Futon beds have become very popular in western countries over the years. Though many people may not know what exactly a futon really is. From their Japanese origins to what we see today there are some differences, we are going to have a look at them.

Origin Of Futons

Incase you were unaware, Futon beds originated in Japan where they are also referred to as “Futon” and are said to have been first used by samurai's. These Japanese beds would generally consist of two main parts, the “Shikibuton” - the bottom mattress – and a “Kakebuton” – a thick quilted bed cover - similar to goose down comforters. They are made to be slept in at night then folded up during the day and stored away so that the room they occupied can used for other purposes.

Futons are flat mattresses which a laid out on a traditional Japanese floor called “Tatami”. The mattress is generally filled with cotton and wool, but these days you will find some filled with synthetic fibres. The pillows or “makura” are normally filled with either beans, buckwheat chaff or plastic beads.

When not in use the futon is stored in a cupboard out of the way. To keep them fresh and stop them from smelling they need regular airing and sunlight, normally they will be taken outside and will be beaten with a bamboo cane, which is similar to the western carpet beater.

Use Of Futons In The West

In the west though, they are quite different, we have adapted the futon bed to suit our needs. When the word “futon” is mentioned a lot of people will automatically think of a futon sofa bed. Where instead of the futon mattress being folded away and kept in a cupboard during the day, the futon frame folds up into a usable sofa or armchair. If it is to be used as a full time bed, they generally wont be placed on the floor, but will have a fixed wooden bed frame to lift it away from the floor, normally to keep the user away from any drafts and cold air on the floor. In the west we also use much thicker mattresses on our futon bed, these are more like the traditional mattress used in western beds.

The  main reason for the popularity of japanese sofa bed in the west is the fact that they are very cheap. They appeal to the masses who want a simple, fashionable and comfortable bed.

Futon beds have come a long way from their origins in Japan. The Japanese futon bed has been embraced by many  countries, even if they have been modified along the way. They are a great option if you are short on space, need to save money, or even if you just like the look of them. There are plenty of them out there for you to choose from.

Trundle beds seem to be really popular with kids who are either too old to have bunk beds or who just don’t like bunks. They offer a classier look than bunk beds too, but you still get the benefit of having two beds as the second bed appears from underneath the main bed. Trundle beds will generally be a better option than air beds and futon beds as they are proper, full time beds that have proper mattresses. A trundle bed can be used to save space where a bed is not needed all the time, either in a kids bedroom or a spare bedroom.

As with most beds trundle beds come a in a range of sizes, but from what I have seen the twin trundle bed is the most popular choice with many people. Beds like this are the perfect solution for when your child is having a sleep over. In every day use these beds don’t take up any more space than a regular bed, but when a second bed is needed it just slides out with ease. In the morning there is no need to make up the second bed either, just remove the covers, either clean them or just store them away and slide the lower bed back into place.

The trundle bed is more than just a one trick pony though, you can use them for storage as well. A lot of people will buy the bed without the bottom mattress or remove the mattress and throw it away and use the base of the trundle bed for storage purposes. Because it can be hidden away under the bed out of sight this is the ideal place to store things like spare bedding, clothes that are out of season and so on. One of the big parts of the appeal of these beds is that they are versatile.

Trundle Beds For Kids

Trundle beds are really popular choices with many families. During the day the bedroom has plenty of free space for kids to play in, do their school work and so on, but when the weekend comes and there is someone over to stay there is another full sized bed for the guest to sleep on. They are not only good for use by guests but if you have two children that share a bedroom these are great alternatives to bunk beds. Trundle beds for kids are available in a whole range of designs from regular wood stains to an array of wonderful colors and some even feature cartoon characters and so on.

Pop Up Trundle Beds

You are also able to get pop up trundle beds, this style of trundle bed is perfect for smaller spare bedrooms that don’t have enough room space for twin or full sized beds all of the time. A pop up trundle bed will generally be a single bed, but the bed from underneath slides out then can be raised up on legs to bring it to the same height as the regular bed, turning it into a bigger bed for two people. This is a great feature.

Trundle beds are perfect if you need to save space but also need space for people to spend the night at your home. They are great for guest rooms as well as for kids beds, especially pop up trundle beds. If you buy good mattresses to go with your beds then they are going to be just as comfortable as any regular bed. They are also considerably more classy than bunk beds, air beds and so on.

You may be wondering what the actual difference between kids beds and a regular adults bed is. Well there really isn’t a lot of difference other than the size in most cases and in some cases the design, or theme of the bed. Just like any big purchase you make you will want to do a bit of research before you decide on what you are going to buy. You will want to know about the best materials to go for, the styles and such like.

What Material To Go For

The material that is used to make the bed is perhaps the single most important feature on any bed, or any piece of furniture for that matter. Not only do you want it to look good but it has got to be durable as well. As you will be well aware kids love to jump around their bedroom and their bed normally takes quite a bit of abuse, so their beds have got to be strong. You will also want a material that is able to hide the battle scars associated with being a kids bed. Plastic is a good choice as it does a good job of hiding scratches and so on, plus it wont chip like a painted surface would. Painted finishes are quite popular but they show of lots of marks, not just chips, but scuffs and so on.

Buying A Quality Bed

Everyone wants to buy the best quality product that they can afford to, but how do you determine what is good quality and what isn’t? One way to do this is when you are in a furniture store look over the kids beds and check the finish, look for cracks in the material, bubbles in the paint or varnish and areas that haven’t been smoothed off. This is a good way to see if the bed has been put together well, or if it has been made in a rush.

The material that has been used to make the bed is a good measure of quality too. Beds made using fiber boards are generally really cheap and break easily when abused, especially around about joints. A solid wood kids bed will be considerably better quality, even if it is a softer wood like pine. Pine is also very affordable. If a hard wood was used, such as maple, cherry or something along those lines it would be reasonable to assume that it was a pretty good bed. The down side to these hard woods is that they they cost quite a lot of money, they are worth it though as they will last you for many years.

Cheap kids beds made from Plastic can be alright, normally they are not going to last you too many years. Thankfully they are cheap so you don’t lose a lot of money buying them. Metal beds are cheap as well, but if they are made using soft metals they will not last long, soft metals bend and break easily, if a metal beam does break then it leaves a sharp edge, this isn’t ideal for use as kid bed furniture. Metal also has a tendency to creek and be noisy too, so if the kids are playing upstairs or in the next room it will be even noisier than usual.

Types of Kids Beds

There are so many different styles of bed that you can choose from these days, but no doubt your child will want a fancy race car shaped bed, or a princess themed bed, or whatever the current fashion is. In these instances you need to be firm with them, because you know they will grow out of this phase in no time at all. Some of the most popular styles of beds to go for are as follows -

Bunk Beds – Kids bunk beds are ideal for smaller homes where children have got to share a bedroom, they both have a place to sleep but there is still a lot of floor space left to play on or to have other furniture too.

Cabin Beds – If your kids bedroom is quite small then a cabin bed might be just what you need, these beds offer quite a bit of storage space under them, this cuts down the number of other pieces of furniture that you will need in the room.

Futon Beds – If you are looking to get a second bed for your kids bedroom so that friends have got somewhere to sleep when they come over, rather than sleeping on the floor you could consider a futon bed. It gives guests a place to sleep and it then turns into a sofa for your son or daughter to sit at and read, do school work or play computer games and so on.

If you narrow down what it is you are looking for the job of choosing your kids bed will become a whole lot easier. Once you have narrowed down your search you can ask your kids what kind of bed they prefer and what ever one they choose they pick will be good quality, within your budget and will fulfil the needs that you want it to.

If you intend to change your old futon mattress with a new and comfortable one, you have to know that on the market there is a wide range of models that you can choose from. A mattress should first be able to make you relax in peace. Over time, mattresses have evolved and manufactures have produced different categories in order for you to choose the one that you think will be most comfortable.

If you didn’t know, futon products that are an important part of this sleep category, have also evolved. What used to be considered more of an item for a teenager or college student is getting more and more likely to show up in modern homes. Initially, a futon mattress was simply a cotton and foam pad, essentially. The major transformation of futons happened sometime in the 1990s on a wider scale, when manufactures decided that was time to infuse the cotton futon with different combinations infill materials. This included things like coiled springs and other foams.

Of course, the technology continues evolving and so is the futon mattress. Manufacturers try to make them more comfortable and more durable by using high quality materials. The most important thing about a futon is that they use a very flexible material that molds perfectly on any platform. There are a wide variety of products made based upon this type of futon frame. Things like futon chairs and chaises are also available. Who would have known, right?

These types of futon mattress can still be found in teenager’s bedrooms and college dorms but only because they are so flexible and inexpensive, it isn’t because of poor quality. But before you purchase this type of mattress, it is good to keep some details in mind. A futon bed has some specific points worthy of mentioning; key to these are durability and size. It is most common to find futon beds in sizes like fulls and twins. It is possible to find them in queen sizes, but you will have a very hard time finding a king-size futon.

About the durability. While the materials and manufacturers are producing a quality product, it is still possible that you will find a traditionally made mattress will likely outlast your futon. This is due to a variety of reasons. One reason is that synthetic materials are often used to make traditional mattresses and frames. They also utilize a different spring structure and padding. However, you will likely pay hundreds more for a traditional mattress, so the cost-benefit will often favor a futon. There are, after all, certain applications where a traditional bed and frame will simply not be possible or convenient to use.

Also, before you make any decision to purchase a futon mattress, you have to think how you will use it. In other words, where will it be going in your home; a home office, guest room or your primary sleeping arrangement. The answer to this question will have a big influence on the type of mattress that is recommended for you to order. If you think that the futon will only be used as a primary sleeping bed, you are advised to find one with a thick mattress and more supportive springs or memory foam. Thinner mattresses, while still useful for other applications may cause you an uncomfortable night’s sleep. You might be interested to learn that the traditional Japanese futon is made of two different parts, the bottom part and the top quilted portion. These combine to make the style used in many Asian countries – they don’t use them as sofa-sleepers.

If you think that the futon that you intend to purchase will be used as a sofa-couch most of the time, you have to take into consideration that the mattress has to be very flexible. That’s because it will be folded very often. In this case, you might be more inclined to purchase a futon with a thinner mattress profile with a cotton or wool and foam infill mix. Mattresses that have different types of foam in their composition can also be easier to keep their shape with continuous opening and closing. This type of mattress has the property that it can conform very fast to the different shapes.

There are many companies from which you can purchase a futon. Even the big names, like Beatyrest™, Simmons™ and Airlay™ just to name a few, are in the futon market, so you shouldn’t be timid about making a purchase. These mattresses range anywhere from $120 USD to upwards of $500 USD or more. Some, on the lower end of this range do not include a bed frame, so that is something to consider as well. You can purchase them directly from the manufacturers in many cases or a simple search online will reveal sources as well. As you might imagine, places like Ebay and Amazon can be great places to read reviews and even make your futon mattress purchase.

There are some additions you can make to your home that will have more uses than others. A futon is one of those things. They really are great, they come as beds on their own, sofa beds and in a number of sizes and finishes.

A futon bed is a great addition to any room in your house, be it your family room, living room or spare bed room. They are extremely adaptable pieces of furniture to have at home.

There are hundreds of futons on the market, there will be one to suit every room and be a fine addition to your home. If you struggle for space to have a spare bed in your house then having guests over for the weekend or for holidays could be a struggle, a futon bed is a handy and comfortable solution to your problem. They take up considerably less room than traditional pine bedroom furniture.

A futon mattress can be folded away when its not in use and be kept in a cupboard, or if you opt for a futon sofa bed then it can be folded up into a comfortable sofa. When needed they easily fold out into a comfortable bed.

Futons are very versatile, they can easy be changed and adapted to convey many moods. a simple switch of the futon cover and you have a new mood. Or even move it to another room with a different colour scheme. There are literally thousands of possible options when it comes to changing your futon cover, go to any furniture store and see the vast selections available.

It also makes keeping your futon sofa clean, simply swap the covers and clean the old one. There is no rushing around trying to clean and dry one cover when you are expecting guests any minute.

When buying your futon you will no doubt be given an choice of cover finishes to choose from, obviously you need to choose one that matches your décor. Or buy several to keep you room looking fresh. There are many choices of style available, from modern to classic designs. Pick one to work with your room. If you cant find a futon that you like the look of you may want to have a look at a platform bed. If you don't need your bed to fold away then these beds are another great option.

Have a look at the stores online to get an idea of the options available to you regarding the futons and finishes available and what will suit your home best. There are several big name stores online that you can order your new futon from and have delivered right to your door. Make sure you know who you are buying from before you give out your details online.

Futons are great in the home, when you have one you will see that you have added freedom to your home allowing friends and family to stay without worrying about where they are going to sleep and whether or not they will do so in comfort. A good mattress cant be stressed enough though, spending the extra on a high quality item is well worth it, and your guests will thank you for it.