Sofa, So Good! (Sofas in General)

Member Name: blackjane

Product:	Sofas in General
Date:	20/10/01 (3239 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: An absolute bargain, Ideal for the job, Flexibility

Disadvantages: -

Q. When is a sofa not a sofa?

A. When it is a sofa bed!

A couple of years ago, when I moved house from a small-ish two bedroomed terraced house to a three bedroomed detached property, I subsequently needed to furnish an extra bedroom. As I was starting virtually from scratch for this room, I was at least afforded the luxury of planning the layout and then looking for appropriate furniture that could fit in.

Like many three bedroomed houses, one of the bedrooms was much smaller than the other two. The third bedroom in my new house is quite a small room - not as small as a 'box' room that many houses tend to have, but still not large enough to take a double bed, without taking up virtually the whole width of the room. I was also keen for this room to double as a study, so that it could house my computer and desk, as well as my large CD collection. To achieve all this, as well as to make it viable to use as an occasional third bedroom when we have visitors, seemed to be a virtually impossible task.

I planned where the desk would go and then where tall CD units could go along the entire length of one wall. That left a relatively small amount of space for a bed. However, it soon became clear that my only option, other than having a single bed, which would have limited use, was to buy a sofa bed. These pieces of furniture have the advantage that for the majority of the time they provide seating space, but also double up as an occasional 'proper' bed when the need arises.

Fortunately, I spotted an offer in the Studio catalogue. Sofa beds that were usually £160 in price had been reduced to an incredible £40 for a limited time only. The one that I wanted had a navy blue cover to go with the carpet and the decor of the room, as well as a sturdy black metal frame construction. Although it was self-assembly, it was very simple to put together with the help of an allen key, which came with the kit.

In 's
ofa mode' it is just over six feet wide with a depth of around three feet. When folded out for use as a bed it is around six feet square - and therefore similar to the size of a double bed. The arm of the sofa at one end also doubles up as a headboard. Having never slept on this sofa bed I cannot say for certain how comfortable it is, but the three or four sets of guests that have used it to date have all commented that it was very comfortable.

The main advantage, other than the great price, is that it conserves space for the majority of the time when it is in 'sofa mode.' It is also very sturdy in 'bed mode.' Although I have this piece of furniture in my bedroom, it could be used in any room of your house, but maybe you would want to avoid putting it in your bathroom or kitchen!

For the money, I could not go wrong, and I would go as far as to say this was the most useful piece of furniture (pound for pound)that I have bought for my new house. Many sofa beds have a foam construction, tend to be uncomfortable, and wear out very quickly. After two years of use, mainly as a sofa, but also on occasion as a bed, my sofa bed shows no visible signs of wear and tear and should last me for many years to come.

{An original Dooyoo opinion
© Blackjane 2001}

{Please note: I have put £40 in the price box, as that was the price that I paid. Last time I checked, I think that the full price of this item is now £200.}

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