A futon bed is so useful as it makes a perfect sofa during the day and then can turn into an impromptu guest bed at night without much hassle. If you have a futon, however, you do need to think about what to do about bedding. Many people make do with whatever is not being used on other beds and is just lying around the home, but it is a pity to do that when you could make your guests feel so much more welcome by providing one of the beautiful new bedding ensembles around. These generally include everything you need to make a full set of bedding including sheets, pillow shams and either a duvet cover or comforter.

If you choose the colors of your bedding carefully, you could also make your temporary guest room look much more than an afterthought. Many people put a futon in the study or den and match the futon covers (which you see most of the time) to the decoration there. But why not buy matching bedding too? For example, if the room has a red, white and blue theme, think about buying a similar red, white and blue bedding set. There is a great blue bed in bag by Tommy Hilfiger available just now, which incorporates those colors and would suit perfectly. If, on the other hand, your room has a Japanese theme to go with your futon, you could choose a bedding set with oriental characters or even one embroidered in cherry blossom, the national flower of Japan.

It is best to store your bedding as close as possible to the room where it will be used. If you think that storing all this new bedding will be a problem, one solution is to buy a large wicker storage basket that can double as a coffee or a side table. These generally come in natural wicker but they are also available in white or painted in all kinds of shades. They will take a lot of bedding including pillows as well as a comforter and sheets (and probably storage for a few other things as well). When you are ready to turn your futon into a bed, everything is then available right there without having to scout around your home looking for the spare pillows and duvet.