Best sofa beds: the best stylish and comfortable small and double sofa beds in the UK
First patented in 1899 by American inventor Leonard C. Bailey, a sofa bed is a lifesaver for anyone with limited space but a calendar bulging with visits from friends and family.
Their design hasn’t changed much in the last 120-odd years. A metal frame sits folded beneath the cushions of the sofa - mattress and all - ready to be lifted out when the occasion calls.
Other space-saving beds include the Murphy Bed; popular in the US, it pulls down from the wall from a compact mock wardrobe. Then there’s the futon, a traditional Japanese style of bed which can also be folded away to allow the room to function as more than a bedroom.
Frankly, we’re fans of anything that has a dual purpose (living in a tiny London flat will do that to you) so furniture that can transform from a stylish seat to a comfy bed is just the ticket.
The engineering marvel that is a sofa bed makes a superb option to accommodate both impromptu as well as planned guests. It can sit happily in your spare room without taking up lots of space, or you can use it as your main sofa where it will sit ready to morph into a for pillows and blankets and you’re set.
