Sofa-sleeper category wide awake
Vendors come out with new models, mechanisms at High Point Market
By Gary Evans -- Furniture Today, June 1, 2009
HIGH POINT — At first glance, the sofa-sleeper business seems to be a mature market that only produces a yawn for all the action that's happening around it.
Still, the category isn't so sleepy after all, with an estimated 2 million to 2.5 million units sold annually. That's without much effort either — mostly retailers slap a hangtag on a standard sofa that says the same model is available in a sleeper version. Open models, outfitted for bed, are few and far between on store floors. Consumers either come looking for them or they don't, so why show them?
In any case, the category continues to be part a constant part of retailers' revenue streams, and several vendors came out with new mechanisms and mattresses at the recent High Point market to provide new spark to the category.
 Sleep & Store sofa by Shoehorn Furnishings |
What it is: Sleep & Store by Shoehorn Furnishings.
Description: Line of sofas, loveseats and chair/ottoman combos for sitting and sleeping with storage functions that maximize the use of small spaces.
Extra features: Pieces come ready-to-assemble with no tools and are shipped in three (or fewer cartons) for easy maneuverability through doors, up stairwells and other tight places. An underneath storage drawer holds linens, pillows, quilts and blankets. There is a choice of four arm styles and two different seat cushions, and contrasting piping is available.
Comfort factor: Uses an AC/DC pump to inflate and deflate a high-quality mattress. The sofa sports a 60-inch by 80-inch queen mattress.
Retail target: $799-$899.
 The Marcia Lawson sofa by Taylor King |
What it is: The Marcia Lawson sofa by Taylor King.
Description: This sleeper features clean lines with the round sock arm and tall dressmaker skirt, shown here with an optional contrast skirt band material.
Extra features: Most Taylor King sofa-sleepers offer a 75-inch, extended-length mattress with a contract-grade Leggett & Platt mechanism outfitted with a pop-up headrest.
Comfort factor: While the mattress and mechanism offer premium comfort and durability, many models can be upgraded to the extended-length, 10-inch-thick Air Dream mattress from Kingsdown, which the company claims is the most luxurious comfort available in the market.
Retail target: The Marcia queen sofa-sleeper as shown will retail for $2,295, upgraded by the Air Dream mattress to $2,695.
 Memory Flex sofa-sleeper from Flexsteel |
What it is: Memory Flex sofa-sleeper from Flexsteel.
Description: Hypoallergenic sleeper mattress with a top layer of visco elastic memory foam over dense polyurethane foam wrapped in cushioning fiberfill.
Extra features: Exclusive knit cover by Culp with Flexsteel logo. The mattress also meets the California Flammability Standard 1633.
Comfort factor: Conforms to body contours, redistributes weight evenly to relieve pressure points and “breathes” for better body temperature management.
Retail target: As pictured, the retail price point is $1,299, which reflects an upcharge of $150 over Flexsteel's standard queen mattress.
 Queen Plus Comfort Sleeper sectional by American Leather |
What it is: Queen Plus Comfort Sleeper sectional by American Leather.
Description: Designed by Robert and Barbara Tiffany, the Comfort Sleeper features the Tiffany 24/7, a patented sofa-sleeper mechanism design that offers true bed sizes inside a compact sofa design — so fitted sheets are never an issue. In addition, the mattress is 5 inches to 7 inches longer than standard sofa-sleepers but takes up 8 inches to 10 inches less space due to a space-saving design. With a reconfigured mechanism that no longer relies on the arms of the sofa to support the track mechanism, the new sleeper is designed to fit easily inside a sectional despite its extra width (66 inches vs. 60 inches) and width.
Extra features: The Comfort Sleeper mattress features a specially designed stain and bacteria-resistant, anti-microbial mattress cover, a greener and cleaner way to protect it from spills or germs.
Comfort factor: The Comfort Sleeper was created to eliminate problems such as harsh metal bars that have been associated with a poor night's sleep. It was voted one of the top 10 sofa beds by Apartment Therapy and named Best Buy in Alternative Beds by Consumer Digest.
Retail target: $7,200 for the Dickinson model shown here in a Suede Espresso cover.
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