GUEST BEDROOM/SOFA BED
Anna Stathaki | Photography SaveEmail Create a window seat This neat seat is more of a ‘bed sofa’ than a sofa bed, as it utilises a bed frame but transforms into a sofa when required. It’s a clever solution for this room, as it makes a virtue of the narrow space. By positioning the bed frame across the full width of the room, the wall behind doubles up as a sofa back. With the addition of a few large cushions it transforms into a cosy sofa with a view, but can quickly turn back into a bed when required.
Raise it up high The problem with some guest beds and sofa beds is that they take up a lot of valuable floor space. If square footage is limited, make your sofa/bed multitask by raising it up high and using the space underneath as storage. This solution would work well in a spare room where there isn’t space for both a wardrobe and a sofa. Choose a design with large under-bed drawers and you can use those to store clothes, shoes and bedding instead.
Hide it in plain sight At first glance, this looks like a spacious living room with a regular sofa in the centre. Look again and you’ll notice the sofa is actually placed in front of a mirrored wall, which creates the effect of a much larger room. As the sofa was so central to the room scheme, the designer – Olga Alexeeva of Black and Milk Interior Design – was keen to choose a sofa bed that was as beautiful as it was practical. “The sofa was the anchor for the scheme,” she says. “Then it was quite an organic process of building up the look. There is a large mattress underneath which pulls out. It has a slightly French look to it and it’s also incredibly practical.”
Keep it modern Choose a minimalist-style sofa bed like this one, which simply folds flat when required, and you won’t have to compromise on style or space. Because this style of sofa bed is less bulky than some traditional models, and has no need for a mattress, the frame is minimal and you can see right underneath. This feature is perfect for a small study, where you want a sofa bed to visually take up as little space as possible.
Imagine Living SaveEmail Make it armless If space is at a premium, like in this studio, look for a streamlined sofa bed shape without a bulky frame or side arms. When folded up as a sofa, this one tucks neatly into the space alongside the staircase, but still allows access to the storage cupboards behind. While it’s structurally compact, this design is no shrinking violet thanks to the cheery upholstery, which brings plenty of personality to the space.
Use a corner This little living-room nook could easily have become a wasted space in this city apartment, but by slotting in a contemporary-style sofa and lining the wall behind with a bespoke bookcase, it’s been transformed into a snug retreat. If you have a similar space, popping in a multi-functional sofa bed would make the nook even more hard-working, acting as a perch during the day and a guest bed at night. The bookshelf behind could double up as a bedside table, and hanging thick blackout blinds at the window would ensure the living room can be darkened when it’s time for bed.
Double up with a trundle Perfect for a compact kid’s room, a sofa/bed with a pull-out trundle bed can be quickly made up into two single sleep spaces and is ideal for facilitating sleepovers and midnight feasts. You just neatly tuck the trundle bed away when you need to claim the room back. A bespoke model like this is a good way to maximise space in a compact room, but you can also get lower-cost versions on the high street if you have enough room for a standard-size bed.
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