Everything + a little: Have you ever thought about making a swing indoors? See installation tips

Having a swing at home is an idea to give a playful look to the decoration without spending a lot.

In the project pictured below, architect Patrícia Miranda, partner at Raízes Arquitetos, chose to hang two swings at the entrance of this room, to influence those who arrived. The objects were designed in a size that, in addition to children, also accommodates adults.

The pieces are further away from the furniture so that the person, when swinging, does not bump into an object. From the photo, it looks like the swings are hanging directly from the ceiling, but they are actually attached to a metal structure above the plaster ceiling. The installation of the structure was necessary because the roof would not provide the necessary support and the slab was irregular in this area. A dome hides the hole around the hook — whose model, in J, makes it easy to remove the balance when necessary.

In the room pictured below, the cots were also considered by the architect as additional seating. Those sitting there can face in or out, admiring the view from the 23rd floor. One precaution was to keep a safe distance from the window, which also has a child safety net.

In this case, the objects were hung directly from a hook attached to the beam that separates the room from the veranda. The materials used were the wooden seat, with a curved and ergonomic design, and nautical ropes with a thickness of 11 mm—the choice for a thicker model was aesthetic.

Below, see Patricia Miranda’s instructions for incorporating a swing into your decor.

How to have an indoor swing

Model
There are ready-made options available in stores, but most are child-sized. One idea is to make a wooden seat and hang it with nautical ropes. The architect’s recommendation is to choose those with a thickness of 8 mm

How much
Although in both projects the architect used a pair of swings, this is not mandatory. It is possible to install only one, depending on the case. It is worth evaluating the available space and the use that will be made. When hanging one piece next to another, it is important to ensure a distance of at least 20 cm between them.

Position
It is important that there is a clear space in front and behind the cot so that whoever is on it is not in danger of hitting any furniture. This distance can vary depending on a number of factors, such as the measurement of the rope and the size of the person. But a good reference is between 90 cm and 1 m. It is also important to pay attention to the proximity to windows and balconies.

Here
According to the architect, there is no reason to worry about the weight of the swing and its user. “The load is not a concern from a static calculation point of view. Any building that has had a project takes into account additional loads,” he says. So the piece only needs to be fixed in a really stable position. You can then hang it from a ceiling plate or structural beam. You cannot fix it, for example, on a plasterboard. In this case, an alternative is to fix it to the ceiling above the lining, hiding the hole with a finish. If the slab is too long or uneven, one solution is to place an auxiliary metal structure above the roof.

hook
There are closed ring or J-shaped models that allow you to remove the rope more easily. If the swing is attached to a beam or slab, one possibility is to use mesh hooks, which can be attached to the ceiling instead of the wall. Another fastening alternative is the carabiner —a metal link with a moving part that allows chains or ropes to pass through

Measure
It’s not a rule, but a good seat height is 45 cm from the floor — standard chair size. To determine the length of rope on each side of the swing, you need to calculate the distance from the seat to the hook and multiply it by two, because it makes one turn. It is also necessary to consider a good surplus in thinking about the knots that will be made, both those holding the seat and those above it.

For those who want a more comfortable model than the swing, hanging armchairs are an option. In the gallery below, see photos of different environments with these pieces for inspiration.

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