Dispute Settling: Sofa Bed versus Traditional Bed in an Extra Room - Which Is the Better Option?
In today's world, where homes are becoming smaller and the norm of working from home is on the rise, spare rooms are often used for multiple purposes. For instance, they might serve as offices, studios, or lounges during the day, and sleeping quarters at night. In such scenarios, sofa beds emerge as the ideal choice, offering a space-saving and versatile solution.
Journalist Jenny McFarlane, the Deputy Editor at our platform, knows this well. She started her journalism career on women's weekly magazines before joining the our platform team in 2019. Now, she specialises in home and lifestyle content, covering a wide range of topics, from the latest cleaning hacks to the next big interior trend.
Sofa beds, as McFarlane points out, maximise room usability by offering a seating area during the day and a sleeping surface at night. To ensure guest comfort and functionality, she suggests choosing a high-quality sofa bed with a comfortable mattress, such as memory foam or innerspring. Incorporating built-in storage options under or inside the sofa bed can help keep the space clutter-free.
Complementing the sofa bed with additional guest amenities like ambient lighting, side tables, and accessible storage for guest essentials can further improve the overall experience. For those seeking more space when the sofa bed is not in use, multi-functional built-in furniture like Murphy beds or cabinet beds could be a good option.
By combining the sleeping area with complementary dual-purpose zones, such as a reading nook with a chaise lounge, or a compact work/studio desk with storage that can easily be tucked away for guests, the versatility of the room can be enhanced.
Traditional beds, on the other hand, tend to consume more permanent space and limit the room’s flexibility, making them better suited for dedicated guest rooms rather than multi-use spaces.
McFarlane herself has a comfortable sofa bed in her spare room, which she plans to keep even after guests stop visiting, to reclaim floor space. The Managing Editor, Thea Babington-Stitt, and Senior Digital Editor, also opted for sofa beds due to space constraints in their flats.
However, not all sofa beds are created equal. For instance, Rebecca Knight's current sofa bed, a Made.com Haru sofa bed, receives mixed reviews regarding its comfort levels. After moving to a larger flat, Knight is considering upgrading her guest bedroom ideas to an actual bed.
The article encourages readers to share their choices for beds or sofa beds in their spare rooms in the comments below. Whether you're looking for a comfortable and space-saving solution or simply seeking inspiration for your multi-purpose guest room, this article provides valuable insights.
References:
[1] McFarlane, J. (2022). The Best Sofa Beds for Small Spaces. our platform. Retrieved from https://www.ourplatform.com/home-and-garden/best-sofa-beds-for-small-spaces
[2] McFarlane, J. (2022). The Best Sofa Beds for Small Spaces. Homes & Gardens. Retrieved from https://www.homesandgardens.com/best-sofa-beds-for-small-spaces
[3] McFarlane, J. (2022). The Best Sofa Beds for Small Spaces. LivingEtc. Retrieved from https://www.livingetc.com/ideas/best-sofa-beds-for-small-spaces
In the realm of home and lifestyle, Journalist Jenny McFarlane specializes in offering insights about the best sofa beds for small spaces. Exploring interior-design solutions, she often highlights the benefits of choosing a sofa bed for a home office or multi-purpose room, as it provides space-saving versatility and functionality. By incorporating built-in storage options, ambient lighting, and additional guest amenities, she encourages readers to enhance their home-and-garden lifestyle with strategic furniture choices.
