Accommodate guests with space saving solutions
House guests come and go, but the bed that is seldom used for them stays in your home all the time. If you don’t want to set aside a room to become a guest room, why not pick up an inflatable bed? They are easy to stow away when the guests aren’t around and they serve their purpose as needed. I know everyone has a horror story of sleeping on a terrible inflatable bed, but do some shopping around and find a good quality temporary bed that can serve your guests well.
If the inflatable bed isn’t for you, you may want to look into a sleeper sofa. Again, there are definitely some horrible sleeper sofas out there, but you must do some research and shop around. You don’t want your guests ruing the the day they stayed at your place.
Again, you really have to go out and find these things yourself. Research which beds are comfortable and reliable. If you settle for the cheapest option, you may not have any guests to accommodate after a few stays on a terrible mattress.
Posted by Matt on Sep 11, 2007 |
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28 comments posted
Posted by disconnect - 09/11/2007
Futons have come a long way since I bought The Horrible One Of Which We No Longer Speak in early 1991. Earlier this year, we picked up one that folds out to a full-size bed (it folds in half lengthwise, so I can grab one of the babies and stretch out and try to get some sleep). It’s got innerspring support and a considerable amount of padding, and it’s about as thick as a regular mattress and just as comfortable.
Posted by Kris - 09/11/2007
Okay, get out of my head!! My husband and I have JUST been having this conversation in preparation for moving into our new house at month’s end. Instead of using an entire room to house a queen bed that will get used maybe 5 times in a year, we decided to get our boys, who share a room, two nice twin beds with top of the line mattresses. When we have guests, we’ll push the beds together, use one of those seam covers and voila … guest bed. Our boys’ room happens to have it’s own bathroom and it’s own entrance, so it makes perfect sense as a guest room. And who doesn’t love a dinosaur theme, right?
Posted by Lane - 09/11/2007
Some advice for inflatable bed purchasers:
Most have a battery-powered pump for 90% of the inflating, and a foot (or mouth!) operated valve for the remaining 10%. The remaining 10% of air is critical for a good night’s sleep – the battery-operated pump likely won’t get you all the way there. When looking at inflatable beds, buy one that does not have the second valve on the bottom of the bed. If you do, and your guest stays more than one night, then you’ll have to flip it over, sheets and pillows and all, in what is likely a small space to begin with, to pump it up some more for the second night. A minor inconvenience but it can make a big difference.
Posted by Erin at Unclutterer - 09/11/2007
@disconnect — Can you share a link to the new futons? I only know of the ones from the Shall Not Be Named variety
Posted by whit - 09/11/2007
Small peice of advice based on experience. Instead of a queen-size inflatible mattress, get two twins. It may cost more in the beginning, but your guests will appreciate it. Those queen beds can be uncomfortable for 2 people to sleep on…especially if one person moves around a lot. My husband and I found this out when we renovated our house and slept on one for a week while the floors dried. He slept great – me, not so much. Seperate beds would have made all the difference. And two twin beds take up the same room as one queen in the closet.
Posted by katie - 09/11/2007
Has anyone looked at the Comfort Sleeper (available at Room and Board among other places)? http://www.americanleather.com.....eepers.asp
We love the idea. Sleeper sofas are traditionally so uncomfortable, but we would love to replace the guest room queen mattress with a couch. But…the cost! I don’t want to do it unless someone tells me they are the greatest sleeper sofa ever.
Posted by Joshua - 09/11/2007
I hate to insert a shameless self plug, but I actually just wrote a review somewhat recently of something that I use as both a chair and a bed on occasion. Hit my blog here for the review – http://ilike-it.blogspot.com/2.....-omni.html, but it’s actually a really functional piece of furniture
Posted by Joshua - 09/11/2007
’sigh’, update I screwed up the link, hit it here – http://ilike-it.blogspot.com/2.....-omni.html
Posted by Patychag - 09/11/2007
I can’t agree more! Couple months ago we had a cramped office because we kept a Queen Size bed for our (twice a year) guests. We got did our homework and we got a great Futon in Ikea, now our office is really spacious and neat and when our guests come for a couple days they do not feel that Futon makes their staying at our house less pleasent. We make it up to them having fluffy towels and a great breakfast!
Posted by Matt - 09/11/2007
Get an Aerobed. The things are amazing. The pump is built in, plugs in and inflates the mattress super quick. The pressure lasts all night. My friend slept on his aerobed for weeks instead of moving his real bed into his apartment. He thought about getting rid of his real mattress. I know this sounds like a sales pitch, but I can’t get over them.
Posted by Andamom - 09/11/2007
Another option is a trundle bed that stores under another bed. If you have a regular guest and want a pull-out ready-to-go-no-inflation option, this might be it: http://www.trundlebedstore.com/
Posted by Baly - 09/11/2007
I second the Aerobed. When my in-laws visited us, my husband and I slept on a full size aerobed and his parents slept on our queen bed. We have a 600 square foot apartment, which is why we didn’t get the queen.
Posted by twosandalz - 09/11/2007
I third the Aerobed! I use one when camping and it is hands down the most comfortable air mattress that I’ve slept on (believe me, I’ve tried many). The camping model fills with a battery powered pump, and inflates fully on a full charge. It is pricey for an air mattress, but saw them on sale around Christmas at Kohl’s last year.
Posted by Kate - 09/12/2007
Another vote for the Aerobed and the notion that when guest come, they get the “normal” mattress in our room and we put the aerobed up in our home office. Also means we don’t have to go nuts cleaning up the office and putting confidential client stuff in the basement for the duration.
Posted by disconnect - 09/13/2007
Erin, we went to our local futon store, and they don’t have a website! How dare they! But this one appears to be similar; same approximate construction, dimensions, and price. Our setup was around $600, which included mattress, frame, zippered waterproof cover, and zippered cloth cover. Here’s kind of what it looks like.
Posted by jon - 09/23/2007
Very interesting and professional site! Good luck! notem6715
Posted by bobbquackenbush - 10/11/2007
Get a slab of memory foam and stuff an oversized sleeping bag with it. Then get a matched set of sheets, pillow cases, comforter, and a nice blanket. Roll it out futon style when you need it, roll it up, tie it up, and stick it in a closet or any unused space, when you don’t need to use it. This is what I’ve used for myself for years and if you spend time looking for some nice material, it will look nice enough to leave out even if company is coming over. I have an aptment that is tiny, tiny, tiny.
Posted by Dana - 01/04/2008
I had a aero bed for awhile worked out pretty good , but im in the market for a new one , so this helps out alot with my decision ive seen some pretty cool ones out now.
Posted by Marcus - 01/09/2008
Definetly the best way too accomadate guests and always good to have as a back up just in case you might need it for something!
Posted by Marcus - 01/24/2008
Couldnt agree more ill be darn if i give up my bed and nowadays they make portable beds just as comfortable!
Posted by sue - 08/25/2008
I only have a futon from ikea that I sleep on every night. Initally it was too hard (it was one of the really cheep ones), so I put a memory foam topper on it, and now I have roomates who want to steal my bed. Nowadays you dont even have to get an expensive portable bed if you have the right topper for it. They wont even know the difference.
Posted by Maggie - 09/14/2008
We have an inflatable bed, and it already loses air, though it’s new. I’m much happier when we have one guest, who can sleep on our comfortable, long-twin-bed-sized futon. We got ours from Room Doctor, which had a store near Penn State but has this website as well: http://www.roomdoctor.com/. We actually kept it because we like sitting in it; it’s very firm but comfortable. And it really is so comfortable for sleeping. We got the extra-thick mattress.
Posted by Deb - 09/14/2008
Thank you all for the information on guest bedroom solutions. Timely advice, as I have just been told of the coming visit from the in-laws who will not be driving the motor home this time.
We can’t afford to replace the futon we have been using but I think the memory foam topper or perhaps even an aerobed topper may work well. Does anyone place their aerobed on top of a frame or a futon?
Posted by -e - 09/14/2008
For the occasional guest in my 440sq ft studio apt, I got a folding army cot from a camping store. I’m told it’s very comfortable, and it eliminates the bad feng shui of sleeping on the floor.
Posted by Christine in DC - 09/16/2008
I thought about getting some sort of guest sleeping option, but opted instead when I got my sofa to get one that was large enough to comfortably sleep on. I have no room for even an air mattress, really (without extensive moving of furniture) and didn’t want to get a sofa bed when the bed part of it wouldn’t be used much. If someone visits, they can sleep in my bed. I’ve actually slept on the sofa voluntarily–it’s comfy!
Posted by Julie - 09/17/2008
We recently got a couch that is a hideabed, and it rocks! The framework folds out with usual springs and a thin pad, but also with an aerobed-style mattress on top. So the mattress has springs supporting it, but you cannot feel the awful bar like you could in old hideabeds. The mattress inflates with an electric pump and the thing is incredibly comfortable to sleep on, and also great for lounging when’s it just being a mild-mannered couch (it’s our primary living room furniture). Looks gorgeous, too. Several furniture companies make a hideabed/air mattress combo, ours is a Drexler.
Posted by Rob - 09/19/2008
I’ll personally vouch for the IKEA “Manstad” (sp?) corner sofa. It’s a sleeper, but instead of having a fold-it-up-and-stuff-it-in design, it’s actually designed like a trundle. You slide out the trundle from under the long section and it springs up to even height with the sofa cushions, making a full-size bed. It’s also a pretty comfy sofa, looks sharp, and is relatively inexpensive (as sleeper sofas go) to boot. That thing is just made of win.
Posted by karen - 09/21/2008
this is the multi-tasking solution i’m looking at.
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