7 Reasons Furl Stands Apart from Mass-Market Sofa Bed Brands

Walk into most furniture stores and you’ll find sofa beds that look almost identical - sleek lines, neutral fabrics, the promise of “space-saving comfort.” But anyone who’s ever spent a night on one knows the truth: the difference between a sofa bed that looks good and one that lives well is vast.

This is where Furl quietly separates itself from the crowd. Based in Nottingham and designing since 2007, Furl has built a reputation not through flashy marketing, but through substance - furniture that genuinely works, crafted by people who understand how we live. Their sofa beds aren’t stopgaps or guest-room afterthoughts. They’re functional works of design: made to be slept on every night, sat on for years, and admired for a lifetime.

Here’s what makes Furl stand apart from the mass market - and why investing in design integrity often ends up saving you more than money.

grey metro sofa bed by Furl

1. Engineering Designed for Daily Use

Most sofa beds are built for occasional use - lightweight frames, shallow mattresses, and mechanisms that start to groan after a few openings. Furl’s are engineered for the opposite.

Each sofa bed features a true bed-quality mattress that folds seamlessly into the frame without compromising its structure or comfort. The mechanism - whether standard or gas-assisted - operates smoothly, quietly, and precisely. You can open and close it every day without a hint of strain.

It’s the kind of quality you don’t see until you live with it - the absence of friction, the feeling of something made to last.

2. Real Mattresses, Real Sleep

Mass-market sofa beds are notorious for thin foam layers that barely qualify as mattresses. Furl replaces that with proper depth - full-spec pocket-sprung or memory-foam mattresses designed for nightly comfort.

This single choice changes everything. Guests sleep well. Owners use their sofa beds daily without compromise. The frame supports the mattress evenly, so there’s no sagging bar down the middle or lumpy section where the bed folds.

It’s why designers often specify Furl for studio flats and high-end guest rooms alike - you get the same sleep quality as a standard bed, in a design that disappears into your living room by morning.

3. Built and Assembled by Hand in Nottingham

While many furniture brands outsource production overseas, Furl keeps everything close to home. Every piece is handcrafted in their Nottingham workshop, with upholstery, mechanisms, and frames produced and tested under one roof.

This isn’t just a heritage talking point - it’s a structural advantage. Local manufacturing allows Furl to control quality at every stage, adapt designs quickly, and offer custom options that mass-market retailers simply can’t.

And when something is built by a small team of craftspeople, the result feels different. You notice it in the way the frame doesn’t creak, the upholstery feels taut, and every joint sits flush. It’s the difference between assembly-line output and skilled precision.

4. Customisation Beyond Colour Swatches

Most retailers let you pick from a few fabric colours and call it customisation. Furl’s approach is more refined. You can choose your own fabric, adjust headboard height or width, and even request bespoke dimensions for awkward spaces.

Designers frequently send their own fire-retardant fabrics to Furl to ensure perfect harmony with the rest of a scheme - something large-scale brands rarely allow.

The same applies to mechanisms. You can specify side- or end-opening models, opt for electric lift systems, or adjust storage depth. The design adapts to you, not the other way around.

That’s the quiet luxury of made-to-order furniture: it fits your home and your life exactly.

green metro sofa bed by Furl
blue metro sofa bed by Furl

5. Furniture That Solves Real Problems

Furl began as The Storage Bed Company - founded on a simple insight: most people don’t need more furniture, they need smarter furniture. That ethos runs through every design they make.

Their storage and sofa beds maximise hidden capacity without visual bulk. Ottoman-style lift systems provide up to 40 cm of usable space beneath the mattress - enough for duvets, luggage, or seasonal wardrobes - while maintaining clean, elegant lines.

For small-space living, that kind of design intelligence is transformative. It replaces clutter with calm.

6. Delivery That Actually Works

One of the least glamorous but most critical details: access. If you’ve ever tried to fit a sofa bed through a London flat doorway, you’ll know the stress.

Furl’s pieces are delivered in modular sections designed to fit through narrow staircases and tight corners, then assembled on-site by professionals. If access proves impossible (which, according to them, it never has), customers are refunded in full.

That level of logistical foresight turns a potential nightmare into a frictionless experience - one reason designers and homeowners trust the brand for complex spaces.

7. Built to Last, Backed by Care

It’s easy for brands to claim longevity; it’s harder to design for it. Furl’s pieces are repairable, not replaceable - built with materials meant to last decades, not seasons.

Their warranties reflect that confidence: five years on mechanisms, two years on upholstery, and ongoing support for minor repairs throughout the product’s life.

The environmental impact is lower, too. By manufacturing in the UK, Furl cuts down on shipping emissions, uses responsibly sourced materials, and reduces the cycle of disposable furniture that defines much of the mass market.

This is sustainable design in the truest sense - not buzzwords, but enduring quality.

The Difference in Philosophy

Furl doesn’t try to outprice the mass market. It simply operates on another plane. Instead of volume, it prioritises precision. Instead of “fast,” it chooses “right.”

The result is furniture that earns its space. A Furl sofa bed doesn’t just give you somewhere to sit or sleep - it gives you a reason to rethink what good design feels like. It’s quiet, functional, and deeply human in the way it anticipates your needs.

Because luxury, in the end, isn’t about excess. It’s about ease - furniture that works so perfectly, you stop noticing it altogether.

FAQs

1. What makes Furl sofa beds suitable for daily use?

Furl designs all sofa beds with proper, full-depth mattresses and robust mechanisms intended for nightly sleeping. They’re built to handle constant use without sagging or stiffness, making them ideal for homes where the sofa bed doubles as a main bed.

2. Can Furl sofa beds be customised to fit specific spaces?

Yes. Every piece is made to order, with options to adjust width, length, fabric, and mechanism type. They also offer side-opening or electric-lift options, ensuring the perfect fit for your layout and lifestyle.

3. How much storage space does a Furl ottoman bed provide?

Depending on the model, storage depths range from 20 cm to 40 cm, offering ample space for bulky bedding, suitcases, and seasonal clothing - all supported on a reinforced base for durability.

4. Does Furl deliver outside the UK?

Yes - international delivery is available on an Ex-Factory basis. Customers arrange their own shipping, and Furl provides the product in modular form for easy reassembly abroad.

5. Are Furl products sustainable?

Yes. All furniture is made in the UK using responsibly sourced materials and modular construction, designed to last for decades. By building locally and offering repairs instead of replacements, Furl minimises waste and environmental impact.

6. Can I try Furl products before buying?

Absolutely. Furl operates three London showrooms - Swiss Cottage, Chelsea, and Barbican - where you can view and test their beds, sofas, and mechanisms in person.

7. What warranty does Furl offer?

Every mechanism comes with a five-year warranty, upholstery carries two years, and mattresses one year. More importantly, Furl offers long-term repair support - proof that their furniture is designed to endure, not expire.

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David Norman

David Norman is the founder of Furl, a UK-based furniture brand known for redefining how people live with space-saving, design-led storage beds and sofa beds.

With almost two decades of hands-on experience in product design, manufacturing, and brand strategy, David has built Furl into a trusted name among urban professionals seeking calm, clutter-free homes. His work has been recognised for its innovation and craftsmanship, with features in publications such as Yahoo Finance and The Telegraph.

David continues to lead Furl’s creative direction, developing furniture that solves real-world problems without compromise.