paulie's Profile

The Clark would be perfect, except it is only 45" wide when open. Comparatively, a double futon is 54". It's a shame, because the Clark has everything I'm looking for. It's stylish, comfortable (I went to West Elm to try it out), and very affordable. However, at only 45 inches wide, it is more like a twin bed best suited for only one person. Hopefully West Elm will catch on and make something similar that is a little wider. If it does, it will be a hot item. For now, I'm saving up for a Nomade Express from Ligne-Roset. I hate to spend thousands of dollars, but it's the only thing that is suitable.

I purchased the Dawson by American Leather in 2007, hardly an older model. Again, it was THE WORST MOST UNCOMFORTABLE piece of junk I've ever waisted money on. I woke up every morning completely physically sore. I got rid of it after just two weeks. It does, however, look great, especially in the Room and Board showroom. The smallish size is ideal for small apartments, like mine. However, removing all those pillows, and the then dealing with the zippers, and the opening and closing mechanism which is difficult to operate compounded by a most uncomfortable mattress renders the Dawson as an unfit sleeper sofa for daily use. FYI, I finally purchased the Sliding Sofa from DWR. Very simple to open and close, no zippers, no pillows, removable covers for cleaning, covers can also be changed out for different colors, and best of all, an incredibly comfortable mattress truly designed for every day use. It also looks like a million bucks, especially in red! I waited for a sale, reducing the final purchase price by 15% to $3,000. Still expensive, but a huge improvement over any American Leather/Upholstery piece. Of note, I almost bought the Nomade Express by Lignet Roset, but the deal breaker was the fact that the cover can not be taken off for regular cleaning, and at around $4,000 it is more expensive. Another great choice for the more budget conscious is the Orion Futon by Strata. The pictures I've seen on-line do not do it justice, but in person it is a very beautiful piece of furniture. Whatever you do, just avoid American Leather at all cost!

Check out the Orion Wall Hugger by Strata. It's modern yet warm looking, inexpensive ($700 for the frame), space saving for a small studio, yet it opens to a double bed, and is a beautiful solid wood that comes in black or a walnut finish.

http://www.thefutonshop.com/product.aspx?productID=682

You can put any cover you want on it to create any desired look. Of course the cover is removable for cleaning, which it is not on the Nomade-Express by Lignet Roset or the Flex sofa bed by CB2. It has no slit running down the middle like the Slider Sofa Bed does at DWR. It is also far less expensive than the Nomade and the Slider, but more (with a mattress) than the Flex. I also find that a top of the line futon is superior to anything else, including the American Leather pieces which are supposedly touted for being wonderful for everyday use. Simply put, they are not. My American Leather Dawson was returned to Room and Board, because I awoke completely sore every day. Not to mention, you have to unzip all those pillows, take the cushions off, and open the thing up which is cumbersome. It also took up the entire studio. The Orion does none of the above, looks great, was inexpensive, and fantastic to sleep on with the right mattress. You can also change the look at your whim simply by changing the mattress cover. All in all, I would not even consider anything else.

Because it is a wall hugger by Strata, it will not mark your walls or scuff your floors when opening it. In essence it remains stationary. It also has a wrap around back (very rare), making it look great as a day bed when open and pillows are tossed on the back.