The Sleeper Sofa

One of the best ways to make room for guests staying the night has been the use of the sleeper sofa. This is especially convenient for apartments and small homes where space is precious or where bedrooms are already occupied. Throughout its history the sleeper has been made from in several styles from leather to foam to a cotton futon style and made in every size of a normal bed. They can be beasts to move about as the mechanics make them cumbersome but that is a small price for the convenience they impart.

In this article we will discuss the pros and cons of the sleeper sofa bed, the best way to accommodate friends and relatives spending the night and how to select the best one for the job. While they aren't as common as they once were, the sleeper sofa is still king when it comes to accommodating guests on the fly.

As we know, the sofa bed is a great piece of hideaway furniture. It allows a place for your friends and family to crash at the end of the night in a convenient pull-out bed from your couch. But the fact that it is a couch is what really makes it a perfect piece of living room furniture. With the bed in hiding, the couch has cushions like a regular couch and sits like a regular couch so you won't feel the bed beneath it. Many manufacturers style their sofa bed furniture to fit any décor and many are styled to fit the modern home as some top furniture designers have taken interest in these beds in recent years. Most can be customized to your desire, including the choice of fabrics that cover them. For a piece of furniture with a unique functionality, you can't go wrong with the sleeper sofa.

The convenience of sleeper sofas is that they solve multiple problems at the same time. One being space. If you rent an apartment, own a condominium or just have a small rancher, the sleeper sofa is an instant bed space for you, a family member or an overnight guest. When it's not in use as a bed it becomes your sofa. More often than not it will function as the sofa in your home, but makes for a great convenience when needed as a bed. Another benefit of a sleeper sofa bed is that it can cut the cost of home furnishings. Rather than purchasing a separate bed to house guests, a combination sofa and bed is the best way to go. It conveniently pulls out into a bed, already with a mattress. There isn't an issue with support and often times your sofa bed will be full sized so it comfortably fits two guests.

The downside of a sofa bed is its bulk. Some sofa beds feel as if they are fastened to the floor they are so heavy. The bed is constructed of a metal frame while the sofa frame is made of wood. These two together make for an unbelievably heavy piece of furniture. And it's not just a matter of it being heavy. They are just plain awkward to move about. The elaborate metal framework doesn't usually fasten closed so if the sofa is turned the wrong way it will open up on you. This can be extremely dangerous in a situation involving stairs and can even injure your hands if care is not taken to avoid this kind of disaster. There is no way one person could manage this kind of sofa on his own. Another con is price. Unless you are spending some good money on your sleeper sofa bed you can expect the bed to be cheap. In other words, you get what you pay for.

As with any piece of furniture you are introducing to your home, space is important. So the first thing you want to do is take measurements where you want to place the sleeper. Secondly you want to select a style to fit your décor. The best way to do this the quick and easy way is to browse online. You can then decide on fabric. The modern sleeper sofa is made of microfiber, but you can still choose any fabric you want. This will dictate your price. Obviously you want to choose a fabric within your budget. Not everyone will be able to afford a leather sleeper sofa. Once you make your decision, you will want to find one that is comfortable. The only way to do this is to lay on it. For this you may have to ask the salesperson to pull it out. When he does this, watch to see if the bed pulls out in one easy motion. If not, move on. Once you decide on your sleeper sofa mattress, you'll want it to be delivered. Ask if the delivery charge includes installation as this type of bedding is extremely heavy and impossible to move on your own.