Choosing a sofa on the balcony

The fashion to put sofas on the balcony came to Russia from Europe, where it is customary to equip comfortable seating areas on terraces and spacious verandas. Modern design solutions allow you to choose the right model of upholstered furniture for classic interiors and modern spaces. Corner ottomans with a berth, models from pallets (pallets) to a loggia, small folding sofas on a narrow balcony - a detailed overview will help you find your option for a house or apartment, which discusses all the subtleties of this process.

Arranging a comfortable recreation area in the space of a loggia and a balcony is an attractive idea that allows you to rationally use additional square meters. Depending on the area of ​​this room, the presence of glazing on it, here you can place a full set of upholstered furniture or compact products created taking into account the peculiarities of a particular layout. It is customary to choose a sofa on the balcony in detail. In a limited space of area, folding built-in models or folding ones that take up little space are usually used. A chest sofa will allow you to equip a storage system under the seat, but not suitable for sleeping.

If your goal is to turn a balcony into a full-fledged living space, you should pay attention to more complex design options. It can accommodate a guest couch with a berth - narrow, unfolding in length. On the spacious terrace, you can install a sofa bed with a sliding or folding design of the transformation mechanism. In this case, the sleeping place will be for 1 or 2 people.

This type of sofa is more like a couch, has no back and sides, only a folding seat. Soft pillows replace these elements, allowing you to change the configuration, vary the level of comfort. Most often, built-in sofas are placed along a transverse wall or partition - this significantly saves free space. Such structures usually have a base in the form of a pedestal, inside which you can store homework or other necessary things. They are often placed in pairs along opposite walls.

This type of sofa for the balcony space can be both built-in and attached or on wheels. In a small space of a loggia, it can be installed so as to use all free meters in the most rational way. Folding sofas are most often chosen with a transforming element, they can have left and right corners. They are made non-standard, significantly already conventional, even when unfolded, the berth will be designed for 1 person. Sometimes the additional module is made sliding, using it as a table or bedside table during the day, and while sleeping, moving it to the main block.

There are other solutions for spacious balconies in apartments and houses with a modern layout. Here you can install full-size corner sofas, including rounded and semicircular sofas, which look very interesting in the interior. On summer open terraces, U-shaped sofas with 2 corners are installed to accommodate the maximum number of guests. On small balconies, the usual L-shaped version without a transformation mechanism is enough.

The simplest solution is a narrow sofa along one wall. It can be in the form of a chaise longue or couch with a decorative back. Free-standing models can have a wide variety of seat and backrest shapes - from a semicircle to a square or rectangle. The presence of armrests is usually provided for by the design, but they can be expressed in the form of a special transforming system of sidewalls. Straight type side sofas do not have decorative trim on the back. Freestanding models on balconies are rarely used.

A sofa bed with a transforming mechanism can be placed in a niche on the spacious balcony. Most often, a roll-out type is used here, in which the berth is pulled out from under the base seat. A laconic accordion-type sofa bed is well suited for rectangular balconies - it unfolds forward, in width you can find options from 1 to 1.6 m. 2 people.

A balcony sofa can radically differ from the usual format of upholstered furniture. Such furniture is made with a metal or wooden frame, inexpensive models can have a chipboard or MDF base. The stuffing is made of foam rubber or supplied with a spring mechanism with holofiber, padding polyester. Expensive models use natural materials such as horsehair. Soft frameless structures are filled with buckwheat husk, polymer balls or shape memory foam.

The braid or upholstery is made like this.

• From rattan. This option is suitable for open and semi-open balconies. The wicker design of the sofa is resistant to moisture, it even tolerates wintering in the open air well. In addition to natural rattan, its artificial analogue based on polymer materials is quite popular. It is easy to care for by keeping the surface of the wicker sofa clean.

• From pallets. Pallet sofas can be called a fashion accessory for a modern loft combined with a balcony. The rigid frame is complemented by soft overhead pillows. A wooden pallet can be replaced with an ordinary clapboard, collecting the base of the future sofa from it. The material is additionally treated with protective and antifungal compounds, varnished or dyed.

• Leather. Such upholstery is perfect for luxurious view interiors on closed balconies. Long-term contact with a humid environment is contraindicated for her.

• From textiles. Natural burlap or linen, practical tapestry, artificial suede are suitable for the balcony. Rubberized fabrics are used in the upholstery of inflatable sofas or in models for outdoor use.

All sofas for loggias and balconies are usually divided into 2 large groups: full-size and mini. Depending on the layout of the balcony, its width varies from 85 to 228-299 cm. These dimensions determine what size the sofa will have.

1. On rectangular balconies 85 cm wide and 210 cm long, only straight recessed models can be installed. The depth of the seat is made in the range of 400-500 mm.
2. A small folding sofa can be installed on a narrow rectangular balcony 115-120 cm wide.It is important that its width is 50-100 mm less than the main parameters. A roll-out sofa or sofa-accordion of 110 cm with a length of up to 1.6-2 m will be appropriate here. You can equip a sleeping place for a child or teenager.
3. A small balcony of complex shape with one beveled edge and sides length of 115 and 110 cm will accommodate a built-in corner sofa chest without a folding mechanism.
4. Loggias of complex shape allow you to install not only a small sofa. For example, if there is a projection along 1 edge of 205 cm, you can install a narrow single ottoman in it with a width of no more than 70 cm.
5. A high balcony with panoramic glazing and a side ledge allows you to create an elegant lounge area in the side branch. It can accommodate a sofa with a length of 140 to 200 cm with a roll-out berth up to 110 cm wide.

It is generally accepted that the concept of a stylish interior is not what one might expect from a balcony space. However, modern design solutions make it possible to prove the opposite. Built-in and free-standing sofa models today perfectly complement the design of a space that has been turned into a miniature children's or respectable lounge area.

The most interesting solutions definitely deserve special attention.

• The complex shape of a loggia or balcony is an excellent solution for creating a recreation area. An upholstered sofa in the shape of a sector, complemented by textile upholstery in the same fabric and bright cushions, sets you up for relaxation. A properly sized seating area leaves enough room for a small coffee table with a hookah.

• Laconic sofa chest in pastel colors looks stylish on a light balcony in a classic style. Enliven the composition of plants in pots, as well as compact pads. The sofa is complemented by a miniature folding table and a matching roller blind.

• Spacious balcony in a country house - an excellent solution for family vacations. The classic wood floor and railings are complemented by a pair of wicker sofas and a side table in the same style. Flying linen curtains, a bird cage, and plants in flowerpots are responsible for the creation of colonial aesthetics.

• It is quite simple to equip a children's relaxation area on a modern balcony. It is enough to make the base in the form of a chest with drawers for toys, and then complement it with a bright mat in a textile cover and colorful pillows.

When choosing a sofa for placement on the balcony, the main attention has to be paid to a number of parameters. Everything is important - from the stylistic correspondence of the product to the general design concept to the dimensional parameters. The main criteria are worth considering in more detail.

1. Product dimensions. It should pass through the doorway, leaving enough free space for movement.
2. The functionality of a piece of furniture. It can only be used for sitting, short-term rest. In this case, you can choose simple models with a wooden, plastic, rattan frame and soft pillows. For a full sleep, you will have to pick up a transforming sofa. The storage system inside can be represented by a box for linen or pull-out sections.
3. Stylistic design. The sofa for the seating area on the balcony should harmoniously fit into the surrounding space. The color scheme can be neutral - in white, black, beige, gray, as well as contrasting or merging with the background.For small balconies, country-style sofas or minimalism are suitable, a spacious room can be decorated with more luxurious furnishings with complex, smooth lines.
4. Operating conditions. On an open, unglazed balcony, furniture that is resistant to atmospheric precipitation should be installed. For unheated isolated spaces, a sofa made of artificial materials is suitable. A natural wooden frame and upholstery made of linen, cotton, wool can only be used in spaces where a stable temperature regime is maintained.
5. Layout. When combined with a kitchen or bedroom, the balcony space becomes part of the overall functional area. In this case, you can equip it with built-in furniture, including sofas and couches.

Built-in, folding sofas on the balcony supplemented with storage systems can be very different, but they always carry an important functional load. When choosing them, you should give preference to high-quality and durable models, as well as rely on your own preferences and the desired level of comfort.

Choosing a sofa for a loggia or a balcony in an apartment, you have to decide where to put this piece of furniture. Much here depends on what kind of layout is used in the room. For example, view balconies that are fashionable today are furnished in such a way that the sofa stands in front of panoramic glazing. This will allow you to admire the opening landscape.

On a narrow loggia, a compact sofa is placed against one of the short walls. It is also possible to use folding or compact built-in models. A balcony of a complex configuration allows you to place the sofa in the corner with the front side to the adjacent room. "Books", which unfold to the side, are placed along the long wall.