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Are futons cheap/tacky looking?
I've been shopping for either a futon or sleeper sofa to put in our 5th bedroom that is used as our office. We have 2 other guest bedrooms (one with a full bed and one with a twin bed) but we'd like to have another guest sleeping option for the 1-2 times a year we have enough overnight guests to need one.
Andy thinks that we should get a sleeper sofa because futons look cheap and tacky. He says futons belong in college dorm rooms, not in houses where 30-something adults live.
I think a futon would be fine, as long as it's not one of those ultra-cheap $99 ones from Target or Ikea. There are some decent ones at furniture stores, and they generally cost less than sleeper sofas. I'm hesitant to invest a lot of money because it won't be used a ton.
What do you think? Would you get a futon for your house? Or are futons not suitable outside a college dorm room?
If it matters, was thinking of something like this:
Mr. Sammy Dog
Re: Are futons cheap/tacky looking?
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This exactly! If I had to sleep on a futon or a sofa bed, I'd pick the futon any day of the week.
Sofa-sleepers are the devil. I've never slept on a comfortable one.
I am not personally a fan of futons (I don't like the cushion-y look of them with the weird folded crease) but if you do go with one I don't mind the picture you posted. I really don't like the metal tubular ones that scream "college dorm!"
ICKY =
I'll be honest - I personally don't like futons either. I tend to agree with your husband...
If you want an option for those rare occasions - get an AeroBed. Bonus is that you can take it with YOU when you travel too (if needed). Then it can live in the closet when its not used. We got one for Christmas from my parents and its quite nice. Used it on NYE, in fact. And my DH is easily 2x my weight and it was just fine.
Then you can put a loveseat or something in that room. Or anything other than a sofa sleeper or futon.
We have one of the wooden futons in our spare room (which also functions as my office). It has a nice, thick, firm mattress, and I love it.
As a guest, I'd rather sleep on a high-quality futon (with a high-quality mattress) than on an aerobed or a sleeper sofa. I agree with pp that the sleeper sofas are so rarely comfortable... like just about never. And while the aerobeds can be pretty comfy, I still don't love the feeling of sleeping on the floor, and I don't like having to add more air every night or two, etc. etc.
We have a futon like the one in your picture above. I don't love it or hate it but it's comfortable and it's really easy to move. Sleeper sofas weigh a ton. On top of that, they're really uncomfortable to sleep on.
I'd also prefer to sleep on a futon over an aerobed. I also find those really uncomfortable and they kill my back. The last time I slept on one I could barely walk for two days. I couldn't walk for a similar amount of days the last time I slept on a sofa bed.
Oh, I HATE futons. I don't think they ever look good - unless maybe if you found one with separate cushions.
What's the purpose of the room? Spare bedroom? Lounge room?
This is the Aerobed we got (full size): http://www.aerobed.com/group/126/store_ProductDetail.html
Its 22" high. So not on sleeping on the floor, and actually about the same height as a futon, I'd assume. It has a pump imbedded in it. It is loud when filling it, but its not a hassle at all. Plug in, flip a switch and you can adjust the pressure just as easily. Our full size one filled in about 3 minutes and came with a rolling back pack like storage thing (versus the one in the picture). Which is good, because its heavy when its all folded up. This one: http://www.aerobed.com/group/130/store_ProductDetail.html
Good option for the 1 or 2 times a year you suggest is might be used.
OK, so it sounds like the sleeper sofa is a bad idea since they're all uncomfortable.
I'm not sure how I feel about an aerobed. I've slept on air mattresses while camping (this one to be exact), and I don't think they're all that comfortable. It's fine for camping, but I would feel terribly guilty making guests sleep on that kind of air mattress in my house. In fact, on NYE, we slept on our air mattress and gave up our bed for guests because I didn't feel right making guests use the air mattress.
Are there better ones out there? Are the more expensive ones really that much more comfortable to sleep on?
Mr. Sammy Dog
The more expensive aerobeds really ARE more comfortable than the cheaper camping-type airbeds. It makes a big difference... some of them really are quite nice.
But as you can see from this post, some people prefer sleeping on a nice aerobed to a nice futon, and some people (myself included) prefer sleeping on a high quality futon. So it probably comes down to what works better for you, furniture-wise, in that room. If you want a permanent piece of furniture in that room, I'd go with the futon, and if you'd prefer to have the space be open, I'd go with the aerobed.
I think with either option (futon or aerobed), quality is key to your guest's comfort
Nicole and Sam 10/3/09
Just to be difficult and throw another option out there.... what about a daybed? That way you can have a real mattress but still have a couch type thing if you add lots of pillows.
Tired after a long morning of hiking and swimming.
I thought about this, but a day bed would only be enough sleeping space for 1 person since they use a twin size mattress. A futon or sleeper sofa or air bed could fit 2 people.
The aerobed is the cheapest/easiest solution ... maybe I'll stick with that.
Mr. Sammy Dog