Sofa beds

OVERNIGHT GUESTS BUT NO SPARE BEDROOM? PICK OUT ONE OF THESE TRIED-AND-TESTED SOFA BEDS FOR THE PERFECT SOLUTION

- AMY LOCKWOOD

BEFORE YOU BUY

A sofa bed offers a great multifunctional solution for a living room, guest bedroom, or home office. And with many designs to choose from, there's something to suit everyone. Pullout sofa beds have a concertina bed frame and folded mattress hidden under removable seat cushions for a classic look, while in a click-clack design the sofa seat and backrest fold flat and lock into position to become the sleeping surface.

There is also a range of sizes, so it’s important to think about how much space a sofa bed will take up. Ideally, you want enough room to be able to walk comfortably around it and get at all sides, even when it’s extended. An easy way to get an idea of scale is to lay out an old newspaper on the floor to match the dimensions of the sofa bed.

Comfort is key when it comes to picking a sofa bed. If you're considering a click-clack design, the seat and backrest of the sofa form both the seat and the bed, so the main frame of the sofa is all you have in terms of support, with no loose cushions to add comfort. Find out if springs are mentioned in the product description. If you're after a pullout bed, look for a deep sofa base that offers plenty of room for the mattress and bed frame to fold neatly away and leaves room for generous cushions on top.