Getting your home insured is just one of the many tasks involved when you move house. But determining which insurance cover you need is often confusing. Home insurance is broken into two different types; buildings insurance and contents insurance. So what is contents insurance? And how does it differ from buildings insurance? All is explained below.

Think of buildings insurance as the home insurance that covers the buildings structure, fixtures and fittings – from walls to kitchen worktops. Contents insurance covers the personal possessions that you move into your house – the moveable items, such as furniture.

What is contents insurance?

‘Home contents insurance provides cover for the personal possessions in your home,’ explains Sarah Applegate, Data Lead, Aviva General Insurance. ‘These possessions include the movable items that you bring when you move into a property – such as furniture, crockery, books, clothes etc – and also items that you might not consider such as carpets and curtains.’

‘Many insurers also offer add-ons which provide extra cover in addition to standard home contents insurance,’ continues Sarah. ‘Common add-ons include accidental damage cover. This enables you to claim for damage caused by spillages or breakages to possessions within the home. It could cover things like knocking over a TV or spilling paint on a carpet or sofa.’ It’s the level of accidental cover that makes this type of home insurance vary, depending on the insurance provider. You should confirm what your accidental damage cover actually covers.

‘Personal belongings cover is another popular add-on,’ Sarah goes on to explain. ‘It provides cover for your personal items (e.g. mobile phone, laptop, jewellery, camera equipment) while you’re away from your home. Most insurers request that any personal item worth more than a set limit (for example £2,000) will need to be individually listed on your policy.’

Image credit: Future PLC

What is the purpose of contents insurance?

‘The average home has contents worth tens of thousands of pounds,’ says Sarah, Data Lead, Aviva. ‘This is  a sizeable sum to find if the contents were destroyed by an unexpected event such as a flood or a fire. Home contents insurance is designed to replace or repair these items if they are lost or damaged through an event as outlined on the policy.’

Standard claims include events such as fires, floods, burglaries and water leaks. ‘The most common cause of claim under Aviva’s home contents cover is for accidental damage,’ Sarah explains. ‘This may be a useful addition to your policy.’

What items are included under contents insurance?

Home contents insurance covers the vast majority of possessions within the home. But there are some common exclusions and important points to note.

Sarah explains what the most common exclusions from a homes content insurance policy are:

• ‘Phones, laptops and tablets away from home: A claim will take into account how the loss or damage occurred. So if you have standard home contents cover (which covers events such as flooding, fire or burglary for example), but you don’t have a personal belongings add-on, you are unlikely to be covered under your home contents insurance, if you smash or lose your phone away from home.’
• ‘Cash. Many insurers will cover cash in the home, but only up to a specified limit.’
• ‘Pedal cycles. Many insurers also cover pedal cycles in the home, but they may specify that they need to be locked away. For example in a house, garage or shed or chained and locked to a secure point such as railings or a drainpipe. Again, you may wish to get personal belongings cover or a special pedal cycle add-on to cover your bicycle away from home.’
• ‘Single item limits: Most insurance providers will state that an item needs to be specified separately on the policy if it is above a single item limit (often around £2,000) to ensure that you have the right level of cover.
• ‘Valuables, such as jewellery and watches. Insurers may also place some restrictions on certain valuables such as expensive watches or jewellery. Particularly valuable items may need to be kept in a safe when not being worn.’

Make sure to check what your policy includes, and weigh up any exclusions that you might want in place. Speak to your insurer if you are unsure about your level of cover.

Image credit: Future/ Tim Young

What isn’t covered by contents insurance?

Finance writer and expert Emily Perryman explains, ‘Contents insurance doesn’t cover the actual fabric of your property, such as its walls, windows and roof, nor does it cover outside fixtures like garden fences and gates . These would be covered under buildings insurance instead.’ 

‘You usually have to pay extra to cover accidental loss or damage to your possessions. Boilers are typically excluded from standard policies but can be covered by adding ‘emergency home cover’. Similarly, mobiles and other gadgets may not be automatically included, however you can usually cover them by adding ‘personal possessions’ cover to your policy.’

‘You can protect items you take away from the home – handbags, laptops and cameras – in case they get lost or stolen,’ says Pam Quinn, spokesperson for the British Insurance Brokers Association. ‘And if your children are striding out to college or university, your own policy can be extended to cover their contents too.’

Image credit: Future PLC/ Jamie Mason

Is contents insurance worth having?

When you’re on a budget and trying to limit costs, you may ask do I need home insurance? But it’s always worth having contents insurance, because you just never know. ‘Every resident hopes they won’t be faced with burglaries, floods or fires’ says Sarah. ‘But the sad reality is that some people will. You should ask yourself: “in the event that the worst happened, would I be able to afford to replace everything out of my own pocket?”’.

‘Unfortunately many people would not be able to cover the cost of replacing all the contents in their home. So contents insurance can provide invaluable peace of mind, just in case.’

‘Contents insurance is also worth considering if you are renting your property,’ Sarah goes on to advise. ‘If you are a tenant, contents insurance can support you with the costs involved if you need to temporarily move out of your home.’ An example of this is when you’re forced to move into alternative accommodation, such as in the event of a flood. ‘These costs can soon stack up and often amount to thousands rather than hundreds of pounds’ Sarah warns.

As the old saying goes, it’s better to be safe than sorry.

The post What is contents insurance? What it covers and why you need it appeared first on Ideal Home.

Even a pound shop present will look a million dollars when you dress it up with these festive gift wrapping ideas

Give your presents a more personal feel this year with our gift wrapping ideas for Christmas. With our easy tips and quick tricks you can wrap your gifts like a pro. In fact, they’ll look so gorgeous nobody will want to open them!

Whether you choose to craft your gift wrap from scratch or simply decorate existing papers, these Christmas ideas will get your creative juices flowing.

1. Print your own paper

Image credit: Annie Sloan

Create bespoke gift wrap by making your own stamps. Cut a half moon shape from either a piece of sponge or half a potato. Dip into white paint and print onto a sheet of black paper. Repeat until the whole sheet is covered. Leave to dry before wrapping your gift.

2. Top with dried flowers

Image credit: Future PLC/Dan Duchars

Use dried flowers for an on-trend look. Tie a sprig of pretty dried blooms together using a small piece of florist’s wire. Wrap your gift and tuck your posy beneath ribbon tied around it.

3. Have fun colouring in

Image credit: Eat Sleep Doodle

Wrap your presents in sheets of blank colouring-in paper. Once your gift is wrapped, use colouring pens to decorate. This one is perfect for getting the kids involved, or just for the young at heart. It’s also great for grabbing a mindful moment among the Christmas chaos. Try trying a set of pens to the gift to make it an interactive gift before it’s even opened.

4. Use up leftover yarn

Image credit: Hobbycraft/Lottieandalbert

Try this Christmas craft idea using wool to decorate your gifts. Set about making pompoms and tassels to tie around your presents. You could even thread a few fragrant orange slices onto a pompom garland. This gift wrapping idea for Christmas is a great way to use up yarn from knitting or crochet projects.

5. Make paper feathers

Image credit: Future PLC/Dan Duchars

Create stylised feather gift toppers using scraps of paper or card. Cut feather shapes from black and natural coloured card and layer on top of each other to create a 3-D effect. For a little extra festive sparkle, paint the edges in a little PVA glue and dip into gold or silver glitter. Secure to your gift with metallic ribbon.

6. Try reusable fabric wrap

Image credit: Dunelm

Sustainable style is a big trend this Christmas. So why not try the Japanese art of fabric wrapping called furoshiki? It’s easier than it sounds but looks really impressive!

Simply lay your present (box-shapes work best!) in the centre of a square of lightweight fabric. Lift up two opposite corner and knot in the centre. Do the same for the remaining corners, et voila! The recipient can then reuse the fabric to wrap another gift or even sew something new.

7. Embellish with trims

Image credit: Future PLC/Colin Poole

Any avid crafter is sure to have a stash of leftover trims and embellishments from past projects, even if they’re just a few centimetres long! Give pieces of pompom trim, rickrack and lace a new lease of life by wrapping them around Christmas gifts to decorate.

8. Draw your own designs

Image credit: Hobbycraft

It’s time to get out the paints and felt tip pens for this idea. Take a large sheet of plain white paper and let your imagination run wild. Simple leaves and berries work really well and what’s more Christmassy than red and green? Finish by wrapping with twine,  threading through a handwritten luggage tag.

Rather than decorating each present once it’s wrapped, it’s best to draw or paint onto one large sheet, then cut it into smaller pieces when you’re ready to wrap individual gifts.

9. Add a fabric ribbon

Image credit: Future PLC

To quote one of our favourite festive films, Arthur Christmas: ‘There is always time for a bow!’ It is worthwhile throughout the year building up a box of ribbons from presents or things you’ve bought. A fabric bow is a quick and easy way to turn an ordinary present into something luxurious.

10. Weave a paper wrap together

Image credit: Future PLC

This brown paper wrapping idea is perfect if you don’t have any ribbon lying around. Cut scraps of wrapping into twelve long strips. Weave the strips together with six of the pieces of paper going vertically and the other six horizontally. Wrap the woven paper wrap around the present and secure at one end.

11. Wrap it up in a carol

Image credit: Future PLC/Polly Eltes

Use old sheet music as wrapping paper or to make envelopes for gift cards. Secure with a velvet ribbon and top with a feather dipped in gold glitter.

12. Get crafty with wooden pegs

Image credit: Future PLC

Wooden pegs are a genius way to add a splash of personality to a present in seconds. You can jazz up plain white paper bags by pegging a sparkly silver star to the front. Plus, there’s no messy glue or sellotape in sight. They are also perfect for attaching gift labels to ribbon. Clip in a piece of foliage for the extra wow factor.

13. Stick to a colour theme

Image credit: Future PLC

An easy way to create a perfect-looking pile of presents is to decide on a palette of two or three colours – and stick to it. Jewel-coloured blues and greens, combined with gold, look wonderful under a tree. ‘Throw in a little glitter, too, to truly make your parcels sparkle,’ suggests Louise Lee, Christmas buyer at Wyevale Garden Centres.

14. Get green fingered with foliage

Image credit: Simon Brown

Everyone loves to bring the outdoors inside at Christmas – think trees, wreaths and mantelpiece garlands. So why not introduce it to your present wrapping, too? Pine sprigs, eucalyptus, berries or pine cones can all be incorporated using ribbon or twine. You could also try festive foodie items like dried oranges or cinnamon sticks.

15. Bag it up

Image credit: Future PLC

Avoid the usual wrapping paper in favour of cellophane pockets, paper bags, oversized envelopes or miniature hessian sacks. Cut the edges to create a pretty scalloped pattern, decorate with stamps, tags and ribbon, and get people smiling before they’ve even opened the present.

16. Add a flourish with old newspapers

Image credit: Future PLC/Simon Scarboro

Wrap presents in plain paper and cut out Christmas shapes from newspaper, magazines or even wallpaper remnants and stick on as decorations. Look out for paper cutters in festive shapes to make the job easier.

These paper stars would also make a lovely Christmas card idea.

17. Personalise with old photographs

For a fun way for guests to find their presents, wrap them in simple brown paper and create a name tag using an old photo, copied onto thick paper or card. It’s a good excuse to look through cheesy old photos of relatives!

18. Fold in some Japanese pleats

Image credit: Future PLC/David Giles

Try your hand at stylish origami. To get the look, cut a piece of wrapping paper double the size needed to cover your present. With the paper facing down, fold a 2cm pleat along the short bottom edge. Fold the paper in on itself four more times, then flip the paper over and unfold, so you can see the lines marking each fold.

Next, pinch the first line and fold it down to create a smaller pleat below. Repeat along each line so you have a series of small pleats. Turn the paper over and use a strip of tape to hold the pleats down. Now place your gift in the centre of the paper and pull the pleated edge to the top of the present. Continue to wrap as normal and complete with a length of baker’s twine.

19. Have fun with washi tape

Image credit: Future PLC/Simon Whitmore

Use washi tape as a simple but creative way to decorate your presents. Wrap gifts in plain brown or white paper and pick washi tape in bold bright colours to make them stand out. Experiment using tape to customise your wrapping, creating bunting, bows and stripes.

20. Doodle your own design

Image credit: Future PLC/David Giles

By wrapping your presents in simple black paper you can doodle over them freehand to create a beautiful parcel without the hassle of tying ribbons. Here, we’ve used a white marker pen to draw a wreath, holly, stars and festive messages and banners. We’re big fans of this chalkboard style!

21. Go dotty with double layers

Image credit: Future PLC/David Giles

Wrap your gifts once in colourful tissue paper, then take a sheet of Kraft brown paper, and using a paper punch, make holes in it. Wrap the piece of punched brown paper over the tissue paper, and tape in place. Tie with coordinating raffia to finish it off.

22. Keep one thing the same

Image credit: Future PLC/David Giles

Create a uniform motif that runs across all your gifts, like these DIY paper bows. This consistent embellishment allows you to cover your presents in any old mismatched wrap, including newspaper or Kraft paper. But as an ensemble under the tree, they’ll still look smart and matchy matchy!

23. Say it with stamped paper

Image credit: Future PLC/Ania Wawrzkowicz

Here’s a really affordable way to create as much wrapping paper as you need. Just take some plain white paper and decorate with a librarian’s date stamp – you could try the same trick for a birthday. Letter beads allow you add a personal message.

Right, time to get wrapping!

The post Gift wrapping ideas for Christmas to give your presents pizzaz appeared first on Ideal Home.

Looking for the best sofa beds available? We’re here to help with our round-up of the most stylish and comfortable sleeper sofas for every budget.

Whether you’re searching for a sofa bed that’s comfortable enough for everyday use in the living room, an affordable sleeper sofa for occasional use in the home office, or a compact option for conjuring up extra sleeping space in a bedroom or children’s playroom; we’ve narrowed down the options to help you find the best of the bunch.

Whilst most sofa beds are going to feel firmer for sitting than one of the best sofas, the sleeper sofas on this list have been tried and tested to unearth the options that best combine that elusive mix of style, affordability, and comfort.

For more top tips and buying advice just scroll to the end of this guide, but if you want to jump straight to our top sofa bed recommendations, you’ll find the Ideal Home team’s selection below.

Best sofa beds

1. MADE Haru Small Sofa Bed

Most affordable sofa bed: a luxe-look click-clack sofa bed at a great price point

Seats: 1-2
Sleeps: 1-2
Sofa dimensions: H78 x W120 x D86cm
Extended dimensions: W120 x L182cm
Sleeping area dimensions: W120 x L182cm
Upholstery options: 11

You’re not going to fool anyone into believing this is a traditional sofa, but if you have a contemporary home then we love the Haru sofa bed’s modern design which is perfect for some small-footprint extra sleeping space. And, in the velvet upholstery, this contemporary option looks far more luxe than the small price tag suggests.

The MADE Haru sleeper comes in a range of sizes to make finding the right fit for a smaller space easy too. There’s a single chair bed, the small ‘double’ sofa bed (pictured) – which might be a bit of a tight squeeze for two – and a more spacious large sofa bed. All options are well under £500 and perfect for rooms where space is at a premium.

This is a click clack sofa bed, where the backrest and seat unfold to create the sleeping surface, so it is pretty firm and probably isn’t going to suffice as an everyday seating option – or provide a sleeping solution for longer-term guests – but as a useful occasional chair and overnight sleeper option, it’s hard to beat.

The five velvet options work particularly well for an accent chair in the living room, bedroom or guest room, and the six options of colourful, hardwearing cotton upholstery are ideal for kids bedrooms; providing instant extra bedding for impromptu sleepovers.

BUY NOW: Haru Small Sofa Bed, from £329 at MADE

2. Heal’s Oswald 3 Seater Sofa Bed

Most comfortable sofa bed: pleasant to sit and sleep on

Seats: 3
Sleeps: 2
Sofa dimensions: H98 x W222 x D103cm
Extended dimensions: W222 x D152cm
Sleeping area dimensions: W222 x D152cm
Upholstery options: 3

Heal’s Oswald sofa bed fuses contemporary design with sit and sleep comfort – often a hard trio to find in the search for a multifunctional sleeper sofa.

The modern design hides some particularly well-considered construction, with the seat and backrest formed from what Heal’s describe as ‘high resilient foam and hyper soft foam layers’ and, the important bit: 10cm deep pocket-springs nestled in the foam’s midst.

This makes for a seat with a good amount of give and bounce – not a soft and squishy sofa to snuggle up on perhaps, but definitely a sofa bed you could use as your everyday living room seating. And, as the seat and backrest fold out to become the sleeping surface, it offers a comfortable sleep experience too – in our opinion akin to a dedicated mattress.

The leather tab at the front of the sofa makes pulling the seat section up and out to transform the sofa into a bed fairly easy, and the legs fold out automatically creating a super generous king-size sleeping surface that’s a fairly good height from the floor. There’s also some hidden storage for stashing the sofa cushions.

There are only three upholstery options – although the grey Dessin fabric is a nice weave and good mid-tone colour that will suit a lot of homes – and it is an investment.

However, as long as your budget allows – and your home suits the contemporary design – this is one of the best sit sleep hybrids we’ve come across; satisfying all needs without too much of a compromise in any area.

BUY NOW: Oswald Sofa Bed, £2499 at Heal’s

3. Swyft Model 04 3 Seater Sofa Bed

Best sofa bed in a box

Seats: 3
Sleeps: 2
Sofa dimensions: H86 x W208 x D89cm
Extended dimensions: W208 x D135cm
Sleeping area dimensions: L190 x W135
Upholstery options: 7

If you’re looking for convenience, then opting for a sofa bed in a box could well be the way to go.

Swyft’s Model 04 sofa arrives flat-packed in sections, making it far easier to get your new sofa bed into a room with tricky access, or up several flights of stairs.

Swyft also aims to do away with long sofa bed lead times, with all in-stock products available for delivery in under 7 days – and often within 24 hours.

You will have to do some self-assembly once the sofa arrives, but as you’ll see from our full Swyft Model 04 sofa bed review on the Ideal Home website, this is a fairly simple endeavour with no tools required thanks to the ‘Swyft-lok’ locking mechanism. This feature also means it’s simple to disassemble the sofa bed should you move house – particularly useful for renters – and also means the sofa arms can be detached if necessary, potentiallly a bonus if you’re short on space.

Looks-wise, the contemporary design wouldn’t look out of place in swish city apartment – although the low back may not be for everyone – and although the upholstery options are limited to 7, they’re good, versatile shades with a mix of hardwearing linen mix fabrics and velvets. As an added bonus the upholstery is also woven with stain-resistant threads, so if there are spills all you need to do is wipe the couch with a wet cloth.

Extra fabric protection, and comfort, is provided by the mattress topper that comes included with each purchase. There’s also a handy integrated storage compartment under the seat to keep it in when the bed isn’t in use.

In terms of comfort, the sofa seat and backrest are made up of foam with integrated pocket springs. We found both sitting and sleeping a firmish experience, but not overly so, and as long as you don’t mind sacrificing some sofa squish, then this option certainly looks good enough to use as your everyday seating in the living room. However, we think it really comes into its own as a versatile spare bedroom or home office guest solution – doing away with the need for a static guest bed and freeing up more of your home for everyday enjoyment.

BUY NOW: Swyft Model 04 Sofa Bed, £1995 at John Lewis

4. Sofa.com Bluebell Sofa Bed

Best classic-style sofa bed: turned wooden feet and traditional rolled arms make this a good option for a period property

Seats: 1.5, 2, 2.5 or 3
Sleeps: 1 or 2 dependent on size
Sofa dimensions: dependent on size choice
Extended dimensions: W dependent on size choice x D233cm
Sleeping area dimensions: dependent on size choice
Upholstery options: 70+

If you have a period home or just prefer a more classic sofa shape then the Bluebell sofa bed from Sofa.com is an option that delivers in the looks department and isn’t too much of a compromise on comfort, although the sitting experience is firm.

The sofas rolled arms, piped upholstery detailing, and turned wooden legs deliver a traditional look that works well in a period property, whilst the sofa bed is a pull-out construction, with a hidden metal bedframe and dedicated mattress folded up and stowed away underneath the seat cushions.

This design – common to nearly all pull-out sofa beds – means the sofa seat cushions are resting on the back of the metal bed frame when the sofa is upright, which explains the firmness of the seat. The Bluebell’s feather-wrapped foam seat cushions improve the comfort levels a notch and we found the high backrest offered plenty of back support.

In terms of sleeping, the bed mechanism is fairly easy to unfold, although does require a bit of strength to lift out. And, if you opt for the 3-seater sofa bed (there is also a loveseat, 2-seater and 2.5-seater sofa bed available) it comes with a 10cm deep double-sized mattress, although that mattress is a little shorter in length than a standard double mattress.

This sofa bed also has a superb range of 70+ upholstery fabrics on offer which makes tailoring a look to suit your home easy work. Plus, there’s a good selection of matching furniture, including an armchair, traditional sofa, chaise and corner sofa, and a coordinating ottoman, so it’s easy to integrate this sofa bed into a wider living room suite if that’s your aim.

BUY NOW: Bluebell sofa bed, RRP from £1325 at Sofa.com

5. IKEA Hemnes Daybed

Best daybed: a useful addition to a guest room or home office with handy storage

Seats: 3
Sleeps: 2
Sofa dimensions: H83 x W209 x D91cm
Extended dimensions: W209 x L166cm (209 with drawers fully opened)
Mattress dimensions: 2 x W80 x L200cm
Upholstery options: n/a

If you’re not looking for a classic sofa bed, and just need extra sleeping space in a guest bedroom, children’s playroom or home office, then we love the compact Hemnes daybed from IKEA.

You can style it as a comfortable seating nook during the day – and it makes a pretty generous three-seater seating space – and when guests come to stay just pull out the slatted bed base to create a roomy sleeping area.

You also have the bonus of three generously-sized under seat drawers which offer brilliant storage, with plenty of room to stash guest bedding and more.

Available in white or grey bed frame, and with four options of mattress firmness on offer there are plenty of options to tailor this daybed to your needs, with the base colours a blank canvas for adding your own soft furnishings.

Plus, there’s the price. At well under £500 it’s hard to beat that value.

BUY NOW: Hemnes Daybed, RRP from £365 at IKEA

6. Brook + Wilde Brunel Sofa Bed

Best sofa bed from a mattress specialist: for the discerning overnight guest

Seats: 3
Sleeps: 2
Sofa dimensions: H65 x W190 x D83cm
Extended dimensions: W190 x L226cm
Mattress dimensions: L180 x W133 x D10cm
Upholstery options: 6

Most sofa beds are created by sofa manufacturers, so it’s interesting to see a sofa bed crafted by experts in sleeping instead.

Better known for its luxury mattresses – many of which have been put through their paces and scored highly in our best mattress guides – Brook + Wilde is at the luxury end of the bedding market, focusing on multi-layered mattress construction and super soft goose feather and down duvet covers and pillows.

The three-seater Brunel sofa bed aims to channel that sleep expertise into three sizes of sofa bed – a snuggler chair, a small two-seater sofa and a three-seater sofa bed – all available in six velvet colour options.

The focus of this sofa bed is definitely on the mattress itself; the Brunel features a 10cm deep version of the brand’s bestselling Lux mattress; combining a pocket-sprung base with memory foam upper designed to offer guests a ‘next-best-thing-to-your-own-bed’ sleeping experience.

BUY NOW: Brunel Sofa Bed, RRP £1999 at Brook +Wilde

7. Eve Sleep Away Mattress

The cheapest sofa bed alternative

Seats: n/a
Sleeps: 1
Mattress dimensions: L190 x W75cmm
Upholstery options: n/a

If space is super tight and you don’t want to sacrifice floor space to a permanent piece of furniture, then this nifty folding mattress from Eve could be a good solution for the occasional overnighter.

A cut above your regular blow-up mattress, the Sleep Away offers guests an 8cm layer of foam to bed down on and transforms into compact roll when not in use, with a handy zipper that ensures it doesn’t come unrolled, plus a carry handle if you want to take it out on location. Glamping anyone?

Once unfurled you just need to give it 30 minutes to plump up to full volume – far better than half an hour spent inflating a blow-up mattress with a foot pump in our opinion.

Of course, with this option, your guests will still pretty much be sleeping on the floor, but we think it’s a great option to have to hand for sleepovers and impromptu overnight stays. Plus there’s also a removable and washable top panel that can be freshened up at 40 degrees.

BUY NOW: Sleep Away Mattress, RRP £179 at Eve

What are the most comfortable sofa beds?

Let’s be upfront. It’s unlikely that you’re going to find a sofa bed that’s as comfortable to sit on as one of the best sofas, sorry to be the bearers of bad news.  But… there are most certainly sofa beds that are far, far more comfortable than others. We know because we’ve tried and tested a whole lot of sofa beds in compiling this guide, and in order to find the best options we’ve discovered it’s well worth understanding the difference between the two main types of sofa bed construction.

Fold-out or click-clack:

A click-clack sofa bed is one where the sofa’s backrest and seat fold flat to become the sleeping surface. If made of solid foam then quite often these designs can be the firmest for sitting and sleeping, the ‘bed’ also tends to be quite low to the ground once the sofa bed is unfolded, and your guests will be sleeping directly on the sofa surface – unless you add a mattress topper – which may or may not be something you’re happy with.

Click clack sofa beds are more often contemporary in appearance, and quite often the upholstery options will be a little more limited. However, they’re generally the most affordable option, have the shortest lead times, and are the most compact if floor space is a consideration.

That being said, two of the most comfortable sofa beds in this round-up are fold-out sofa beds. What sets these click-clack sofa beds apart is the addition of pocket springs nestled in amongst their foam cushioning, which give both seating and sleeping areas some welcome bounce – although it does also up the price.

Pull-out:

A pull-out sofa bed looks the most like a traditional sofa. In this design, the sofa seat cushions are removed and a folding bed frame pulled out from the sofa seat cavity, with a dedicated mattress on top. The backrest and arms of the sofa remain in place, which means the bed takes up (sometimes considerably more) floor space, but the sleeping surface tends to be higher from the ground and more like a standard bed. As they tend to be made by sofa specialists, there are usually a lot more upholstery options and matching furniture available if you want to blend a sofa bed in with a living room suite.

However, there can be a huge difference in specifications and comfort. As you are sitting ‘on’ the folded bed frame, thick seat cushions are a must to add comfort, and there can also be huge variation in mattress thicknesses and construction (which can often be fairly hard to find in the small print). Generally speaking, you want the thickest mattress you can afford – a 10-14cm depth is a good gauge – and a sprung or pocket sprung mattress rather than solid foam for some bounce.

Darlings of Chelsea Waverley sofa bed

What else to consider when looking for the best sofa bed?

Sofa size

It may sound obvious, but it’s important to consider how much seating space your sofa bed needs to offer. If it’s not going to be your main living room sofa then you can get away with a more compact version – maybe even one of the best chair beds if you only need to sleep a single guest at a time – but if the sofa bed needs to seat the entire household on a daily basis then investing in a chaise sleeper sofa, or one of the best corner sofa beds might be something worth considering.

It’s also vital to ensure your sofa bed is going to fit comfortably into the room where you want to use it. Find expert tips from Heal’s and Habitat in our guide to getting sofa measurements right.

Mattress size

It’s also important to check the mattress measurements. Many sofa beds are marketed as doubles, and although they will fit two people, they can sometimes be a snug sleeping experience. So if you regularly have more than one guest staying at a time – and they stay for a good length of time in one go – they will thank you for opting for the roomiest sofa bed your budget allows.

Related: Want more space-saving tricks? Check out our small living room ideas and handy storage solutions for smaller spaces.

The post The best sofa beds for style, comfort and budget appeared first on Ideal Home.