Rules for choosing quality furniture, useful tips
An indicator of the status of a homeowner is high-quality furniture, which also guarantees the durability of the product, its reliability. Many simply do not imagine how to find a model that is suitable in all respects from an official manufacturer. But the risk of including a fake in a home interior is noticeably reduced if there is minimal understanding of the requirements for the quality of furniture designs. It is this information that will allow him to make an unmistakable choice.
Main characteristics
Poor furniture, can be identified by insufficient:
- comfort;
- aesthetics;
- reliability;
- security;
- environmental friendliness;
- functionality;
- longevity.
These indicators depend on the quality:
- raw materials used;
- finishes;
- processing;
- assembly.
For the manufacture of upholstered furniture, wood is completely dry, without any burrs. The frame of such furniture is stable, and the seats are soft. If we are talking about a bed, then the berth in length will reach at least 186 cm (there are no special requirements for the height of the furniture).
The amount of polymer materials used must not exceed the maximum permissible concentration of harmful substances, and the level of static electricity produced by a soft coating cannot exceed 15 kV per 1 m2 of fabric. Quality furniture has no toxic emissions. The warranty period for most products is two years. In the case of furniture intended for children, this time period is reduced to 1.5 years.
Signs of a fake
Only a professional can determine exactly how high quality furniture is. However, there are a number of signs that will reveal even a fake ordinary citizens. To do this, they just need to evaluate the quality:
- furniture stuffing (foam rubber can be used instead of molded polyurethane, synthetic winterizer or synthetic winterizer);
- seams on the upholstery (evenness, absence of damage, thickness and strength of the used threads are important);
- springs (these elements must be biconical, of different sizes, not creaking, not touching each other);
- case (you need to track the presence or absence of flaws, chips, damage).
Also, good furniture will not show glue marks. However, the most reliable quality guarantee is the availability of an appropriate certificate (for the entire headset as a whole and for its individual elements) containing accurate information about what materials and technologies were used in the manufacture of the product.
Poor fillerUneven mounting of cabinet doorsFurniture requirements for placement
Requirements for furniture designs vary, depending on their variety and purpose, in accordance with which they must:
- to have dimensions and weight, allowing you to conveniently position the object indoors and move it freely;
- organize the interior (harmoniously complement, change or make it more functional);
- consist of separate unified interchangeable units and parts;
- keep the original shape (for soft products, this requirement relates to elasticity).
The stability of the furniture should be high enough not only under static, but also under dynamic loads. It is good if it will fully meet the existing climatic conditions, while maintaining its environmental friendliness. Collapsible products will be equally easy to assemble and disassemble. If necessary, the owner will be able to replace the upholstery (facing) material without damaging the furniture itself (soft removable elements enveloping the human body and contributing to an even distribution of its weight are provided with easily removable covers).
The basic requirements for armchairs, chairs, as well as other products intended for seating:
- the presence of a rigid structure and slightly concave back, tilting at a certain angle (3-5˚ in the lower part, 7-12 ° - next to the shoulder blades);
- stiffer seats with a recess of 12-15 mm near the central part (relates primarily to working furniture);
- correct ratio of shin length to stool height.
With full compliance with these requirements, the pressure on the muscles of a seated person will be minimal. However, to ensure comfortable working conditions, one will also have to take into account the difference (the distance from the seat to the table top), which should equal the difference between the seat and the elbow of the lowered hand. The total height of the table is the height of the chair plus the differentiation.
Living room
Due to the fact that the functional purpose of the living room in different apartments is not the same, the requirements for the furniture placed in it will also be different (not counting the main ones). Most often in the living room they place: soft corners, walls and chests of drawers. It is possible that there will be a large dining table, or maybe a small coffee table is enough - it all depends on the wishes of the owner.
If it is necessary to combine several zones in one room at once (dining, sleeping, playing), it is desirable that high-quality furniture in the living room be represented by small-sized multifunctional products. Best if they are transformable or modular. It is preferable that high-quality furniture be cabinet (from MDF or particleboard) and on casters. Soft elements are upholstered with fabric or leather, and filled with polyurethane, horsehair, down or latex. In terms of colors, preference is given to products of pastel colors.
Children
When choosing suitable furniture for a child’s room, one should consider:
- how strong it is;
- whether it was treated with harmful substances;
- what is the quality of the materials used in its manufacture;
- is it hypoallergenic?
If the selected product is made from particleboard, then you need to be wary of excessive amounts of formaldehydes, which can cause allergies, rashes, and also have an irritating effect on the respiratory system, mucous tissues. Instead, you should prefer furniture made from natural materials (wood, MDF), or with emission class E0 or E1. It is also necessary to make sure that the varnish is non-toxic (if any).
In order for the product to be not only safe, but also convenient for the child, it must meet several more parameters:
- to be mobile;
- fit the child in height (well, if the height of the furniture can be adjusted);
- not have complex elements or sharp corners.
You also need to consider the taste preferences of the baby when choosing a design solution.
For the bedroom
Bedroom furniture designed for sleeping and relaxing can also be made of MDF or solid wood. It can be produced in the form of individual products or headsets, including several elements at once. If high-quality furniture is selected, then all the fasteners in it will be hidden, because otherwise they will significantly spoil the appearance of the interior.
Mandatory is the availability of a spacious linen closet. Sometimes for greater functionality it is made angular. In linen cabinets of acceptable sizes and proper quality, the linen will not wrinkle or dust. Also an indispensable attribute of the bedroom is a full-length mirror (equipped with a special coating that prevents spattering of fragments in case of damage).
High-quality furniture for sleeping is necessarily equipped with an orthopedic mattress. Another notable detail is the expressive headboard that adorns the bed (it should be consistent with its overall style). Some products use expensive and unusual materials for decoration (glass, acrylic, metal, natural or artificial stones).
The selection of the remaining components depends on the needs of the owners, the size of the room and other significant points.
Kitchen
For the kitchen (as for the nursery), the presence of rounded corners and the absence of low protruding shelves are relevant. The material used in the manufacture of kitchen furniture can be traditional (but necessarily improved), or recently developed:
- Chipboard (initially inexpensive and moisture resistant raw materials);
- postforming (is a variation of the previous version, laminated with paper-laminated plastic, can be suitable for use for 40 years);
- MDF (more environmentally friendly, moisture resistant, durable and expensive material than chipboard);
- acrylic plastic (used to coat MDF, in almost all respects it is the same as postforming, but it has an extremely elegant, even and glossy look);
- solid wood.
If we are talking about the manufacture of countertops for furniture, then the materials should be slightly different:
- acrylic stone (serves for a long time, but you can not put hot on it);
- laminated tempered glass;
- ceramics;
- natural stone (marble or granite);
- metal (the most hygienic option).
Kitchen furniture, depending on its exact purpose, must fulfill one of the following functions:
- cooking (work planes);
- storage of products, kitchen appliances and other utensils (cabinets, shelves, drawers);
- eating (tables and chairs).
The dimensions of the sink and stove must be such that they can be integrated into a common countertop. The distance from the working surface to any of the elements of wall-mounted equipment cannot exceed 45 cm. The harmony of the headset as a whole, its convenience, functionality and aesthetic appearance matter.
For the bathroom
In the bathroom, special attention is paid to the moisture resistance of the furniture (that is, the materials used are the same as when installing the kitchen) and the reliability of fastening hooks, door handles and other elements. Interior details should be well combined with each other, a multi-section department for storing bath accessories, detergents must be arranged. It is successful if the cabinets and cabinets have legs, or are hinged (this prevents the negative impact of moisture on the condition of the product and will allow it to be used as long as possible).
What to look for when choosing
Furniture is considered to be of the highest quality, characterized by its simplicity of manufacture, strength, stability, acceptable size and cross-section of individual elements, reliability of fastenings and the reasonableness of the use of certain materials.
The most convenient variety of high-quality furniture are transformable products. Well, if they contribute to the most correct arrangement of muscles and spinal column, support the back (especially in the lumbar region).
From the point of view of hygiene, it is better if the furniture has a minimal number of surfaces on which dust can accumulate (carved jewelry, scratches, scratches). Products should fit well into the interior of the room and look aesthetically pleasing (this also applies to the correct tension of the upholstery).
The presence of any defects is unacceptable, as this gives reason to doubt the durability, strength and reliability of the furniture. When used, it should not swing or warp (the stability of the product can be checked directly in the store).
When purchasing products of inadequate quality, it should be borne in mind that such furniture may be too short-lived. Therefore, it is better to opt for certified products from trusted manufacturers.