A Selection of Sofas
Historically built for esteemed guests to sit apart from government councils, sofas in the eighteenth century were simply a raised section of the floor, padded with pillows and mats.
Originally existing solely for the elite, couches became more common in middle and lower class houses after the nineteenth-century Industrial Revolution. Here and now in the twenty-first century, sofas are the hub of home activity. Families spend hours together in living rooms, which makes purchasing the right sofa an important task. When choosing a sofa, comfort is key, but just as important is fashion, style and quality.
The word “sofa” covers a broad range of furniture pieces from regular two or three seat couches to loveseats, recliners, sectionals, and sleeper sofas. Each brings its own features and unique functions to a living room.
Regular sofas, or couches, are always upholstered and can seat several people. Available in an array of materials, most sofas have room for at least three people to sit comfortably, though smaller sofas only have two cushioned spots. However, the sheer size of a sofa sets it apart from a loveseat.
The loveseat – or love seat – was originally designed in the eighteenth century to accommodate a woman with a large dress, but as time progressed and for obvious reasons, the smallness of these two-seater couches led them to be called loveseats. Able to seat two, loveseats are a great choice for a small space, or as an additional sofa for a living room set. These conversation couches can be intimate, but their small size does not take away from their comfort.
Sectionals have it all. Mixing different sizes of couches together, sectionals allow you to personalize your living room for ultimate luxury. Sofa sectionals can accommodate anywhere from two to six people comfortably. Some sofa sectionals are designed as home theatre units; these particular sectionals have features such as arm rests between each seat and drink holders. Many sofa sectionals have reclining chairs built into the structure, allowing one person to recline back while another has a choice to sit upright. The configuration possibilities of sectionals are endless, and the comfort of a sectional is everlasting. Sectionals are perfect for big families, or families that entertain often.
Another feature of sectionals and some sofas is a chaise section. The chaise allows you to stretch out your legs while on the couch, without having to use a foot stool or ottoman. A chaise lounge can be long enough to feel like a bed, and just as comfortable as one too.
Another trend in living room design is to add a recliner to the mix of furniture. Recliners offer comfort, quality and durability. Recliners are designed with leading innovation and creativity in mind. Different types of recliners keep coming out and the designs keep getting better. There are modern recliners, traditional recliners, massage recliners, and even recliners with built in stereo systems that are compatible with mp3 players and other electronic devices, making your video game, music, or movie that much more fun.
Finally, sleeper sofas are dual-purpose items that also continue to develop in design. Sleeper sofas are a very economical way of combining the casual comfort of a living room couch with the soothing security of a bedroom mattress. They are also the answer to the eternal lack-of-space problem, as they are able to function as two items in a small space. Perfect for overnight guests too, sleeper sofas are now being designed so that comfort does not have to be sacrificed for style. They look good, feel good, and are a great investment for any home.
All of these types of sofas come in a variety of materials, from leather to suede to micro-fiber to cloth and more. Keep in mind the durability of materials, especially if you have pets or small children. Also to keep in mind are the colors you choose for your sofa. These colors should fit in with the color scheme of your walls, floors and other furniture in the room. Luckily there are plenty of options to choose from, and hopefully now, you have a better idea of what you are looking for.
Author: Aimee Taylor
A Sofa Bed Mattress A Comfortable Choice
Sofa beds are a convenient way to make room for overnight guests. However, they don’t have the best reputation for comfort. When most people think about sleeping on sofa beds, they don’t look forward to it. They tend to think of uncomfortable and squeaky mattresses that are likely to leave them with a backache.
Sofa bed mattresses aren’t all created equal, though. Spending the night on a sofa bed doesn’t have to be an unpleasant experience that leaves you with an aching body. There are many options when it comes to sofa bed mattresses. It is possible to buy sofa bed mattresses in varying degrees of firmness at a quality level at or near the quality of a traditional bedroom mattress. No matter what type of sofa bed mattress you prefer, there is a sofa bed mattress that meets your needs.
You don’t necessarily have to invest in a completely new sofa to get a comfortable sofa bed mattress. Start out your search with a visit to your local mattress stores. It is entirely possible that they carry a sofa bed mattress that meets your needs. Even if they don’t carry the best sofa bed mattress, it is likely that a retailer who specializes in mattresses will be able to order one from a reputable supplier for you.
If you have ever spent the night on a bad sofa bed mattress, you know how important having a high quality sofa bed mattress can be. If you have invested in a sofa bed, it only makes sense to make sure that the sofa bed mattress in it is one that people can stand to use. Nothing is worse than being unable to sleep well, or waking up with a sore and aching body as a result of spending the night on a low-quality, uncomfortable sofa bed mattress.
Assuming that you want your overnight guests to feel welcome in your home, purchasing a high quality sofa bed mattress can be an excellent investment. People will look forward to spending the night at your house when you replace your creaky old sofa bed mattress with a new, high quality sofa bed mattress. Your guests will appreciate having a comfortable bed to sleep on when they stay in your home. They will be able to enjoy a good night’s sleep, and will awaken refreshed and relaxed.
Tori A Hewitt
Experience Incredible Comfort With Air Mattress For Sofa Beds
There comes a time during long visits to a friend or relative’s house, whereupon realizing you will probably stay the night, that the inevitable dread sets in: where will you sleep? If you’re lucky, your host will have a spare bedroom, but more often than not, you’re presented with the spare bed of choice — a sofa bed.
What do you have to look forward to? Creaky hinges, a paper-thin mattress and an ill-conceived metal frame that will contribute to making absolutely sure that your night is, quite literally, as sleepless as possible!
Sofa beds are typically the guest-bed of choice, as they are easily stored, financially feasible and relatively mobile. The only problem is: no one can actually get a full night’s sleep on them! Fortunately, there is a solution — a new technology that replaces your old, thin sofa bed mattress with an air mattress for sofa beds that will allow your guests to sleep in comfort.
Why Choose an Air Mattress for Sofa Beds?
Not only will your guests be more comfortable on an air mattress, but an air mattress for sofa beds is also designed specifically with your guest’s comfort in mind. When you unfold the sofa bed for your guest, throw away that thin fabric mattress! With only three minutes and an electric pump, you can have a fully inflated air mattress for sofa bed and a happy guest.
To make using an air mattress for sofa beds even more convenient, these mattresses also work with standard-sized bed sheets, so there’s no need to invest in new linens. Both comfortable and convenient, your guest can choose the level of inflation that they will need to have a restful sleep — softness and firmness can be adjusted in a matter of minutes.
Your Guests Will Want to Stay
The new models of air mattress for sofa beds also present a high level of convenience for yourself as the host. Instead of requiring extra storage space for the air mattress for sofa bed, and taking the risk of forgetting where you stored it, an air mattress for sofa beds can be folded up with the sofa bed. In fact, the mattress itself is made up of two distinct layers, much like a box-spring and top mattress on a standard bed. The new air mattress for sofa beds have a bottom layer of coil springs for physical support, while the top layer is inflated to your guest’s preferred firmness.
The mattress also has a cover layer around it, to protect the air mattress for sofa bed from punctures and to increase support. To inflate the mattress after the sofa bed has been unfolded, simply unzip the mattress cover, insert your electric pump and inflate the mattress to your guest’s desired comfort. An air mattress for sofa beds will ensure that your guests have a restful stay in your home, and will hopefully inspire them to purchase their own revolutionary air mattress for the next time you’re an overnight guest in their home!
By: Tori A Hewitt
Worth to search:
How To Find Small Sofas For Small Rooms
Do you have a small living room, dorm room or apartment that is in need of a sofa?
Are you unsure of what to purchase in order to incorporate both comfort and spaciousness?
If you already have a small space, the last thing you probably want is a large sofa that makes the room appear even smaller. After a hard day at work or school, you want to relax in your home, not feel confined and claustrophobic in a small living area due to a bulky piece of furniture.
The difficulties inherent in a small living room are not insurmountable. There are various options to choose from in small-scale sofas. You do not have to forego style and comfort to save on space!
What to Look for in a Small Sofa
There is more to space saving design when it comes to seating in a small living or family room than choosing a loveseat. You might be asking yourself what other options are available. Surely, a sofa’s dimensions are not the only avenues that need to be investigated, right?
Correct! There is more to choosing a small sofa than just its size. Along with size, there are different sofa features that are available that make a sofa appear sleeker and less bulky.
It is important to have a sofa that would not overpower the space in your small living area.
What Makes a Sofa Appear “Small Scale”?
Besides size, there are different sofa features that make it appear sleeker and trimmer. In other words, perfect for a small space. These features include:
* Few curves with clean, straight, and simple lines
* Straight or no arms
* Legs remaining visible underneath the sofa, that is, they are not covered by upholstered flaps
Futons also have features that give this sofa a small-scale appearance. They have simple, straight lines, narrow arms, with no upholstered flaps. Although many are wider than what would be considered small-scale, their simplicity makes them a natural for small spaces.
By simply changing the cover of a futon, you have the ability to change its overall look. You can go with a more traditional feel by having a design of large flowers and leaves on a subdued color palate of dark brown and beige. Or, if your style leans toward contemporary, you could choose plain beige, black or any other neutral color.
With their sleek, simple lines, most futons naturally have a modern contemporary look. However, this can be curtailed into a more traditional look with the use of different designs in coverings.
The other wonderful feature of a futon is its ability to be changed into a bed.
Once the cover begins to wear, it is easy to replace with a new one.
Taking Size into Account
Most sofas for small spaces range in size from 72 inches or smaller. It should be noted that if you go too small, you might end up with seating for two instead of three. That is, you’ll end up with a loveseat instead of a sofa.
If you wanted something smaller than a loveseat, you could purchase a settee or Chair and a Half. Chair and a Halfs usually range around 49″ or smaller and settees range between 40 to 50 inches in length.
Below is a list of measurements to help you remember approximate sizes of small-scale sofas as compared to loveseats and settees. Make certain to take measurements of the space you need to obtain seating for before making a purchase.
This will alleviate any unnecessary headaches and hassles from purchasing the wrong size seating for your room.
* Small Scale Sofas: 72″ or smaller
* Loveseats: 63″ or smaller
* Chair and a Halfs: 59″ or smaller
* Settees: 49″ or smaller
Use the above list as a guide, not as a hard-and-fast rule. There are sofas, loveseats, Chair and a Halfs and settees that do not meet this criteria. However, the above measurements are the norm.
Also, it is possible to find a sofa that is over 72″ that would still afford your room a spacious feel. For example, if you discover a sofa that is over 72″ with a sleek appearance and no upholstered flaps, it may work perfectly in your room if space allows.
It basically comes down to your individual taste.
Another option for a sofa in a space that would normally fit only a loveseat would be to look for sofas without arms. This would allow seating for three instead of two. Sofas usually have large arms that take up a fair amount of unnecessary space. By eliminating arms, you would increase your seating area!
This may not be for everyone, as you may not find an armless sofa comfortable enough for you. However, due to its space saving potential, it is worth investigating.
A Word to Those Lovers of Traditional Furnishings
Small-scale sofas tend to appeal more to lovers of modern or contemporary furnishings than those who prefer traditional. This can be disappointing if you prefer traditional furnishings, but you need a space saving sofa!
If your taste leans toward traditional, the sleek, straight lines of contemporary furnishings may appear cold and sterile and would not lend to the homey warm feel that you enjoy.
You should keep in mind that it is not necessary to purchase a sofa with all the features noted previously. For example, you could purchase a sofa with arms and legs that have curves instead of the contemporary straight lines. If the curves are not too thick, then this may satisfy your desire for a traditional look while still saving on space.
Summing Up
Having a small living room, family room, dorm room or living room has its
disadvantages when it comes to seating. You want to get the most “bang for your buck”, by having as much seating as possible while still giving your room a spacious feel. Not always an easy feat in a small space!
There are particular features in a sofa that would give it a small-scale look such as straight lines, small arms and legs that raise the sofa. You could even maximize your seating by purchasing an armless sofa. This would allow seating for three instead of two.
Even if you do not appreciate all the features listed above in a sofa, you can pick one feature and look for other features that you love. For example, if you have a traditional lean in furnishings, you could purchase a sofa with curved arms and legs, but have it raised off the floor by legs uncovered by upholstered flaps.
This way, you achieve a spacious look (by the negative space left underneath the sofa) but retain your unique sense of style and taste in the sofa.
Bottom line, you don’t have to sacrifice your style in home décor to achieve a spacious feel in a small space.
By: Tameka Norris
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Getting Creative! How to Make your Own Twin Sofa Bed
Do you live in a small dorm or studio apartment? If you do, you are probably familiar with the difficulties of trying to combine style with functionality. This may be a particular problem when you want to add a little pizzazz to the central piece of furniture in your dorm, studio or efficiency apartment.
However, just because you have limited space doesn’t mean you can’t add style. In fact, this is where you could allow your creativity to shine through. With some imagination and forethought, you could have a living space that is perfect for both day and night. This could be accomplished by turning your twin bed into a sofa. In the evening, you could switch your sofa back into a twin bed.
The Pros and Cons of Turning Your Twin Bed into a Sofa
To begin, you would need a twin platform bed, mate’s bed or any twin bed that doesn’t have a headboard or post. It is important to note, that due to their width, a full, queen or king size bed would not convert nicely into a couch. This would not give the look or feel that you’d want (not to mention, it would look quite silly).
The obvious advantage of turning your twin bed into a sofa would be that you already have the primary element for this design–a twin bed. This equals savings, as you would only need to purchase a few odds and ends to convert your bed into a lovely sofa for daytime living.
Another pro would be that unlike a futon, you would not need to perform additional steps to make your twin bed into a sofa. All that is necessary would be adding additional pillows against the back of the bed to give it the look of a sofa.
One disadvantage of converting your bed into a couch would be that this idea wouldn’t be suitable if you share your space with someone else. For example, if you live in a dorm this might make it difficult. However, there are chances this still could work if your roommate uses a hide-away bed that saves on space. It all really just depends on the situation.
If you decide to go with this idea, one last thing…
You may find the biggest con to be the height of your bed in comparison to daybeds, futons and sofas. Platform beds are substantially lower compared to daybeds. So, keep that in mind when considering this option, and if the difference in height doesn’t bother you, then using it as a sofa would not be a problem.
If you can afford to spend some extra money but still find you don’t like the height-issues that come with platform beds, this could be easily remedied by boosting the height of your bed with an extra mattress or box spring. Another option would be to purchase inexpensive bed lifts or risers. They could add an additional 1 to 10 inches or more to the height of your bed.
Yet, a word of warning, risers only work if your bed has legs. If not, you would need to add height by using an extra mattress or box spring.
Lesson 101: Turning your Twin Bed into a Sofa with Style
To turn your twin bed into a sofa, you would simply place it width-wise against a wall (like a daybed). Next, you could add height by using bed risers or an extra box spring or mattress. That is the basics, now onto the creative and fun aspect of switching your twin bed into a sofa and vice versa. This section will reveal how you could add a personal touch and make your twin sofa bed uniquely your own.
Use appropriate bedding
How could you make your bed most resemble a sofa? The answer is simple, use appropriate bedding. This could be accomplished by purchasing a bed skirt or a bedding set. This would allow you to cover the legs of your bed and would give it the look of a sofa with upholstered flaps. If you use bed risers, make sure to have them in place first before buying the bedding. That way, you could take measurements to ensure that the bedding is long enough to cover the legs once the risers are in place.
Use pillows
Pillows are ideal for creating a faux backing to your bed and faux arms. Pillows could be switched around to accommodate a sofa and a bed. For evening, you could place the pillows at the head of the bed for sleeping. And during the day you could place the pillows in the back for support, comfort and look and feel. As for the arms, you could place bolsters on each side of the bed to fool the eyes into believing your sofa isn’t armless.
Create your own upholstered backing
If using pillows exclusively for backing doesn’t appeal to you, another option would be to create an upholstered backing for your sofa bed. This may sound as if it would put a dent in your pocketbook, but upholstered backing could be made inexpensively without compromising on style or showroom appeal.
The main supplies you would need to make an upholstered backing are…
* plywood
* upholstery foam
* and fabric
Keep in mind, it is also important to take measurements before starting on this project to determine the height that you desire for your headboard. What makes this project so affordable is that if you do not possess the tools needed to size the plywood, you could take it to a local hardware store and have them cut it for you at a fraction of the cost.
Once you’re ready to get started, there are various tutorials on the Internet that could assist you in creating a headboard. A nice one worth mentioning is Make Your Own Upholstered Headboard. It should help you along quite nice and give you a few other ideas on decorative style in the process.
Once you’re finished, you’ll find that the upholstered headboard lends an element of class to your space. Creating your own one-of-a-kind headboard will add a sense of accomplishment. It will also be perfectly suited to your taste and style, and as a bonus you can bet you’ll get plenty of compliments from your friends in the process.
Author: Tameka Norris
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