When it comes to topics that are near and dear to people’s hearts, it is hard not to include great sleeping on that list.  And if you are wanting deep, peaceful sleep, then I would recommend a futon mattress as a great choice.  We will discuss why through this article and on this site.  If you find that you have a particular question about owning a new futon, search our site.  I’m sure it is covered somewhere.

One of the most important ideas regarding your sleeping futon will be its comfort.  This seems like an obvious statement but it actually encompasses several points.  One of the greatest steps that has taken place more recently has been the comparability between traditional and futon mattresses.  In other words, in the past you would have had to sacrifice some of the modern comfort conveniences to own a more flexible option in the futon.  Now, this simply is not the case.

A Futon Has Much More In The Way Of Convenience Than A Traditional Mattress

If you are new to the futon world, then you might only be aware of the old notion of what they were for.  In the past, these beds were relegated to the college dorm room or poor student set.  Now, because of the advances we will get to in a moment and because of the flexibility that a sofa-sleeper allows, they have come back in vogue.

Probably the most arguable point in favor of owning a futon-sofa-couch is its ease of use and convenience.  When you do a fair amount of entertaining or hosting, it is likely that you may have some unexpected overnight guests.  This is not a problem with a futon sofa-sleeper type bed.  This can easily convert from couch at the party to bed for the evening.  And, the best part is, it does not lose anything in the way of comfort doing so.  If you have ever been a guest at someone’s home who had one of these fold-out couch beds you know how that bar always seems to hit you right in the middle of the back making a good night’s sleep all but impossible.  Not so with a futon bed.  These are very comfortable and easy to convert.  No worry about removing the cushions, folding it out, getting the sheets on, stooping over or stubbing your toes or banging your knees on that hard metal frame.

Another Thing To Consider Is Futon Mattress Material Options

You might be thinking that this is where the old traditional mattress will win out.  Granted, there are definitely more options in general when it comes to brands and models of the normal types.  However, what has happened is that the manufacturing of mattress materials have changed quite a bit and this has allowed for greater parity between the two.  Where you once only had access to spring coils in a traditional bed, now is offered in futon styles.  The futon mattress actually has the lead in some categories now!  They also have more natural materials offered at reasonable prices, as well as memory foam and toppers.

A futon mattress will help avoid feeling like you're sleeping on a bed of nails.

You could look long and hard for the downside, but you may come up noticeably shorter these days.  The old futon that had problems with flattening out after just a little use and becoming landfill material with a short life span is gone.  The in-fill now is made with better quality and longer lasting materials.  I never thought I would see the day of the individually wrapped inner coil spring futon bed mattress.

Many of the more traditionally produced mattresses contain chemical agents either used in production or for fire resistance that can cause some people health problems.  Many times, this is due to the off gassing created by these volatile compounds being released into the home and, specifically, breathing them in while your head is rested and sleeping for hours.  Since, they make crib mattresses this way too, if you are looking for your child, you might consider this.

The Traditional Japanese Futon Mattress

No initial discussion about futons would be complete if we didn’t mention a bit about the history of this type of mattress.  In a traditional sense, the development of the futon was from a floor-sleeping type of approach.  That is to say, there was a mat – tatami – that was used beneath the mattress itself.  This mattress portion of the futon is called the shiki or shikibuton or shiki futon.  Then, there is an often quilted, soft upper cover portion.  This piece is known as the kake or kakebuton or kakefuton.  So, what you would have is a two part system that would combine these to give you a traditional Japanese futon mattress.  There is more history to this futon story, but you can read more about that by following the link above.  The point is that we have adopted the futon and then adapted it to fit our own Western lifestyle.  There is nothing wrong with change, in fact, it is sometimes how the most innovative home products come about.

One Closing Thought About Your Futon Mattress

Because of the nature of the flexibility of a futon bed, you may be researching one as a sofa-sleeper for an additional room or as your main sleeping bed in your master bedroom.  In each case, a different type of frame could be considered.  Because most temporary guest sleeping arrangements require a smaller sized bed, the frame will usually only afford you the flexibility of some minor storage of magazines and such or have armrests.  On the other hand, if you go with a queen or king size, you can opt for more elaborate headboard designs that incorporate various shelving and storage.  Likewise, the futon frame itself could lend itself to storage options.  So, the next time you hear the words “futon mattress”, you don’t have to think that someone is short changing their guests.  They might actually be designing quite a flexible yet comfortable and elegant space.

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I’m sure that you already know that there are many different styles of futon mattresses available on the market.  If not, we’ll introduce you to some of those here.  If you did know this, then maybe you are just looking for a little more clarity on which one might be the best choice for you.  Hopefully, you’ll have a better idea by the end of this article as well.

Futons come in the ‘older’ cotton, poly, and wool blended foam infills as they always have.  These styles are more often than not the most inexpensive ones. These are the ones that used to get such a bad rap back when they first appeared on the market in the West.  You see, futons have been used for hundreds of years in Asian countries.  They are most popular in Japan and it is the traditional style of mattress there.  However, the Japanese futon mattress is actually quite a bit different than the style we use in the West.

The Traditional Japanese Futon

A traditional looking Japanese room with futons.

The traditional futon consists of two parts:  an upper quilted part called the kake-buton and the bottom, mattress portion, is called the shiki-buton.  The way that this system works is that they are both laid on a mat, a tatami, and slept on.  In the morning, they are both beaten, traditionally with a bamboo cane, to clean and then aired out to dry.  This allows them to be refreshed each morning.  It also allows the room in which they were used to be open and ready for other needs.  It is part of the lifestyle in countries like Japan where a more minimalist design is appreciated.  Photo credit

Like with many great designs, they become adapted over the years and with different cultures.  This is just as true with the traditional mattresses as it is with futon design.  In the West, we have taken the futon and made it into a more functional piece of furniture.  Here, we use them as both sofa-couches as well as beds.  The types of bed frames that can be used with a futon vary as well; we’ll discuss this below.   

The style of mattress that we have built is a stretch from this traditional style.  What we done is make them more like a conventional mattress; adding inner coil springs, memory foam and even toppers.  So, the futon of today is nothing like the kind that you may remember from your high school or college days.  The reason why those got such a bad reputation was because of poor infill materials leading to a very thin mattress that quickly flattened.  This ultimately led to the mattress being uncomfortable and non-supportive, as well as having the bed frame pressing into your back.  It wouldn’t be too uncommon to wake up with back pains or other aches related to sleeping on a poor quality mattress.

Futon Bed Frames

The more common types of frames are made of wood.  Some manufacturers or mattress stores will include a bed frame with your purchase.  These are often less desirable in terms of quality, but this is not always the case.  Some frames are made of tubular steel and powder coated to help them resist rusting or corrosion that could damage your futon cover.

A custom mahogany frame with storage.

You can always have a custom bed frame built just for you.  These will almost always be more durable and fit your needs and specifications more precisely.  Often, these incorporate storage or shelving.  They may also include headboards and or other unique features like under-mattress storage.

These frames are typically found in bi-fold or tri-fold styles.  The difference in frames comes down to how they will be folded to create the sofa position.  It affects the mattress as well.  It will be much simpler to purchase a futon that you plan on using more for a sofa to get a tri-fold design.  The reason behind this is that it can fold easily into a smaller profile and the mattress will be made of the more flexible materials, like cotton and wool, with the foam inserts.  Photo credit

If, on the other hand, you plan on using your futon as your primary sleeping arrangement, then you can utilize either a bi-fold frame or a fixed-platform bed frame.  The material used for such a mattress could be one with the inner-coil springs or have a thicker profile.  This is what you should consider to make the mattress a more comfortable and longer lasting one.

It is still more likely that your conventionally manufactured mattress will last longer than a futon.  Some factors that go into this are the in-fill materials, synthetic fabrics and the frame of the mattress itself.  More often than that, however, you will likely be considering a futon mattress as a secondary sleeping situation or for extra seating in a home office or entertainment room.

Alternative Futon Bed Choices

If you share the concerns of many about these off-gassing ideas and threats, then you should examine some of the different alternative forms of futon beds and mattresses.  These include things like the organic cotton futon and materials made with hemp.  The organic cottons are the easiest to come by and have the  most trusted names in the field supporting them.  The materials like hemp, bamboo and even choices like wool or latex foam are also available.

You might even be considering a kid’s futon for your child’s first ‘big boy’ or ‘big girl’ bed.  This is an exciting time for both the parents and child, so it should be a special bed.  The more popular choices for these first beds are the themed beds; cartoon characters, movies, or playful frames made of race cars, princess carriages and the like.  These are more for the child than the parent, but the mattress is an important thing to consider as well. Another option is a bunk.  There are futon bunk beds that serve the same function and work in just the same way as a traditional bunk bed does.  This could have also been included in the discussion of the futon frames above.

You can start with a twin and move up to a full futon when they grow or their room space allows.  There are many options here and considering which one is the healthiest way to rest your little one’s head down on each night is of the utmost importance.  Research does show how important sleep is and it is even more important for it to be free of gaseous by-products and other harmful chemical residues, regardless if it is for you or your child.

Cost

One main factor affecting cost will be the size of the mattress.  The smaller it is, like a twin, the less expensive.  There are queen size futons, but you will be harder pressed to find a king size mattress in this style.  There are custom orders available for larger individuals, though.  In fact, you might be surprised to know that many athletes prefer futons because they can be custom ordered to fit them.

For the more simple versions of this type of bed, you can think in terms of the low $100s USD.  This would include styles that are made of just cotton, cotton-poly’s and wools with the various styles of foam padding.  For a more luxurious type of futon, with inner coiled springs, memory foam, toppers and the like, you can expect to pay upwards of $500 USD or more.  Also, you’ll pay more for the organic cotton futon beds and the alternative materials because they just aren’t as heavily sought after as of yet.  These things will change as well.

As your browse around, consider what it is that you really want to use your futon for and then find the manufacturer or site that can best deliver that for you.  Brand names, such as Sealy™, Simmons™ and Beautyrest™ all make futon mattresses, so you shouldn’t feel uncomfortable with the quality that is available.  Also, you can shop the larger online retailers like Amazon and Ebay to find a better deal.  Thanks for stopping by and get a good night’s rest.

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Because futon mattresses are made with the original intentions of creating a style that is both comfortable and convenient, they have become very popular again in the Western world.  Their origins are from the traditional Japanese futon mattress.  Because of this tradition, they have the ability to work quite well with Asian bedding, prints and designs.

I wouldn’t go so far as to say that the Japanese futon has been completely adopted, because certain aspects have definitely been changed for our tastes.  For example, the thickness of the mattress and how it basically goes together is a bit different.  In fact, the Japanese style has two parts, one of which is the mattress and the other part is the quilted upper piece.  These are both used in combination with a mat, a tatami, for the traditional sleeping or bedroom arrangement.

The Japanese bedroom invites the outdoors in.

Just because this is the traditional or classic way of using a futon, it does not mean that you have to adopt this exact style in your home.  If you have an Asian-inspired theme to your home or room in question, then by all means it may make perfect sense.  However, with bedding, you have many options with which to work.

The futon mattress is a great place to start for bedding because they are quite simple in design and will usually take on whatever style is being used with them.  So, for example if you choose to have an Asian themed room, the bedding can be traditional in both colors and patterns.  Now, we would need to define what type of Asian culture you are looking to emulate, as they do vary.

However, for the sake of this article, let’s talk briefly about Japanese design.  With this, simplicity and elegance are the goals.  But, rather than seek elegance from overstated pieces and eccentric looks, the Japanese style is more simple and refined. Clean lines and a limited color palette are more classic.  New trends emerge, but this is what has been most characteristic of this culture.

So, imagine a simple vase on a bookshelf, maybe a small sculpture on a nightstand with a simple light.  Prints in this room might be of landscapes or a modern image.  Colors would typically include, reds, whites and blacks.  Rich looking woods like cedar and teak tones are also appreciated, though a lighter pine works well also.

As far as the bedding goes, let your Japanese futon mattress dictate the answer there.  Based upon your other artwork and themes in the room, let your simple tastes flow.  Don’t worry about matching a specific piece to this or that.  Let the overall design of the room flow more organically.  This will help your Asian bedding appear to be more of natural part of your overall theme.

Photo credit

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Often times there is a misconception that simple means cheap or stripped down.  This is definitely not the case and doesn’t need to be true with your home or bedroom design either.  The futon mattress made popular from Japanese influences is just one example of this.  Times come and go, as do fads.  Interior design and trends in furniture, bedding, paint colors and layouts all change.  This is the nature of home and interior design.  However, some things are timeless.  Take for example the traditions of the far East – specifically the Japanese futon mattress.

You might not be aware of the fact that the traditional style of futon in Japan is to use a two-part system.  The upper portion of the futon is called the kake-buton or kake-futon and is often a soft, quilted layer.  The bottom portion is the mattress layer, called the shiki-buton or shiki-futon.  These are laid on the tatami, a traditional mat.

In the morning, these pieces are both taken out and beaten with a bamboo cane – another traditional – and then hung to dry in the morning air.  This is how they are cleaned and refreshed each day.  Then, the room in which they were used is open and has more space to allow the chi to flow more gracefully through.  This is another element to Japanese design.

Japanese design has always shown simplicity of lines and elegance by way of using the harmony between design and function.  Throughout history, some cultures come by their way of style through necessity or lack of available resources.  There are certainly times in all countries where this is true.  However, Japanese design has made a large impact on many interior design concepts for decades here.  After all, it has been around for thousands of years.

Japanese Futon Beds And Décor

This is just a sample of one type of Japanese decor with a futon bed.

There is a simple elegance that you see and feel when you enter a home that has a Japanese inspired design.  You don’t necessarily have to want to have it for your own home, though you may once you enter one, but you must appreciate its understated elegance.  Japanese design is not just about futon beds and rice paper doors.  These are just elements that make up part of an overall continuation of an understated connection between indoor and outdoor space.

Photo Credits

Having less in the way of objects and clutter makes your space feel more relaxing and welcoming.  This is the case with the futon bed frame as well.  The more traditional style of Japanese bed frame is to have it low to the ground.  These frames are often made of wood and are left in their natural wood finish.  Frames made of cedar or local wood source are common.  The traditional way to have a bedroom arranged is to have the futon sitting on tatami mats.  These mats were originally designed for nobility and the upper class.  So, you see, even this feature of simplicity has been passed down.

There is nothing wrong with adapting the Japanese style to your home.  You don’t have to be a purist or try to re-create a Japanese bedroom within your home, but you can use some of the elements to create a more peaceful living space.  Your Zen bedroom could simply be a futon mattress on top of a raised bed frame that you already own.  There are a variety of futon mattresses that are as comfortable as your current bed, you might be surprised.  You could also eliminate some of the clutter from your bed stands or shelves and choose to have a bed frame that incorporates some storage for you.  Many times, it is what you see that causes you to feel anxious or hurried.  If your clutter is out of site, but not out of reach, you may notice you feel more rested and relaxed in your sleeping space.                                                     Photo Credits

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If step 1 of getting the perfect fit between your mattress, futon bed frames, and covers is deciding on exactly what type of mattress – material & size – then step 2 could be considered getting the proper frame to match.  In this case, there are several types to choose from.  Are you going with the futon lounger type of decor or with the more traditional futon couch type of look.  In either case, there are many to choose from.  It’s more likely that you’ll find a lot more variety with the traditional style of futon mattress.  Though, there are more and more frame styles becoming available with the resurgence of retro styled futon chair and lounger styles.  These can look like those old chaise loungers from the earlier half of the 1900s.  This style can be complemented quite well by using any number of retro-themed futon covers as well.

Here is the classic futon bed frame.

For now, let’s concentrate on the aspect of frame choices and worry about the covers and room decor for another time.  You’ve seen the older ‘dorm room’ style of futon mattress frame.  It’s the classic.  Actually, saying it’s a dorm room style isn’t really fair.  This traditional type of Japanese futon mattress frame is made quite elegantly and can utilize any number of exotic woods.  It’s mentioned as the typical dorm-room style frame because of it’s simplicity and ease of setting up.  It basically has wooden slats that are arranged horizontally across the wooden pieces that support the slats on the floor.  The slats are aligned perpendicular to your body as you sleep.  It can be painted, stained and adorned any way that you may think that wood could be.  You may only see the sides of the frame, so it appears more simple or spartan when measured against others in this frame category.

The next most popular style is the armrest style.  With this model – several variations exist – there are armrests which can support the hinged mechanism, in order to be able to fold the futon mattress itself into couch seating.  These armrest sides can be designed to hold magazines, remote controls or custom built to really be anything that you (the owner) wish to have designed.  Off-the-floor models will mostly be limited to magazine racks and the like.  You will also find different styling to the frames themselves.  Some lend themselves to more of a cabin feel, with larger tree trunk or post looking members.  Others have a Mission style to them, reminiscent of Frank Lloyd Wright’s designs.  These can be quite timeless in appearance and add a touch of elegance to any room.  Matched with other pieces of the period and you’d never guess that the futon mattress you were sitting on is not a contemporary of the others.

Getting custom frames built is really the next step towards having your headboard or bed unit exactly how you like it.  With trends that tend to dip back and forth between eras gone by, one such popular frame now is something that is reminiscent of the 1950s.  This bed frame is fairly simple with an area available for books or lighting.  You will usually find a nice bed-time reading book there and you can just flip a switch nearby and roll over and go to sleep.  Pair your headboard with one or two glass retro table lamps and you will be back in time.  Better yet, you will have the hippest bedroom in the neighborhood.

There is another subset of bed frames or styles that should also be mentioned here.  These are the futon bunk beds or loft style of futons.  While they are less popular in terms of how many people have them in their homes, if you have the need for a bunk bed, these are the perfect fit.  They are just like any type of bunk, but they utilize a child’s futon for the mattress portion.  They come in the standard twin up top and twin mattress below set up.  Then, there is the twin on top and full size down below.  Basically, the same but with more room for a larger child or for more comfortable seating for visiting friends.  Finally, there is the loft style of bunk which has the mattress on top and then space below.  This type of bed frame can be great for allowing you to put a desk or some organizational products in your child’s room and still leave room to move about the space.

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