Sleeper Sofas and Sofa Beds
Whether you live in a compact urban loft or a spacious suburban ranch, a sleeper sofa is a great option for adding versatility to your home. A sofa bed allows you to accommodate overnight guests when you don’t have a guest room or allow you to have a dual use room that can be used for guests when necessary, but used as an office or man cave at other times.
No matter how you intend to use your sleeper sofa, measuring your space and understanding both the open and closed dimensions of your sleeper is a critical first step in selecting the right sofa for your home. Think about where your sleeper will be placed and if any furniture will need to be moved when you want to convert your sofa to a bed.
When selecting a sleeper sofa, you need to think about how it will be used. If you live in a studio apartment and will be using the sleeper as your primary bed, you will want to pay particular attention to the mattress and sleeping comfort. Your will also want to understand how easy the bed is to open and close if you will be opening and closing it every day. If you are going to be using your sofa as your primary bed, Smart Furniture recommends buying the largest size sofa your room will accommodate, even if it means your space is a little cramped.
If you are not using the sofa as your primary bed but have a small space, look for a sleeper that opens into a twin bed. Smart Furniture offers a selection of compact convertible sofas that have a twin bed, including unique styles from Innovation with a solid construction style that are easy to the sleeper layout.
For a larger space or home, Smart Furniture has a great selection of sleeper sofas with full-size and queen-size mattresses. A sofa with a full size mattress is typically about 72” wide and approximately 90” long when opened. Queen size sleeper sofas are typically 84” wide and 90” long when opened.
After selecting your preferred sofa, you will need to choose a fabric and color. Because your sleeper sofa will be one of the bigger pieces of furniture in your living room, you will want to choose a color and style that complements your other décor. Fabric swatches are available for many of our sofas, so you will be able to see the exact colors in person before you order. Talk to one of our knowledgeable Furniture Genius’ today to have an expert walk you through the entire process for finding and selecting the sleeper sofa you want.
Call it a sleeper sofa, or sofa bed, this is one of the most functional pieces of furniture you can own. Having a sleeper in your living room rather than a sofa might be one way to overcome space limitations, if you have them. It lets you turn any room into a guest room, or even a bed room for yourself if you live in a studio apartment.
Here is what you need to know before you buy one for your home.
It Depends On Who is Using it
While its functionality might be a very important aspect, there are several other factors you should consider before you buy a sleeper. As with any piece of furniture consider your needs. The most important thing to consider whether it will be primarily used as a bed or for seating.
If you plan to use it as the primary sleeping surface for yourself, look into the type of mattress that comes with it. As you are no doubt aware, sleepers come with many different types of mattresses, some using specialty materials, some come with inner-springs and others are air beds. Try and find one with a mattress type you are happy using. Also look for a mechanism that opens and closes easily.
As there are many manufacturers offering sofa beds, you will notice great differences both in quality and pricing. Needless to say, buy the best quality you can afford. Often sleepers in higher price points are also better made.
Choose Wisely When You Have Limited Space
If you have a very small space then Twin size sofa beds might be the perfect answer for you as these are less than 5 feet wide and they are great for sleeping one person. The mattress for a twin size sleeper sofa is about 39" wide.
Opened up, the length can be around 54 inches wide and 85 inches long.
These sleepers are sometimes referred to as chair and a half beds or chair beds also. Don't expect them to be any cheaper because of the size. They should not be considered for affordability, but for their suitability for smaller rooms.
When Space is Not an Issue
When space is not an issue then you are in luck, as a queen size sleeper sofa is the most widely available. You will be easily able to find queen sized sleepers in different styles and fabrics and with your preferred type of mattress. There is the just a great deal of variety available in this size.
A queen size sleeper sofa can easily seat three, and can provide a comfortable bed for two people. It will measure approximately 84 inches wide and be about 90 inches long when the bed is opened up.
A Little More Room to Stretch Equals Comfort
If the sleeper is going to be used every night for sleeping, a full-size sleeper sofa is what you need even if you have a tiny space. An adult might find a twin-sized sleeper too small and restricting for everyday use, and, in a pinch, a full-size sleeper can even sleep two. But again if two people are going to use it regularly, the full sized sleeper might not be very comfortable or spacious enough.
For sitting, the size of a full sized sleeper is between a sofa and a love seat, rather like an apartment sofa, so it is still a good option for smaller spaces and apartments. You will find that a full-size sleeper is generally about 72 inches wide, and approximately about 90 inches long when fully opened.
Sleeper sofas, as the name implies, provide you with more than just comfortable seating. Unlike most other types of sofas, the sleeper sofa converts into a bed, which affords you the bonus of catching more than just a few winks. This feature makes sleeper sofas ideal for those living in apartments with limited space and those who wish to have an additional bed for guests without giving up too much floor area. One advantage of a sofa bed is that while it works as regular seating furniture in your living area, you can also have it in bedrooms as an extra bed.
Smart Furniture offers a fine selection of sleeper sofas in various sizes, styles and fabrics. Browse our offerings for inspiration and choose the one that best suits your requirements and taste. Whether you want one to save space or have an extra seating option and a bed at the same time, there is one or even more from our selection that is right for you. As with any other living room furniture, make sure that you have enough space for it before you start shopping. You don’t want to end up with a piece of furniture that takes up too much space than you have anticipated, so break out the tape measure and make a note of measurements of the area where the sleeper sofa will go.
The width of sleeper sofas range from around 60 inches to up to more than 90 inches, depending on the style. Apart from making a note of its depth when it is in normal seating configuration, check its overall depth when it is fully unfolded and then compare it with the measurements of the space you have for it to ensure that sleeper sofa fits. In the case of daybeds and futon sofas, its depth when in full bed configuration should be no longer than its depth when it is in sofa form.
When it comes to style, our sleeper sofas are available in modern and contemporary designs. Strong angles, straight lines and longer legs characterize our modern offerings, while low legs, plush upholstery and traditional accents typify our contemporary sleeper sofas. If you have existing modern or contemporary decor in your living space, our sleeper sofas should be able to blend in well. The upholstery fabric in our sleeper sofas are also available in a wide variety of weaves, color and texture. It is a good idea to choose a fabric that is in the same shade as the dominant color of your living space or bedroom.