What is a Sofa Bed?

A sofa bed, also called a sleeper sofa or hide-a-bed, is a sofa with a bed built into it. The bed in a sofa bed is mechanically engineered to fold into and out of the base of the sofa to transform the sofa from a couch or loveseat into a bed. This dual purpose piece of furniture provides a great alternative to a guest room by allowing the family or living room where a sofa bed is used to turn into a place for overnight guests to stay. Sofa beds originated from the earliest concepts used in recreational vehicles and motor homes that enabled one area to serve numerous purposes. There are many manufacturers of sofa beds, and they come in a variety of styles. A sofa bed may fold down from the back like a futon or the seat may fold out to reveal a frame and mattress. Some sofa beds include twin size beds and others full size beds. Nearly any style of sofa can be found in a sofa bed style from traditional to contemporary. Even sectional couches can include a sofa bed. Essentially, you can ...  more

A sofa bed is a piece of furniture that acts as both a sofa and a bed. Often called a "convertible," the sofa bed can be made up as a couch during the day and then the cushions are removed and the frame pulls out to make a bed.  more

It's actually surprisingly difficult to define the term sofa bed. Partly this is because of the difficulty in defining the word "sofa" itself. Etymologically the word sofa comes from the Arabic suffa which was a long stuffed couch or a dias with cushions. Some people define a sofa as being any seat for two or more people. Others insist that a sofa is larger than a settee which seats two people. There is also disagreement about whether or not a sofa needs sides arms. The definition of "sofa bed" is even more complex. Nowadays you can buy sofa beds in all sizes, including single seat versions. These should, stricly speaking. be called "chair beds". However for simplicity they are often also called "sofa beds". And what about the Western futon? It sometimes seems as if marketing departments use this term interchangably with "sofa bed". This variety of interpretations underlines how important it is to know exactly what you are getting before you buy, be it online or in a store. The ...  more