Buy Bedroom Furniture Online: Futon Sofa Beds – The Practical Fold Up Beds

Most people think that futon sofa beds are a modern phenomenon, loved by interior designers and exclusively used by cool people in warehouse flats. The futon sofa bed, in fact, has a long history, its seeming modernity arising from the fact that, until a few years ago, this furnishing was rarely seem outside its native Japan.

The practically of this folding bed, coupled with a vase array of styles and huge palette of color options has seen it become the stock in trade of interior designers around the globe. If you intend to buy bedroom furniture online, the futon sofa bed is a wise choice, although choosing from the various types can be bewildering.

What are Futon Sofa Beds?

The humble futon sofa bed originally hailed from Japan and, in its historical form, consisted of cotton pads laid out on the floor. The traditional Japanese futon has two parts, the mattress, known as the shikibuton, and the thin covering, known as the kakebuton, which were folded and stored during the day.

From these beginnings, the modern definition of ‘futon’ is much broader in scope, and encompasses a huge range of designs, styles and types. Most western futon sofa beds incorporate a frame, and the futon mattress unfolds, allowing the user to recline or sleep. They are far less intrusive than traditional folding sofa beds, and this lay behind their rise in popularity.

The humble futon sofa bed originally hailed from Japan and, in its historical form, consisted of cotton pads laid out on the floor. The traditional Japanese futon has two parts, the mattress, known as the shikibuton, and the thin covering, known as the kakebuton, which were folded and stored during the day.

From these beginnings, the modern definition of ‘futon’ is much broader in scope, and encompasses a huge range of designs, styles and types. Most western futon sofa beds incorporate a frame, and the futon mattress unfolds, allowing the user to recline or sleep. They are far less intrusive than traditional folding sofa beds, and this lay behind their rise in popularity.

Futon beds were very much part of the hipster culture, and became extremely popular with college students, keen to give their friends somewhere to sleep in cramped student accommodation. Unlike blow up chairs and bean bags, the versatility and practicality of the futon earned it a place in the mainstream, due to its unique blend of elegance and simplicity.

Very soon, futon beds became part of modern culture, and began to rival sofa beds in popularity. Aside from the practicality and smaller size, they are aesthetically pleasing, and modern innovations have rendered them unrecognisable from their Japanese origins.

In fact, the developments in futon bed technology owe much to sofa beds, and there is now a blurring of the definitions. For example, futon sofa beds often use the click-clack mechanism first used in sofa beds. With the click-clack futon, the back of the futon folds down, to provide a sleeping surface, using space very economically. With this style of futon, you will need to pull the futon bed away from the wall; more complex designs utilize a sliding frame, which means that the futon can remain in place.

Amongst the vast array of styles and types, futon sofa beds do share some characteristics, hailing back to their Japanese forebears. Futons, almost without exception, are easy to use and light in construction. Most variations have a light futon mattress with two or three folds, and the frame pushes back to form the bed, easily and smoothly.

Traditionally, futon mattresses were stuffed with cotton, which is comfortable, durable, and light. However, cotton futon mattresses are designed to lie on the floor, and they will sag if used with a frame. They are also expensive, and tend to be used in higher budget futons.

The other popular choice is the stuffed foam mattress futon, which is hypoallergenic and light. However, unless you are prepared to buy a memory foam futon mattress, foam is notoriously uncomfortable to sit or lie on, making this type suitable only for occasional use. Hybrid futon mattresses, incorporating both cotton and foam are a good compromise, but the price rises proportionally.

The most comfortable type of futon mattress to sleep on is the spring mattress, and this is the best choice if the futon is intended for frequent use as a bed. However, they can permanently sag if used for seating, so find one that is sturdy and high quality.

As for the frames, there is a huge variety of shapes, sizes and styles, limited only by your imagination. From traditional wood and bamboo, to contemporary metal, there is a finish to suit any room.

If you intend to buy bedroom furniture online, before thinking about price and style, the most important factor is to measure the space you have available, as many homeowners have bought a futon sofa bed on impulse, only to find that it does not fit in their room. Before looking for a futon, measure the space you have available, bearing in mind that people will actually need access to it.

Make sure that you are aware of the dimensions of the futon bed folded and unfolded, and make sure that you leave enough space for people to get into bed, without tripping over the bookcase or coffee table. Futon beds are available in a range of sizes, from standard twin bed to king-size bed, giving plenty of space to sleep.

If space is an issue, there are two main types of futon sofa bed, one where the bed folds out from the normal seating position, the other at right angles, helping you to be economical with space.

The quality is another factor, as cheaper futons tend to be extremely uncomfortable and wear out quickly. Low quality futon mattresses are the main reason that futon sofa beds have the unwelcome reputation of being very uncomfortable. When buying a futon online, look for one with a mattress that is at least 8” thick: If you were buying a mattress for a bed, would you buy one that is only 4” thick? No, so use the same criteria for your futon.

The only thing left is to find a futon that matches your décor, and this is the most difficult part. There is a vast array of styles and colors, and you can choose frames made from hardwood, pine, metal, or bamboo. The choice of futon mattresses is even more bewildering, and you can select from any number of textures and colors. Many retailers allow you to mix and match futon mattresses and frames, making it much easier to buy bedroom furniture online. 

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