Sofa beds are an excellent addition to any home, magicking up an extra place to put overnight guests when you need it. For those without a guest or spare room, it’s a lifesaver - especially during big occasions like Christmas.
The issue is not everyone has the floor space to install a full-sized version that pings open to a double bed size. Luckily, single sofa beds, or bed chairs, are a thing and make ordinary seating work harder by transforming into a cosy berth.
The compact dimensions of chair beds mean you can tuck them anywhere, be it the living room or a corner of your bedroom, although we would advise against the hallway in case of unwelcome breezes as well as the higher likelihood that visitors will trip over your snoozing, unsuspecting guest.
Teens will love having one in their room, ready for sleepovers with their friends.
While not as popular as a bona fide sofa bed, chair beds are far more common than you might think. You just need to know which corners of the internet to look.
Lucky for you, we’ve already done the sleuthing for you, bringing you the nicest - but more importantly, the comfiest - chair beds to invest in now. Add a few throw cushions and a throw that can be used as a blanket and you won’t need to find extra space for all the additional bedding, either.
From chic upholstery to plump cushions to sink into, here are the best designs worth bringing home.
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Dusk Seattle Single Click Clack Sofa Bed - Warm Natural
DUSK does so much more than just bedding; with this design, it offers both a place to perch as well as a bed for your favourite guest. The click-clack design sits on elegantly tapered wooden legs and can be left partially open to turn into a chaise longue. It also comes in a pale pink chenille version if you fancy adding a splash of colour to your space.
Buy now £279.00, Dusk
Habitat Roma Velvet Fabric Chairbed - Orange
Whether you’re short on space or just need an extra crash pad, Habitat comes to the rescue with its statement chair bed. Available in charcoal, blue, blush pink, emerald green and this warm rust-coloured velvet, it is complete with a matching cushion. Best of all, there’s minimal construction on your end - just pop on the feet and you’re ready to rock.
Buy now £255.00, Argos
Dunelm Beatrice Matte Velvet Snuggle Single Sofa Bed
Covered in luxe navy-coloured velvet, this chair bed wouldn’t look out of place in a swanky B&B. The snuggle sofa design is slightly wider than a standard armchair at 89cm, unfurling to reveal a single bed. The piped-edge design also comes in olive and bottle green tones as well as a brighter peacock blue. Comes with a five-year guarantee.
Buy now £599.00, Dunelm
Jay-Be Retro Small Fabric Chairbed - Mink
A chair bed on steroids, this is the most robust-looking frame and sofa design we’ve seen, something that’s reflected in the price tag. With a deeper seat and generous width, it’s more of a loveseat than an armchair, which means more room when you roll it out into bed format too.
The strong frame can support sleepers weighing up to 250kg and the design comes with a deep-sprung mattress so all you have to add is bedding. A five-year frame guarantee is included.
Buy now £1400.00, Argos
M&S Dylan Single Fold Out Sofa Bed
Trust good old M&S to come up with this genius design, and at a decent price too. The space-saving furniture essential uses the popular click-clack mechanism to fold out into a single-size bed in two moves, making it easy to make up a bed quickly.
It comes in charcoal and a lighter pearly grey, but we think the ochre makes it a hot seat. Keep it looking good by running a vacuum over it and rotating the cushions to keep them nice and plump.
Buy now £319.00, M&S
DURASPACE Sleeper Chair 3-in-1 Convertible Chair
Lounge smarter, not harder. Duraspace’s chair bed is made for boxset marathons, with a cup holder, USB ports and built-in side pockets to keep the ‘essentials’ (snacks). Offering luxury cinema-tier features, it goes one better and converts into a fully flat bed making falling asleep in front of the box an altogether more appealing prospect. Available in grey, dove grey and blue as well as this forest green.
Buy now £339.99, Amazon
Laura James Una single sofa bed - blue velvet
Click-clack sofa beds are one of the most popular types around thanks to their easy-to-operate function. There’s no head-scratching working out what to pull and in which direction as this style is ready to welcome visitors in seconds.
The smart blue velvet design by Laura James is so stylish no one will guess there’s a bed hiding in there. With delivery to your door, the only work you’ll have to do is add the legs and set it up in your desired space. Easy.
Buy now £269.99, Amazon
IKEA Kivik 1-seat sofa-bed, Tresund light beige
One of IKEA’s best-selling designs, the Kivik sofa chair flops out into a single-sleeper. The cushions are the mattress, and while they’re adequate for a night, adding a mattress topper will amp up the comfort factor. The covers are washable and a 10-year guarantee is included. Available in green, blue and grey shades.
Buy now £499.00, IKEA
Darlings of Chelsea Launceston No Arms Range
Want to elevate your existing lounging set-up? It’s easy. Just add a modular chair bed to your collection. Darlings of Chelsea has you covered with its Launceston seater. The armless design can slide in between modular units and pulls out to transform from a seat to a bed when you need it. Made in the UK, it’s covered in cosy fabric made for snuggling up.
Buy now £1036.00, Darlings of Chelsea
