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Whether you host guests often, or just want something on hand for last minute visitors, futons are more than an inexpensive college dorm solution. They come in many different styles and designs to fulfill needs in game rooms, apartments, and transitional spaces, and can also serve as center pieces around which you can style your whole living room. Check out our picks for the best futons below.
About a grade above a typical dorm-room-style futon, the Dorel Home Products Emily Convertible Tufted Futon Sofa offers an upscale and modern look that clicks easily in and out of a seated position. The split back allows you to lower one side for more lounging, while keeping the other upright. This piece looks sleek and modern on its own, but can also be paired with a matching chaise lounger, ottoman or chair (sold separately).
For an all-around stylish and affordable futon, the DHP Emily Convertible Tufted Sofa is a great value for apartments or dorm rooms.
For an upscale and modern look that’s adaptable to many styles, the Haden Urban Sofa Bed offers a dense foam mattress for an incredibly comfortable lounging and sleeping experience. The bed is simple to convert, and the back of the futon is finished, leaving a nice look when it’s configured as a couch. It’s a little pricey for the size, but especially given the quality of the mattress, it’s not a bad value.
With an adaptable style and maximum comfort, the Haden Urban Bed Sofa is a great option for your convertible spaces.
With its velvet upholstery and gold legs, the Skylar Coil Futon encapsulates the modern classic look while maintaining comfort and flexibility. Its split back allows for multiple seating arrangements at once, while the three seat-back positions will have your guests lounging comfortably.
The Skylar Coil Futon is a modern, stylish, and comfortable option that will look great in any room.
For smaller spaces, the Elledge Twin Upholstered Pillow Back Convertible Sofa gives you pretty great bang for your buck. In its smallest form, this futon functions as a plush, modern-looking, armless chair. For more comfortable lounging, it can be extended into a chaise lounger, and fully into a twin-sized bed. At first glance it's a little pricey for a convertible chair, but its size and adaptability makes it a great investment. This compact futon would be a great piece for an office, a small guest bedroom, and may even be used as a nice accent chair in your living room.
The Elledge Twin Upholstered Pillow Back Convertible Sofa is actually a futon chair, great for small spaces or as an accent piece.
Japanese futons are a little different from Western-style futons. Instead of a convertible frame and mattress, these are hefty sleeping pads that rest directly on the floor and can be folded and stowed away when not in use. In addition to saving money and space, some say there are other benefits to this minimalist way of sleeping, including alleviating back pain. The Fuli Japanese Futon’s three layers are easily rollable or foldable, and provide the ample comfort of foam with the support of your floor, though it can also be used on a bed or futon frame. If you’re not ready to commit for the price just yet, you can try out this style of futon with this cheaper option.
The Fuli Japanese Futon is a traditional Japanese-style floor mattress that can also be paired with a bed or futon frame.
The Modern Faux Leather Convertible Futon Sofa from Best Choice Products is truly the most versatile product on our list. In its upright seated position, two can lounge comfortably with a cupholder armrest between them and armrests on either side. When converted to the sleeping position, the center armrest folds into the seat back and the side armrests are removable so the entire futon lays flat. For extra recline, the seat back also has a position between the flat and upright positions. The faux leather makes for a sleek, modern piece of furniture, as well as a cool lounging experience. When the futon is completely flat, it’s easy to cover with a fitted sheet, protecting the faux leather and converting it to the look of a real bed. In all positions, the futon can hold a maximum weight of 500 pounds.
The modern and sleek Faux Leather Convertible Futon from Best Choice Products is a highly versatile and stylish option that works well in apartments or guest rooms.
Great news for professional loungers: Sectional futons exist. The Emily Sectional Futon from Dorel Home Products is a low profile and versatile futon that also looks very upscale. The whole thing is a modular piece that comes with a detachable chaise lounger to complete the sectional and easily seat three. When converted, the futon can comfortably sleep two, one on the chaise and one on the main sofa. Though the versatility and capacity offer good value even for the price, unless you’re specifically looking for something lightweight and short term, you may be better off investing in a real sleeper sectional couch.
The Emily Sectional Futon from Dorel Home Products is elegant and versatile while providing a little extra capacity than your average futon.
The Tallulah Memory Foam Futon from Novogratz is a vintage lover’s dream, with maximum comfort! High-quality velvet options are available in multiple colors of button-tufted cushions. The wide and low silhouette make for a unique and charming piece of furniture that could easily become the focal point of your living room. With a split back for added lounging versatility, this memory foam sleeper is perfect for relaxing and sleeping in comfort. The only drawback is the high armrests–though comfortable for sitting, they may become restrictive when the futon is used as a bed. If memory foam is your top priority, but you’re looking for something a little more affordable, this option from Milliard is a great choice.
The Novogratz Tallulah Memory Foam Futon is a unique, stylish, and comfortable combination, ideal for your living room and your guests.
For a futon that looks (and functions) like a very traditional couch, the Shasta Roll Arm Upholstered Storage Futon from Pottery Barn is a great choice, even if it is a pricey investment. Simple yet sturdy, the durable frame is made of engineered wood that lays flat and hides a roomy storage compartment beneath the cushions that’s perfect for guest bedding, pillows or extra blankets. With five fabric options and 25 color options available, this futon is customizable to many different spaces and styles.
For a highly functional futon that can be customized to fit any style and many spaces, Pottery Barn’s Shasta Roll Arm Upholstered Storage Futon is a practical investment.
The Mopio Chloe Futon Sofa Bed comes in 12 different colors to fit any interior style. The understated and modern chevron stitch on the cushion backs make this futon a great option as a centerpiece in your living room, or as a compliment to a larger sofa. The wood frame is solid and durable enough for all your overnight guests.
The Mopio Chloe Futon Sofa Bed is an affordable and stylish option that comes in 12 different colors to fit any interior style.
If you’re looking to invest in a leather futon, look no further than the West Elm Andes Leather Futon, available in 15 different colors of leather and three vegan leather color options. The deep seat of this futon makes for extra comfort when lounging and sleeping, and the seat back folds up and back easily for a flexible piece of furniture. We love that the wood and filling are sustainably sourced and the leather is high-quality.
The Andes Leather Futon from West Elm is a high-end and flexibly functional investment for your living space.
For small living spaces or as an accent piece in your home, the Clarrissa Upholstered Accent Chair is a great find for a great price. Available in a selection of bright colors, the seat folds out to form a chaise lounge chair, and the back reclines slightly, or completely flat to make a twin bed for an overnight guest. It’s so compact and functional, you may even consider doubling it as a desk chair.
For a futon chair that’s so comfortable it can easily double as a desk chair, go for the Clarissa Upholstered Accent Chair.
A futon is an exposed mattress designed to be converted for both sitting and sleeping. It may come as either a floor mattress or rest on a metal or wood frame. Futons provide flexibility that can be great for transitional or temporary spaces, guest rooms or serve as your main piece of furniture. They range in style, quality and price.
If you’re looking to invest in a futon, there are a few things to keep in mind:
When browsing through the best couches, consider where your futon will be kept and how it will fit into that space. If the futon is for a smaller room, consider a futon chair, or another futon designed for small spaces. If it’s going to be your main piece of living room furniture, you may want to go for something bigger, like a sectional couch. Just like wanting the best mattress for your bed, you’ll want to shop around to find the ideal futon for your home.
It can be frustrating if you go to convert the futon and it takes longer or is more complicated than you thought. The convenience and method of converting the futon is something to consider when buying.
The comfort of your futon will depend both on the mattress itself and the frame. Many metal or wood-slatted frames can cause discomfort if the mattress is too thin. You’ll want a comfortable night’s rest whether you are using the futon as a bed every night, or you’re welcoming guests.
We reviewed a selection of online and traditional retailers to make our recommendations for the best futons, with an emphasis on price, functionality, customizability, and convenience. All of our picks prioritize financing options and have transparent warranty and trial periods, and all but two of our picks are priced below $1,000.
It depends on your body, sleep needs, and the quality of the futon. Generally, healthy people at a healthy weight can use a futon long-term, and a futon floor mattress may even have some benefits for those with back pain or poor circulation.
Again, this depends on your living situation and needs. Futons are great for short-term or transitional spaces, and come in a range of prices, many of them worth the cost.
It’s best to use a removable and washable cover if you can, especially if you plan on using your futon frequently. To deep clean the mattress itself, you can mix a mild detergent with warm water and gently scrub the mattress. Remove any excess soap by “rinsing” the mattress with a wet cloth, and allow the mattress to thoroughly air dry before using it again.
Generally, futons differ from beds in that they can be converted into other seating options like chairs or couches, and they are different from sofas because the mattress is exposed rather than tucked under the cushions.
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