The original futons in Japan are not really beds as we know them today. The word futon actually mean mattress in Japanese, so the original futons were just a pile of quilts and thin mattresses on the floor. The Japanese, who often suffer from a lack of space at home, then put the mattress onto a frame and made it a multi purpose item. Because they didn’t have a lot of free space many rooms were multi use rooms, so the furnishings they use reflect this.

The futon bed was really only used in Japan for many years, though other Asian countries did have similar variations. Back in the 1960s the futon started to get popular with American college students, more so the ones that lived in cramped college dorms. These beds are great to sleep on, then where you are not sleeping they quickly and easily transform into a great looking, comfortable sofa. This gave the students a whole load of flexibility, and also a whole load of extra space.

Futon beds can come in a range of different styles and materials. As well as a number of sizes, from single up to king size. Normally the frames are made from wood, but more metal futons are becoming available. The mattresses that you can use can be the original thin quilted mattress or a thick item that is attached to the frame.

You will be able to find futons at pretty much every furniture store, but there are also speciality futon stores out there too. The internet is a great place for shopping for these beds, and it also a great place to find out more about them. The more you know before you go shopping the better the futon you will end up buying. Normally you will find that futon sofa beds are quite a bit less expensive than a regular mattress and box spring bed.