Sofabeds
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Nov 2007
Does anyone have a really comfortable sleeper sofa? We have a
spare bedroom that we use as a TV/playroom and a guest room
when family comes to visit. We have a queen-sized Jennifer
Convertibles sleeper sofa in there and it is just not very
comfortable, especially for a couple.
kht
We have a great sleeper couch from American Upholstery. It has
a unique design that doesn't use the old school springs and
super uncomfortable middle bar. It is made from flat sections
of board and mattress that folds back into the couch shape
easily. We LOVE it, and so do our guests. We bought ours from
Evolution, but they are now closed. Other stores carry this
brand, so look around. I know there is a store on Solano Ave in
Berkeley that carries them, I just don't know the name of the
store. Good luck!
Patty
Totally hear you about wanting a comfortable sofabed. Until we
found ours we weren't sure they existed. We bought an AU brand
sleeper sofa (think it stands for American Upholstery) about 3
years ago and have been very happy with it. As a sofa it is
very comfy to sit on and has nice clean lines. As a sleeper,
it is great as it doesn't have that awful metal bar jutting
across the midsection and no springs to poke you in odd
places. I think it uses a trampoline type platform with a
thick foam mattress instead. Our guests have all raved about
it, and we slept on it ourselves very comfortably when our
bedroom was being repainted. 2 downsides: (1) It is very heavy
when/if you ever need to move (2) It is definitely pricier than
basic sofabeds but we've found it very worth it. (we bought it
at the now defunct Evolution but I believe quite a few other
stores carry it as well, though I'm not sure who). Good luck
and happy hosting!
Julie
We have a great sleeper sofa that has an airmattress bed. It
cost us a little more, but has been worth it. Its very
comfortable, and also makes the sofa it self lighter and eaiser
to move.
happy sofa owner
Nov 2006
We are looking to buy a sofa bed for our parents to sleep on when
they come up for visits. We have a small apartment and the only
place for them to sleep is in my son's room. But of course, with
a full-size bed out, there is no room for him to play. Our
parents come up often so we would prefer the bed to actually be
comfortable, not just tolerable. Any suggestions?
My folks bought a new sofa bed earlier this year. It has a blow
up air mattress (like an aero bed). I was told it is very
comfortable to sleep on. I don't know the brand.
Like to be comfy
AU Furniture/American Leather- awesome.
Everyone who stays with us loves it.
We bought ours based on a good friend's recommendation and have
since had many more friends purchase the same brand, happily.
http://www.aufurniture.com/
we had a similar issue. we researched sofabeds at jennifer's and ikea, and
found none of the mattresses acceptable. finally, we found one at macy's with
our goal being to find one that had the best mattress. it's several years old
now, and my parents-in-law, who sleep on it regularly for many days when
they visit, confirm that it's a great sleep. sometimes, we add an extra foam
padding on top; and i'm sure this would help any situation
Try Scott Jordan couches--they are tri-fold foam mattresses
with no springs. We bought one for our den and it's terrific.
More expensive, but our guests are actually comfortable! You
can also find this type at Macy's furniture (SF store carries
them, i don't know about the others). There are other brands,
but if you look at the Scott Jordan website, you'll get the
idea of how they work and you might be able to find different
brands. If you use it often, it is well, well worth the extra
few hundred dollars.
http://www.scottjordan.com/html/pages/seating_pages/al/cs/comfortsleeper.html
good luck
Julie
We have a simple IKEA bed that folds into a couch the European
way (along its long axis). It has a storage compartment
underneath for your linens, and you can get a cover for it in
many colors (we have a velvety grey one with 2 loose pillows).
I wouldn't call it super comfy - it is a little hard, but at
least it does not have a bar in the middle like sofabeds do. I
don't remember the model name, but it cost about $ 400 3 years
ago. It is also quite sylish if you like modern decor.
Kasia
We hate sofa beds, having slept on many at other people's houses. The mattresses
are really not comfortable.
What we did instead was buy a futon with an innerspring mattress. My prior futon
experience was the college style hard mattress so I was pleasantly surprised to find
out that now you can get a really nice innerspring mattress that will fold. It is
expensive, and a bit heavy, but we happily put our older parents on it for a guest
bed, and when we don't have guests it folds up like a couch.
Plus it is nice for a kids' room since it is low to the ground.
anti sofa bed
Forget a sofabed. I have never slept on a comfortable sofabed.
I'd recommend you shop for futons. At one time, we had a futon
and a sofabed and had my sister-in-law and her family over.
Initially, the kids were on the futon and my sister-in-law and
her husband were on the sofabed. My brother-in-law, who had never
seen a futon until then, tried it out. The next thing we knew, he
was kicking the kids out of the futon and sending them to the
sofabed! (He said they didn't have to worry about back support at
their age. :-) )
The point is, futons have nice strong back support, and you can
get a very cushy futon mattress. They fold up into a bench and
easily unfold into a bed
Gwynne
It all depends on your definition of ''comfy''. My husband and I
happen to love hard mattresses and were thrilled to find a
corner sofa at Ikea that opens up to a full size bed. The sofa
itself fits into a corner of our very small den. The mattress
is very firm and does not have that awful bar in the middle,
which you usually find in standard sofa beds. My daughter and
her husband slept on it and found it very comfortable. My son,
however, who loves a soft mattress thought it was too hard. So,
it's all a matter of taste. Anyway, you can check it out at
Ikea. Cost is either $800 OR $900 depending on the fabric you
choose.
They also now have a Queen size version with removable
slipcovers for $1400.
http://www.ikea.com/
Wish they'd had that one when we were looking to buy.
Gabriele
They make sofa beds now that have an air mattress addition to
the regular part of the mattress. We've had one for a few
years now, and it's quite comfortable. My MIL happily sleeps
on it for up to 2-week stretches when she comes to visit. We
bought ours at Ethan Allen, but I know you can get them other
places as well.
Sofa beds are much improved
I have given up on sofabeds! I've had so many that just don't stay comfortable over
the years, neither the couch nor the bed. A trundle bed might work for you. It's a
bed that is normally a single but has a second bed underneath that you can pull out
and it pops up with a REAL matress on it to make a double. This could be your son's
bed. I think Pottery Barn has them.
anon
I have a pottery barn sofa bed that is VERY comfortable. I believe the sofa is their
Pottery Barn Basic sofa and the sofa bed maker is Mitchell Gold. My sofa is over 5
years
old and they may have changed vendors, but it is worth a look. I have spent weeks
sleeping on it at various times and it is never a problem.
happy sofa sleeper
We bought an ''American Upholstery'' sofa bed from High Cotton
Living on Solano. Jean there sold it to us; she is really
helpful and tries to get you what you want. We actually weren't
looking for a sofa bed, but just a sofa. This sofa, with the
bed, is more comfortable than without. The bed itself is easy
to pull out and doesn't have any of those creaky springs that
break down and soon make the bed uncomfortable. The bed is hard
to describe, but it folds out in sections and is very firm and
quite comfortable.
mary
We found an extremely comfy sofa at Macys called AU (I am pretty
sure that is the brand). It has no springs and is much smaller
than most sofabeds. Everyone who has ever slept on it says it is
the most comfy bed they have slept on. It was not cheap (maybe
$1500) but is so worth it. Macys also has a great insurance
policy where for a few extra hundred dollars they will replace
the sofa or parts of it if there is any damage, even if it is
your fault. The sofa is a nice suede and looks great in our
extra room. Check it out
Wendy
My first recommendation is to never buy a sofa bed unless you can actually lay on the
mattress to test it. In other words, don't buy a sofa and assume the ''bed'' will be
nice because the sofa is. We bought a sofa at Crate & Barrell in SF about 4-5 years
ago. I've actually slept on it a few times and felt it was actually pretty comfy (i
wouldn't trade it for my current bed, but I'd happily sleep on it again.) The maker is
Mitchell Gold. I don't know where you are, but the only MG retailer in the east bay
(as I am told) is High Cotton Living (at the top of Solano Ave. in Berkeley), which is
another great place to find quality furniture. happy zzzzz's
Oct 2005
I just got a new sectional couch that has a fold out bed and it
is VERY UNCOMFORTABLE. One reason we got the sectional was so
that we could have guests over night. I do know that for the
most part they aren't the most comfy beds to sleep on but you
can actually feel the springs without even laying on it. Does
anyone have any ideas on what I could do to make it more sleeper
friendly so my guests don't wake up with a backache.
Thanks
We have the same problem. I just ordered an Isotonic Mattress
Pad from Bed, Bath & Beyond. I wish I could tell you if it made
the bed comfortable, but it hasn't arrived yet.
http://www.bedbathandbeyond.com/nodePage.asp?order_num=-1&RN=37
I chose this one because it comes in a duffle bag, so it should
be easy to store when the bed is folded up. You can email me in
a couple weeks if you want, and I'll let you know how it works out.
susan
Try buying a ''pillow top'' type of matress top for it. Most
mattress stores should have one. You may not be able to fold the
bed up with the pillow top on it, but could store it somewhere
else when not in use. Then just unfold the sofa bed, lay the
pillow top on top of it, and voila! Could also try a feather bed
topping, but some people are allergic to down . . . so that may
not work.
love my pillow top
THis may not be the solution you want, but you could just take
the mattress off the sofa and put it on the floor when you have
guests. I've done that and it's a whole lot better than sleeping
with springs in your back. Good luck,
anon
Two ideas, both of which we use with our somewhat uncomfortable
futon.
Get a big roll of that ''egg-crate'' foam to spread out over the bed when
you use it, or get an inflatable mattress with a foot pump. Either can be
stored in the closet; the egg crate foam can go under the bottom sheet,
but the inflatable's a bit more comfortable.
Karen
My mother-in-law has bought a thick soft pad that she lays down
on top of the mattress, and under the sheets. It may be stuffed
with down. It helps, but it definitely keeps our visits short!
jessie
We had this problem and solved it by putting a think layer of
foam rubber ''pop corn'' under the mattress when we use it. You
purchase it at a bed and bath shop.
Good luck!
Beth
June 2004
I am looking for a truly comfortable sofa bed - for use as a
couch and a bed. It needs to be sturdy and comfy for day to
day use in our den but also work for grandparents to sleep in
when they come visit. The standard futon couchs we've tried
aren't very comfortable as couchs. We haven't tried the ones
that have more foam in them. They cost more but are they
better? Any other ideas?
Tired of back aches
My husband and I bought an IKEA sofa bed/ futon for the same purpose
and love it. I do not know the model name, but it simply pulls out into a
queen size mattress. There is also a storage box underneath that runs
along the whole front of the couch. The mattress is a little firm, but we
laso use a feather bed on top. I hope this helps.
Katja
We looked all over for the same thing and were amazed by how
uncomfortable a couch most sofa beds make. The only one we
found that was comfortable as a couch and bed was at Crate &
Barrel. It was expensive, but it is truly very comfortable and
is holding up well. The bed has an actual Serta mattress (not
super thick though), and no painful bar mid-back.
Happy Sofa Sleeper
Have you tried the Erktop sofa-bed model in Ikea? It seems
farily comfortable and reasonably priced.
Eva
Forget the futons, which tend not to be very comfortable either
as couch or as bed, and get a real sofabed. Jennifer
Convertibles (various locations) has a good selection of
comfortable options at reasonable prices. We bought one to use
as our living room sofa; it's very comfy as a couch, my parents
have no complaints about it as a bed, and it's held up pretty
well to a toddler's abuse. (Spring for the upholstery
protection program, which will pay for cleaning or
reupholstering in the event of nasty stains.) Or, for really
excellent quality and comfort, though you'll pay a premium,
check out Krause's Sofa Factory.
Holly
June 2003
are there any hideaway beds that are as sturdy/comfortable as a
regular bed? we're setting up an office in the guest room, so it
would be great to have some kind of bed/sofa combo. we're not
interested in a futon couch.
camille
Expensive but very sturdy and comfortable: Krause's Sofa
Factory. Less expensive, less sturdy but still good quality and
plenty comfy for guests: Jennifer. Inexpensive, but nicer than
a futon: IKEA.
Holly
I saw 5 or 6 of these at Salvation Army on 7th at Webster in
Oakland last weekend. There was enough room to open them up &
check them out. At least half looked like very good quality.
$30-60 in price.
Jennie
Jan 2003
We need to purchase a high-quality sofa bed for my elderly
mother to sleep on when she visits. (The futon bed is just not
cutting it.) Because of space concerns, we've decided to try to
find a nice looking sofa with a comfortable bed. Does anyone
know of such a thing or have any recommendations? The only place
I have even heard of is Jennifer Convertibles, which I haven't
checked yet, but I was wondering if there are others.
Don't have a rec. for a sofa-bed, but I do recommmend that you
get a thin foam mattress to put over it (or over the futon you
already have). It makes any bed/futon really comfy.
anon
I know you specifically asked about sofa beds but I have an
alternative that you may want to consider. My in-laws couldn't
stand sleeping on our futon so we thought we'd try an Aerobed.
To my surprise, they love sleeping on it! It's much more
comfortable than any other airbed I've tried and apparently
some people like them so much that they use them every night,
not just for guests. We bought ours at Costco, I think for
just over $100. One of the nicest features is that you can
store it in a closet when it's not in use.
Amanda
Most places that sell furniture have some sofabeds, or couches
that can be ordered as sofabeds. Ashby Home Furniture (I think
that's the name - in the same building as OSH) in southwest
Berkeley often advertises sofabeds. IKEA has several
inexpensive options. Other than Jennifer, the place that
specializes in this is Krause's Sofa Factory. Their prices are
higher than Jennifer's and their construction is higher
quality. Not that anything is *wrong* with Jennifer; we - and
our overnight guests - have been very happy with ours. But if
you're willing to pay the price for the best quality, look at
Krause's.
Holly
I was in Evolution Furniture in Berkeley last weekend. They
had a sofabed that was very comfortable with lots of
support. It wasn't 100 percent free of lumps, but very nearly.
They also have stores in San Francisco and San
Rafael.
[My husband works for Evolution, in the business office, and
would not profit from any sale.]
Nancy
Nov 2003
Looking for a comfy-to-sit-on sleeper sofa for our living
room. What's the word on the pottery barn sleepers?
Anywhere else we should look? Is there any place we can
test the bed part? Anyone heard of Lee Sofas? Thanks
much!
madeleine
We bought ours at Jennifer and have been very pleased with it.
Guests report is it comfortable to sleep on and to sit on. And
I suspect Jennifer stores have the best selection of sofabeds
anywhere.
We also looked at Krause's Sofa Factory and were impressed with
the apparent quality of their sofabeds, but the prices are also
very high. Might be worth it, but we decided to spend less and
haven't regretted it.
Holly
Sept 2003
It's been a while since anyone has written in about sofabeds, so
I'm looking for some current advice. I need a sofabed or nice
looking futon that will fit in a small space. Probably no more
than a full size bed equivalent. This means something more like
a big chair or a couch without arms. This bed might get a fair
amount of use, so I want one that is truly comfortable, no
feeling bars or springs through the mattress. But also easy to
expand and collapse. Any recommendations where I can find such
an item? Tx,
Amy
Have you considered buying an aerobed? We shopped around
extensively for a smallish sofabed, but when we got to Jennifer
Convertibles, the saleswoman there actually suggested the
aerobed! She said that for the money, it made much more sense to
buy an aerobed (which if you're not aware is a blow-up air
mattress), which was infinitely more comfortable than a sofa
bed, and a non-convertible sofa. So that is what we did, and
we're quite pleased, as are our guests. In fact, the choice
enabled us to get quite a snazzy little 2.5 person sofa at
Viking Trader, much chicer than any of the convertibles we saw.
Aerobeds are also much cheaper than convertible sofas, and the
price of an aerobed plus an inexpensive nonconvertible sofa is
roughly equivalent to the cost of an inexpensive (and always
uncomfortable) convertible. Also, my mother has a very expensive
convertible (european, very chic, about $5000) that is hell on
my back!
Alexa
Feb 2000
Does anyone know what to look for in a good quality sofa-bed? Or where to
buy one?
I don't know what to look for in a sofa bed but I will suggest that you
look into buying one from IKEA. If you are not familiar with IKEA it is a
swedish furniture store that is all over the world. They specialize in
inexpensive contemporary furniture and thier prices really are the best
anywhere. The quality of most of there things I find excellent for the
price. Where is this IKEA you may ask? Well that is the tricky
part...there are 5 of them in Los Angeles and one is set to open in
Emeryville this spring. www.ikea.com. They will ship almost any item from
their catalog for $150. That is a flat fee and could include a drinking
glass or a sofa, kitchen, entire dining room etc. We bought a nice sofa
bed from them last year and paid $800 with the shipping for a very large,
very comfortable well made safe bed (you choose from hundreds of
fabrics). We couldn't find a decent regular sofa for $800 anywhere in the
bay area. Hope this helps in some way!
Hadley
We bought our sofa at Busvan for Bargains in SF and have been very pleased.
The new Ikea in Emeryville has a great selection of sofas. We
would love to buy one, but it's been kind of a hassle. We went
down to the store (no small feat with the traffic!) and picked out
a sofa and a color and went to the pick up area. They didn't have
the color, didn't know when it would be coming in and told us
to call to see when it came in. I called, and the recorded
message said that until it was less busy, they wouldn't be giving
sales or product help out over the phone. Kind of annoying.
However, the couches they have are pretty swell, so we'll probably
go back to actually get one sometime, just not when it's so busy.
Hi, I am also in search of a sofa and or sofabed. I went to Ikea yesterday
(first time) and sat on A LOT of sofas. Some were very comfortable and
supportive of backs, and some were too cushy and slumpy. Quality seemed to
vary too, and the prices were all pretty reasonable to cheaper. You can also
order some of them with fabric and colors of your choice. Good luck
June
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