Anyone who has spent the night on a standard sleeper sofa can empathize with the character in The Princess and the Pea who tossed and turned thanks to the lump in her bed. We’ve lost hours of sleep too, trying to ignore the bars poking through a too-thin mattress. There is a solution – sleeper sofas can actually be comfortable for both sitting and sleeping – but you need to know how to find the one that meets your needs. (more…)
Furnishings 101
Best Sofa Bed That’s Actually Comfortable
Prefer to not have a whole room dedicated to a spare bed? A sleeper sofa might be the perfect answer. While it isn’t going to be quite as comfortable as an actual bed (it doesn’t have the same supportive springs underneath), it can still provide a great night’s sleep if you buy the right one. The main thing to know is that shopping for a sleeper sofa is more than just picking the right style. There are also several different types of mattresses and configurations that affect sleeping comfort, sitting surface, and space planning.
The most important thing to look for when shopping for a sleeper sofa is good quality construction. You’re buying a piece of furniture that includes a mechanism and, as we all know, anything that involves moving parts has the potential to fail. For a quality piece, buy from a manufacturer that uses best practices in their furniture construction. Solid frames, well-made cushions, and top-of-the-line suspensions in sofas and chairs are an indication that their sleepers will be of equally good quality.
Hint: Sofa manufacturers don’t make their own sleeper mechanisms. As a result, different manufacturers often have the same mattress and mechanisms. Make sure the mechanism is from a reputable manufacturer like Leggett & Platt or Hickory Springs.
Now, let’s talk about the main types of sleeper sofas and some tips on figuring out which kind is best for you (for more about that, check out the second blog in our series on sofa beds). (more…)
Stain-Resistant Upholstery Fabrics
Everybody buying a new sofa or chair worries about someone getting a little sloppy with their red wine while sitting on it. In fact, a fear of stains leads many people with kids or pets to simply put off buying new furniture completely. But there’s no need to live with a falling apart sofa just because you’re concerned about stains. That’s because there’s a whole new category of upholstery fabric that’s popped up in recent years: performance fabrics. These remarkable products can handle spills and dirt with ease. Here are the big players in the performance fabric category – all approaching stain resistance from a different angle. (more…)
Fabric for Upholstery: Cotton
Thinking of buying a new sofa or reupholstering an old one? Don’t overlook good, old-fashioned cotton. While cotton is typically considered for casual, washable slipcovers, it can also look quite formal and modern. The variations are truly endless, so here’s everything to know about cotton for upholstered furniture. (more…)
Linen Upholstery Fabric: Pros and Cons
If you’re looking for a classic upholstery fabric, you can’t do much better than linen. Made from the fibers of the flax plant, linen has been around for thousands of years (it was even used as currency in ancient Egypt). It’s still loved today for its beauty, feel, and durability. Considering getting a sofa or chair upholstered in linen? Here’s what you need to know about how it’s made, when it works, and when you might want to go with a different fabric. (more…)
Upholstery Fabric Types: Velvet Furniture
Velvet, with its plush feel and sheen, is pretty much the original glamour fabric. For most of its history—from China, where it was made for the first time more than 4500 years ago, to Italy in the 14th and 15th centuries—only the very wealthy could afford it. Thankfully, these days, velvet is still super luxe but a lot more affordable.