Orlando Interior Design and Remodeling Show

Furniture Decorating Magazine, one of our sister publications, will be attending the Orlando Interior Design and Remodeling Show to cover the event and meet Orlando area business owners. Held at the Orange County Convention Center, the Interior Design and Remodeling Show houses the newest home products and interior design businesses.

Furniture Decorating will be offering reduced rates for promotional opportunities within the online magazine, as well as covering interesting events at the Orlando Interior Design and Remodeling Show. Visitors will be able to enter into a drawing by signing up for the free service, and learn more about how they can share, connect, and promote on Furniture Decorating. Be sure to visit booth 252 at the Orlando Interior Design and Remodeling Show to learn more!

Otis Haley Futon Mattress

An Otis Haley futon mattress is specially designed to offer you optimal comfort while sitting or sleeping. Offered in three distinct firmnesses, each Otis Haley futon mattress contains a proprietary portion of high density foam and polyester that provides you with smooth and consistent support every night.

Which Otis Haley Futon Mattress is Right for You?

The Otis Haley futon mattress comes in three different variations. The Haley 150 futon mattress is one of the firmest futon mattresses on the market. So firm, that this futon mattress practically refuses to bend into a futon sofa shape. This wouldn’t faze a platform bed owner, but if you are planning to use a bi-fold futon frame, you’d be best served to scratch the Haley 150 off your list.

The Haley 110 is medium firm, and one of the best futon mattresses to be found anywhere. These futon mattresses feature over 14″ of high quality foam and polyester stuffed into an 8″ casing. Because of this, you should probably look into Otis’ Magi Grip to help hold your futon in place. Without it, you may be struggling with your Haley futon mattress for the first few weeks as it continually slides down your futon frame.

The Haley 90 futon mattress offers you the same durability thickness of the other Otis Haley futon mattresses with a softer feel for those who prefer a more cushion-like experience. The Haley 90 is often overlooked due to its deceptive name; it is every bit as comfortable and durable as its 110 and 150 brethren. No matter which Otis Haley futon mattress you choose, you can be sure that it will change your perception on the style and comfort of futon mattresses.

Brown Leather Futon Cover

Brown Leather Futon Cover

Brown leather futon covers are in high demand this autumn. Much to the dismay of many, genuine leather futon covers are generally impossible to find. Futon Magazine would like to take the time to explain why leather makes a poor material for futon covers and to view a bevy of brown leather futon cover look-alikes.

Who makes Genuine Leather Futon Covers?

Currently, the only genuine leather product is a “patchwork” leather futon cover. These futon covers are sewn together from many small pieces of leather, most of them no larger than a sheet of loose leaf paper. Also, all of these leathers are split, corrected, and dyed, meaning that the high quality top grain look that most people associate with leather isn’t available. Furthermore, there are no brown leather futon covers available, only artificial shades of black, maroon, and green. This product is being carried less and less by futon manufacturers due to its expense, the general negative customer reaction, and the immense weight associated with a genuine leather futon cover.

The added weight of a leather futon cover, in addition to its relative rididity, makes it a poor choice for a futon cover. These two aspects make the futon heavier, harder to convert, and less comfortable to sleep on. Also, due to the poor quality of genuine leather futon covers, they retain body heat. This comes as a shock to futon customers who expect qualities similar to top grain leather. Furthermore, the non-breathable nature of a brown leather futon cover makes it very unhealthy for your futon mattress, which needs a certian level of circulation to avoid clumping together and developing pits and hard spots.

Leather Like Futon Covers

A far superior alternative to a genuine leather futon cover is a leather like futon cover. These amazing futon covers are generally made of vinyl and wipe clean from even the messiest stains. Unline genuine brown leather futon covers, a leather like futon cover needs no conditioning and is soft to the touch right out of the box, no break-in period required. Many of these leather-like futon covers will fool most, as their patterns flawlessly simulate corrected leather in appearance and texture. Visit your local futon store to learn more about faux brown leather futon covers!

Virtual Room Planner

A virtual room planner is a vital tool for anyone trying to make a multi-functional living space. Let’s face it, if you’re in the market for a futon, you are either crunched for space or desiring a versatile room that can convert from living room to bedroom and retain the conveniences of both. Using a virtual room planner will allow you to decide the right size of furniture, as well as the best positioning of your futon.

Why Use a Virtual Room Planner?

A virtual room planner is very useful for futon buyers, as it allows you to visualize the amount of space taken up by your futon in the bed and sofa positions. This is crucial, as you’ll want to be sure that the futon can be opened and used easily.

Use a virtual room planner to verify the following:

• Make sure that the futon has enough room to extend into bed position. For a full size futon, this is about 78″ of depth. If your virtual room planner allows you to resize a sofa, change the depth to about 54″ to simulate an opened futon (the last 24″ are leg space).
• If your futon requires you to convert it from bed to sofa from the side, allow yourself at least 2 feet of clearance on one side to do so. If your futon is going into a corner, you may want to use a matching end table to create a balanced look.
• If furniture like end tables or coffee tables must be moved, use a virtual room planner to be sure that they have a space in the same room that is logical and useful. This will create a more inviting feeling.

Best Virtual Room Planners

The following virtual room planners are the easiest to use and we think are the best for home decorators.

HGTV Virtual Room Planner

The HGTV virtual room planner has a very simple interface and a lot of easy to configure options. While there is no rendering option, the top down view gives you everything you need to create an award winning design. Clicking on the menu to the left changes what clicking on the room view does, and your design will probably turn out the best if you resize the four walls they provide you, and then insert doors and windows as needed from their “Structural Items” menu. Also be sure to right click on any items on the floorplan of your virtual room planner to discover some nifty options that really allow you to customize your floorplan.

Lay-Z-Boy Virtual Room Planner

While it might not have been the first place you looked, the virtual room planner by Lay-Z-Boy furniture is much easier to use and has a slick interface that makes it very fun to use. We recommend using the “generic” furniture tab to build your room. The technology behind this tool is very advanced and prints much larger pictures than the HGTV virtual room planner, however resizing, building in additional walls, and rotating objects can be difficult as the furniture does not automatically snap into place. If you use the blue “I” button attached to each element, you’ll find that you can manually type in size and rotation, similar the the HGTV room planner’s right click menu.

Both of these virtual room planners have what you need to create a winning design that compliments the dimensions of your futon.

Dorm Furnature

Dorm Furnature

Dorm furnature is a humorous search performed by thousands of college students every year. Over the course of their studies, the considerable amount of English language coursework ahead of them will surely illuminate them to their spelling faux pas. The good news is, if these would-be collegate scholars were on a mission to find comfy dorm furniture”>, Futon Magazine has the inside line on the best(and the worst)college picks.

Dorm Furnature for Sleeping

If you’re looking to send your daughter or son off to university, it is crucial that they get the best quality of sleep possible. Late study nights and unfamiliar surroundings can make a comfortable 8 hours of sleep an improbable event. Try to find a futon mattress that is comfy for sleeping and sitting, with an emphasis on higher quality materials. Dorm furnature futons are generally 8″ in thickness and use plenty of high-density foam. This makes the mattress both more comfortable and more durable, unlike cheap store-bought futons that measure out to a lumpy 4″ thickness.

If the budget is tight, shoot for the cheapest all-wood futon frame you can find and the nicest futon mattress in the budget. Because the futon mattress can be used on a platform bed later on in life, a high quality futon is a long-lasting improvement on your son or daughter’s quality of living.

Dorm Furnature for Studying

Uncomfortable surroundings are a common distraction from studying. Because of this, you should ensure that you child’s dorm furnature is responsive to a studying environment. Futon frames with extending tray arms are an amazing addition if space allows. Commonly, college students are struggling to transcribe important details from text-books and lecture notes into a concise study guide, only to find their desk too uncomfortable and their bed unsupportive. This amazing piece of dorm furnature bridges the gap between both, making it a welcome addition to any study space.

Futons with Loft Beds

Futons with Loft Beds

Many futon shoppers are looking for futons with loft beds, or futon bunk beds. This innovative approach to saving space in a child’s room actually performs as a regular futon bed with the added benefit of a twin size bunk bed.

This offers you child a comfy futon sofa that makes playtime a joy. Best of all, this piece of furniture appeals to children of all ages, as the sofa is a great place for watching movies and playing video games as well! The upper bunk serves as a refuge from the imaginative but messy playtime activities that occur in your child’s room on a daily basis.

Full Size Loft Futons

Full size loft futons typically use the standard metal futon hinge found on bargain basement futons across the country. This means that most full size loft futons will suffer the same durability weaknesses that metal futon frames experience. Also, a relatively high percentage of these futons with loft beds are damaged in transit due to their large size and heavy weight. As such, many responsible futon retailers do not sell these frames to Internet customers.

Your best bet when selecting a futon bed with loft is to choose a local company that covers the bed with an exceptional warranty. This way you can ensure that the futon with loft bed will arrive to your home as expected and is guaranteed to last until your child is grown.

How does a Wall Hugger Futon Work?

Wall Hugger futons are one of the more popular futon frames on the market. Popularized by the Strata Furniture Carriage Collection, wall hugger futon frames have the distinct ability to change from sofa to bed without marring your living room wall. This creates a classy feel and convenient operation, as well as a practical space saving design.

Operating a Wall Hugger Futon Frame

Wall hugger futon frames lay down without scratching the back wall. An inventive leg extends from the main body section to provide additional support to the mattress section. An elastic band holds the leg against the wall-hugger to ensure consistent, rigid contact. To put the frame back into the sofa position, simply lift the seat portion and push the legs back into the sofa position. The legs actually work as a brace to keep the wall hugger futon in the sofa position, so it’s important to push them in all the way.

How Durable are Wall Hugger Futon Frames?

Wall hugger futon frames have been given a reputation of unreliability. This misconception is due in part to the difference in operation from a standard futon. The operation requires that you push the legs all the way in to convert from a bed to a sofa. If the operator forgets to push the legs in or only pushes them in partially, the entire weight of the futon frame will be placed on a small area that will likely fail. To this effect, most manufacturers put large reminder stickers on the underside of the legs to help you remember the correct method to convert the futon frame.

Buying a Sealy Futon Mattress

Sealy futon mattresses are sold online under dozens of names and a myriad of configurations. Many of these futon mattresses use cotton batting in the surface layer, creating an entry level feel that may not be desirable. Our tips should help you make a decision on the best Sealy futon mattress for your money.

Comparing Sealy Futon Mattresses

The Sealy futon mattresses you are most likely to find in your local futon store or an online retailer are generally variations on a theme. The outer layers will consist of a cotton batting backed by a foam under layer. The remaining portion is usually composed of springs or foam. Tiny changes in composition allows most futon companies to list a half-dozen Sealy futon mattresses under a myriad of names that are essentially the same mattress.

Sealy futon mattresses offer you one of the rare instances where you will want to shop by thickness. Many of the licensed manufacturers overestimate the thickness of their futon mattresses, so be sure to call your futon retailer to confirm the actual size of the futon mattress. Futon owners have reported receiving “8 inch” Sealy futon mattresses that are barely 6″ thick in the center. If your futon retailer is hesitant to recommend their Sealy futon mattresses, it is likely because they are inferior to other futon mattresses at the same price point.

Some futon retailers feel obligated to offer their customers Sealy futon mattresses because of the strength of the brand and consumer awareness. Like any other important purchasing decision, be sure to open a line of communication with your futon retailer.

If you have an opportunity to try out a Sealy futon mattress in your local futon boutique, it may change the way you feel about Sealy futon mattresses as a brand. Because of this, some brick and mortar stores simply don’t display these futon mattresses on their sales floor. It is our specific recommendation that you try a Sealy futon mattress prior to buying one, or at least speak in length to a futon expert regarding the quality of their Sealy futon mattresses.

Best Futons - A Comprehensive List

Searching for the best futons can be a difficult and daunting task. There are several factors that many customers encounter when searching for the best futon for their home. This blog will lead you in the right direction when it comes to the best futons.

Best Futon: Bifold Futon Frame

One of the best futons available when on a budget is the Bifold Futon Frame. This futon continues to be a popular futon due to its strength and uncanny features, such as several lounge positions. The Bifold consists of an Appalachian tulip poplar that is stronger than many other woods used, even on the best futons. These features and low cost is one of the many reasons why the Bifold continues to be of the best futons. It is also one of the best futons to assemble.

Best Futon: Eureka Futon Frame

The Eureka continually remains one of the best futons due to it simple, armless design. If you were looking for a futon that was similar to the Bifold, but with more class, the Eureka is for you. Many customers love the armless design, because it allows them to have a full size futon frame, yet still meet their spacial concerns. The attention to details and will remind you why the Eureka is one of the best futons available.

Best Futon: Manhattan Futon Frame

When I think of the best city in the world, I think Manhattan. When I think of one of the best futons in the world, I think of the Manhattan Futon Frame. This futon frame is one of the best futons when it comes to design and strength. The Manhattan futon is also apart of the August Lotz line of futons that won the Consumer Digest “Best Buy” award, just another reason why the Manhattan is one of the best futons.

Best Futon: Adriana Futon Frame

The Adriana futon frame is king when it comes to the best futons. The Adriana continues the tradition of wall-hugger futon frames, made famous by Strata Furniture, and is why Strata is considered to offer some of the best futons imaginable. This futon frame has a full finished back, meaning that this futon can be placed directly in the middle of the room without unsightly mechanisms in plain sight. The attention to detail and innovative features is the reason why Strata’s Adriana futon frame is one of the best futons in the industry.

This list of best futons should help aid your search when looking for the best futons available. Conduct your research well and don’t be frustrated, looking for the best futon for your home may take a while.

Are Innerspring Futon Mattresses the Best?

The innerspring futon mattress has been around for a decade or longer, and there are clear benefits to owning a futon mattress created this way. All too often, we hear of retailers who order innerspring futon mattresses on the belief that a spring based futon mattress must be the most comfortable, because everyone sleeps on a traditional spring mattress. What many futon companies wish you knew is that innerspring is only one of the options available, and it might not be the best fit for you.

How does an Innerspring Futon Mattress Feel?

Innerspring mattress come in two basic designs:

• Pocketed coil futon mattresses
• Embedded coil futon mattresses

Pocketed coil futon mattresses are of a much higher quality construction than a embedded coil futon mattress. An embedded coil futon mattress depends on partial interaction with a foam layer, and the use of a metal “skeleton” to keep the coils in place. The skeleton helps the futon mattress bend into a sofa shape, while the foam layer helps disperse the force of the compressed springs across the mattresses. Unfortunately, this centralized pressure makes it easy to feel the springs location, and the use of cotton tends to make this mattress uneven and lumpy.

To solve this issue, futon artists invented the pocketed coil futon mattress. The pocketed coil futon mattress envelops each spring in a cotton pouch that prevents it from interfering with other nearby springs. In addition, this type of mattress typically incorporates a much larger amount of foam and little to no cotton, making a smoother, softer mattress. Because of this, the mattress actually feels less bouncy and more like a premium foam mattress.

Alternatives to Innerspring Futon Mattresses

Because the best innerspring mattresses includes a high foam content, many people opt to skip the springs altogether. The resulting mattress gives you a more progressive support than a foam/spring combination. Without getting into too many technical terms, this translates to more support for heavier sleepers and a lighter touch for smaller people and children. This responsive support also comes in a lighter package that is easier to convert from futon to bed.

There is one major downside to all-foam mattresses. Mattress foam is a petroleum product, meaning that it is likely to increase in cost over the next decade and likely match or exceed the price of premium innerspring futon mattresses. Soy foam mattresses, while a clever idea, only offset a tiny percentage of petroleum in current formulations. In the end, it will be your personal decision on which futon mattress makes you feel the best.

Next Page »