A sofa bed can be a true life-saver when space in your home or flat is limited. It can provide your family with a restful sleep or accommodate your guests when a need arises. The trick here is to buy the right one – but it should be easy after you consider all the issues presented below!
Why do you need a sofa bed?
Sofa beds are an excellent way to save space in your home or apartment or to make the most of the existing design of the flat you rent. They are most often recommended for homes that lack additional room to convert into a guest room, but in reality, a sofa bed has many more uses than that. It’s preferable to a bed for people who don’t want to arrange a separate bedroom – with a high-standard sofa bed you can easily get your rest wherever you like! In a small flat, sofa beds can be used as the kids’ beds, making it possible to have the study room and a bedroom in the same space. In this case remember to choose a bed with the most comfortable sofa mattress available, because it needs to support the health of the growing spine. In fact, it’s a good guiding rule in general – never buy a cheap disposable one, unless you’re truly planning to use it once in a year or so. What about other uses for this versatile piece of furniture? If you own a summer house, make sure you put several sofa beds in there. They will be much easier to keep in shape than regular beds.
Which type of sofa bed should you choose?
The main practical difference between the sofa bed is the specific way they can be converted into a sleeping space. Generally speaking, the fold-out ones are based on metal frames, with the mattresses based on coil springs, which makes them very durable even when in daily use. Choose a fold-out sofa bed, if you plan to make it into an everyday sleeping place for you or the kids. If you’d rather prefer a bed with a headboard, most of the sofa beds like this are pull-out beds. Some of them have a wooden frame or a webbing to support the cushions, but the majority are laid on the floor. The cushions or mini-mattresses themselves vary in durability, so look for the high-quality foam as a filling. The foam can be sometimes combined with sinuous springs for more firmness. If you’re a fan of the Japanese way of interior decor, there are also futon-style sofa beds to consider. They operate in a slightly different way – you just release a mechanism on the side and a futon unfolds.
What makes a reliable sofa bed?
Most sofa beds look all inviting in the manufacturer’s catalog, but it doesn’t mean they will be comfortable and practical for prolonged use. When choosing a sofa, take a closer look at the quality of the fabric it’s upholstered with. Thin, delicate fabrics will surely wear out fairly quickly, and getting new upholstery for a cheap sofa bed would be rather pointless. The same reservations should be made in the area of the mattress. Don’t be tempted to sacrifice its quality for a fashionable design – you’ll end up selling the bed anyway, and for a fraction of an original price at that! The mattress or cushions in good sofa beds are usually medium-firm, which guarantees undisturbed sleep for most of the use. However, if you or your family have more specific needs, be aware that some manufactures make such beds also with memory foam, which adapts to the shape of your body.
