Pros and Cons of Three Upholstery Options for your New Convertible Sofa

A convertible sofa can be a great investment; after all, you are getting a two for one deal. A bed and a couch all in one, all for one cost instead of two. You get a nice and comfy sofa for day use, and a regular size bed for night time sleeping. If you live in a small, studio apartment, you may use the bed nightly. Or you may just need it for occasional use when guests stop by. You may feel ready to buy, but before you go out and purchase your perfect convertible sofa, first you have to define what is "perfect" for you.

Obviously you have to consider the style, such as a futon, a pull out convertible sofa, or a click clack style in which the back of the sofa lies flat. A lot of this is personal preference, and trying out different styles for comfort. My one word of recommendation and caution when style shopping is to make sure you try out both the sofa and the bed. Make sure both are comfy, and that the mattress is thick enough that there is no metal bars that can be felt through a too thin mattress.

The next important thing to consider is the upholstery finish that you want on your convertible sofa. There are three main categories of upholstery to consider. Let's take a quick look at each one and their pros and cons.

A Leather convertible sofa is hard to beat. They are extremely durable; leather will outlast other upholstery by four times under normal use conditions. Other pros of leather include: it is easy to care for, easy to clean, smells great, looks great, is one of a kind since all leather has their own personalities, come in a variety of colors, stay warm in the winter and cool in the summer (contrary to myths that they are hot and sticky in the heat). I like leather, and it is hard to find a down side to its use. Often when people don't like leather it is for personal reasons, they don't like the use of natural materials, or they feel like there is animal cruelty involved in the animal industries. This I can respect. Otherwise, there are only a couple of real cons. One is its price. For really good, high quality leather, the cost can be prohibitive. But, remember, a leather convertible sofa may outlive its non-leather counterpart by four times, making it less expensive in the long run. However, sometimes you have to consider your pocketbook in the here and now. The other is, if you prefer a pattern finish, then leather may not be for you since it come in solid colors.

Microfiber has become very popular in recent years. It is very soft, similar in feel to suede, but is made of manmade fibers. There are a lot of different types of microfibers, but for furniture it is designed to repel liquids. This makes for easy and quick clean up when spills occur, and if the liquid is repelled, it reduces the chance of staining. I have only seen microfiber couches in solid colors, usually earth tones though other colors are available also. Cons of microfiber include the fact that it is not biodegradable or made from a renewable resource (leathers and cotton are both biodegradable and renewable). Microfiber also tends to be flammable and emits a toxic gas when burning.

Regular fabric upholstery is the last great option for your convertible sofa. Many fabrics used on furniture is quite durable, though it will not last like leather. But one of my favorite things about a traditional fabric sofa is the wide availability of colors and prints, you can really choose something that suits your personality and says something about who you are. Many people also find a regular fabric more comfortable to sit or lie on, as I said, personal preference. The cons are that they are harder to clean, if you don't get to spills right away they may stain or need special treatment. You can protect fabrics today, or many already come with a stain guard, but you still have to act fast if an accident occurs.

Well, good luck in choosing your perfect convertible sofa. Hopefully, now as you shop you will have a better idea of what you like and want in your home.