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About Sofa Beds
The humble sofa bed is probably one of the most popular forms of space saving bed around.
It provides a simple means of making a spare bed available at short notice.
What is a Sofa Bed?
It's actually surprisingly difficult to define the term "sofa bed". Partly this is because
of the difficulty in defining the word "sofa" itself.
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
Design of sofa beds vary considerably. In some cases the mattress simply slides out, or
the back folds down. Others unfold themselves in a masterpiece of engineering which
requires a degree in quantum physics to operate. Seriously, the ease of
assembly is a point to consider if the bed is likely to be set up late at night
when people are tired and emotional.
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.
Here Be Dreams Home - Bedroom - Beds - Types -
Space Saving -
Sofabed
All original material Copyright © Trevor Mendham 2003-2008. See home page for contact
details.
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