Old or new furniture?
According to statistics, the service life of this upholstered furniture is nine years. This is a long time. That is why its acquisition requires special attention - after all, a significant number of hours are spent on it. She must be as comfortable as possible.
This applies primarily to sofas for the dacha, since, tired after watering, weeding and other garden work, a person should be able to fully relax.
Most people take old, used furniture to their dachas, which no longer has a place in a city apartment. This is justified if your country house is unguarded, and even strong locks are not reliable protection against thieves. To such a place, it’s really worth bringing only things that you won’t regret - faded armchairs, sagging sofas, etc.
But, if your country house is located in a guarded village, the territory of which strangers cannot enter, then it is better to purchase one or more modern sofas designed specifically for the country house. They can be placed both indoors and in the garden.
Sketches and drawings.
Before starting any work, the most important thing is to be aware of the result that should be obtained in the final result.
This is easiest to do if you first draw a sketch, sketch or detailed drawing of the proposed product.
Drawings allow you to intelligently think through the sequence of necessary technological operations in advance, select the necessary materials, fasteners, and perhaps even purchase some tools to perform certain tasks.
Depending on your skills and available capabilities, you can choose two ways - either make pencil sketches on a sheet of white thick paper (see photo 2)
, or use modern computer programs for design or modeling.
In this case, for example, the publicly available and fairly easy-to-learn 3D modeling program SketchUp (see photos 1-2, 1-3 and 1-4).
The big advantage of such programs is that you can freely experiment with the arrangement of some elements, take a more thoughtful approach to determining the harmonious proportions of parts and the product as a whole, and look at the finished product from the outside.
Photo 1-2
What is especially convenient in such programs is that you can enter any real dimensions that may be needed during the work process (see photos 1-3).
Photo 1-3
For more convenient manufacturing and more consistent assembly, the entire product can be divided into several structural elements - back, drawstring, seat, front legs (see photos 1-4).
Photo 1-4
Types of sofas
The dimensions and design of a country sofa depend on the size of the house. It may be compact, but it must be multifunctional. Two-seater models are allowed.
First, you should decide what your country sofa will be like - extendable or not. The advantage of non-sliding products is reliability. Sliding options, from this point of view, are worse.
It’s worth thinking carefully about how necessary a pull-out sofa is in your dacha, and whether you will have the time and energy to lay it out. But this is an ideal solution if the area of your dacha is small or you often have guests.
From the photo of sofas for the dacha it is clear that according to their design they are divided into:
Making furniture for the veranda yourself
The classic filling of the veranda is a dining table with benches or chairs. But it is also possible to install a lovely sofa that will help you relax. And they make it with their own hands.
It is very convenient to make furniture from ready-made pallets and pallets, since the process goes very quickly due to the use of ready-made parts. From pallets you can easily make shelves, bookcases, tables, sofas, armchairs, chairs, stools, as well as many other pieces of furniture. Their range depends only on the imagination of the master.
We will consider the option of using pallets using the example of making a homemade coffee table for the veranda. So, the algorithm of work is as follows:
- First of all, 2 pallets are taken, as well as legs with wheels and fasteners (nails and screws).
- The pallets are connected to each other with self-tapping screws or metal corners.
- Legs with wheels are screwed into the lower part of the finished structure to make it possible to move the table around the room.
- For the tabletop you will need a processed and sanded board, which is divided into several parts that are nailed to the top surface of the table.
- The result was a finished piece of furniture, as in the photo. To decorate it, colorless varnish or stain is used. You can also decorate its surface with abstract or any other images using paint to highlight your individual style.
A seating area in the form of a bed or sofa can also be made from pallets. To do this, a structure of suitable height is knocked together from them and finished in any available way. You can cover it with plywood, clapboard or just a board. The surface is also coated with the desired composition. The newly made sofa is equipped with a textile design with padding and you can relax.
In order to free up space as much as possible from various things, you can create a sofa with storage space. To install it, you need to stock up on pallets, beams and boards. The first option would be to equip lockers in the armrests, that is, there will simply be bedside tables, and a seat between them.
Another option would be to design a box under the seat. In such a functional sofa cabinet you can put textile items or things that are used on the veranda, but for which there is no place in the house.
Books and Eurobooks
These are the most popular models. The simplicity of the retractable device guarantees against breakdowns, making such furniture almost as reliable as non-sliding furniture. But not in all cases such sofas are suitable for a country house, since they take up a lot of space.
In addition, they cannot be placed close to the wall - without the required twenty-centimeter gap they cannot be spread out. In addition to the above, the weak point of book models is the folding area - over time it becomes deformed, which begins to interfere with a comfortable rest.
Models with draw-out mechanism
They are the most preferred option for country furniture. When assembled, such a sofa looks compact, and when unfolded it turns into a comfortable place to sleep. But remember that there must be quite a lot of free space in front, otherwise it simply will not decompose.
Accordions
This is a hybrid of the first two species. To unfold this model, you need to move the seat forward and lower the backrest. The accordion sofa does not have a linen drawer, which is a rather significant drawback when it comes to saving space.
In addition, when unfolded, the seat rests on metal legs, which can easily injure your bare feet.
Garden sofas
Not only the house, but also the surrounding area should be comfortably furnished at the dacha. Today, manufacturers offer the following types of outdoor sofas:
- metal;
- plastic;
- wooden;
- rattan
Each of them has its own specifics, but the general requirements for garden furniture are:
- Resistant to sudden temperature changes.
- Waterproof.
- Frost resistance (if you live in the country all year round).
Material
When it comes to the question of what you can make garden furniture from, you should highlight several budget options:
- pallets - you can find free ones, but sometimes their quality leaves much to be desired;
- polypropylene - cheap and economical;
- rattan is a good reason to learn how to weave;
- technorattan is synthetic, but will last longer and is easy to weave;
- wood - wooden blocks and panels, if you have 5-10 thousand rubles to spare, you can create excellent eco-friendly furniture with your own hands.
Read here - How to make a bedside table with your own hands - easy and simple, choose your option and follow the instructions in the photo!
It is worth noting that in cases of natural material, it is important to comply with the standards for its processing. The tree quickly dries out in the sun, just like rattan.
Wooden sofa
An interesting solution for a summer cottage would be a wooden sofa. Natural wood has always looked elegant. Such furniture will be an undoubted decoration of your site.
It can wonderfully complement a recreation area. It will harmonize well with the table, benches and other paraphernalia. But such a headset will be quite expensive. Sets made of pine will be cheaper. Oak furniture already belongs to the elite class.
A white sofa made of wood, complemented by the greenery of the garden, will look great. You can throw several pillows made of bright fabric on it.
Wooden garden furniture can also be used indoors. A white or brown sofa will look great in the kitchen or veranda. Of course, it cannot be compared with its multifunctional corner analogue. But he doesn’t care about convenience either.
Wooden veranda furniture
The most common material for decorating verandas and building something with your own hands is wood. Wooden furniture is suitable for any veranda design and will always look perfect in this room. It is about making furniture for the veranda with your own hands from wood that we will talk about.
Before you start work, you should decide what the furniture will be made from. These can be solid logs or separate boards, and bars may also be needed. It is best to purchase dry and already processed material so as not to complicate the process.
Mainly hard rocks are selected, which are less susceptible to atmospheric and other phenomena and are more reliable. If there is a forest near the summer cottage, then you can borrow material from there. The ideal basis will be small stumps, thick branches, logs and other natural components that can be put to use.
Untreated logs, which are knocked together as if carelessly, look very interesting. This set of furniture, as if from a fairy tale, can decorate any country veranda. In addition, this furniture can be made by hand. You just have to complete the project in advance and stock up on the necessary materials. It would also be a good idea to think through options for fastening the elements in advance.
Finished furniture can be painted, but it is best to simply highlight the natural beauty of the wood and varnish it.
Plastic sofa
Cheap garden sofas include plastic products. They are quite light, which makes them quite easy to carry. Original pillows and blankets will decorate such furniture well.
Rattan sofa
Rattan sofas are very popular. Dry vine stems have a beautiful appearance, are environmentally friendly and are highly durable. Lightweight wicker furniture can withstand significant weight. This is probably the best choice for a summer residence. Rattan is not afraid of moisture and temperature changes, since during production it is coated with wax or a special varnish.
Outdoor interior products can be located anywhere. This can be either a canopy or gazebo, or a green lawn.
When buying country sofas, remember that they should, first of all, be comfortable and functional. The design decision in this case is a secondary point that needs to be taken into account.
What materials should be preferred?
When arranging a room, it is important for owners that the interior items:
- harmoniously complement the chosen style;
- were practical to use;
- had a long service life;
- corresponded to financial capabilities;
- withstood the influence of environmental factors;
- over time they did not begin to lose their attractiveness.
Therefore, it is worth highlighting several types of materials suitable for use in summer buildings:
Plastic
Inexpensive furniture option. Resistant to sudden temperature changes. Does not deform under the influence of precipitation. Will harmoniously complement any interior style. It does not require special care. However, if broken, it cannot be repaired.
photo: plastic furniture
Metal
A handmade forged product is a bright element of the veranda. Thanks to its strength, it can withstand any load and does not require repair. Has a long service life. This material is resistant to environmental influences. Buying a finished forged product will be much more expensive than placing an order according to individual sizes. To extend the service life of metal interior items, it is recommended to treat their surface with an anti-corrosion solution in the form of paint once every 2 years.
Photo: furniture set made of wood and metal
Tree
Furniture from this material is easy to make at home. You just need to choose quality raw materials. A reliable wooden base will be:
Durable material, easy to repair. However, wooden products are susceptible to precipitation and temperature changes. Therefore, it is recommended to treat the surface of such furniture with tinting solutions, oils or varnishes, and hide it indoors during the winter.
Rattan
This is a palm vine that is grown in tropical Asia. The material is similar in appearance to lightweight wood. Thanks to its flexibility, it can take different shapes. Intended for use in enclosed spaces. It is recommended to use it on terraces only in the warm season. Because under the influence of precipitation and frost, rattan products begin to deform and peel off.
Photo: rattan furniture set
Polymers or artificial rattan have many advantages over the original material:
- low cost;
- use regardless of the time of year;
- wear resistance.
However, polymers are not as durable as natural rattan, so to increase the service life, individual elements of products are combined with plastic or metal.
Popular styles of garden furniture
The use of the above materials in the interior and their harmonious combination allows you to equip the room in the style of:
- Oriental fairy tales, where bright soft armchairs are combined with a stone base of a sofa located against the wall. The atmosphere of the East is complemented by a large number of pillows, an umbrella and souvenirs in the Arabic style;
- Tropical island. To furnish the room you will need wicker furniture and many tall indoor plants. Marine-themed accessories can be used as decorations;
- French cafe. An important part of this interior style is wrought iron furniture, made in classic shades and various striped decorative elements.
If the owners prefer restrained tones of the color scheme and a minimal set of products for furnishing the room, the right solution would be to decorate the room in a restrained Japanese style.
