This week we’re back at Sofa Studio talking to Anthony Meyer about his specialty field, sofa beds.

For anyone who’s had the misfortune of sleeping on someone’s poor quality sofa bed, the mere mention of the word is likely to send you into the foetal position clutching your favourite pillow and childhood blanky.

Admittedly an uncomfortable sofa bed can be a handy tool to speed up the departure of visitors who have outstayed their welcome, however most of us would like our guests to have a comfortable stay and a good night’s sleep.

So we asked Anthony about the latest options and how to judge a good sofa bed.

Question: Is it possible to have a sofa bed that’s both comfortable to sit on and sleep on and if so, what are we looking for?

Anthony: Absolutely.  Price is a factor and you do get what you pay for however it’s quite possible to buy a very comfortable sofa bed in quality fabric which offers a good night sleep for anything upwards of $1,400.  When you consider you’re getting both a bed and a sofa, it’s a very cost effective, space saving option particularly for small homes and apartments which may not have the luxury of a spare room.   Many people who buy a pair of matching sofas will choose to have a sofa bed as one of the sofas.

Question:  What are the main components to consider in the purchase of a sofa bed?

Anthony:  There are two main components; the bed mechanism and the mattress. 

The original style sofa beds had a foam mattress which may have been reasonably comfortable for a short time, however would ultimately, sag, break down and flattened. 

Sofa bed mechanisms were generally a three fold style and the bars could be felt through the mattress.  This style of mechanism, when folded into the sofa, also left a large gap towards the front of the lounge so the sofa cushions were unsupported. The sofa was neither particularly comfortable to sit on or to sleep in.  This style of sofa bed is still sold now however is generally at the lower end of the market.

Question:  How have sofa beds improved and what are we looking for in a quality seat and sleep?

Anthony:  Sofa bed mechanisms of a high standard have been dramatically improved over time.  Our mechanisms are 6” commercial grade fittings with a bi-fold mechanism, lumbar supports and trampoline base. It’s rated for hotel usage.  This type of mechanism provides a strong support for the mattress and a good firm base for the lounge cushions when folded into the sofa. 

The mechanism fits neatly into the sofa frame so there is no gap towards the front and seat cushions are totally supported.  In terms of comfort, you shouldn’t notice a difference between sitting on a regular sofa and a sofa bed of this quality.

Quality sofa beds will also have a fully sprung mattress.    

The mechanisms we import are provided with their own mattress (see above) as most are and these offer a good level of support and a comfortable sleep.

We also offer our clients two other options in superior quality mattresses which we have designed in conjunction with an Australian mattress manufacturer. 

I believe we’re the only sofa bed manufacturer that can offer this standard of mattress.

Note:  At this stage we adjourn to Sofa Studio’s Sofa Bed Gallery where a range of size and mattress options are available to test.  I’m wishing now I hadn’t worn the shoes that still look stylish but a bit tat when taken off the feet.  I try unsuccessfully to kick them under the first test bed.         

Anthony: Sofa bed mattresses have a different inner structure than a typical bed mattress in that the springs have to be able to be folded and bent (in order to be stored away) without damage. 

Our Indulgence Inner Spring (above left) has a thicker quilting layer than our standard mattress and is much more luxurious option.  It has the feel of a normal bed mattress to lie on.

Our Latex Mattress upgrade (above right) is a luxurious but firmer feel mattress and offers superior support and comfort. 

Note: I have now tried all three mattresses and find them all very comfortable.  I don’t know about the Latex option however.  I may never get rid of my house guests with this mattress.

Question:  What about the range of styles offered in sofa beds?  Is there any limitation compared to a regular sofa?

Anthony:  Fully imported sofa beds typically come in a limited range of fabrics and styles however Australian manufacturers have the capacity to offer a wider range of options. 

Because we manufacture here and specialise, we are able to custom make to fit just about any criteria, from single to queen size in classic as well as modular styles. 

Our leather sofa beds are particularly popular and our ottobed in single and double bed sizes are also gaining strong popularity as an option to a sofa bed.

Question:  You’re in Sydney only so what’s your advice for people living in other states?

Anthony:  My advice would be to look firstly for a sofa bed specialist and preferably one that manufactures in Australia as the range of styles and fabrics will be much wider.  Ask if the company uses a commercial grade mechanism and test the mattresses as you would a normal bed mattress.  It should be comfortable, firm and ideally offer the same level of support as a regular bed mattress.

 Budget is a consideration for all of us so when making your decision consider how often the bed will be used and by whom.  You may not want the latex mattress option if the sofa is going to be used predominantly by your children’s friends as a trampoline when they stay over in the rumpus room. 

We offer a 15 year guarantee on our sofa bed frames and a five year warranty on our mattresses.  Definitely ask about warranty.

At any given time we have more than 30 sofa beds ready to deliver as we also sell online and ship anywhere in Australia so of course that’s an option or interstate clients.

To visit Sofa Studio’s website, click here.

The Right Sofa for the Job!

I don’t generally blog from personal experience however the dire need for a new sofa this month prompted me to think carefully about the important decision I was about to make.

10 years ago I purchased what I believed were two perfect sofas for our living room.  In fact I had them made to my own specifications. They were delivered and looked beautiful in the room.  In fact I’ll confess here and now, I did indulge a fantasy about my living room featuring in a glossy magazine, I was so pleased with the look.

I fancied a photograph of me draped along one of the sofas in an elegant but understated outfit with one of my dogs (the small cute one, not the big, black cross breed) sitting prettily on my lap.

In the real world however, the photo would have shown me sitting bolt upright and squinting with a look of deep regret on my face. The lounges were not built for lounging, they weren’t particularly comfortable, were too far from the television and consequently the room has been largely unused for the past ten years.

So last week I sought the advice of Sydney Sofa Bed and Sofa specialist Anthony Meyer, owner of Sofa Studio in Crows Nest.

As a local I had been aware of Anthony’s business for fifteen years and I was aware of his reputation as a man who knows his business.

I asked Anthony to take me through the process of choosing the best lounge for my situation and here is his advice which is relevant whether you’re looking to buy for a home or business or for a client.

Question:  Do you have any advice about choosing a sofa retailer?

Anthony:  I’d recommend buying from a company with some longevity and a long guarantee period on workmanship.  We have been making our own sofas here in Australia for 15 years and offer a guarantee of 15 years.  

The internet is also a handy tool to verify the reputation of retailers.  The Department of Fair Trading website allows you to check if a company has had any complaints against them.

Question:  In an ideal situation what would the perfect client come into your showroom armed with?

Anthony: I’d recommend clients start with a wide view, and then narrow down to specific detail.  A good retailer will be able to guide their clients through this process.

Funnily enough the first consideration should be access.  It sounds an odd thing to start with however we’ve had occasions where clients have ordered a lovely big modular only to find it would not physically fit through a doorway or around a corner.

If  for example, the sofa is for an apartment, a piece of furniture over two metres in length is unlikely to be viable due to the narrow entrances and hallways of many apartments.

So ideally you would be able to give us details about access from the delivery van to the area where the sofa is to be situated including door and hall widths and angles into the room.

Question:  So we’ve established access, now can we talk sofas?

Anthony:  Before we start talking specifics about the sofa the client should have measurements of the room where the sofa is to be situated.  A simple drawing showing proportions of the room, measurements and placement of the main pieces of furniture in the room is ideal.  If the sofa is for a lounge/TV room, the location of the TV unit is most important in relation to the sofa/s.

A description of the style of furniture in the room, paint swatches of wall colours and swatches of curtain/blind fabrics and carpet swatches all help us to build a picture of the room and enables us to guide the client through the decision making process.

Note: So far I have two ticks.  I arrived with measurements and clutching a piece of carpet.

Now we’re ready to talk about the Sofa, starting with the style and shape.

As discussed earlier the shape should be complimentary or in keeping with the other pieces of furniture in the room.

A low profile sleek sofa will obviously suit a contemporary setting while a classic style sofa will suit a more traditional room.

The depth of the cushions and height of the back rest will be dependent somewhat on seating preference.  In a home setting, some people will lay along the lounge more often that sitting upright.  If this is the case, low wide arms are going to be much more comfortable.

Question:  What about cushion filling.  There are so many options now memory foam, layered foam, feather fill, sprung to name a few … how I know what will be most suitable.

Anthony: The best test is to sit on the lounge.  If you’re choosing a sofa from a reputable retailer, all will be guaranteed so the filling is almost irrelevant provided you feel comfortable.  A totally feather filled cushion will have a softer squashy look and may need fluffing from time to time, while a totally foam cushion will be much firmer and sleek looking.

Question:  And fabrics?

Anthony: If you’re buying an Australian made sofa there are two advantages.  If there should be any problem with the sofa it can easily be rectified.  The other advantage is that you are more likely to be able to choose from a very wide range of fabrics.

We have hundreds of fabrics to choose from inexpensive but durable cotton/synthetic blends to heavy weave linens. 

The safest way to choose a fabric is to select from sofas in the retailer’s showroom.  In this way you can see a big expanse of the fabric and you can also feel how the fabric impacts the seating.
A soft woven fabric for example will have much more give than a backed thicker weave fabric.

If the sofa is for a high traffic area or for a young family, cotton/synthetics are excellent as they are easily cared for, whereas a loose weave natural fibre needs a little more care.

In all cases we recommend fabric protection.  We recommend Guardsman fabric protection which has a five year insurance policy.

My Choice:  After going through ‘the process’ with Anthony I selected a lovely big low profile modular sofa covered in Zepel’s Bronco a textured soft weave fabric in Stucco, a neutral organic colour that will blend with the deep reds and neutrals in my room.  The sofa has low wide arms so our family can stretch out along the sofa.  The chaise of course will be in demand.  Bookings will be taken.

The cushions are layered foam which means the core of each cushion is long wearing memory foam with a soft outer layer of feathers.  Lovely for an afternoon snooze with the Sunday papers.

Because Sofa Studio can custom make I was able to combine features of two sofas which met our family needs.  Because we will probably move in a year or so, I wanted the ability to change the chaise from left hand side to right if necessary in future.

The Sofa offering this feature didn’t have the wide arms I wanted so Anthony was able to adjust the design to suit.

Delivery is four weeks and I can’t wait.

Next Week Anthony will give his best advice for choosing sofa beds which is Sofa Studio’s specialty.  If in the meantime you have a question for Anthony, send your email to sofainfo@tpg.com.au

The above photos are by courtesy of Sofa Studio.  Click here to visit Sofa Studio’s  website.

Below is a selection of sofas by Australian Manufacturer, Molmic.

Pictured above are (left) four seater Alicia and (right) Vivaldi Winter both from Molmic.
Alicia is RRP $3,800 and Vivaldi is RRP $4,790.

Pictured above (right) are Avonwick modular, RRP $9,850 and (left) Shona 3 seater one arm & chaise, RRP $7,625.  Both are available from Molmic.

The Oskar Grand from Molmic is RRP 7,995.

Click here to visit Molmic’s website.