apartment therapy changing the world, one room at a time

i have the same issues - i really want to be able to host guests properly but don't have the extra room or proper extra mattresses. sigh. i've been thinking about getting this air mattress to make up for my previous poor hosting jobs. i have seen it in action and it is terrific. it looks and feels just like a real bed. it folds itself up and gets right out of the way! http://www.frontgate.com/jump.jsp?sort=-1&itemID=4144&itemType=PRODUCT&AS=1&keyword=mattress&page=1

I used to give my own bed up to guests all the time. I bought a futon for my living room instead of a couch just for guests. It had to be short for my small condo, so it pulls outward into a full-size bed instead of unfolding lengthwise. It's incredibly comfy. It's made of a nice, pale maple and I bought a cream-colored cover for it and slung a nice throw over it so it went with the rest of the room. The only issue is that instead of being too long, it's too wide and sticks out into the room from the wall about a foot further than a regular apartment-sized couch would have.

I keep a small dresser in my living room, and keep extra linens for my air matress in the bottom drawer, my own living room clutter (remotes, magazines, etc.) in the top drawer and leave the center drawer empty for my guests. It may not be much room, but it allows my friends a place to stash stuff over the weekend. It's always nice to have a small space to yourself, no matter where you are.

i love having a big comfy air mattress! it's way more inviting than my old method - piles of blankets on the floor. we don't do couches.

i bought a cheapie air bed for $40 that lasted me FOUR YEARS, but when my richie rich back-achin' aunt came to visit it HAD to crap out...she woke up on the floor at 3am. i slept on the floor while she slumbered in my comfy bed.

SO, i invested in an aerobed, the lesser of the pricey ones, on sale at target! it's really a great thing to have around. i store it in this old black trunk that was my greatgrandmother's - and the bedding and pillows for it are in there, too. the trunk is also our coffee table hehe.

sometimes i would like to have an extra room that could be an office, guest room, tv room, etc etc etc., but then again, i love my place JUST THE WAY IT IS ;)

We have a queen-size AeroBed Air Mattress that was ~$120 at Costco for guests to use when they're in town. I've slept on it and found it to be really comfortable...surprisingly so.
A powered pump was included and makes it simple for people to adjust to a custom firmness.

Best part: when it's not in use, the whole thing goes into a stuff-sack the size of a sleeping bag. I felt a little guilty when we first got it, but after testing it out, I feel comfortable recommending it to anyone in your situation!

Happy with my aerobed from Overstock. I'd love to have a hide-a-bed for guests, but just don't have the space, so this is the next bed. Only bad thing about it is it does get cold, so I put thick blankets on top of it, under the sheet.

Here's our Aerobed trick--buy it from Bed Bath & Beyond. When it springs a leak (in a year or so) just exchange it. In fact, you can do that even if you didn't buy it there! We store the queen-size in a cabinet in the living room (like hmr) with sheets and pillows, so when it's out the cabinet is empty for guests. Works like a charm!

I am looking to purchase an air mattress in the next couple of days. The thing is that it is for my dad (he is 60 ) and he is going to Ecuador without me...meaning that he is going to probably sleep on a sleeping bag in the floor of the apartment he is purchasing instead of going to a hotel. The last one I had was really 1st generation and it wasn't the best. It leaked and it wouldn't be firm enough. I would end up sleeping on the floor and putting my luggage on my side of the mattress so that my dad bounced up (I was 14 at the time and waited like 90 pounds). They all look good now, but I want something that is easier to use and that my dad could sleep on for two weeks without hurting. If it was light as a feather that would be more awesome. I wouldn't mind paying more for it either, since after my parents move to Ecuador and I go visit, I'll probably be sleeping on it.

Camilla's looks really good...but is it complicated for an old school person like my dad?

Does anybody have any thoughts/advise?

Full-size sofabed from Jennifer Convertibles. I hear it is very comfy.

H-o-t-e-l.

I have found Jennifer Convertibles to be low end and horribly uncomfortable. I guess it all depends on what you're used to sleeping on. (that wasn't meant to be snarky -- I am a self-admitting mattress primadonna)

I have a very teeny guest room -- it's more like office or nursery size. I can't keep a bed in it and still walk around, but do I have a narrow 1950's daybed with a removeable back rest that makes a good twin. I also have a brand-name aerobed for guest number two -- one that gets actual bed box spring height.

Guests love my aerobed. I've slept on a girlfriend's and liked it quite a bit.

I think a quality aerobed is the best option. Easy to store, comfy, and less expensive than investing in hideabed.

I say Aerobed.
Mothers and aunts get the bed. All others get the floor, at least thats the policy thats worked in my house!

Re: Lady J. I have a full-size sofa bed from Jennifer Convertibles and it is not comfortable. The bed is not comfortable. The couch is not comfortable. DO NOT GET. I thought it would be the perfect thing to have when guests come over but since its our primary sofa I didn't take into account how uncomfortable a sofa would be with a bed in it. I wish I had just gotten a regular sofa (with proper springs and whatnot) and an aerobed for guests. Aerobed is the way to go.

I just signed up so I could add the to Aerobed lovefest. My husband thought I was out of my mind when I wanted to spend $200 on an air mattress at BBB, but I nipped it in the bud by reminding him that I had slept on this exact mattress as a guest, and it was fantastic. I wasn't going to chance it.

I bought a queen size so I didn't mind investing in nice bedding for the air mattress - if we need to, we can always use it on our regular bed now/in the future.

In the last 2 years, we have had about a dozen guests and I kid you not, every single person who has slept on it has commented on how nice and comfortable it is the next morning.

My motto is buy the right thing once. Unless it springs a leak, in which case we know what to do now (mine hasn't tho). Happy hosting!

Do you all deflate the aerobeds during the day for multi day guests? In a small place that thing could really get in the way...

I think I might have to go to BB&B and pick up an Aerobed.

I often have my guests sleep in my bedroom, and I take the air mattress in the livingroom. I think this a very gracious and practical way of accomodating guests. They get to sleep in a bit and you can wake up early without disturbing them to start coffee, etc. As far as an air mattress is concerned...a couple of tips no matter what type you have: Use a mattress pad under the sheet. Makes it much more comfortable. If it is a cool/cold time of year an air mattress can be VERY cold down on the floor and it doesn't hold body heat very well. Put a rug or blanket down first and the mattress on top. I have a heated mattress pad that I got on sale at Target years ago that I use on the air mattress.

we have a queen size aerobed with the memory foam top. We got it at big lots (do you know big lots, it's like a discount clearancing merchandise store), normally it was $300 and we got it for $100.

I can vouch for it's comfort. My wife, before we were married, slept on it every night for over a year, and then i used it until we moved to our new place, so about 2 months solid.

My only problem is, it still has to go on the floor. It's only the single high ones, i think the double high ones are too much air and not as comfy. i've looked at the expandable frames that you can get for underneath, but they're still bulky and they cost more then the airbed.

Personally I think it's really weird to give someone your own bed. My bed is my domain, my wife and i sleep in it, and no one else, besides sometimes the dog.

I wouldn't mind letting my immediate family sleep on my bed...I would actually feel very weird letting them sleep on my couch...friends I could see either way. Like there are a few girlfriends I wouldn't even mind, but a few guy friends who would just be too weird...In all cases I would clean the sheets before and after.

we just got an EZ Bed (from Frontgate - the first post) and really love it! since it's normal bed height it just feels more legit than an Aerobed on the floor. And we had 2 parents sleep on it very comfortably! I highly recommend.

We keep my old bed--a futon--in the "nook" office of our 550 sq ft wonder. It's not comfy as a sitting couch, but brilliant for curling up, so we keep it as a second sitting area after our 2-person loveseat in the living room. When guests are over, the thing goes "bed" and is a very, very comfy sleeping surface (I splurged initially). Plus, guests are "nook"ed away and can sleep later if needed, rise early if wanted, leave things partially unpacked without being in the way, and generally intrude less, which makes everyone more comfortable.

SFgail: Exactly what I was wondering! My husband and I slept on one in our living room for a month while we did some work on our bedroom (I was like six months pregnant so I became very uncomfortable). The airbed took up the entire living room. I don't know where we'd hangout with guests if we left it inflated, but packing it away everyday seems like a big hassle.

I don't have floor space for an air bed. I had at one point had a cheapy one from Target or somewhere and it totally blew. Anyway, when I bought my sofa, I made sure it had a wide enough seat that you can sleep on it. sometimes guests sleep on it and sometimes I give them my bed. I don't have many guests, so it's okay. I have actually slept on it when I didn't have guests--it's rather comfy.

We have propped it up against the wall before... That way you can leave the sheets on and stow the pillows and blankets in a stack...

Elderly people on air mattress are one way tickets to hell!

The AeroBed is quick to inflate and deflate. If you're only doing it for a few-days...it's really not that bad. My friend has one that I've slept on.

I've got an old-school airmattress. That would be a pain to inflate/deflate everyday. But since I don't use the bedroom much during the day...I often drag the inflated airmattress to the bedroom to get it out of the living-room.

I've not yet purchased a sofabed from the Sofa Co. in Culver City, but, their website allows you to customize the piece of furniture and their prices look pretty fair.

I had an air mattress, which fortunately my cat chewed through and I had an excuse to throw it away. I hated it. Facing house guests in my one bedroom apartment for 2 weeks, I thought of what I would want to sleep on if I was at someone's house for that long. The only time I've ever been comfortable overnighting at someone's house is on the couch or a spare mattress on the floor.

I purchased an inexpensive Ikea mattress for around $100. It gets stowed away when guests are not in town, and gives overnight guests a semblance of a comfortable bed. If you have somewhere to stash it, I'd recommend it any day over a bulbous air mattress. Ideally, I'd love to find an easy to store wood base to create a more elegant platform bed in the future. That is, if I ever let anyone stay at my house for that long again....

It depends on who's staying over. I have one friend who insists on using her sleeping bag on the floor. Her choice. Otherwise, my couch is really REALLY comfortable (I sleep on it sometimes, too, just because I can) or I ask if they want the bed. If there are multiple people, any couple gets the bed, guest number 3 gets the couch and I get a folded egg-crate thingy. If there's more than that (I just had 5 people stay over in my one bedroom O_O) I feel no guilt at all in asking if they can bring an air matress or something.

On the other hand, these are people I'm very close to, so if it was someone I was trying to impress, I'd probably give them the bedroom.

hoboken-melanie, how big is the ez bed when it's deflated. It seems like it would take up my whole closet!

I have to agree with Patrick on this one -- referring your friend/family member to a wonderful hotel is then best route if you live in a place without dedicated guest quarters.

I have 2 faux aerobeds from Bed, Bath. They are much more firm than a futon, and people prefer to use that, instead of our futon! It deflates and is only about as big as a small carry-on. My parents and grandmother prefer to use it.

However, we also have a non-traditional futom. It is a thick foam cusion, long rectangular shape. Ut pulls out, and the cushion opens and folds back, to a queen-size bed for two.

Last, a daybed with a trundle is a good option. It's a lot of fun to sit on in the living room, can seat a lot of people, is a conversation piece, and works perfectly when it's time to sleep.

I couldn't ask my parents to stay in a hotel...they would consider that a slap in the face (it's a Ecuadorian/Catholic thing, I'm sure). For others, Hotels can be very pricey and I am just happy that people want to spend time with me. Of course I grew up with the parents that had sleeping bags for every kid and who the only time they spent on a hotel was to drop me off to college (3 nights), graduation (2 nights), and wedding (3 nights). During spring break their apartment in FL would always be packed with crazy college students in sleeping bags. My mom would tell my friends "if you have $200 for a plane ticket, come down for the week and let me cook for you and go to the beach."

H-o-t-e-l.

'Cause "hotel" and "hope to see you again soon" start with the same letters!

It's remarkable how quickly "hotels are anti-family" relatives get over it when you, the host, pick up the bill. I speak as one with a slew of Catholic in-laws and absolutely no place to put guests.

BUT -- if you really can't bear to do it, the trick is TWO air mattresses, as they're so much more comfortable stacked. Then you decide who gets the air mattress based on ability to deal with it: relatives older than you get the bed, while young cousins hitch-hiking cross-country get the air mattress.

I guess I luck out with my usual house guests. My MIL is happy to sleep in the recliner. (It's honestly her favorite, she even does it in her own home.) My sister and brother-in-law bring a feather bed and throw that on the floor. Everyone else has taken the couch.

We have always discovered that its either a good sofa OR a good bed! You can't have both (Believe me we've tried plenty) We finally decided to go for a Beddinge from IKEA. It is not such a great sofa but sleeps two perfectly. It happens to be great for the kids to climb on and wedge their heads between it and the wall :P

http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/S49839894

It has a box you can get for underneath to put all the linen and pillows in too.

I hate sofa beds...as someone noted, they're good neither as a sofa nor a bed. We've been using aerobeds for 6 or so years now...they do spring leaks alarmingly quickly, and we've gone thru 3 so far. Didn't know that BBB would take them back...we're considering getting a futon mattress that would roll up; should be cheaper than shelling out $150 for an aerobed everyl 2 years...

Anyway, they're comfortable, but yes, they do leak, usually at a really bad time. Like others here, we let parents have our bed. Seems only fair.

Hotels in NYC are pretty much out of the question price-wise. Anything better than our apt. would be at least $300 a night.

We have the Fagelbo L-shaped sofa bed from Ikea. I can't find it on their site anymore but here is a picture: http://sfbay.craigslist.org/sfc/fur/580177574.html.

It's awesome! It is super comfortable, especially with a mattress pad on top. Everyone who has slept on it remarks on how comfortable it is, and the long part of the "L" opens up to store sheets, blankets, and pillows (though I also keep all my old VHS movies in there). It is in the nursery so I often end up sleeping there after midnight feedings, and it's sooo comfy.

We have an Aerobed too, for when we have a lot of guests, and we also stand it up against the wall during the day for multi-day stays.

Wanted to add that we have the double-high aerobed and put a featherbed on top, which makes it nearly identical to a real bed in feel--and not that rubbery, cold air mattress experience. Just used it last night--my mom was delighted as always! Just stored it away again....

I (and my friends) love my sleeper sofa... add two folding night side tables (tv tray table-style works) and a little suitcase stand to put their bag on.

I think having these little extra comforts makes such a difference when you're a guest - you don't feel like you're cluttering up someone's living room with your stuff.

i live in new york so guests are pretty common! also, common to nyc living, i have a studio apt with no separate guest quarters. i used to just share my bed with them, but that gets old. i don't have the floor space for an air mattress; plus the one i bought from overstock arrived with a leak! instead, i bought a nice, wide, comfy couch. unless, it's a couple or my mom, guests get the couch. i always remember to put out towels & stock the fridge so they do feel welcome, i hope!

I have a leather sofa-bed from macy's. The cushions are ultra-thick and very comfy and you don't notice that it is a sofa bed.

The mattress is not incredible--but I was wondering--does anyone have experience with putting a memory foam mattress topper (I was thinking like 2 inches) over it when guests come? Does it fold up small for storing? Will it not make much of a difference? anyone?

SFGail, it's about the size of a large suitcase. not the smallest thing, but surprised me how small it did get. oh here, i have a tape measure - 31" wide, 21" tall, 14" deep. has a nice handle and wheels to help you move it around.