Sofa bed: types, mechanisms, upholstery materials, design and color solutions.

Pros and cons

Advantages and disadvantages of folding sofas.

Some models are quite compact, which creates maximum space savings.

Types of mechanisms

A wide variety of mechanisms are used for transformation, among them the following are distinguished.

Book

This is a time-tested design, distinguished by its convenience and ease of use. This model unfolds by raising and lowering one half of the bed.

Eurobook

It has a pull-out seat, in place of which the backrest is placed during transformation, which allows you to turn the sofa into a comfortable bed.

The photo shows a sofa bed with a eurobook mechanism in a disassembled state in the interior.

Tick-tock

The most convenient way of unfolding, which is a modernized version of the eurobook. The front part of the structure moves forward, lifting up with the help of special supports and then lowers to the floor.

Click-clack

It is quite convenient to use and has a compact appearance. This design folds out when the backrest is moved to a horizontal position. In addition, it can take several positions, for example, reclining or half-sitting.

Accordion

It has a roll-out mechanism consisting of several sections, two of which are the back of the sofa, and the third is the seat.

The photo shows a bedroom and a yellow sofa bed with a mechanism accordion, equipped with a drawer for bed linen.

Dolphin

This folding sofa can easily replace a bed. In order to transform it into a bed, you should pull out the lower part, under the seat, pull out the additional platform and fix it at the level of the base.

Roll-out

In this case, the bed comes out from under the sofa seats. Most often, the roll-out mechanism is used for corner products.

Folding bed

Belgian, English, French or American designs are narrower and more compact. Their transformation is carried out with the help of the sedaflex mechanism, which works on the principle of the product of the same name – a folding bed.

Sabre

Due to the movement of the backrest towards you, the seat moves forward and the backrest falls into its place. This saber model is equipped with secret drawers for storing bed linen.

What material is better to choose for upholstery?

Leather or eco-leather upholstery has a magnificent and presentable appearance, undoubtedly attracting attention. The most budget-friendly, but no less attractive design is fabric upholstery, for example, it can be eco-friendly chenille, easy-to-care for and wear-resistant matting, velor, from which almost any dirt is removed, flock, velvet that retains its shape and color saturation for a long time, durable and long-lasting jacquard or other various materials.

The photo shows a living room and a sofa bed with upholstery in the form of genuine black leather.

Recommendations for choosing a filler

The level of comfort and quality of sleep directly depend on the competent choice of filler.

Most often, it is recommended to use springs or natural materials for filling, such as felt or latex, which can significantly extend the service life of furniture. Synthetic fillers such as foam rubber or polyurethane are no less high-quality.

Features of choosing a frame for a sofa bed

Several key features:

• Frames made of plywood or chipboard will not add extra weight to the structure and will therefore make them more mobile.
• Eco-friendly and practical bases made of natural solid wood, such as oak, beech, ash, alder, birch, pine or walnut, are quite expensive, which in turn is justified by their strength and high performance properties.
• Also no less popular are metal frames that are reliable, durable and resistant to various types of damage.

Dimensions and shapes of sofa beds

There are the following types of shapes and sizes.

Round or oval

Makes the environment more comfortable and soft and due to the streamlined shape turns the sofa bed into a real relaxation zone.

The photo shows a lilac round sofa bed in the living room interior.

Corner

It is distinguished by its special organicity and, thanks to its angular left or right location, allows you to free up maximum usable space, while being a roomy three-seater sofa bed.

Narrow

It looks more like an armchair, which also transforms into a full-fledged bed. When folded, narrow models do not take up much space and are therefore ideal for small rooms.

Semicircular

It is a kind of compromise between strict sharp boundaries and weightless rounded shapes. The semicircular sofa bed has a fairly presentable appearance and fits harmoniously into the functionality of the room.

Rectangular

The most popular, widespread and traditional form, which can differ in both compact and very impressive sizes.

Sofa bed design options

Several original photos of design options.

With a soft back

The sofa back is the most important element of the design, so it should be as comfortable as possible. Soft design allows you to lean on the back more comfortably.

With a chaise longue

The chaise longue can be located on the right or left side of the sofa. Most often, it is equipped with a special compartment for storing bedding. This module, due to its movability, allows you to play with interior perception.

With a bar

Due to such additional options, upholstered furniture acquires special value. The built-in bar will add a special chic and solidity to the interior.

Upholstered with carriage coupler

It has a truly elegant, noble and very stylish appearance. The upholstery can be leather, velour, velvet or even jacquard, in any case, the carriage coupler always looks presentable and impressive.

With a table

It is a rather practical solution that combines several pieces of furniture at once, which allows you to significantly save useful square meters in the space.

The photo shows a small sofa bed, combined with a compact table in the interior.

With a cabinet

A multifunctional sofa bed combined with a cabinet creates an excellent storage system for various small items and is an ideal option for a small room

With rhinestones

They will give the interior space a special elegance and luxury. Rhinestones in the recesses of the quilted upholstery or in the stitching give the product an incredibly attractive appearance and some glamor, making it a harmonious decor for a fresher and more youthful interior.

Without sidewalls

They do not overload the room, do not clutter it and provide free movement in space. In addition, due to the absence of sidewalls, it is possible to form a spacious sleeping place.

With headrest

Due to the ability to change the position and transform the headrests, you can achieve a more comfortable rest.

With armrests

Such designs visually look much more voluminous. Armrests can be wide, high, narrow, thin or even rising.

With shelves

Thanks to convenient small shelves, there is additional storage space for various small items, due to which the sofa model becomes much more functional.

The photo shows a sofa bed with shelves placed in the armrest in the living room interior.

With an ottoman

A sofa in combination with an ottoman provides the opportunity to create various combinations, modify the interior concept and the space as a whole.

Color range

This piece of furniture can have a wide variety of color scheme, for example, it can be white, gray, green, black, blue, purple, red, light blue, brown or beige. The main thing is that the color scheme fully matches the overall interior design.

The photo shows an attic in the country with a sofa bed, made in red.

For a sofa bed, you can choose either a monochromatic or a more colorful and saturated color scheme. For example, brown products are often used in design, which are considered a classic option and combine well with other shades. A white model will help to refresh the environment, and an organic gray design is perfect for a neutral interior.

Photos in the interior of rooms

The use of a folding sofa in various rooms should bring not only benefits to the surrounding environment, but also psychological comfort.

To the kitchen

When decorating a kitchen, special attention should be paid to pay attention to the upholstery material. It should be practical, not absorb odors and be easy to clean, for example, it can be leather. In terms of design features, the most popular options are straight sofa models, kitchen corners or a bay window with a sleeping area.

The photo shows a single-seat corner sofa bed in the interior of a modern kitchen.

For the living room

In the hall, leather materials or wear-resistant fabrics such as microfiber, chenille or flock are chosen for upholstery. For a small room, products with a lighter design or sofas without armrests are especially popular. In decorating a guest room, both rectangular and soft rounded designs look equally good.

In the nursery room

When furnishing a schoolchild’s nursery, a wide variety of models are used. For a child, a small sofa with bright upholstery with a print, a couch, a ottoman without sharp corners, a structure in the form of a toy or a cartoon character are often chosen. In the room of a teenage boy or girl, double products equipped with an orthopedic mattress with increased rigidity and elasticity are appropriate.

In the photo, a children’s room with a small folding sofa in a blue shade.

On the balcony

A compact single folding armchair or a cozy one-and-a-half sofa bed dolphin, accordion, eurobook or folding bed are distinguished by the easiest transformation and fit perfectly into the balcony space.

Ideas for sofa beds in different styles

Each style direction has its own distinctive features and the sofa model must fully comply with them.

Modern

For modern design, practical and functional products with a laconic and discreet design, correct lines and angular shapes are chosen. The upholstery most often includes white, gray, black or beige colors.

The photo shows a sofa bed with a puma mechanism in the living room in a modern style.

Classic

A sofa bed can have a high back, wooden armrests and rich decor, products with leather or fabric upholstery in gold, pearl or other light colors are also appropriate.

Scandinavian

Only natural materials such as wood and textiles are used in the design of the sofa bed. Here you can often find a folding book design, a Eurobook with a hidden linen drawer, models with a high or low roll-out mechanism, equipped with modules with a bar or recliner.

Provence

Provence is characterized by textile upholstery in delicate tones with a large or small floral print. Basically, the products have high soft backs and a more simplified design, harmoniously complementing the overall composition.

Loft

Here, products with a slightly rough design in neutral or classic colors, laconic sofa beds with leather or faded textile upholstery will be appropriate.

High-tech

This style involves bright or, on the contrary, muted tones, geometric shapes, metal fittings, transformable headrests, additional pull-out parts and other multifunctional decor.

Minimalism

In a minimalist interior, the sofa bed should be stylish, but at the same time simple, without unnecessary pompous decorations and a strict color scheme, the monotony of which can be diluted with bright accent pillows.