The Evolution of Sofa Beds

Sofa beds have been around for a long time. I am not really sure who the genius was behind the first sofa bed, or when it actually came into being, but I know that they have been around for quite awhile. We owned a used furniture store a few years back, and we had some old click clack sofa beds come into the store that looked like they were from about the 1950's. I thought that these were pretty cool, the back would lay flat to change the sofa into a bed.

Sometime later, perhaps the late '60's, but definitely by the 1970's, the traditional pull out sofa beds became quite popular. These may have been quite comfortable initially (though I have my doubts), but most of these had thin, 4" mattresses that did not have a very long life. It was not uncommon to feel a bar in the middle of your back when you had to sleep on one, not very conducive to a good nights sleep.

So, it is not surprising that futons became popular in the 1980's. When it comes to futons, you can get the cheap, discount version. Functional but not very comfortable since the mattresses are thin and have a short life span. But a good quality futon will last for a long time, having a good quality, thick (and sometimes even an innerspring) mattress.

But, the evolution of the sleeper sofa continues. The new traditional sofa beds on the market today are quite modern and comfortable.

Now, I have a good futon and it has served my family well for several years, but there are some things about it that I do not like as well as a traditional sofa that converts into a bed. Luckily, regular sofa beds have come a long way in the last 20 - 30 years.  Don't get me wrong, I like my futon, but here are some reasons why I would like a traditional sleeper sofa.

1. My futon looks nice, it has a beautiful hardwood frame and a thick mattress, but it really is better suited for a family room than the living room. A futon is simply more casual looking than a nice microfiber or leather sofa.
   


2. The seat part of a futon tips slightly backwards, this is just the nature of the design of a futon. This really is not a big deal, but if you want to lie on the futon when it is set up as a sofa, it is not very comfortable because of the slant. Also, most futons have wood or metal arms, also not the most comfortable to rest your head on while lying down. And in our family during a movie night, someone always claims the couch as a place to lie, not sit on, to enjoy the movie.
   


3. The new sofa beds available today are beautiful and trendy, and not only look good but are also comfortable. Some new fashions have also brought back the original click clack style of sofa bed. A good modern sofa bed is also very comfortable to sleep on, many manufacturers have tried to solve the old problem of the bar in the back.
   


4. Finally, many modern sofa beds don't look like a sofa bed, but just like a really nice couch.
   

Sofa beds, like many other things, have really evolved over time. Though old styles have returned, it is with modern ingenuity and new levels of comfort. So, if you could use a sleeper sofa, but have been tentative about trying the new styles due to old misconceptions, I would encourage you to check out the new sofa beds on the market today, I bet you will be pleased!