About Sofa Beds

Brooklyn Fashion Hardwood Sofa Bed
Queen - Beechwood

What is a Sofa Bed?

Etymologically the word sofa comes from the Arabic suffa which was a long stuffed couch or a dias with cushions. Some people define a sofa as being any seat for two or more people. Others insist that a sofa is larger than a settee which seats two people. There is also disagreement about whether or not a sofa needs sides arms.

The definition of "sofa bed" is even more complex. Nowadays you can buy sofa beds in all sizes, including single seat versions. These should, stricly speaking. be called "chair beds". However for simplicity they are often also called "sofa beds".

And what about the Western futon? It sometimes seems as if marketing departments use this term interchangably with "sofa bed".

This variety of interpretations underlines how important it is to know exactly what you are getting before you buy, be it online or in a store.

The simplest thing is probably to define a sofa bed as a convertible multi-functional piece of furniture that can be used as a seat during the day and reconfigured as a bed at night.

Choosing a Sofa Bed

Some of the modern sofa beds on the market have enough internal space that it is possible to have them made up with basic bedding even when they are closed and in use as seats. This saves a lot of time. However you will still need to find somewhere to store the pillows, etc. Other models take the opposite approach and use an inflatable ait mattress. You can even buy ones where the entire unit - sofa and bed - is inflated with an air pump when needed.

Don't forget to consider the size. Sofa beds are often used in small rooms - but will it still be possible to open the door when the bed is open? If not then it could make answering a nighttime call of nature tricky. And what happens to the sleeper if there is a fire or other emergency? On the other hand, sometimes the beds are so short that many people will find their feet hanging over the end.

You can buy sofa beds in a wide range of price bands from the most basic functional design to top of the range contemporary leather models. It's certainly possible to get a bargain however, as is so often the case, you usually get what you pay for. I've slept on plenty of sofa beds in my time and can vouch for the fact that some are a lot more comfortable than others. But then you have to ask yourself whether it's worth spending the extra for the best in the store if it will only be used occcasionally.