The Practical and Stylish Sofa Bed We are Loving
Colin wanted a sofa bed. In fact, he’s wanted one ever since he moved into his 40sqm studio apartment in late 2021 with his partner Mark and their dog Shiro. For a while, the pair settled for a three-seater sofa that was spacious enough to double as a single bed. This served them fairly well, acting as a comfortable space to lounge and watch YouTube, read recipe books, or play Xbox – but something about it wasn’t quite right. It lacked, for starters, a good place to put your feet up. Rather, it lacked a good place for both of them to put their feet up. “We only had one footstool, so we would fight over it”, Colin joked.
The days of footstool duelling wouldn’t last forever though – not once they discovered the EVA Slideaway Sofa Bed. To Colin, this sofa bed ticked all the boxes: wooden frame, light (as in not bulky) legs, easy to use, and large enough for both him and Mark – who are both over six-feet tall – to fit comfortably. They got that and a little more with this sofa bed, which Colin and, frankly, all of us at Never Too Small love for its stylish and effective slatted design made from sustainably sourced timber, its super comfy recycled foam offcuts, and the washable covers available in various colours and materials.
That all sounds nice, but how does this solve the footstool dilemma, you ask? Well, one of the perks of the EVA Slideaway Sofa Bed is how it works not only as a sofa and a bed but also as a recliner, depending on how you set the cushions. In “bed mode” but with the cushions against the backrest, Colin and Mark can finally both easily recline without a footstool in sight.
Guest Sleeping Solutions for Small Spaces
The EVA Slideaway Sofa Bed has also made it easier for them to host multiple guests at once (not that that happens all too often) as it can comfortably sleep two. That said, as someone who has been living in small spaces since 2004, Colin had some tips for those who haven’t yet found (or purchased) their perfect sleeper sofa just yet. He explained that he used to use the single folding version of this mattress as a “booster” of sorts to his former three-seater that would sleep one. He loves this solution in particular because, when not being used as a bed, it doubles as steps for his dog to climb into their bed.
He also told us how in his previous home, a 37sqm studio apartment, his sofa was made of two single futon mattresses stacked on top of each other. “I used oversized cushions as backrests, and when the mattresses were pulled down, they could become a king-size bed on the wooden floor. It was very cosy!” If you’re looking for more guest sleeper solutions and beyond, the NTS Essential Guide to Your Living Room is a great place to start.
Finding the Right Furniture Takes Time
One lesson to take away from all of this is that finding the right furniture can take time. But it’s worth the wait. You’re allowed to be picky. “I am picky, but not because of style – it’s more about getting the right proportions at the right price. I often hold off on a big purchase until I find the right thing”, Colin explained. “Do you know our sleeping area in the apartment is still a work in progress even though we moved in 2022? It’s because I haven’t been able to find the perfect storage solution for the space – that’s why I never show that part of my apartment!”
So, what’s next on Colin’s small-space wishlist? A platform, apparently: “I would love to have a customizable platform that's about one metre high, making it easy to create a small sleeping loft or relaxation area in a compact apartment, and underneath there’s plenty of storage.”
Explore the EVA Slideaway Sofa Bed and other designs by EVA here.
This is a brand partnership between Never Too Small x EVA.
