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Plus, an expert weighs in on the features to look for.
Buying a sleeper sectional is not quite the same process as buying a standard sectional sofa. After all, you have another element of comfort to consider: the bed. So, we chatted with an interior designer who not only offered some tips on how to shop for one (including what to look for) but also made a serious case for opting for a sofa bed over its more standard alternative. "If you are someone who tends to have a lot of guests or visitors, it's nice to have an extra bed rather than a blow-up mattress," designer Michael Hilal says. "No one wants their in-laws sleeping on the floor."
To help you shop, we hunted around on the internet in search of the best options on offer and came up with 15 sleeper sectionals on which anyone would be thrilled to spend the night. After all, today's sofa beds are nothing like the ones you may have grown up with. There are no squeaky springs that ruin your back, no heavy levers that require multiple people to operate, and no stale mattresses that are paper-thin. These rival the beds in the primary bedroom—so much so that you wouldn't even mind sleeping on them. Trust us; if you like to host out-of-towners, you need one of these sleeper sectionals.
Available in four shades, including blue and teal (pictured), this sleeper sectional is pretty easy to transform into a bed. The best part? You won't hurt your back performing the swap. All you have to do is slide the base piece up and out until it's level with the rest of the seat cushions. The whole process takes about two seconds and delivers a luxurious sleep surface in the process.
If white furniture isn't your thing, this affordable find comes in eight additional shades, including gray, olive, and pink. As you may be able to infer from the tabs on the ends of the cushions, you can turn this into a bed by pulling on them (the one on the chaise reveals storage, and the one on the wider cushion pulls out into a full-size bed).
Several House Beautiful editors are big fans of Burrow's sofas, including Associate Shopping Editor Janae McKenzie, whose mother tested the brand-new Span (the sofa, not the sectional), and Senior Commerce Editor Marina Liao, who has owned the leather Nomad for several years now. We'd be remiss not to include the Shift sleeper sofa, one of the brand's first launches ever, in our list of the best sleeper sofas.
With its low, extra-cushioned back, two removable throw pillows that flank the arms, and a supportive, cooling mattress (which is actually built right into the frame), it's a best-seller for a reason. Plus, it's extremely easy to take it from a sofa to a bed: Just remove the back pillows and gently tug on the tabs attached to the seat, which will then lift to reveal the bed. Speaking of the bed, it's Burrow's very own Lyric mattress that the brand designed specifically for the sleeper sofas.
On first glance, this looks like a typical queen-size bed, but upon further inspection, you'll notice the metal pronged legs upon which the foot of the bed stands, which indicates the piece of furniture in question is actually a sleeper sofa. In our opinion, that's the best kind of sleeper sofa: one that looks like a bed when it's in bed form and one that looks like a sofa when it's in sofa form.
The Landy from Article is one of the best sleeper sofas on our list, not only because it's so comfortable in either position (the mattress is memory foam and the seat cushions are a combination of foam and fiber), but because it's so easy to make it work in any space. You can buy it in any of the three configurations on offer, and it comes in nine fabric options. If you're not sure which shade would work best in your space, snag as many free swatches as you'd like to make the best decision.
If you're wondering how to turn this massive L-shaped sectional into a bed, the answer is: it's totally up to you. This is a modular sofa, meaning you can configure it however you see fit. In sectional form, it can comfortably seat eight, and when it's a bed, there's room for two, so feel free to invite plenty of people over for the holidays this year.
If you have a weird corner in your living room that you need a couch to fill, this L-shaped sleeper sectional could be the answer. Minimalist design lovers can stick to almond linen and gray, while homeowners who love to add flair can opt for a colorful accent with ochre yellow or navy blue.
For a smaller sleeper sectional that won't be used for too long at a time, this is the ideal budget pick. At just under seven feet wide, it's a great fit for a first apartment or as an addition to a regular sofa in the family room. Plus, it has a sturdy kiln-dried frame and a queen-sized sleeping area.
With recessed arms and removable cushions, this sleeper sectional makes for a great addition to any living room or home office. The hero of the piece? It's cleverly hidden storage, which we'd suggest using for sheets, blankets, and pillows to break out when your overnight guests show up.
This couch is so customizable, you can even choose what color of wood you want for the base and legs. "This couch is amazing!" wrote one reviewer. "The fabric is beautiful and the couch is well-made and super [comfortable]. It's higher off the ground than other couches, which we love and has enough room for all six family members to snuggle together for movie night."
With so many performance-rated fabrics to choose from, this is the perfect piece for those who prefer a statement couch. You can even mix and match with piping color to create a truly striking piece in your home. "What a beautiful piece of craftsmanship," wrote one reviewer. "The fabric is luxurious and soft, yet cleans easily, and the construction is excellent. I upgraded the seat cushions to the down alternative seat cushions. I am so happy that I did. Firm yet so comfortable.
Your overnight guests will feel so touched by the care put into their comfort after one night on this deluxe sleeper. The modern silhouette is not out of place in a luxury hotel. "I'm amazed at the quality of this sofa," wrote one reviewer. "Bought it for our vacation house and would totally buy one more for my personal home."
The vibrant color options in this sleeper sectional are a godsend. "We really like our new sectional!" wrote one five-star reviewer. "It's huge and perfect for our family movie nights. The cushions are well-made and firm. Love the fabric. The kids like the pull-out memory foam mattress for sleepovers; not sure how comfortable it would be for adults."
The right sleeper sectional can replace the need for a guest room. "We needed a functional sofa that would fit condo living credentials: comfortable, modern, stylish, had storage, and a comfortable bed for overnight guests," wrote one reviewer. "The queen pull-out bed is comfortable, and we are not embarrassed to offer it up as an option to overnight visitors."
One of the best parts about a sleeper sectional is that there's still plenty of room to lounge on even when the mattress is unfolded, with a long chaise to cradle the mattress. There are some gorgeous woven textural options, too, adding some extra dimension without overwhelming your space.
A slightly smaller option than the Mulholland, this contemporary sectional is great if you have less room to spare in your living room. It uses a twin-size mattress to comfortably sleep one guest at a time.
These types of sofas are not the pieces you want to cut corners on when buying. The price tag tends to be a bit higher on sleeper sectionals, but when you think about how they’re used, they're worth the investment in a quality design. After all, the mattress mechanism inside the sleeper is constantly being pulled in and out of the sectional.
“If you move furniture too much, especially wood furniture, things become a little bit looser,” Hilal says. “If you're moving this big metal contraption out of that, the stability shifts, so that's why you gotta buy a nice quality sleeper sofa.” You likely want yours to last for years to come, so the one-time investment is worth it for quality’s sake.
Though the mattress will see lots of use in a sleeper sectional, most days it likely just functions as a couch, so having cushions that won't give out first is crucial. Memory foam cushions might be cozier at first, but will start to sag over time, whereas pocket coil cushions might last longer, but be a bit more uncomfortable. Because the sleeper portion often takes the place of the couch’s foundation, comfortable cushions are key so you don’t feel like you’re sitting right on a metal frame.
“You can also look for mattresses with memory foam if you're going for extra comfort, or you can get a topper as you would with any bed,” says Serna. “My other recommendation for a sleeper sectional is always seeking out a durable performance fabric that will stand up against the additional use as both a bed and a sectional.”
Because of the space the sleeper sectional tends to take up, you’ll want to avoid overly patterned or loud fabric. Simplicity is your friend. "Keep the frame simple,” Hilal says. "The sofa on its own will feel and look a little bit cozier." We highly recommend a bouclé sectional for that comfortable, easy-on-the-eyes look.
"Any kind of textured weave or chenille would be a great choice," Hilal continues. "A solid weave like velvet might be more temperamental and crease from wear and removing cushions. I would avoid linen that could have the potential to become a wrinkled mess." That said, if it's a slip cover, you always have the option of removing, washing, and steaming it from time to time. No option is off-limits, so get what you like, but if you are in the market for something low-maintenance, listen to the experts here.
Depending on the material of your sleeper sectional, anything from a lint roller to a quick, gentle vacuum could be all you need to keep it clean. Your main enemy will be dust that collects between uses. "Most sleeper sofas come with performance fabric options, and those will keep it clean," Hilal says. "There is the potential for dust to collect under the sofa since you are opening it a lot, so I recommend a mattress cover and giving the frame a good dusting every couple of weeks." If the cushions are removable, make sure to take them off every now and then and give the base and frame a good vacuum.
Before you click "buy" on a sleeper sectional, be sure to map out how much space it'll take up in your home, so larger pieces don't feel like such a hostile takeover. "Make sure that you not only measure the space for the size of the bed when extended, but also for space for the furniture already in the room when the sleeper is open," Hilal says. "The last thing you want is no place for pieces like a coffee table or chairs when the bed is open. Otherwise, you’ll become a furniture mover." He's not wrong. Opening and closing a sleeper sofa is enough work on its own (even with an easy-to-operate option) that having to spend any more time or effort lugging around living room furniture to make space for the bed part of the sectional is a no-go.
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