Harper Sofa Bed

Description

The Harper Sofa Bed is a made-to-order futon sofa bed built on a solid wooden frame. It sits low and clean-lined by day, and the back folds flat in a single movement to give a full 192cm sleeping length by night. There is no pull-out mechanism, no separate mattress to store and no support bar running across the middle of the bed — the mattress you sit on is the mattress you sleep on.

Every Harper is made to order, so you choose the size, the upholstery, the mattress filling and the leg finish. Ten fabrics are available on this model, which is a far wider choice than anything held in stock.

Choosing your size

All three sizes open to the same 192cm length, so the decision is about width — how much wall you have, and how many people need to sit or sleep on it.

• Single — 84cm wide. A single seat by day and a single bed by night. Suits a home office, a box room or a narrow landing.
• Small Double — 125cm wide. A comfortable two-seater and a small double bed.
• Double — 145cm wide. A generous two-seater and a full double bed, the same width as a standard UK double mattress.

Foam or pocket sprung

Foam or pocket sprung

This is the choice that matters most and the one people get wrong.

Foam is firmer, lighter, folds away more easily and costs less. It is the right answer for occasional use — a spare bed for visitors a few times a year.

Pocket sprung costs more and adds weight to the folding action, but it sleeps considerably better because the springs move independently under you. If anyone is going to sleep on this regularly — a lodger, a student home for the holidays, a partner who snores — pay the difference.

Fabric and legs

Ten upholstery options are offered on the Harper, drawn from four fabric ranges. Fergus (Boulder, Hawk and Moon) is a soft, flat-woven fabric in muted neutrals. Piero (Spring and Zinc) is a textured weave with a slight two-tone depth to it. Seoul (Aspen, Monsoon, Olivine and Tangelo) is the boldest of the four, and where the stronger colours in the range sit. Sunningdale Olive is a dense, hard-wearing weave in a deep green.

Because this is made to order and fabric is difficult to judge on a screen, we would always rather send you a swatch first. Ask us for the colourways you are weighing up and we will arrange it before you commit.

Legs come in Light Wood or Dark Wood. Light wood keeps the frame visually lighter in a small room; dark wood anchors the piece against darker flooring.

If you prefer the look of exposed wooden A-shaped side arms, the Harper A Frame Sofa Bed is the same frame and the same sizes in that style.

Measuring up

Measure before you order

A sofa bed has two footprints — folded and open — and the second one is the one people forget. Measure the space it will occupy as a sofa, then measure again allowing for the bed extending forward into the room. Check there is nothing in the way at floor level: a coffee table, a rug edge, a radiator.

Then measure your narrowest doorway, diagonally as well as straight across, and the turn at the top of the stairs, which is usually the real obstacle rather than the door itself.

For the Harper specifically: as a sofa it takes up 93cm of floor depth. Opened flat it needs 192cm of clear run from the wall, so check that length before you order.

Specification

Delivery

Made to order — 4 to 6 weeks

This sofa bed is made to order and is delivered within 4 to 6 weeks from the date you place your order. It is built to your choice of fabric, size, mattress and frame after you order, rather than picked off a shelf. That is why the wait exists and it is also why you get the exact combination you want rather than the one that happened to be in stock.

If you need a sofa bed sooner than six weeks, tell us before ordering and we will point you at what we hold in stock instead.

Delivery

Delivered free to mainland England and Wales. We do not currently deliver to the Scottish Highlands, Northern Ireland or the offshore islands.

Questions we are asked most

Can the Harper be slept on every night?

Yes, provided you choose the right filling. A futon mattress is a proper sleeping surface rather than a thin pull-out pad, and the frame supports it evenly with no bar across the middle. For nightly use choose the pocket sprung mattress, which holds its support far better than foam under daily load.

How do I convert it from sofa to bed?

One movement. Lift the seat slightly and lower the backrest until it lies flat. Nothing is lifted out, nothing is unfolded and no cushions need removing. Most people do it one-handed.

Does it arrive assembled?

No. It comes flat packed in one box containing the frame, the slats, the legs and the mattress. Assembly is a frame, four legs and a fixing kit, and takes most people around 30 minutes with a screwdriver.

Which fabric is most practical with children or pets?

The Fergus and Sunningdale weaves are the densest of the four ranges and hide everyday wear best. Mid-tone colours forgive far more than either very pale or very dark ones. Ask for swatches and rub them — a fabric that pills under a thumbnail in the shop will pill on the sofa.

Why does it take 4 to 6 weeks?

Nothing is made until you order. The frame is cut, the mattress is filled and the cover is upholstered to your specification, then delivered direct. That is the trade-off for getting the exact combination you want instead of whatever happened to be in a warehouse.