For most of us convertible sofas convert into beds. These handy pieces of furniture are great for many people. If you do not have a spare room for guests, use the convertible sofa. If you live in a studio apartment, then a sofa bed may be perfect for you. If your kids like to have sleep overs, a sleeper sofa in the family room would be a great solution. If you need a “spare” bed for when your spouse is in the dog house, then a convertible sofa may be the answer (but it is best to never go to bed mad). But in all these cases, the sofa part is for sitting and the bed it converts into is for sleeping. But what if you asked a child what they thought convertible sofas should convert into, what would they say? Well, I talked to some kids, and this is what they said they thought convertible sofas should change into.
The first was a little boy, he was about three, almost four, years old. He was a very typical little boy. I asked him that if he had a couch that could change into anything, what would it be? He gave it a moments thought and then said, “a race car”. Why? I asked. “So I can drive fast like my Daddy,” was his quick answer. Little boys want to be like their Dad’s, and driving is something we just take for granted as an adult. But driving for a kid means so much more, it means going fast and being able to do what you want, and being like your Dad.
When I asked a group of four little girls what they thought would be cool for convertible sofas to change into, they conferred for a little while and came with the consensus that it should be something that could fly. “Oh,” I said, “like the bed on Bedknobs and Broomsticks?” I only got a bunch of blank stares with that comment. So instead I compared it to Aladdin and a magic flying carpet. That got me a bunch of smiles and nodding heads. Then they went off (all at once) about how great it would be to swoop through the air, flying over fields and lakes. I remember when I was a little kid, and dreams where I could fly were the best! Yes, a sofa bed that could fly would definitely be high on my list too.
I asked another group of older boys and girls, who were about 7, what they thought would be cool to have convertible sofas convert into, and their quick answer was a time machine. That’s cool, so my next question was, “If you could all just go to one time, when would it be?” This took a bit of discussion, especially since both boys and girls were involved, but they soon decided on Medieval times. Why? Well, boys like battle and little girl’s want to be princesses, so that time period seemed to offer everything that everybody wanted. Especially since the boys could battle dragons to save the princesses!
Convertible sofas may not be quite that magical to most of us, but remember that it could be, especially if you ever get to play make believe with a four year old. It is amazing what you can do with a blanket and sofa. It can become a magical cave, a flying carpet, a fast race car,or yes, convertible sofas even make great time machines.
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There are many styles of convertible sofa beds available on the market today. They have greatly evolved from the early click-clack beds to pull out hide-a-beds to the Japanese futon and back again to the beginning. All of these styles can still be found, greatly improved upon their early predecessors, being more comfortable and stylish than ever before. But today, lets take a look at the history and evolution of the futon and the revolutionary new styles available.
As you probably know, the traditional futon is from Japan. The original futon was not designed to be folded up into a sofa, but was designed to be folded and put away so that the room could be used for other purposes. The futon was more of a bedding set that had two main parts: the bottom mattress (shikibuton) and the thick quilted bedcover (kakebuton). The mattress is only about 2.0 inches thick and is filled with a cotton or synthetic batting. This makes them easy to fold away and store in a closet. The Japanese futon needs to be regularly aired out in the sun and are often beaten using a special bamboo tool similar to a carpet beater.
I am not sure when the futon was introduced in the US, but I remember first seeing them in the 1980’s. However, the western futon has some major differences from the original. The primary difference is that they are put on a wood or metal frame that folds in the middle, allowing them to be used as convertible sofa beds. During the day they can be folded up in the sofa position, and then they can be flattened out at night to be used as a bed. Almost all of these that I have seen have wooden arm rests.
The next major difference is the mattress. First, it is thicker. A high end futon will have a mattress that is up to six to eight inches thick. A cheap, discount store futon’s mattress is usually only about 4″ thick. Though this is still twice the thickness of the traditional Japanese futon, it is often needed because of the metal frame it rests on. Besides being thicker, the mattresses often have a removable cover for easy washing or replacing. The cheaper mattresses are made of foam and batting. The thick mattresses have multiple layers of foam and batting. Some of the higher quality futon mattresses actually have coils like a real mattress.
The latest evolution in the western futon I had never seen before until today. This type of convertible sofa beds are called a futon, but looks just like a regular sofa. The ones I saw were made by Handy Living and had a really nice microfiber upholstery with full padded arms and throw pillows. You can get them in a full sofa size or the smaller love seat, and in a whole variety of colors to suit any decor. Besides looking like a regular sofa, these convertible sofa beds not only fold flat for sleeping, but also can be partially reclined. They also claim that they easily convert from one position to another, using just a touch of a hand. This sure beats the wood or metal framed futon! We have a fairly nice one, and though laying it flat is not a problem, it is a two person job to get it upright again. One last improvement worth mentioning is that the back and seating area is 10″ thick with coils, so very comfortable – especially since there is no bar in the middle of your back as in the cheap futons!
Yes, the futon has come a long ways in different styles from the traditional Japanese style. So, if you are looking at convertible sofa beds, consider the latest innovative style to see if it would work for you.
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