Check it out. I redid my living room.. AGAIN! I bought new Tiny House furniture, and although this futon is not 100% perfect, it’s definitely an upgrade. My old downstairs futon was handmade and heavy. It took 3-4 steps to assemble (watch the video here) and required the help of two bulky ottomans. It was mostly constructed of plywood, so it wasn’t that comfortable either.
My Old Downstairs Futon:
My Old Futon Worked Great… When It Was Just Me Using It.
The futon we built turned out to be TOO COMPLICATED for my guests. Honestly, it also wasn’t even very comfortable as a couch. My AirBNB guests kept breaking the hinges off and tearing up the fabric trying to move the cumbersome pieces around. I found that it was a real hassle fixing it all the time, and I eventually decided that it was a failure (at least as a functional option for unsupervised guests). What can I say? We tried! For the record, I think it worked fine when it was just me.
This is only the 2nd piece of furniture in my house that isn’t handmade.
The Pros & Cons of My New Tiny House Furniture
My new futon is super easy to unfold into a comfortable bed, AND it’s also a comfy couch! Another pro is that I have more floor space because…..drum roll please… I also replaced my big, bulky ottomans with two cute, small teal ones! Yes, my new ottomans have storage. It’s where I store the futon’s bedding. Yes, they double as extra seating and footstools. Yes, they’re adorable.
The downsides? Tthis futon only makes a twin bed, where as my original self-built one was almost a full-size. But, perhaps the biggest con, is that it’s 6 inches narrower than my nook, leaving a dreadful gap of empty space! The truth is, I couldn’t find a pre-made futon that fit perfectly in my nook and fit through my 22″ front door. So, this is a compromise that I had to make. Two people can still sit on this futon; it’s just a little cozier. To fill the leftover space in my nook, I installed a live-edge beverage shelf and book drawer with plenty of Tiny House reading material. Honestly, I think it’s a pretty cute solution, and I’ve always wanted a space to set my wine glass while watching a movie on my projector screen.
It has been a process, spanning 6 long years, to find the perfect furniture piece for my tiny nook. I’m still not 100% satisfied, but I think I can live with this new futon until I get another grand idea for a re-design!
