First Things First
I got the DHP Emily Futon because I wanted a modern couch that could turn into a bed for guests. I don’t have a guest room in my one-bedroom apartment, so if a friend wanted to crash, he or she would just sleep on my couch. It’s a small leather couch, which isn’t the most comfortable thing to sleep on. Getting a convertible futon bed came as the perfect solution. I first sold my couch in a garage sale before ordering the futon since my living room has no space for both. When I finally got the futon, I was so relieved that I followed my gut. I didn’t expect anything spectacular given the price. It was a clear upgrade from my old couch, so I’m extremely happy.
Assembly
The futon came in one box. A protective cloth covers the futon. Beneath the futon is a zippered compartment that holds the legs, screws, and hex driver. The company provides you with everything you need to set it up. I love the ingenious design of the futon. That makes it very easy to transport. If you need to move, you just unscrew the legs and put everything back into the compartment. You can fold the futon in half to make it less bulky. It doesn’t weigh a lot as well. One person can move it without any help.
The sofa bed has a total of 6 legs. There are two legs each for the front, rear, and middle. You simply have to attach them to the futon with the provided screws and tool. It would literally only take you five minutes to assemble it. The directions are extremely easy to follow. There is a label on each leg. Just stick to the instructions and you’ll have no trouble screwing in the correct leg into the right place. It goes without saying that you can use the futon without the legs. That would prove useful if you’re going to be sleeping more than sitting on the sofa bed.
Versatility
The versatility of this convertible futon bed is impressive. It converts from a couch to a bed with ease. It even has a split back that allows you to turn half of it into a bed while the other half stays up as a sofa. You can also lower the back halfway down to make it feel like you’re sitting on a recliner. I love setting up mine that way. As a couch, the futon has a very tall backrest. It also has a good lean to it. You can lounge comfortably with both your back and neck supported. The seat is deep too.
As you may well know, the futon lays completely flat. You just have to push the back all the way down. I appreciate that the mechanism that converts the sofa bed does not let out any noise. It doesn’t creak like most futons do when you’re trying to turn them into a bed. You can still see the areas where the backrest and seat of the couch used to be. However, you won’t feel any awkward bump when you lie down on the futon.
The size of the sofa bed is just right. It is spacious enough both as a seating area and bed. At the same time, it’s compact enough to fit in a condo or small room. It doesn’t get in the way in my small living room except when it’s laid flat into a bed. That is expected, though.
Comfort – A
I personally like firm mattresses and couches, and this convertible futon bed gives me that. The firmness is far from uncomfortable. It is a good thing that it’s firm or else you’ll be able to feel the legs underneath. It doesn’t sag with daily use as well. I understand that others prefer softer mattresses, but it’s nothing a bed topper can’t fix. I have a two-inch memory foam topper, which I lay over the futon when I have guests over. Nothing beats an actual bed but then again, who are we kidding? You can’t compare a futon with a bed. Considering the futon’s versatility and price, this is an excellent buy. Anyway, all of my friends said that they have slept well. According to them, they wouldn’t mind sleeping on the futon again. Since I’m okay with firm beds, I sleep on the futon without the topper. On those instances, I always wake up with no body pain.
If you spend hours watching TV or lounging on the couch, it is only natural that you would feel uncomfortable. Throw pillows would help, but the pain is just your body telling you to move around!
The futon sits a little low to the ground. That gives you a more relaxing feeling as you sit on the couch. It does sit up high enough to make it less difficult for people to get in and out of bed. This also leaves a few inches of clearance at the bottom. The space below is my puppy’s favorite place to play in the house.
Comfort – B
My only concern is the length of the bed. Luckily, all of my friends are not that tall. I can see that people around 5’8” and up would have their feet hanging over the end. If you’re tall, I won’t suggest getting this convertible futon bed as your primary bed. This is for those occasional sleepovers and afternoon naps you’ll be having at home. DHP offers a chaise lounger from the same collection. I have read reviews saying that getting that would turn the futon into a longer bed. I would honestly get the chaise if I have the space for it in my place.
When laid flat, the futon’s size is close to a full-sized bed. As a couch, it can seat, at most, four people on the couch.
The linen doesn’t feel scratchy at all. If you don’t like how it feels against your skin, you can always put a sheet over the futon. The fabric is a sturdy material, but it doesn’t feel stiff at all.
Style
The futon is as easy on the eyes as it is on the wallet. I can’t help but gush over the fact that something as beautiful as this only cost me under 200 bucks. I got the futon in grey. It is actually grey in person with a subtle blue tint. That gives the futon a certain coolness to it. I decided between the blue and the grey, which I think are both pretty colors. The tufting on the upholstery is simple but provides an air of elegance. If you try to look up close, you’ll see that the tufts were done nicely. It is a modern couch, and the metal legs complete the look. I’ve seen many modern-looking futons that, strangely enough, have wooden legs. I really don’t like them. Wooden legs remind me of furniture that my grandparents have at their house.
It’s a major plus that the futon doesn’t look like one. It just looks like an attractive and classy-looking couch. My friends would get all surprised when I lay it flat to turn it into their bed.
The linen is very easy to clean. I always just use a bit of soap with water or a wet towel for lighter spills. Keeping it clean doesn’t take too much effort as long as you clean up spills as quickly as possible. Don’t use any strong chemicals to keep the linen beautiful.
Final Thoughts
After hours of checking out just about every futon there is on Amazon, I arrived at the conclusion that this is one of the least expensive options out there. This is a smart choice if you’re tight on budget. It has thousands of positive reviews, so it’s not hard to like this product. There are negatives too, of course. As with any online purchase, it is a gamble. In this case, though, it has definitely paid off. This sofa bed doesn’t have the quality of a $500 couch, but it does a good job of looking like one. So far, everything is still in place and it still looks as good as the day I got it. That says a lot about the futon’s durability. This is not the first futon I’ve owned, and this one has held up much better. Take it from me, this is a good deal.
The legs are very tough too. They don’t show any signs of straining under our weight. I like that there are legs in the middle, which provide extra support to the entire thing. I can’t say that you can have your kids jump on the futon, since I don’t have kids, so I haven’t tested that yet. Anyway, I still won’t risk it if I have kids.
This convertible futon bed from DHP has exceeded my expectations thus far. I would recommend this to anyone looking for a reasonably-priced and attractive convertible sofa bed. It is functional and does everything you would expect from a futon. You won’t regret getting this versatile piece for your home. – Sarah C
Brand: DHP
Product: Emily Convertible Futon Couch Bed with Faux Leather Upholstery and Chrome Legs
Purchase the product on Amazon Marketplace