Discover The Benefits of Futon Furniture Along With The Ability to Save Space

The Japanese use a futon that is quite a bit different than those you see in America. They are only about two or three inches thick, and use long staple cotton, a part of the cotton ball that is the most luxurious and expensive. They traditionally use mats floor mats instead of futon frames, and roll up the mattress each day to make room for other activities. This is definitely not like the futon furniture you see in America.

It wasn't until the 1970s when furniture designer William Brouwer adapted these beds into what you basically see today. He really wanted a piece of furniture that would fit well into a small apartment, and at the time the only thing even remotely similar was a hide-a-bed. These were bulky, hard to convert from a couch or loveseat into a bed, and extremely uncomfortable. So the Japanese futon style had to be adjusted, especially since Americans don't like sleeping on the floor.

His design was more light a traditional height bed, but had three parts which could convert easily into a long couch or wide chair, called the Brouwer Bed. Because it was so well made and comfortable, it won a very prestigious design award, and hence the American version futon furniture was born. Now they come in both three fold, as well as bi-fold designs, and are some of the most popular beds in America for small homes and apartments.

With the many different types of futon Furniture on the market today, the choices can be a little overwhelming. One point is to decide whether you want a bi-folding frame, or a tri-fold frame. Your more high end futons offer the bi-fold, which looks and feels more like a couch when folded up. It will have arms and be quite comfortable. A simple pin hold it in a sitting position, and when removed will fold flat for sleeping. These futons come in size up to queen, which will sleep two quite comfortably.

The three fold futon looks more like a low chair that has no arm rests. The back two sections tip up into an upside down V, which form the back rest. The third part forms the seat, with the actual futon having one section that folds under itself to provide the cushion seat. When you are ready for bed, you simple pull out the frame, and unfold the mattress. There are also wood and metal frames to a futon bed. While wood is more attractive, it is heavier, sometimes more difficult to fold, and more expensive. Metal style frames are lighter and easier to deal with, and much less expensive. You also need to look around for the right price, and selection in order to find the right one for your needs.