Why This Special Sofa Bed Is Perfect for My 320-Square-Foot Apartment

I’ve slept in a lot of beds. (It’s not what it sounds like!) In eight years, I moved twenty-five times. I’ve laid my head on everything from a futon to a gloriously thick mattress, firm enough for a fairytale princess. But it’s my most recent bed that I felt compelled to write about. It’s a sofa bed.

This sofa bed found its way to me when I moved back to Santa Monica after eight wonderful years in New York City. I found a nice little apartment in a terrific location. The only downside? Its size. The place is only 320 square feet, and that includes the closet, bathroom, and some bulky heating units taking up floor space. Translation: The living area is certainly not roomy. I enjoy feeling like I have space to spread out, so I decided I’d look into beds that fold up.

I began investigating both Murphy beds and fold-out couches. Since I’m not exactly great with power tools (or hammers—I’ve 3M Command-stripped everything on my walls), I leaned toward the sofa bed option. I haven’t found other sofa beds I’ve slept on to be especially comfortable, alas, I figured it was a place to begin.

I know I like a firm mattress, but I was willing to try new things, like a foam one. A sublet of mine once had a regular foam mattress that was sublime, so how bad could it be? I went to visit a sofa store and sprawled across the four folding mattresses they had. The first three were lackluster, but the fourth, the Cozy mattress, was perfect. Despite its slender design, it felt as firm and comfortable as mattresses three times its depth. I immediately zipped home to do a bit more research before springing for it.

I then called several manufacturers—including Cozy— to make sure I could leave the sheets on the sofa beds I was eyeing when they were folded up. It turned out that the Cozy was the only sofa bed with that option. Other manufactures said there was a high probability of breaking their mechanisms, even with thin sheets. Convenience was key for me, so more points for Cozy.

Space was another factor. If I had opted to divide my room into living and sleeping with both a loveseat and a bed, there would have been only a small pathway to walk in my apartment. By getting a full size mattress inside of a small sofa, my living room feels as big as any normal-sized living room. It’s truly a marvel how small the bed folds up to be. When it’s time to hit the hay, I simply take the cushions off and unfold the bed with one hand. Then, I store my couch pillows inside of an ottoman. The space instantly transforms into a spacious bedroom.

After sleeping on this mattress almost every night for over a year, I’ve come to the conclusion that it’s been my most comfortable mattress of all. I love getting into bed at night and hate having to leave it in the morning. It’s stayed firm despite repeated pressure from opening and closing the couch, and from my body weight. It turned out to be a terrific purchase and definitely lives up to its name. Every time I climb in, I do indeed feel cozy.