sofa beds buying guide
everything you need to know
few pieces of furniture earn their place in a Hong Kong apartment like a sofa bed. by day it provides a comfortable spot to sit; by night it becomes a genuinely supportive and cosy bed.
with its double-duty function in one sleek compact design, our sofa beds enable our customers to transform their living room or home office into a spare guest bedroom when friends and family pay a visit.
we have spent over 20 years helping Hong Kong customers furnish homes that work harder, and as a preferred Hong Kong distributor for Innovation Living – a partner we feel strongly aligned with due to their commitment to creating quality, innovative yet stylish sofa beds. we offer over 40 Danish-designed configurations, with around 10 models typically in stock for immediate delivery. these five considerations will help you choose with confidence.
1. how often will it be a bed?
when it comes to shopping for sofa beds, one of the first questions we typically address is how often it’ll be used as a bed, as it shapes every other decision. a sofa bed that hosts guests a handful of weekends a year has different requirements from one that is slept on every night, and being honest about your usage from the start means you invest in the right level of specification.
the beauty of our designs is that you don’t need to prioritise one or the other, as both the sofa and bed functions are made to a high standard. our sofa beds are made with a pocket spring or zig-zag mattress as well as high resilient foam throughout, providing plenty of comfort and support as you sit, lounge or sleep.
thus, it all comes down deciding which size, construction and style you prefer for your sofa bed. we offer an array of designs ranging from mid-century modern to contemporary, with some models providing multiple armrest options for added flexibility. complete with a mechanism that allows the piece to open with ease, you can be rest assured that your sofa bed will offer a welcoming place to unwind from morning to night.
2. size and space: planning for both footprints
a sofa bed lives two lives, so it needs two sets of measurements. most buyers measure the wall the sofa will sit against and stop there; the open footprint is the one that catches people out. double and queen sofa beds are typically 140–180cm wide when closed and extend to 180–210cm in depth when fully opened, so the space in front of the sofa matters as much as the space behind it.
measure your room with the bed open in mind: as a general guide, allow enough clearance to walk around at least one side of the open bed, and check that coffee tables or rugs can shift out of the way without a nightly furniture rearrangement. masking tape on the floor, marking both footprints, remains the most reliable way to sense how the piece will live in your room before you commit.
for studios and smaller apartments, a day bed is often the better answer. typically 97–127cm wide, day beds offer full sleeping comfort without dominating the room, and they suit dual-purpose spaces such as a study or home office that hosts the occasional guest.
another factor to consider is who will be using the sofa bed (adults or kids), as well as how many guests will be staying over, as this can also impact your decision on what size sofa bed you’ll want to purchase.
key measurements for Hong Kong apartments
| measurement | sizing | what to know |
|---|---|---|
| day bed width | typically 97–127cm | full sleeping comfort in studios and compact rooms |
| double and queen, closed | typically 140–180cm wide | the everyday sofa footprint |
| double and queen, open | typically 180–210cm deep | measure the space in front, not only behind to ensure there’s ample space around |
| bed sizes available | single, double, queen, king | plus day beds for single sleepers |
the Hong Kong delivery advantage
our sofa beds are flat-pack designed for easy transportation, so they fit through standard Hong Kong lifts and narrow corridors that would defeat a fully assembled sofa. flat-pack also means less packaging: we minimise plastic and prioritise sustainable alternatives to reduce the CO2 footprint of every delivery.
3. the mechanism: the part you will use most
the mechanism is the heart of a sofa bed, and it is the difference between a bed you actually open and one that quietly becomes seating only. cheaper mechanisms need two people, pinch fingers, and get harder to operate with age; a well-engineered one converts from sofa to bed in moments, with one person and no tools.
every sofa bed in our range uses European mechanisms designed for effortless conversion, mounted on durable metal frames for enhanced longevity. where wood is used in the frame and legs, it is FSC™-certified, part of the same responsibly sourced approach that runs through everything we make as a B Corp™ certified company. the 5-year warranty on materials and manufacturing defects covers the mechanisms, frames, springs, and foam cores: the working parts, not only the surfaces.
this is one purchase where trying before buying genuinely pays. most customers who come in-store are pleasantly surprised at how functional (yet stylish) our sofa beds are, and how easily they transform from sofa to sleeper with just one person. at our 25,000 sq ft showroom at Horizon Plaza, Ap Lei Chau (or our HomeSquare Shatin store where we have a smaller selection), you can open and close the mechanisms yourself, lie on the mattresses, and feel the difference between spring systems in a way no specification table can convey.
Kate Babington, Managing Director at TREE
“we love Innovation Living for its contemporary sofa beds, each crafted with the newest technology and quality construction for a long-lasting design. alongside this, we feel strongly aligned with the brand as it shares our same philosophy and commitment to designs that stand the test of time, thereby reducing its environmental impact. you can see that sustainability has been considered at every stage of product development: from utilising FSC™-certified wooden legs, opting for a flat-pack design that reduces CO2 emissions, to creating modular components (for easy maintenance and repairs) that extend a sofa bed’s lifespan.”
a few of our sofa beds
4. springs, foam and sleeping comfort
the question behind every sofa bed purchase is whether anyone will actually sleep well on it. the honest answer depends on what is inside. our mattresses use pocket spring or zig-zag spring systems combined with high-resilient foam, which is why the answer to “can you sleep on it every night?” in our range is yes: these are engineered as beds, not as sofas with an apologetic fold-out.
pocket springs work as individual coils, each responding independently to weight and movement, which gives the closest feel to a conventional bed mattress and suits nightly or frequent use. zig-zag springs use continuous sinuous wires to provide consistent, supportive comfort, and pair well with the high-resilient foam for guest use and everyday sitting. neither is a lesser choice; they suit different lives, which is why the usage question in section one comes first.
spring systems compared
| system | how it works | best suited to |
|---|---|---|
| pocket spring | individual coils respond independently to weight and movement | nightly and frequent sleeping; couples, as movement transfers less |
| zig-zag spring | continuous sinuous wires give consistent support | regular guest use and excellent everyday seat comfort |
| high-resilient foam | works with both systems; recovers its shape after use | comfort and durability across the whole range |
5. fabric: chosen for real life
a sofa bed’s fabric works harder than most upholstery: it is sat on daily, slept on at night, and asked to look good throughout. fabric choice is where durability, feel, and colour meet, and it is worth understanding one number before you choose: the Martindale rating, which measures how many abrasion cycles a fabric withstands before showing wear.
every fabric in our sofa bed range has a minimum rating of 27,000 Martindale, which makes it suitable for daily, high-usage life; our premium fabrics reach up to 200,000 Martindale for the most demanding homes. all our fabrics are also certified to OEKO-TEX, meaning they are free of harmful substances and tested to high product safety standards: reassuring for any home, and particularly for families with young children.
many of our customers come in asking whether our sofa beds come in other fabrics and colourways. with over 40 fabric and colour options across stock and pre-order models, with some designs with an option for removable covers, there is room to match the piece to your interior rather than working around it. if you can’t wait for your custom colour, we have in-stock models which are available for immediate delivery.
a few of our fabric colourways
ochre boucle
grey mix
midnight blue
natural mix
elegance green
charcoal boucle
fabric durability at a glance
| Martindale rating | what it means | suited to |
|---|---|---|
| 27,000 (our minimum) | suitable for daily, high usage | family living rooms and everyday sofa bed use |
| up to 200,000 (premium) | exceptional resistance to wear | nightly-use sofa beds and the busiest households |
| all fabrics | certified to OEKO-TEX; free of harmful substances | every home, especially those with young children |
lighter, breathable weaves feel cooler through Hong Kong’s humid months, and darker or textured fabrics are forgiving in rooms that see heavy daily use. our guide to choosing sofa fabrics goes deeper on colour, texture, and weave; the shortlist is best finished in person at our shops, where you can see the full fabric library in natural light.
caring for your sofa bed in Hong Kong
sofa beds are among the lower-maintenance pieces we sell. the metal frames and European mechanisms are engineered to work for years with next to no attention, and the fabrics are chosen for exactly the kind of daily life a Hong Kong home puts them through. a little routine care keeps everything working and looking as it should.
Hong Kong · Spring care
Spring in Hong Kong brings indoor humidity that can rise above 90%, and that is when your sofa bed appreciates a little extra care. running a dehumidifier keeps fabrics fresh and gives any wooden elements in the frame and legs the stable conditions they like best. it is also the season to open the bed and air the mattress more regularly.
practical care tips
- vacuum regularly: a soft brush attachment over the seat, back, and crevices keeps dust and crumbs from settling into the weave.
- treat spills promptly: blot rather than rub, using a clean, dry cloth first; for anything stubborn, check the fabric care label before using any cleaning product.
- exercise the mechanism: opening and closing the bed periodically keeps the mechanism moving freely; it is designed for regular use, and regular use is what keeps it at its best.
- care for the wooden elements: where your sofa bed has FSC™-certified wooden legs or frame details, a wipe with a slightly damp cloth is all the routine care they require.
to learn more about how to look after your upholstered piece, our TREEtment manual covers everything in detail; download it on our after care page. and if anything ever feels less than right, remember the 5-year warranty covers the mechanisms, frames, springs, and foam cores: we are here for the life of the piece, not the length of the sale.
can you sleep on a sofa bed every night?
on ours, yes. our sofa beds use pocket spring or zig-zag spring mattresses with high-resilient foam, engineered for genuine sleeping comfort rather than occasional use. for nightly sleeping we recommend a pocket spring model, as the individual coils respond to weight and movement the way a conventional bed mattress does. the 5-year warranty covering springs and foam cores reflects that confidence.
how do I make a sofa bed more comfortable?
start with what is inside: a well-specified spring mattress makes more difference than any accessory. beyond that, you can consider adding a mattress topper for a softer feel if you prefer one, and dress the bed properly with fitted sheets and real pillows rather than cushions. if an existing sofa bed is beyond rescuing, the mechanism and mattress are usually the reason; it is worth trying a pocket spring model in person before assuming all sofa beds feel the same.
which sofa bed should I buy for everyday use?
for everyday sleeping, choose a pocket spring mattress, a fabric at the higher end of the Martindale scale, and a mechanism you find effortless to operate; you will be using it twice a day. for everyday sitting with occasional guests, a zig-zag spring model gives excellent seat comfort with dependable sleeping support when needed. all our fabrics start at 27,000 Martindale, which is rated for daily, high usage.
is a futon or a sofa bed better?
they suit different homes. a futon is lighter, lower, and typically firmer, with the mattress folding rather than a mechanism operating. a sofa bed gives you a proper sprung mattress, a supportive metal frame, and the look and comfort of a real sofa by day. for a piece that serves as everyday seating and hosts guests comfortably, a sofa bed is the stronger long-term choice; futons tend to make sense where floor-level, fold-away sleeping is the priority.
what is a click clack sofa bed?
a click clack is a sofa bed whose backrest folds flat to form the sleeping surface, named for the sound of the ratchet mechanism. they are usually the most affordable type, but the sleeping surface is the seat and back cushions rather than a dedicated mattress. our range takes a different approach: European mechanisms open to reveal a proper spring mattress, so the bed is a bed rather than a flattened sofa.
what size is a sofa bed when opened?
as a general guide, double and queen sofa beds are 140–180cm wide closed and 180–210cm deep when fully opened; day beds are typically 97–127cm wide. our range covers single, double, queen, and king bed sizes, so plan the open footprint against your room using the measurements in section two before you choose.
what is the best sofa bed for overnight guests?
for occasional guests, most models in our range serve comfortably; the deciding factors are the size your room allows and the fabric that suits your daily life. if guests stay often, or for longer stretches, a pocket spring double or queen gives them the closest experience to a conventional bed. browse our full range of sofa beds, or let our team walk you through the roughly 10 models typically in stock for immediate delivery if guests are arriving sooner than a pre-order allows.
what size sheets fit a sofa bed?
our sofa beds convert to standard bed sizes (UK): single, double, queen, and king, so standard fitted sheets in the matching size fit as they would on a conventional bed. as a general guide, check the mattress depth when buying fitted sheets, as sofa bed mattresses are typically shallower than conventional ones; a standard-depth fitted sheet holds well.