6 min readThe first thing you see when you step into my parents' Long Island home is two eyesores: a dusty, worn treadmill and a stationary bike. For a long time, I remained silent. After all, it's not my house. However, after years of letting it slide, I finally decided to intervene—it was time to get rid of the hideous makeshift gym in favor of a stylish sleeper sofa.
I wanted this mini makeover to bring warmth and an inviting energy to the space. When it’s the first room you see, it can’t help but define the rest of the home. I picked Joybird's Briar Sleeper Sofa for my dad's sunroom, which has a stunning burnt-orange tone that complements the room’s natural wood elements beautifully, from the flooring to the French doors.
Joybird, headquartered in California, boasts that the Briar Sleeper Sofa features a multi-purpose design—likely because it doubles as a pull-out bed—and emanates a mid-century aesthetic, adding that it's an "irresistible choice" for cocktail hours, movie nights, and sleepovers. We may not have put it through cocktail parties or movie marathons yet, but it has quietly reshaped how my dad uses the space every single day. Read ahead for my full review.
Briar Sleeper Sofa Key Features
- Available in a wide range of fabrics and colors, including velvet and pet-friendly fabrics. You can order free swatches to see your top choices in person before committing to a purchase.
- Features a tufted bench cushion and supportive back pillows. The seat cushions consist of high-density foam wrapped in multi-layer fiber. Beneath it is a wood frame reinforced at the corners for long-term durability.
- Doubles as a pull-out bed, unfolding into a 4.5-inch-thick mattress with a firm support layer on the bottom and a soft, contouring layer on top, all wrapped in a fabric cover.
- Comes in three configurations: standard (80 inches wide), full (73 inches wide), and twin (54 inches wide).
- You can stick with the default standard foam mattress or upgrade to the TEMPUR-Response Memory Foam, which is designed to contour to your body, ease pressure points, and provide more balanced, full-body support.
- It’s backed by a limited lifetime warranty. Joybird covers the wood frame, joints, base, legs, and hardware for life, with one-year coverage for fabrics, cushions, mattresses, and sleeper mechanisms, and three-year coverage on springs and bed slats.
Delivery and Assembly Process
The ordering process was seamless, though I suggest reading Joybird's Will It Fit guide before purchasing to ensure the sofa can clear your entryway. After checkout, Joybird provides a tracking page so you can monitor its progress toward delivery. Once it’s ready, you’ll receive a text prompting you to select a delivery date. Soon after that, you'll receive a time window for your sofa's arrival.
The delivery process had a few hiccups for me. The sofa was scheduled to arrive on a Saturday from 9 a.m. to noon, but the delivery team never showed up. I called Joybird and was surprised to hear that it got rescheduled to Tuesday. This wasn't ideal as I had work that day, but in the end, a delivery team of two showed up with the Briar Sleeper Sofa on the new delivery date and within the designated time window.
After I showed the delivery team where to place my new sofa, they assembled it quickly and efficiently, then walked me through how to convert it into a pull-out bed—a helpful tutorial, since the mechanism isn’t entirely intuitive. All told, the delivery and setup took about 15 minutes.
How It Feels to Sit on It
I knew my dad was warming up to the makeover when I found him, completely unprompted, curled up on the sofa with a book. He admitted moving the gym to the basement was the right call. There’s something undeniably “cozy up and stay awhile” about this sleeper.
Although I expected this to be more of a cloud-like sofa, I fell in love with the sink-in softness of the Briar Sleeper Sofa. Rather than enveloping you in plushness, the back cushions offer the kind of firm, ergonomic support that feels spine-friendly instead of encouraging you to slump and slouch. The bench cushion also skews firmer than plush, though I've found it remains comfortable for everyday lounging. In short, this isn’t the kind of sofa kids will bounce on; it has very little give. Instead, it’s ideal for anyone who prefers structured, supportive seating.
How It Feels to Sleep on It
Accessing the pull-out bed requires removing the back cushions, lifting the front panel, and pulling the concealed mattress frame outward until it locks into place. It takes some practice, but you'll eventually get the hang of it. Fortunately, the panel also includes an illustration showing how to convert the sofa into a sleeper.
Joybird says this sleeper comes with a Queen mattress, but at 72 inches long—instead of the standard 80 inches—it’s essentially a short Queen. That said, I’m 5’5, and with my head at the top of the mattress, my entire body fits comfortably with no feet hanging off the edge. When I stretched my arms out to test the width, only my wrists extended beyond the sides. Realistically, though, someone over 5'8" may notice their feet dangling off the end.
The TEMPUR-Response Memory Foam mattress continues the firm-and-supportive theme of the Briar Sleeper Sofa; it feels comfortable without being rigid, and I'd definitely get a good night's sleep on it. Just note that Joybird says their sleeper sofas "are not designed or intended to provide optimal daily or consistent use as your primary bed." What's more, constantly removing and replacing the bench cushion would get tiring, making it best suited for occasional overnight guests.
Cleaning and Maintenance
It’s still too early to determine how well the Briar Sleeper Sofa will withstand everyday wear and tear, as I’ve only been testing it for two weeks. However, because of its supportive, firmer construction, you don't have to worry about endlessly re-fluffing the cushions the way you might with more plush, slouchy styles. My dad has spent hours leaning against the Briar’s dual bolster pillows, and they’ve yet to lose their shape. The same goes for the back and seat cushions; I haven’t noticed any of that “smushed” look, even after hours of sitting.
To clean this sofa, I’d start by vacuuming the surface using an upholstery attachment to keep dust and debris from settling into the fabric. For spills, Joybird recommends blotting—never rubbing!—with a clean, white cloth and using a cleaner that corresponds with your fabric’s care code (which you can find on the tag). Since my Harper Cinnamon upholstery carries a Cleaning Code S, that means sticking strictly to solvent-based cleaners only (e.g., no water-based solutions or steam) to avoid rings or discoloration. It’s also worth noting that Joybird recommends avoiding placing this couch in direct sunlight to help preserve the rich, burnt-orange hue over time.
Pros and Cons
Pros
- The cushions are firm and supportive
- Comes in 90 different colors and fabrics
- Remains structured without requiring refluffing
- Doubles as a spacious pull-out bed
Cons
- Seat cushions have little to no give
- Too much sun exposure may ruin the color
- May experience minor delivery issues
The Final Verdict: Is It Worth Buying?
If you were to ask my stubborn father this question after finally warming up to the Briar Sleeper Sofa, the answer would be a resounding yes. It finally made the sunroom feel like a place meant for lingering instead of logging miles. Though I was expecting lounge-worthy softness, I ended up preferring its tufted, mid-century silhouette, which looks irresistibly cozy yet delivers structured support. What's more, I like that it's designed to suit a range of spaces, whether you have room for the full 80-inch standard size or need the more compact 54-inch twin.
If the burnt orange hue in this review isn't your speed, there are nearly 90 styles to choose from, from the teal-like Royal Peacock to the muted, sandy tan color of Washed California Biscuit.
Keep in mind that the delivery hit a minor snag. And as mentioned, the Sleeper Sofa doesn't quite deliver that sitting-on-a-cloud feeling. So if you're looking for something more plush and sink-in-soft, I suggest checking out our cloud couch dupe recommendations.
