Adult Bed Alternatives

Futon

• You can find futons in every furniture style from Early American wood to industrial pipes. Futons are couches that unlatch and fold down to create a flat surface for sleeping. A futon mattress can be thick or thin; choose the thickest one you can find and afford for the best sleep. Try out the mechanism for opening and closing the futon before purchasing as some can be complicated.

Air Bed

• Today's air beds have come a long way from the air-mattress rafts we float on in the pool. Most air beds come with an electric pump, and many of them are double height, mimicking a mattress and box springs. Air beds can be very comfortable on which to sleep, as you can adjust the relative firmness of the mattress by adding or removing air. Even the strongest air bed will eventually develop leaks, so they are not a good permanent solution, but they work very well for guests and for temporary bedding.

Convertible Foam Furniture

• Furniture manufacturers have created a series of convertible foam furniture. These pieces consist of a series of foam slabs, covered in and connected by fabric. Fold up the slabs and your have a couch, love seat or chair. Unfold them, and the slabs lay flat on the floor, creating a soft pad on which you can sleep. These furniture pieces tend to be a bit stiff as seating but quite comfortable as a sleeping surface.

Pallet

• The traditional Japanese sleeping arrangement is to spread out pallets on the floor at night, then fold them up and put them away during the day. This arrangement allows you to use the floor space in the room for other purposes, instead of dedicating a room to only sleeping. Form your own pallet by using a futon mattress, piles of blankets or foam pillows. Lay it out in the middle of the floor at night and place it in a closet in the morning.