3 Convertible Corner Sofa Bed Styles to Love
What’s the first imagine you think of when you hear convertible corner sofa bed? You might think of those hide-a-beds from the 1980s that were thickly patterned, textured, and muddy brown colored. It was not an attractive time for corner sofa bed furniture, and it still exists in the world mostly in student dorm rooms where the furniture is sometimes older than the students! A convertible bed will give you the flexibility of a couch during the day and can turn to a bed in an instant for a guest to sleep on. If you want convenience and comfort at the same time, a convertible corner sofa bed provides exactly that. It comes in three styles that each has its unique perks:
- Pull out sofa bed
- Click clack bed
- Western futon
The most traditional and common sofa bed style is the pull out sofa bed. It’s the one most people associated with the word and works exactly as it sounds. Remove the seat cushions to reveal a metal frame than can be pulled out from inside the sofa to reveal a flat bed. Mattresses are usually pretty thin and nowhere near as thick regular mattresses which can range from 4” to 6” so they are definitely not as comfortable. Despite that, with newer technology and better construction the sofa bed mattresses that you find today are actually fairly comfortable. A great thing about the pull out sofa bed style is if you use it frequently, then you can simply fold everything up–blanket, bed sheets and all–and there will be no need to make your bed! Sizes vary as widely as bed mattresses, from queen and full sizes for double occupancy to single and twin for single sleepers. These smaller sofa beds are also sometimes called chair beds. They are also available as sectionals, where many pieces of a sofa can be joined together to form a bigger piece.
A second style of convertible sofa bed is the click clack bed. It gets its name from the sound that it makes as the bed gets converted to and from a sofa. This makes use of a hinging mechanism that locks into place as various angles for the backrest. It can be moved so that it is completely flat when it needs to be used as a bed. This style has been on the market for around 60 years but is still widely available today. Some models styles will even hinge the half that is not the backrest up to a 45 degree angle to make it more like a chaise lounge chair so it is easier to sit on. The click clack bed does not require anything to be pulled out from anywhere, merely laid down. In this way it has a benefit that the foldout bed does not have: it uses up less space. What you see is what you get.
A third style of convertible bed that you’ll love only recently gained in popularity. Though the futon has been around in Japanese culture for a long time, it was until very recently in the 90s that it was westernized and brought to the United States. It even gets its name from the original Japanese design. The western style futon is unlike the Japanese futon in that it has been turned into a sofa bed whereas the original did not have any extra purpose than for sleeping. The frame is usually made of metal or wood and the bed’s mattress is actually the futon cushion. It is normally folded when the futon is in a chair configuration and when the frame is laid flat, the cushion becomes one flat mattress. These are generally not as comfortable but they can be relatively inexpensive and still deliver the same conveniences as a convertible sofa bed. Get one with a thicker mattress, they sell them in thickness from 4” to 8” and you will largely avoid this problem.
As you can see, there are three different styles of convertible corner sofa beds that you can look into. Each has its own unique features and design but they are all very contemporary and still enjoy a high demand from the market today.
L-Shaped Corner Sofa Beds with European Style
Getting a corner sofa bed for your house does not mean having to own a piece of furniture that looks like it came from a retirement home. Thanks to trendsetters in European styling, L-shaped corner sofa beds today are contemporary and stylish–people actually want them in their homes!
Since a heavily urban population count has been on the rise, many households call small apartments or studios home nowadays. The need to live in densely populated areas to be close to jobs is a factor for the rise in apartment living. Add on the fact that home loans are much harder to secure than ever before and it is easy to see why metropolitan population has been increasing over the years. This newly urban population has an appetite for fashionably designed furniture and many manufacturers have come to meet this demand. Whatever type of modern décor you may have in your home, there will probably be a similar style sofa bed to match.
A very popular model of sofa bed is the L-shaped sofa which is like a regular sofa except on seat is extended with an elongated built in ottoman, forming the letter “L.” This design can be found in many European manufacturers’ designs and easily convert into extravagant beds. The long section of the L-shaped sofa can pull out to form a rectangular bed that can sleep up to two adults depending on the size.
This type of design, while it looks sophisticated and adds class to your home, has a few drawbacks as well that you should be aware of. The seat cushion is part of the bed (compared to a pullout where the seat cushions are not used) so any wear and tear to the seat will affect the comfort of the bed. If the cushion should get saggy it could make for an uncomfortable sleeping experience. Another drawback of the seat cushion bed design is a compromise between seating and sleeping comfort. For seating, usually a firmer and harder cushion is needed. Since this top padding is the base of the bed which is built on top of the frame, that can make for a hard sleeping surface without any give or bounce.
The L-shape sofa bed is attractive and functional at the same time. It provides a large sleeping surface compared to other sofa bed designs but due to the fact that the cushions are used as part of the bed, there are a few minor issues with the design in terms of sleep comfort.
The sofa bed with the best sleeping comfort uses a special frame just for the bed. Usually, this is made of metal with a mesh support that can be folded in or out of the sofa. This style, combined with a special sofa bed mattress, gives unparalleled sleep comfort compared to other sleeper sofas. There are also many European styles of this sofa bed variety, so a beautiful looking design can still be had.
Whether you opt for the bold look of a trendy L-shape sofa or go for the sleep comfort of a sofa bed with built in bed frame, you will be able to experience the luxury lifestyle associated with European design style.
Corner Sofa Bed Differences between Types
There are many variations of the popular corner sofa bed and subtle differences between then. Sofa beds offer flexible use to its owners by acting as regular seating and doubling as extra sleeping spaces that are high in comfort.
Sofa beds are covered in a variety of materials including the common cotton and polyester covers. There are also suede and leather covers for the decorating styles that suit it. There are traditional two and three seat sofas that can be transformed into beds but also a few lesser known, like the smaller chair bed which usually houses a twin bed or the corner sofa bed which is perfect for the corner. Corner sofa beds have the added advantage that they also give great space utilization since many pieces are not suited for corners, yet they can still be pulled out and you have a large sleeping area when you need it.
In its most basic form, the sofa beds with foam mattresses are the least costly. These come standard with sofa beds though today’s memory foam technology has penetrated this market and improved the quality. These are generally found in the smaller sofa beds and when you remove the cushions you reveal a pullout bed which can be used to lay a mattress above the floor.
Sofa beds are only designed for occasional sleeping use and thus they are more suited to guest rooms and living room and not as a replacement for your own bed unless you have a small studio or small living area and the high functionality is a requirement.
The clic-clac sofa bed is named after the sprung backs that making a clicking noise as they fold flat backwards to form the other half of the bed when needed. There are many variations on the clic-clac sofa with wood or even steel tube frames. Another sofa bed type is the futon. These aren’t as formal or stylish and full-on sofas so they are better kept in bedrooms or an extra office. They are also hard to match. However, it is still a great space-saving solution if you want a contemporary look and don’t have a lot of other furniture pieces that will clash with a futon bed. There are also some that come with extra storage space drawers underneath as well.
Depending on the use of your sofa bed, you might want a metal action sofa as this style is widely available and works well in a living room setting. They pull out of the seating area but instead of being on the ground, the mattress is metal action and held above the floor by metal legs that are the same height as the sofa. This feels more like a bed due to the lift.
Remember to think about how your corner sofa bed will be used and what room it will go in before you make a firm decision on what type of sofa bed to purchase.
The Definitive List of Corner Sofa Bed Manufacturers
The corner sofa bed industry is a huge one that is home to a large number of major furniture manufacturers. The sophisticated styling of a corner sofa combined with the convenience of dual purpose use has given rise to the industry. Today, there are a dazzling variety of styles, fabrics, colors, and contemporary designs available. In the US market, these sofa bed manufacturers rank as the top players in the industry which sees competition at the global level all the way down to the mom and pop local custom furniture builder. If you are considering getting a corner sofa bed, then you need to know about these five manufacturers.
Kiira Designs
Kiira Designs is based in Canada and everything is sourced from the North American continent. This means no inferior quality Chinese components. Their specialty lies in using 100% natural leather which gives their sofa beds a luxurious quality that is highly valued. They also product faux suede complete their product offering. Kiira Designs also makes sectional sofa furniture and produces various sofa types like recliners and corner sofas in addition to traditional sofa beds. Sectionals are each separate pieces of a larger sofa that can be used together to form a larger unique piece or by itself without looking like it needs to be attached to anything.
American Furniture Alliance (AFA)
This company is based in the US as its name indicates, formed nearly twenty years ago and headquartered in the state of California. The AFA specializes in ultra-modern furniture design that continuously evolves to embrace popular design trends in the market. If have been looking at trendy and contemporary furniture, then chances are you have already seen some of the American Furniture Alliance’s fine products. They also have a line of high quality futons that are also a class of sofa bed. In material construction, the use of hardwood eliminates creaking noises and they use only thick coil spring mattresses which are comfortable and never sag. Because they aim for the modern sofa bed market, their fabrics are generally high end and trendy.
Furniture FX
Considered a fashion forward company, this furniture manufacturer is also based in the progressive forward-thinking state of California. They design all their furniture with three points of emphasis: fashion, quality, and reliability. Furniture FX designs pleasing sofa beds similar to European sofa beds like the famed Italian designers. They only built products standing to the highest quality standards and back everything with a solid manufacturer’s warranty. The clic clac bed is among one of their popular designs, and it is a sofa bed that can simply be laid flat. Their fabrics range anywhere from luxurious but durable faux leather to advanced and soft microfiber upholstery.
Wholesale Interiors
Wholesale Interiors is based in Chicago, Illinois and are relative newcomers to the scene having been incorporated in 2002. Despite this fact, Wholesale Interiors has been aggressive in expanding its influence and currently boasts hundreds of different furniture items in all sorts of styles–modern, contemporary, classical, specialty (like home theater or A/V), or transitional. Their sofa beds are mainly of the simple recliner fold back style where a chair’s back can be adjusted to become completely flat. They do also offer more traditional pullout sofa bed models.
Handy Living
This company is also based in Illinois and builds high quality sofa beds that can be assembled easily. They will ship directly to your door and provide an affordable line of innovative products. Handy Living’s designs use a futon-like fold-back approach but have the look of more upscale sofas so they can be displayed proudly in the living room and not hidden away from the view of guests.
If you spend some time shopping around, you will undoubtedly encounter at least one of these influential manufacturers of corner sofa beds in the North American market. They each have varying product lines catering to different demographics. They all provide high quality products that will last you for a decade or more with good care. There are chic and European styles as well as more traditional ones among the manufacturers; it really just depends on what you are looking for. The corner sofa bed is a convenient piece of furniture that goes great in small spaces or even spare rooms, turning it into a bedroom instantly without having to make it one. Corner sofa beds today are comfortable and easy to use, unlike the ones made in the past. Manufacturing has made a number of improvements thanks to healthy competition in the market and these top five industry standard setters.
Make Your Own Twin Corner Sofa Bed with a Little Ingenuity
If you live in a studio apartment or a small room, then you’ve undoubtedly faced the difficulties of acquiring furniture pieces with both style and functionality. This can be a headache if all you want to do is add a little flair to a centerpiece furniture in the middle of your studio or apartment.
But just because you are limited on space doesn’t mean you have to sacrifice on style. In fact, with a little ingenuity you will really be able to demonstrate your creativity and get some extra function out of your furniture. With some imagination, you can have a living space that works perfectly for both day and night. How is this done? Turn your twin bed into a corner sofa bed! Then switch it back to a sofa during the day.
What Benefits Are There to Doing This?
The requirements for this little DIY ingenuity project are a twin platform bed or any twin size bed that doesn’t have a headboard attached. You also can’t have any posts on the platform. If either of these conditions exists, you can consider ways to detach or remove them so you can continue. If you’ve got a full, queen, or king size bed, then understand that while you can still try this idea, they are just not as conducive for a DIY sofa bed couch project that will seat you comfortably. It may even look a little absurd.
Converting your twin bed into a corner sofa is beneficial because you already have a twin bed which is the primary ingredient for this project. This means you are only a few purchases away from completing all the materials you need for a day-time sofa that you can still sleep on at night.
This has some advantages over a futon conversion project since you won’t have to go through as many steps to make your twin bed into a sofa. The only things you really need are extra pillows in the back to make it look like a sofa.
This may not be a good project for you if you have a roommate. For example, if you live in a dorm room then this could be difficult. But if space permits, then you might be able to get away with it.
Another disadvantage could be the height of the sofa. Since platform beds are usually lower compared to daybeds, then this might be something you’ll want to consider before starting. If the high difference doesn’t make a difference to you when you use it as a sofa then you won’t have any problems. If you have extra money to spend you can boost the height of your platform bed with a box spring or even an extra mattress. There are also cheap bed lifts that can add anywhere from one to ten inches of extra height to your bed, however these only work for beds with legs. Otherwise you’ll have to stick to an extra mattress or box spring.
Converting the Twin Bed into a Sofa
Place the twin bed against the wall with the width (shorter end) touching the wall just like you would a regular day bed. At this point you can add the risers or box springs to adjust the height of your bed.
Choosing the Bedding
The most important factor to make your bed look like a sofa is in the bedding. Get a bedding set with a bed skirt so you can cover the legs of your bed and make it look like a sofa with flaps upholstered. Do this after you’re satisfied with the bed’s height so you don’t buy the wrong length bedding set.
Adding Pillows
Strategically shaped and placed pillow can add a backrest and armrests to your faux sofa. You can easily switch them around as you need to use it as a bed or sofa. Place the pillows at the head at night for sleeping and during the day lay them on the side against the wall as the backrest. You can even add bolsters on each side to it looks even more like a sofa with arms.
Custom Upholstered Backrest
If the pillows don’t look good as the backrest another thing to try is to make your own custom upholstered backrest for your corner sofa bed. This is actually cheaper than it sounds and you don’t have to spend very much to get the style you want. Simply get plywood, upholstery foam, and some fabric to start. Make sure to take proper measurements so you know what height you want the backing. Even if you don’t have all the tools you need for the woodworking part of the project your local hardware store can easily cut them for you at a much cheaper cost then buying them yourself.
There are many tutorials online for custom upholstered headboards. Follow these and you will be able to cheaply make your very own custom backrest for your twin bed turned sofa creation. Best of all, a custom creation like that will guarantee no one else has anything like it and will give you a great sense of accomplishment. You’ll have a stylish piece in your room, have a unique furniture piece, and you’ll receive lots of compliments from your friends who marvel at your ingenuity.