Style Your Home: Leather Sofa Beds

There might have been a time when a sofa bed was a poor substitute for either a sofa or a bed. Either they were elegant as sofas but thin, wobbly and uncomfortable as beds, or else they were comfortable as beds but square, chunky and ugly as sofas. Perhaps part of the reason is that sofa beds were for a long time mainly the preserve of students, or young single people living in crowded and temporary apartments. By the time people came to furnish their own home with stylish and elegant pieces they took care over selecting, they were often living in larger homes with enough space that sofa beds weren’t required.

Of course, times have changed, property has become more expensive and living in small homes or city apartments is far more common. That doesn’t mean, however, that people have lost any of the desire to carefully fill their living space with furniture that reflects their tastes and personal style. As a result, flexible items like sofa beds are sold in a wider range of styles than ever before, and designers put far more care into making them both comfortable as beds and elegant as sofas.

Sicily Sofa Bed

Leather Sofa Beds

One of the questions a lot of people have when buying a sofa bed is whether they can get it in leather. Leather sofas are beautiful, comfortable and stylish pieces of furniture that a lot of people aspire to own, and are reluctant to compromise on just because they also need the option for a spare bed.

Sandhurst 3 Seater Sofa Bed in Old English Leather

Fortunately, with so many different styles of sofa beds now available, it’s much easier to find leather sofa beds in a variety of colours from traditional brown to modern cream, and in a range of styles. Even the world’s most recognisable and stylish leather sofa, the chesterfield, is available as a sofa bed.

What type of leather should I go for?

Sofa beds, like any leather furniture, are available in a range of different types of leather to suit different uses and budgets. Although all are real leather, they may be a different grade or quality of material, and may also be treated or died differently giving them a different look and feel and making some more hard-wearing than others. As a rule, semi-aniline leathers can be harder-wearing and easier to clean, while full-aniline leathers are incredibly soft and age beautifully, developing a unique patina. Either can work well, although some people find that sofa beds benefit from being made from harder-wearing semi-aniline leathers that is more resistant to spills and stains.

Venice Corner Sofa Bed in Protected Leather

What colour should I choose?

As with choosing any chair or sofa, choosing a sofa bed colour is all down to personal taste and the kind of room it will be placed in. Many people prefer neutral colours like greys or blacks that can be placed almost anywhere, and then add colour in the room with cushions, carpet, curtains or wallpaper and paint. On the other hand, having a leather sofa bed does open up the option for brighter and more vibrant colours such as reds, purples or green. These work well in more neutral rooms where they won’t clash with other items, and can also work best on smaller sofa beds where they add a splash of colour without being entirely overwhelming.

Belgravia Leather Sofabed

And, of course, for a classic look, you can’t beat brown or tan, especially with a very traditional style such as a chesterfield. The main thing is to consider the room as a whole and, of course, with a sofa bed you may also want to have a think about what style of bedding you will put on it.

In conclusion

Leather sofa beds provide a mix of style and practicality that’s hard to beat. Comfortable and luxurious, but also elegant and opulent, they are available in so many styles that there is something to suit any room. And, when you also have the option to make it a guest bed, there’s no reason not to finally get that chesterfield sofa bed for the study, or a small leather sofa bed for the living room.