Product Showcase - Made to Last Sofa Beds

Are you planning any interiors projects at the moment? It may be the busiest time of year gardening-wise, but we’re also about to start some pretty major indoor projects too, including a complete revamp of our family room. At the moment it’s a glorified cupboard, but I have grand plans to transform it into a cosy den where the kids can do their music practice and chill out with their friends. We’ll definitely need a sofa in there, and as we don’t have a guest bedroom, it makes sense to go for a sofa bed so that the room can multi-task even harder. And that’s where the fun shopping part begins!

If you’ve slept on sofa beds when visiting friends or family, you’ll no doubt be all too aware that not all sofa beds offer the same level of quality and comfort. I know I’ve had my fair share of disturbed nights thanks to lumpy mattresses and creaky springs. When visitors come to stay I really want them to be comfortable, so I’ve been on the lookout for sofa beds that are genuinely good to sleep on, while also looking great as a sofa and being comfy to sit on.

The internet is a fantastic resource for interiors inspiration, and also a gateway to businesses and products that you just can’t find on the high street. I’ve just discovered a fab interiors site called Made to Last, whose range of sofa beds has left me spoilt for choice.

The ethos behind Made to Last is implicit in the name: quality products that are made to last and therefore offer great value for money. We’re talking about the opposite of the interiors version of fast-fashion here: instead of a short-term, disposable approach to buying furniture, Made to Last is all about investing in a quality product that will serve it’s purpose into the long-term. This approach can actually be more economical in the long run, and of course there are also the environmental benefits gained from manufacturing and disposing of less furniture.

All Made to Last products are manufactured in the British Isles and have a clear guarantee which indicates the expected life. I really like this guarantee system: it makes it easy for the customer to understand the kind of value for money a product is offering, as well as providing that all-important reassurance on quality. In addition to sofa beds, there’s a wide range of electricals, kitchenware, furniture and home furnishings to be explored.

All Made to Last own brand sofa beds are available in 2 seater and 3 seater options, and there are 90 fabrics to choose from, with a free fabric sample service. A really big positive in my opinion is the attention paid to the comfort of the mattresses. Their factory actually started life as a mattress company, so as you’d expect they really know how to create a product that is lovely to sleep on, using a generous 14cm thick fully sprung mattress.

Here are a few of my favourites from the range.

Wissington 3 seater

If you’re going for a classic look, the smooth shape and scrolled arms of the Wissington are a great choice. The easy action opening mechanism is designed to take the hassle out of converting it into a bed, and I absolutely love the fact that the cushions all stay in place when you convert it, so you don’t have to find somewhere to store them. The cushions are reversible too, making it easy to avoid uneven wear and tear.

Edworth 2 seater

Straight lines and simple styling make the Edworth the perfect sofa bed for a modern, minimalist room style. I like the way the cutouts on the back cushions break up the shape a little, without compromising on the cleanness of the look. Again, the cushions are reversible.

Lode 3 seater

I love the clean lines and slightly retro feel of the Lode. You’d never know it was a sofa bed, thanks to details like the button back and solid wood feet. The seats are lovely and deep and, as with all Made to Last own brand sofa beds, two matching scatter cushions are included. I’ve got my eye on this model in a neutral grey for our family room; I think it’s perfect for the relaxed look we’re going for, and the quality construction means it’ll cope well with lots of use.

Chinton 2 seater

I think this Chinton design would be fantastic for a teenager’s room; it’s compact, modern and perfect for kids to lounge on with their mates. The fixed cover makes it super-fast to convert into a bed, but you can still remove the seat cushions and back covers to clean them. A really practical option that’s lovely quality, and also very reasonably priced.

This is just a little taster of the sofa beds available from Made to Last, you can check out the full range here. Which model would be the perfect choice for your home?