Look! It’s a Sofa! It’s a Bed! No, It’s a Futon Bunk Bed!

by: Don VanPelt

Multi-task. I'll bet you heard that term at least once on the news last week, and once at your child’s school conference the week before. Everyone seems to be thinking of new ways to do more than one thing at a time.

What if your furniture could do that, too? Well, there is such a piece of furniture, and it can be found many places – if you know where to look. It’s a futon bunk bed, and it can be a very versatile addition to your household. It’s been around long enough that you’d have to dig to find the first ones, but it’s not outdated like that avocado green dishwasher in your mother’s kitchen.

Most of us have a child’s room (or know a child who has one) that is a total multi-purpose space: a closet, a workbench, a guest room, a game room. A futon bunk bed is the perfect addition to that all-purpose room.

It can function as a sofa to pile on and watch a movie or play video games, a place (besides that unused exercise bike) to pile clothes when they don’t always make it to the closet. It can actually be a comfortable bed, too! Because they are meant to be changeable, they are not usually very heavy, and can be moved easily, which means they take up less space and are more mobile than the average bunk beds or pullout sofa.

A futon bunk bed can turn a spare basement room into a guest bedroom you need, and it can be a lifesaver for a college student who can’t afford both a sofa AND a bed, because of money or space. They are as versatile for the budget as they are as furniture, for you can spend a little or a lot.

Some people enjoy the chameleon aspects of the futon and think about the ways a futon can easily be changed to make for maximum number of uses. A sturdy wood frame and a woven cotton cover makes a great cabin sofabed under a treehouse bunk. A glossy black frame with a white linen cover cand be the centerpiece of an Asian-style college dorm room. Spring for a new cover and some throw pillows, and you’ve redecorated without hiring full-time professional! Inch for inch, the futon bunk bed is the most versatile bed you can own.