Looking for sofa bed

February 25, 2013 5:17 PM

I'm looking for a sofa bed to put in a small bedroom.

This is ideal as far as functionality goes, but is way too expensive. Having no arms is good, allowing the full width of the bed to be that of the sofa. Other complications: I don't like futons or thermarest or memory foams. Can you recommend anything?

posted by falsedmitri to home & garden (15 answers total)

Maybe something from the Beddinge series? They're comfortable and much easier on the wallet. No arms. Several options for type of mattress and slipcover. Easy to switch from sofa to bed.
posted by the twistinside at 5:35 PM on February 25 [1 favorite]

I came here to suggest the Beddinge myself. It is technically a futon-style, but it's a real mattress that happens to be hinged, not that awful floppy pseudo-mattress you associate with futons. I've slept on a Beddinge a few times and always woke up happy and refreshed as though I'd slept on a real bed. A+++ would nap again.
posted by Tomorrowful at 5:37 PM on February 25

We have a Beddinge in my my son's room. It's worked out great when grandma and grandpa come to visit and it's surprisingly comfortable. They make a ton of slipcovers so the look is flexible.
posted by nsomniak21 at 5:41 PM on February 25

Check this out, including alternatives mentioned in the comments.
posted by jon1270 at 5:57 PM on February 25

We have a Beddinge too, with the firmest spring mattress they offer and a memory foam mattress topper on top. More than one guest has commented on how comfortable it is.
posted by PorcineWithMe at 6:08 PM on February 25

We have the older version of this convertible from Room and Board (ours doesn't have the split back, so it's only a sofa or flat, none of the chaise options). It's reasonably comfortable in both positions--better as a couch than a better, but much more comfortable as a bed than any futon I ever slept on.
posted by crush-onastick at 6:14 PM on February 25

We have a Beddinge and it's awesome. Everyone who has ever stayed over and slept on it has commented on how comfortable it is. My husband and I have slept on it several times as well and thought the same. We've also sat on it every day for almost 3 years and the mattress has maintained its firmness and shape perfectly. The slats started squeaking a bit under my husband's weight recently, but he has a habit of flopping down onto the exact same spot every day. The Beddinge is one of Ikea's real gems.
posted by keep it under cover at 6:17 PM on February 25

That should read "better as a couch than as a bed"
posted by crush-onastick at 6:24 PM on February 25

I've slept on a BEDDINGE HÅVET for probably 4 weeks out of the past 52, and it holds up nicely in comparison to our much more expensive Ikea latex mattress (a.k.a. the official latex mattress of metafilter).
posted by deludingmyself at 7:12 PM on February 25

I think what you are referring is sometimes labeled as a "European sleeper sofa" by furniture companies. If you live in or near a city with a large immigrant population with stores aimed at that niche, you will find there are many of these to choose from. We had a lovely, very comfortable red sofa of this type until just a few months ago that was much, much more comfortable than a futon or standard sleeper sofa. We bought it eight or so years ago at a Polish furniture store in a working class neighborhood in Chicago for just $500.
posted by DirtyOldTown at 8:12 PM on February 25

I have that CB2 Flex sofa in jon1270's link and I'm happy with it so far. I haven't had any guests sleep on it yet, but I've enjoyed some naps. It is definitely on the firm side, as most reviews will mention, but I find it to be comfortable.
posted by orme at 5:02 AM on February 26

Just wanted to chime in on the Beddinge line - while I think it's great as a bed, it was one of the least comfortable couches I've ever sat on. It was fixable by piling up lots of cushions or pillows. But it is a great bed!
posted by firei at 5:44 AM on February 26

Here is the brand of sleeper sofa that we had (and enjoyed): Istikbal. And this was the sofa we had. I notice that by Googling Istikbal and city name, local sellers are available.
posted by DirtyOldTown at 1:06 PM on February 26

Thanks, lots of things to look at here. Not sure how I will actually get one of these, though.
6 hour drive to the nearest Ikea (in Denver).
Istikbal appears to be an east coast phenomenon.
posted by falsedmitri at 8:30 PM on February 26

They ship... But it's pricy.
posted by DirtyOldTown at 3:00 PM on February 27