Futons: An Alternative To Traditional Furniture Types

What are futons? A futon is a Japanese bed that is a mattress used as a bed. This mattress is thick enough for comfort and pliable enough to be folded and stowed away during the day. In the west, this has evolved into an actual piece of furniture including a frame. The western futon mattress is usually thicker. This makes them good choices for use as a bed or a couch and they can be put in many different rooms.

The frames for these western futons are very basic, usually metal or wood. With one pull on the frame, the futon opens up from a couch to a bed. They slide easily back into a couch so you can quickly transform places to sit into places to sleep.

Futons made a big splash in the U. S. In the 1990's and are still a great option for versatility in decor. A futon is perfect for a small living room as an alternative to a couch. Sleeper sofas are good for when company arrives and need a place to sleep. However, they are often big and bulky and will require a lot of room to unfold and set up. A futon will not take up much more room in its open position than it does in its closed position.

Putting one in the bedroom is also not a bad idea. With a nice decorative headboard and some throw pillows, a futon can be spruced up to be just as attractive as a complete bed set. Covers for futons are available in many patterns and colors. These covers can be a pain to put on and take off, but they really don't need to be removed much since you will probably use sheets for sleeping.

In addition to living rooms and bedrooms, they are great for any room, especially small ones like offices, dens and upstairs lofts. They are then regular couches that can easily be turned into beds for that unexpected guest or accommodating larger holiday gatherings.

Another reason they make great beds is their comfortable to sleep on even when they are closed. While they open up to about a full size bed, when closed they are like a twin size bed. Sleeping on the couch is not always comfortable but sleeping on a closed futon actually is.

There are 3 basic styles of futon frames. First is the bi-fold. When assembled, this looks just like a park bench including armrests. Second is the tri-fold. This also resembles a park bench but also has an additional panel behind the back of the bench. This panel flattens out when opened. The tri-fold has 2 models: with armrests or without.

Futons are less expensive than whole bed sets and living room couches. Most department stores and furniture stores will have them in stock or you can buy online. Frames are easy to put together and once assembled they are not difficult to move. A futon mattress is fairly heavy and because it is so flexible, it is flimsy which makes it hard to carry.

Now it is simple to locate a great group of futon beds that will fit with any space and decor. When you are looking for the perfect bed for a small space, you will locate it fast when you look at futons for sale now!