An alternative to a sofa is an ottoman, which is compact in size and practical. It is used as a sofa or bed. Making such a piece of furniture with your own hands will not be difficult. If you think about its design, dimensions, prepare tools and materials in advance.
Peculiarities
A special feature of the ottoman is the presence of a back and armrests, and when unfolded it resembles a simple bed . The advantages of a piece of furniture include:
- Easy to make yourself.
- Compact and ergonomic.
- Stylish appearance.
- Large selection of design features. You can make a simple ottoman, sliding or corner.
Decorating the product
Unusual rope daybed-bed
For decoration, you can only use paints and varnishes, various synthetic ones, microfiber, dermantin or velor - it all depends on your taste and budget. Synthetic upholstery retains its color and shape for a long time, but it tends to electrify and attract dust.
Massage couch with wooden legs and soft upholstery
The couch will have an interesting appearance if you drill holes in the plywood and tighten the filler with nylon thread. The holes will be hidden with the help of beautiful buttons covered with matching fabric.
Using the couch for relaxation, massage and treatments
Constructions
All ottomans differ in design features. They come in both large and small. The most popular models are:
Single. Ideal for a small studio apartment. During the day, the furniture is used as a sofa for receiving guests, and at night - as a comfortable sleeping place.- One and a half. They are something between a single and double model. They are suitable for use by one or two people.
- Double. They are no different from roomy double beds, have an aesthetic appearance and fit harmoniously into both living rooms and bedrooms.
- Angular. Their feature is the ergonomics of free space, ease of use and original appearance.
In addition, you can make models for children and teenagers. They are distinguished by bright and colorful designs, the use of safe and environmentally friendly materials, and small and compact sizes .
Attention : when using the ottoman as a bed, it is necessary to additionally lay an orthopedic mattress on it.
As for the transformation mechanism, the most common models are:
- Book. One person can sleep on such a product without spreading the sofa.
- Eurobook. The model is characterized by durability, reliability and convenience.
- Click-clack. The name comes from the sound made during the unfolding process.
Pros of an ottoman
Many people consider the ottoman to be not very useful furniture, but after familiarizing themselves with the main ways of using it, their opinion changes. Advantages:
- Various modifications of the designs of this type of furniture are interior decoration (bed, couch, sofa);
- A handmade ottoman meets all environmental requirements;
- DIY furniture is a good option in terms of price;
- This type of furniture is a godsend for small apartments, as it saves space.
Today, the ottoman is returning to popularity and is successfully installed in our apartments. Making this type of furniture in this way is equivalent to making a bed with your own hands.
What is it made of: wood or chipboard?
You can make the frame of the product with your own hands from different materials:
Laminated chipboard.
It is convenient and easy to use and attracts craftsmen at an affordable price. You can order laminated chipboard at any hardware store in a wide range. Lumber has various textures and textures and goes on sale in a wide range of colors.- Furniture board. It is made from natural and safe materials. The advantages of the material include high strength, reliability and long service life. In terms of its technical qualities, furniture panels are in no way inferior to natural wood .
- Array. A wooden ottoman looks extremely attractive and noble. This type of furniture is considered elite. It attracts with its variety of textures and textures, high quality, naturalness and safety. Wooden furniture fits harmoniously into different stylistic trends.
In addition to the main lumber, when making furniture you will also need auxiliary elements, which are made from:
- Brusa. It is used for fastening mating parts. Supporting surfaces and horizontal struts are also made from timber.
- Upholstery fabric. She can be anyone. The most common are: jacquard, leather or leatherette, chenille, flock, suede. When choosing textiles, attention is paid to its: wear resistance, practicality, ease of use and appearance .
- Decorative elements: threads for lining, decorative buttons for decoration and other accessories that will give the product a finished look.
Popular manufacturers
If you are faced with the choice of such a product for the first time and do not know which manufacturer to trust, then we bring to your attention several popular companies that have already proven themselves in the furniture market:
- "Ormatek". This manufacturer offers environmentally friendly and comfortable furniture for sleeping and relaxing. Thanks to an innovative approach to production and the use of the latest technologies, you can find a high-quality model at the best price for you. Particular attention is paid to safety. Products undergo four stages of quality control.
- "Borovichi-Furniture". This manufacturer is quite large and recognizable. Its arsenal includes a wide range of furniture products. The collections are constantly updated with new models. There are solutions for spacious rooms and for small apartments. You will definitely find the ottoman option that suits your style.
- Hyper. This manufacturer is characterized by the fact that it produces functional, stylish and laconic furniture. There is no place for unnecessary details and pretentiousness. All products are released in certain series. Therefore, you can easily choose products in the same style. You can choose a wide ottoman or choose a compact option. The affordable price will pleasantly surprise buyers.
- "Artis." This brand represents stylish and fashionable furniture. High quality is optimally combined with an affordable price. Functional models will appeal to all buyers.
Interior ideas
Depending on the style, size and shape, the ottoman can be installed in a room for any purpose:
Streamlined models fit harmoniously into living rooms, bedrooms and children's rooms.
For modern designs, upholstery with abstract patterns, vegetation and interesting patterns is chosen; for classic motifs, it is advisable to use delicate pastel colors.- Corner models will harmoniously fit into any small room . Their peculiarity is the presence of a back and armrest on only one side. This model will harmoniously complement a minimalist or high-tech interior, where there should be furniture pieces without unnecessary decorations and curves.
The main types of couch models:
Types of medical couches with a metal frame
- with a metal frame;
- with drawers;
- with additional shelves;
- folding (can be transformed into a sleeping place).
Transformable couch, easily allows you to transform the bed into a sofa, sofa or chair
Choose a model of couch that will not only fit perfectly into the interior, but will also be affordable for you to manufacture. If you have some carpentry skills, you can take on more complex versions of the product. If you are mastering this type of activity for the first time, first make a simple model.
A simple daybed for the kitchen with an extra bed, made by yourself
Drawing
To create a competent piece of furniture you will need to make a drawing. There are different ways to do this:
- we find the finished product on the Internet with all sizes and customize it in our own way;
- draw a diagram of the future sofa with a pencil on a piece of paper, carefully calculating the dimensions of all the details;
- we open a special program on the computer, which will independently calculate all the dimensions and number of parts according to the created template.
How to choose a sofa with ottoman?
Basic tips for choosing:
- First of all, the amount of free space in the room, its architectural and design nuances are taken into account.
- For a large room, you can choose models with corner placement or install a wide and long sofa along one wall.
- In a small living room or nursery, a folding structure that can be placed close to the wall would be appropriate.
- For zoning space in a one-room apartment, studio or kitchen-living room, a straight product placed in the middle is suitable.
Tools
To make and assemble an ottoman you will need the following tools and materials:
tape measure and pencil;- hacksaw;
- electric jigsaw;
- screwdriver or screwdrivers;
- fasteners for connecting various parts: self-tapping screws, metal corners, confirmations;
- lumber;
- upholstery fabric and filling;
- stain, paint or varnish.
Advice : it’s easier not to buy a tool for one-time work, but to rent it.
Tips for reupholstering
Old ottoman
When the upholstery is frayed and worn, upholstered furniture, even quite strong ones, takes on an extremely pitiful appearance. And it’s a shame to invite guests. But you can fix this with your own hands by buying seven meters of suitable upholstery fabric and setting aside time for work.
- First you need to disassemble by removing all the overhead elements (in particular, the back).
- Then, using an anti-stapler, side cutters and a flat-head screwdriver, you need to remove the old upholstery. We try to do this as carefully as possible - after all, all these removed pieces will serve as patterns for fresh upholstery.
- Next, we look at what’s underneath: if the foam rubber or spring blocks are out of order, then they will need to be replaced. In any case, a layer of fresh foam rubber will not be superfluous.
- We ripped out the old upholstery and cut out new parts from it.
- Then we sew them where necessary.
- All that remains is to secure the fabric with a furniture stapler, avoiding distortion and pulling it well.
- Then we assemble the updated ottoman.
And if the internal filling is still very good, but only the upholstery has suffered, you can do it easier - sew a new cover.
The following video will tell you how to reupholster an old chair, difan, sofa or, for example, ottoman with your own hands:
Next, we’ll talk about reupholstering spring sofa cushions with our own hands.
Spring cushions
The spring block of the pillow is still quite good, but the upper layers have become unusable - this happens quite often. In this case, the best option is to cover the spring block on all sides with felt, and then with three-centimeter polyurethane foam grade 4065.
The most economical way: leave the burlap of the spring block. If it is shabby, we replace it with old pillow upholstery. Then we glue the outer box made of polyurethane foam grade 3038. Thickness - 3 centimeters.
Step-by-step instructions with assembly diagram
How to do it?
Making and assembling an ottoman is a simple process, and even a beginner in carpentry can handle it. All work is carried out in the following sequence :
Referring to the prepared drawing, it is necessary to mark and cut out the parts from wood.- After preparing all the necessary elements, you can begin assembling the frame from the boards. They are fixed with metal corners or wooden beams.
- A wooden sheet is screwed to the rectangular frame using self-tapping screws.
- Next, you need to strengthen the frame by screwing transverse bars to it. If the ottoman is small, then this process can be omitted .
- Now let's move on to sanding the parts.
- Next, we screw the legs to the product. In some models they may be absent if the structure is installed on the floor.
- We complete the process of assembling the product by installing the backrest. It is made of plywood or boards. Their shape can be any, depending on your personal wishes and preferences.
Keep in mind, assembling the frame is only half the battle. After all, an ottoman should not only be durable, but also beautiful. And for this you need to take care of its finishing with paints and varnishes and textile upholstery.
Attention : when making an ottoman, you need to pay attention to the thickness and height of the boards. Since the strength and reliability of the product will depend on them.
Finishing and decoration
Finishing of the furniture item will be carried out in the following sequence:
Fabric and foam rubber are prepared. The thickness of the foam rubber must be at least 35 mm.- All elements of the ottoman are covered with foam rubber using a furniture stapler and strengthened with wood glue.
- Next you can start upholstery. To avoid unnecessary seams on the product, it is recommended to choose large pieces of fabric. The material is also fixed with a furniture stapler with staples .
- All wooden furniture elements are carefully sanded, treated with stain and painted with varnish or enamel.
- Most modern models are equipped with drawers. This makes the furniture more functional and practical. Leftover lumber is used to make boxes. First, a pattern is made of all the elements, then they are assembled into a single structure and secured with nails. For ease of opening, they must be equipped with special roller mechanisms. If they are absent, the slats are simply filled.
Tip : instead of an ottoman, you can try making a couch, sofa or wooden sofa. And next to them a coffee or glass table and even an ottoman will look good.
Preparatory stages
How to make an ottoman? Making an ottoman consists of three main stages:
- Frame production;
- Volume filling with foam rubber;
- Furniture upholstery.
Before starting production, you need to stock up on all the necessary accessories. To combine the interior and dimensions of the ottoman, a diagram is drawn up. The dimensions directly depend on the size of the purchased mattress, because it is simply impossible to make a high-quality mattress with your own hands. List of materials:
- boards, bars, plywood;
- foam;
- padding polyester;
- textile;
- buttons for decoration.
You can make legs for this type of furniture yourself, or you can buy them in specialized stores. There are various stores that supply accessories from domestic and foreign manufacturers. But the choice of fabric for upholstery needs to be taken very seriously. After all, the color and quality of the fabric determines how harmoniously the ottoman will complement the interior of the apartment. The selected fabric should be easy to clean and not deform under mechanical stress.
Photo
The results of the finished works for inspiration can be seen in the following photos:
