How to Shop for Queen Size Sofa Beds
Dual duty furniture, such as sofa beds or sleeper sofas, can be great space savers. Selecting the one that's right for your space, however, can be daunting as the furnture options on the market today seem almost endless. Read on for tips to help you choose the style, color, level of workmanship, and price for the queen size sofa bed of your dreams! Does this Spark an idea?
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Instructions
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Plan your trip
For many people, walking into a furniture mega-store can be nightmarish - row after row of home furnishings and "helpful" salespeople ready to pounce on you the moment you step through the doors. Smaller stores can be more manageable, but they don't always carry enough variety of merchandise. The trick to keeping your sanity and finding the sofa bed that's right for you and your space is to have a good idea of the key features you need before you start shopping.
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Measure your space & create a mock-up
Nothing ruins the look of a room faster than mis-sized furniture, especially a larger piece such as a sleeper sofa. Pick one that's too small, and it will look puny and insignificant. Choose one that's too large and it will overpower the space. So before you start shopping for your new sofa bed, measure your space carefully. It's best to have minimum and maximum measurements for the length, width, and height. To see how the sizes will fit into your space, lay out a rectangular mock-up on the floor using sheets or towels. To simulate the height, use cardboard boxes or bins. You don't need to reproduce exact measurements - the purpose of the mock-up is to check flow through the space and scale. When you've come up with possible sizes, jot them down on a notecard.
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Evaluate your planned usage
There are two main functions of a sofa bed - sitting and sleeping. Determining how often you will use each of these functions will help steer your purchase in the right direction. For instance, if you're shopping for something that will be your primary sofa and/or bed, durability and comfort are key. If, on the other hand, your new sofa bed is designated for a guest room or office for occasional overnight visitors, you might be able to concede some measure of durability for style, cost, etc.
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Choose potential colors
Before you start shopping, it's best to know what potential colors will work in your space. This will help to focus your search by eliminating unsuitable options up front. Jot down at least three possible color families on your notecard. If you're new to developing a color palette, don't panic - these are only guidelines at this point to help steer your shopping. See the Resource section below for an article on Contrasting Colors.
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Evaluate your style
Are you traditional or contemporary? Country or French country? Casual or formal? Do you like the overstuffed, comfy look or are you more drawn to sleek and modern? If you're not quite sure, try flipping through home decor magazines such as Better Homes and Gardens or Country Living, or look through some decorating books at your local library. Remember, you don't have to commit to any particular style at this point, but the more specific your ideas are, the easier time you'll have shopping.
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Think about fabric
When it comes to sofa fabric, the first decision is generally to choose between leather furniture or cloth. Both have pros and cons - durability, style, and cost being the big three. If you have small children or pets, a sofa bed with a removable, washable slip cover might be the most practical choice.
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Shop!
Arm yourself with notes, take a deep breath, and enter the store. When you're accosted by the on-commission salesperson, be polite but firm. Take his card, explain that you're just there to look, thank him for his attention, and walk away. After you've looked over the furnishings, find your salesperson and ask about promotions, both current and upcoming. If you've found a sofa bed that might work in your space, ask to borrow the fabric swatch so you can see what it looks like in your home. Most stores will lend it to you with a small, refundable deposit.
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