Something that will sleep two adults and takes up very little room

[ksr5377]

Our new home has a small downstairs bedroom that we'll be using for our school room.  I would like to come up with a way to also use it as a guest room when my parents stay with us.  My mom is disabled, so this way they would have a private space but still be on the first floor.   The room is about 12'x14', so not too small, but not a large first floor master either.  I would also like to fit two desks and 3 bookshelves in this room.  There is a closet as well.  My ideal solution would be something that we could use to sit and read on when it's not being used to sleep.  I'm also open to using the closet in some way.  As of right now I'm thinking about taking the doors off and putting a desk in there and shelves up the rest of the wall for storage.  DH likes the idea of hiding a Murphy bed in there.  However, I also want whatever we go with to be comfortable enough for them to not hate sleeping there, so they enjoy their stay and don't dread coming here!

[SparklyUnicorn]

My thought is something like a daybed or a high quality futon.  Don't buy a cheap futon.  BTDT.  We bought one that looked nice, but it was so horribly uncomfortable to sleep on.

 

 

[ktgrok]

Ikea has some great couch to bed convertible options. 

Something like this: http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/S89048659/

Edited August 26, 2016 by ktgrok

[vonfirmath]

We use the IKEA Hemnes Daybed for that: http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/30080316/

 

Normally, it is a twin bed for my daughter with two stacked twin sized mattresses.. But when we have guests, we pull it out and it becomes a double. We use two twin size sheets on the individual beds and a full size sheet on top (Or maybe it is queen. I'd have to check).

 

My parents and in-laws have slept on it with no complaints and it is relatively easy to pull out and push in. (Heavy so I prefer my husband to do it, but I can, even on carpetting, when necessary)

 

[rebcoola]

My friends had a murphy bed installed by a company like california closets it looked great and was quite comfortable.  They ended up having a relative live with them for 3 months and they always talked about how nice it was.

[lllll]

nm

Edited November 7, 2016 by cathey

[EmilyGF]

Murphy beds can be very comfortable, with a high quality foam mattress and a European slat system. However, a good one is $$$.

 

I worked at a very high end furniture store for years and our Murphy beds were the same comfort level as our normal beds.

[QueenCat]

Try to find something queen, not double size. I know for many people, it is hard having two people in a double unless they are both very small. Dh and I can't sleep in a double together.

[thessa516]

Another vote for a Murphy bed. It can be quite comfortable!

[EmilyGF]

Here's another idea:

 

we have a twin-sized murphy bed in our school room because my mom frequently comes by herself to stay with us. We also have a foam mattress that we store vertically between a bunkbed and the wall. When my dad comes with my mom, he sleeps on the floor on a high quality mattress and she sleeps on the murphy bed. Since he only comes for 5-10 nights per year, MAX, and she comes up to 4 or 5 weeks per year, it makes a lot more sense for us. Even queen-sized murphy beds take up a good deal of space, though I can't say I haven't fantasized about one!

Emily

 

[Carol in Cal.]

There are 'better quality' very thick air mattresses now that come in large sizes and are remarkably comfortable.  They have built up sides so you can sit down on them, and they are much deeper so you don't feel like you're sleeping on the floor.  Target has excellent ones with automatic pumps included.  You just make them up with normal sheets and blankets.  It's amazing.

 

They ARE a little smaller than the size that they say, so definitely get a queen or a California king for two people.  Great for company, and great for when your flotation bed has a leaky tube and you can't figure out which one it is a for a really long time but you have to sleep somewhere so you flop one of these babies on the living room floor.  Not that I would, um, know that personally. 

[nd293]

If your mom is disabled then I'm guessing the height of a sofa bed will not be convenient. The IKEA Hermes day bed should suit you better. IKEA sells a mattress for it that folds open into a (fairly thin) double bed mattress for when you pull out the extension.

[StephanieZ]

If you add a nice quality ($200ish for a F or Q size) 3" (or so) gel foam "topper" to a futon or pullout, you'll have a pretty darn comfy bed. Those toppers are miracles. My dd's horrible dorm mattress felt "awesome" with a good topper. 

[matrips]

We bought a futon for our school/guest room. We upgraded the base mattress and it's really comfy. Also we got the queen size. Works great as a couch to hang out and read books on, and as an extra bed when I need to separate the kids due to sickness or extra tiredness or something.

[gardenmom5]

how about a murphy bed. when it is up, there can be a table in the 'base' that opens to a table that would work as a double desk.  

[Spryte]

I love the pic gardenmom posted!

 

We have an IKEA Hemnes day bed, the same one a PP linked. It works well as a day bed, and pulling it out to make a larger bed is easy. We have guests on it right now. :)

[SproutMamaK]

We also have the Hemnes day bed; I love it, because there are drawers under it that allow it to be not only a good relaxing area for the kids, but useful storage for the 05% of the time it's not being used a spare bed. That being said, you can't have a thick mattress on it since you usually have to double stack the mattresses when it's in couch/twin mode. A Murphy bed would likely be more comfortable.

[theelfqueen]

We have a daybed with a trundle in our guest room which doubles as my scrapbook studio. We set it up as two twins which works better in the space than a larger bed.

 

Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk

[madteaparty]

Ikea ektorp sleeper sofa was great but I think they discontinued the sleeper version :(

[ksr5377]

Oh, I hadn't even thought about a sleeper sofa being so low! Thanks for pointing that out. I'll check out the Hemnes and see about the Murphy beds. I didn't realize you could make the Hemnes into a double bed, that would be more comfortable than a twin, even for one. My Dad only comes about half the time she does so I'm also thinking about the two bed option. Half the time he's here he ends up falling asleep on the couch watching TV anyways.😊

[merry gardens]

If you decide on a daybed, look at a daybed with a pop-up trundle. Some trundles just pull out to floor level and some pop-up to the height of the daybed.

[SproutMamaK]

Oh, I hadn't even thought about a sleeper sofa being so low! Thanks for pointing that out. I'll check out the Hemnes and see about the Murphy beds. I didn't realize you could make the Hemnes into a double bed, that would be more comfortable than a twin, even for one. My Dad only comes about half the time she does so I'm also thinking about the two bed option. Half the time he's here he ends up falling asleep on the couch watching TV anyways.😊

It pulls out to a king, actually! It's a huge bed.

[Angie in VA]

It pulls out to a king, actually! It's a huge bed.

 

 

The Hemnes will pull out to form a king? B...b...but, IKEA says it can be a twin or a double (and a sofa, and storage).

 

Please tell me the secret to the king, is it sleeping sideways? Talk to me like I'm 4, please. 

Edited August 27, 2016 by Angie in VA

[Rockhopper]

Yes, the Hemnes pulls out to a king -- it's a twin in its daybed position, and then you pull out the extension that's the same size, so you end up laying two twin mattresses side by side.

 

IKEA calls it a "double" because, you know, Euro-speak....  :-)  For Americans, two twins = king!

[Lucy the Valiant]

Yes, the Hemnes pulls out to a king -- it's a twin in its daybed position, and then you pull out the extension that's the same size, so you end up laying two twin mattresses side by side.

 

IKEA calls it a "double" because, you know, Euro-speak....  :-)  For Americans, two twins = king!

 

Oh! So - when you pull it out, the 2nd mattress goes OVER the drawers (so the stuff can still stay in the drawers?). Oh, my goodness, I need one or 3 of these.

[Rockhopper]

Oh! So - when you pull it out, the 2nd mattress goes OVER the drawers (so the stuff can still stay in the drawers?). Oh, my goodness, I need one or 3 of these.

 

Yes, the drawers are still usable when it's pulled out.

[kiwik]

If you decide on a daybed, look at a daybed with a pop-up trundle. Some trundles just pull out to floor level and some pop-up to the height of the daybed.

That is what I was thinking. You can pop the trundle up and use it seoerately or as a king size bed.