In the stressful rhythm of everyday life, it is important that at home you can forget about all your worries and relax. But there are not always enough square meters to create a full-fledged recreation area. In this article we tell you how to organize a compact lounge area using a hanging chair, with photos of options for successful placement in an apartment or in a country house.
Watch our tips for hanging chair placement in the video
History of appearance
This modification of the classic chair has a very specific author. In 1959, Danish designers Jorgen and Nanna Dietzel did one simple thing: they connected the edges of a regular hammock at the top and hung it from the ceiling. And so a new form was born - a hanging seat, similar to a cocoon. This model immediately gained popularity due to its simplicity, comfort and compactness - because, unlike a swing or a hammock, which has a place only outside the city, such a product can be placed even in a small apartment and at the same time fit into any interior.
Initially, such furniture was made only from natural materials (most often rattan and wicker). But already in the late 60s, Finnish designer Eero Aarnio proposed an option made of transparent plastic. This model resembled not a cocoon, but a ball, and was attached to the ceiling with a metal chain. This variation of a mini-hammock also quickly became popular.
Today, the floating chair is made from a variety of materials, and the number of its models is much larger. They are hung not only on the terrace, but also in living rooms, and they can also be used to organize a compact recreation area on loggias.
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Rattan as a manufacturing material
A variety of materials can be used to produce hanging frame and frameless chairs. Rattan is considered the most popular and widely known. Rattan is a vine.
This material can be natural or artificial. It has a number of advantages:
- Rattan chairs can support a person up to 150 kilograms.
- The material easily takes the shape of the body.
- Chairs made of natural material weigh no more than 20 kilograms.
- Does not require special care. Wipes easily with a clean dry cloth.
- The chair can last you about 40 years.
- Is a decoration of a classic interior.
- The material used for weaving is environmentally friendly.
Along with the advantages, the following disadvantages can be identified:
- It doesn’t look good in all interiors.
- When installing to the ceiling, a number of difficulties arise.
- Takes up a lot of space.
- High price.
Peculiarities
The method of attachment is fundamentally different from a standard hanging chair. If in the first case the base somehow stands on the floor, be it a classic model with four legs or a soft frameless “pear”, then in the second the fulcrum will always be at the top. The seat can be attached to the ceiling using cables, ropes or a chain; to the upper tier of a rigid frame, the support of which is on the floor.
Fittings (bolts, blocks, hooks), screens for additional strength, or special hardening paste can be used as fastening.
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Due to the fact that one way or another such furniture is suspended, it has a number of operational features.
- Weight limit - on average, products are designed for a load of 80 to 100 kg, some can withstand up to 150 kg.
- Seat depth - some models are designed for children (up to 50 cm), and everything above is suitable for adults. For tall people, it is better to choose open-top models rather than rigid, closed spheres.
- If the seat is attached directly to the ceiling, it is important that the structure can withstand heavy furniture. It can be suspended from durable concrete slabs or large wooden beams with additional fastenings.
- If you plan not just to sit, but also to swing, you need to provide free space around the product. The smaller the area, the softer it is better to take the base - a mini-hammock made of fabric is more compact than a round plastic drop.
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Size
Hanging chairs also come in different sizes. It all depends on the chosen model and its design. Basically, hanging chairs have a round shape with a diameter of up to 140 centimeters and a depth of up to 50 centimeters. Those chairs that resemble the shape of a ball can have a depth of up to 80 centimeters.
If we consider the chairs on the counter, they will be distinguished by their massiveness. The height of the stand is approximately 1.5-2 meters. Basically, all chairs are designed to accommodate 1 person, but if you look carefully, you can also find double options. This is most often used in rooms where two children live.
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What are there
Cocoon
Considered a variation on the theme of the very first air chair, designers from Denmark created the Egg model with a comfortable ergonomic shape. Modern manufacturers repeat it in different interpretations, always maintaining cozy rounded outlines in which you can truly relax.
Cocoons are made of metal, fabric or macrame, natural and artificial materials for weaving. Examples of what a hanging cocoon chair might look like are in the photo below.
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Weaving is the most common basis for frames of this type. Wicker hanging chairs, as in the photo, are made from wicker, bamboo or rattan. The latter can be natural or artificial, which in terms of technical characteristics is in no way inferior to the original. In addition, it does not require complex care (real rattan must be moistened regularly), and it is also more durable and flexible.
Wicker models combine well with wood and other natural materials. Suitable for ethnic, Scandinavian or eco-interiors.
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- Decoration
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Ball
Products of this type have a regular ball shape, and the frame is usually made of transparent or translucent material. This creates the feeling of being in a soap bubble or a drop of water. The degree of openness also varies: some models are a hemisphere, and some are almost completely covered with a plastic frame, leaving only a small hole for climbing into the shelter.
Such models are attached directly to the ceiling, most often on a metal chain. Suitable for modern styles, especially hi-tech and minimalism.
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Hammock
Some seats are more reminiscent of a hammock than a traditional chair. Such a product does not have a frame at all - it is a dense fabric, the ends of which are turned up, the fabric is attached first to the horizontal crossbar, and then to the ceiling.
This type of furniture is most often found in country houses or in boho interiors, as in the photo. In a city apartment, such an element immediately adds brightness to the atmosphere and is associated with relaxation on the seashore.
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- Accessories
How to make a hammock with your own hands: 5 stylish options
Swing chair
Another unusual variation of the standard model, which is attached to the ceiling on two strong cables or ropes. The seat can be flat, like a classic swing, made of wood, metal or plastic, or stylized - for example, a wicker version with sides and a soft lining is suitable for a children's room.
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How to make a chair with your own hands
If you decide to try to make a chair with your own hands, first you will need to decide on the type of chair, the material for the frame and upholstery. In order to choose the type of chair, you can look at photos of hanging chairs on the Internet.
Tips for choosing
When choosing a hanging chair for the balcony, the first thing you need to pay attention to is convenience. If a person does not feel comfortable in it, then there will be no benefit from it. To do this, it is recommended to sit in several chairs before purchasing and choose the one that is comfortable.
Quality is an important selection criterion. Good quality chairs are made of painted steel, which is resistant to all weather conditions. The material from which the chair cushion is made is also important. To make the best quality pillows, we use weather-resistant fabric.
You should choose a chair depending on the size of the balcony. In large chairs a person will feel comfortable, while small ones are compact.
Any products of this kind are an original and interesting interior solution, the same applies to a hanging swing chair. You can have a great rest here, relax in the confines of your own home, and get peace. In such an affordable and aesthetic piece of furniture as a swing chair, you can sit comfortably, spin around its axis and swing in different directions.
Thus, when choosing a hanging chair, you should take into account both the interior of the balcony or loggia and your own preferences. A rich assortment from different manufacturers will allow you to choose the best option.
Making a wicker chair with your own hands
To make a chair we will need:
- Two pieces of metal-plastic pipe.
- Flexible cord
- Rope.
- Glue
We make two hoops of different diameters from pipes. We tighten the hoops with cord. This must be done carefully. The coils should fit snugly against each other. Separately cut off the cord. We fold it in half and weave it into the braid at the same distance. There should be loops on the hoop.
For greater strength, we impregnate the structure with glue. Using weaving with flat knots, we weave the bottom of the chair. We repeat the same action with the back. When the work is finished, we connect the two halves using a cord.
We take two wooden planks, make cuts in them, and attach the seat and back of the future chair to them. Using a cord, we bind them tightly together. We attach slings to the structure. The chair is ready.
Mounting methods
There are several ways to attach a hanging hook:
- cementing;
- beam suspension;
- load-bearing screen.
The simplest mounting option is a beam suspension. Coffered ceilings have internal supporting beams, to one of which the chair is attached. This is the case when it can be removed or moved to another place.
The cementing method is suitable for slabs that have cavities inside. They need to be identified in order to drill in exactly this place. You can tell by sound. Then you need to squeeze a cementing composition into the cavity using a special construction syringe: any hardening paste or a ready-made chemical solution. While the composition is still fresh, a suspension with an upper hook is pressed into it. After the binder and decorative finish have completely dried, the chair can be hung.
The load-bearing screen is a fastening with the help of transverse and longitudinal tires made of metal profiles. They bear the main load, which should be distributed evenly. This design will not look very nice, so experts advise camouflaging it with plasterboard or false beams.
Egg/ball
A hanging chair for a balcony in the form of a part of a ball looks very original. Most often it is half a ball or egg, or even a little more. When compared to a regular ball chair, it has a greater seat depth, which reaches 70–85 cm. While the standard model has 50–60 cm. It must be borne in mind that a ball chair will require more space, this must be taken into account. It can be mounted on the ceiling, a support stand or a rod that is fixed to the wall.
The egg chair has a more elongated shape. This model has a high back, so tall people feel great in this chair. An egg-shaped chair takes up less space because its seat depth is 60 cm.
Pros of hanging chairs
Although this option appeared not so long ago, it is already popular. One of its positive characteristics is its very original appearance. You can look at the photo of the hanging chair on the balcony and see this. The balcony is transformed for the better and becomes more interesting. Such designs differ very much from conventional options. This chair does not require floor space. You can free up space even more by lifting it. If you don’t want to drill plates to secure the chair, you can purchase a mobile version equipped with a special frame. Thanks to its mobility, the furniture can be moved to any place on the balcony.
