide for what purposes you will use additional shelves and other storage compartments. If you plan to store bulky items or a large number of them, then give preference to a corner sofa, the shelves and drawers of which will be large and roomy.
If you need a multi-functional sleeper product, decide how often you are going to use it. If you do it often, models with a rigid metal frame will suit you. Choose a folding mechanism: “book”, “dolphin”, “eurobook”, “accordion”. The common “French clamshell” will be cheaper, but this mechanism is not suitable for regular use.
Each model of corner sofas with shelves has its own distinctive features. You must choose the one that meets your needs, preferences and capabilities.
Sofa with shelf in the back
Just like the outer space of the armrest, the space of the backrest is most often filled with emptiness. Why not use it correctly?
A wide sofa with shelves on the back will allow you to place almost your entire home library, favorite crockery sets, photographs and figurines there. Of course, this arrangement of shelves is the least convenient to use, but as a shelving unit in a room it has no drawbacks. Previously, in addition to the sofa, you would have also placed bulky bookcases with books, but now convenient storage and a soft place to relax are found in one design.
Such sofas with shelves are most often found in large living rooms or studio apartments. Moreover, in the latter version, the sofa can serve as a kind of separator between the living room and the kitchen, and then on the shelves in its back you can place the little things necessary in the kitchen.
Popular variations
An important advantage of the shelf design is that such a modification does not require any specific mechanisms or configurations. Both straight and corner sofas, folding and roll-out structures can be equipped with shelves.
Shelves on straight sofas can be located in the armrests and backrest. There are also designs where the armrest itself rises, turns over and becomes an excellent stand for a small meal or hot tea. Shelves can also be equipped in the armrest space itself - most often this is how a home bar is set up.
A corner sofa with shelves, as already mentioned, can be equipped with a shelf in the corner, but it is also suitable for shelves in the armrests and backrest. It all depends on the dimensions and capabilities of the room, because the placement of such a sofa in it will determine the accessibility to the items on the shelves.
There is also a corner sofa “dolphin” with shelves in the corner, when the soft part of the structure folds out into a comfortable sleeping place, and the corner shelf serves as a bedside table, where it is convenient to put an alarm clock, phone, glasses or a glass of water. Such a sofa bed with a shelf will be an excellent solution in a small room, because in essence it is a functional combination of three pieces of furniture at once.
Despite the fact that we have reviewed the most popular shelf placement options separately, there are also sofas that provide all three shelf options. Of course, this design is less like a sofa, however, despite the presence of a large number of storage surfaces, it does not cease to be a comfortable place to relax. Only now your vacation will also be ensured with a minimum of movement.
You can decorate the shelves on the sofa with glass or metal inserts, carved or glossy trim, there are options with doors (sliding and hinged), you can place a climbing plant or decorate with lighting. All options will look great if they match the style of the room in which you place such a sofa.
Popular models
The popularity of models is determined by many factors. Here we have convenience, reliability, a transformation mechanism and, of course, product design. After all, the sofa, no more nor less, determines the character of the living room, its style and expressiveness.
Regin
This solution is offered by the furniture factory "Fiesta-Furniture". The model is very elegant and is perfect for living rooms in modern minimalist styles. The lack of decoration is completely redeemed by the elegance of the form.
The folding model has an accordion mechanism and is equipped with linen drawers. The very high back supports both the back and the head in the correct position. The sofa is made in three different variations, and one of them – Luxury – involves the installation of a block of independent springs and Skylon filler. This product can be called orthopedic.
The corner module here is designed as a closed storage compartment with a solid lid that rises above the seat. It forms a rather high table - higher than a coffee table. The shelf frames the table on both sides. The armrests also have a hard top surface and can be used as stands.
The upholstery can be made of fabric or leather. Depending on the category of filler, spring block, size and finish, the price varies significantly.
Corner sofa Regin with shelf and table
Bella Lux
The Bella Lux corner sofa with 2 shelves, presented by a Russian manufacturer, is distinguished by a choice of color combinations. In most cases, the model is finished with soft fleecy fabric in two contrasting shades. Their combination gives the product a rich look.
Soft seats, backs and armrests simply embody comfort. Closed shelves are installed in the corner sector and occupy its upper part.
The folding mechanism of this corner sofa with shelves is a dolphin, there are drawers for linen. Despite the exquisite design, the cost of the product is quite affordable.
Photo of a corner sofa Bella Lux with a shelf in the corner
Jasmine
Corner sofa with shelf Jasmine is one of the models in a whole series produced by the Mebel-Fiesta factory. As such, it does not have a corner sector, and the side part is only partially equipped with a backrest - this is a classic corner trapezoid sofa. Upholstery – fabric, leather, artificial leather, chosen by the customer.
The model can be equipped with a standard spring block or with independent springs. The latter option has much more striking orthopedic properties. Transformation method, and the sofa can easily turn into an accordion bed.
The very wide armrests are equipped with a hard surface, which is used as a coffee table or shelf. The shelf can change the angle of inclination.
Corner sofas with shelves are without a doubt worthy of a place in your living room. They are practical, extremely comfortable, elegant and help solve such an important additional task as storing many small items.
Corner sofa with shelf Jasmine
