I don’t get impressed by a sofa design easily – but this Next modular sofa with built-in storage has done it

by Furnishly | Oct 18, 2025 | Design Inspiration

Sitting on sofas, trying and testing them out has become something of my specialty. But having sat on over 200 sofas to date and counting, it means that I don’t get impressed by a sofa all that easily. But after coming across the new Next Crosby modular storage sofa at the brand’s autumn/winter 2025 press preview earlier this month, I was obsessed.

The choice of sofas on the market seems almost endless, but there are not that many unique and original designs out there. I’ve pretty much seen and sat on it all. But once in a while, there is a brand or a particular best sofa design that stands out, whether that’s the John Lewis Pleat sofa or Habitat’s new made-to-order sofas, including the Sacha sofa.

And the latest sofa that’s managed to grab my attention to the point that I’d consider investing in it myself if I didn’t already own my dream sofa is Next’s versatile Crosby sofa.

What impressed me was that it’s modular and it comes with hidden storage within, while also being super comfortable to sit and lounge on – it’s the combination of all of these features that sold me on this design which is now one of the best modular sofas I’ve come across. I’m not 100% sure why but most storage sofas and sofa beds I’ve tried in the past haven’t been particularly comfortable so I was very pleasantly surprised.

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To access the storage, all you need to do is remove the seat cushion and lift the top of the base – there is a handle that allows you to do that very comfortably. And voila!

Prices start at £399 for a single armless module, while the matching footstool (which also comes with internal storage) starts at £275, depending on the upholstery option you decide to go for. There are only three to choose from at the moment – rust brown velvet and brushed weave in light olive green or a cream colourway called oyster – which is very limited but I’m hoping the upholstery choice will expand with time, especially if the sofa proves popular with customers.

But you can create configurations as small or large as your living space allows. And there is a multibuy discount, saving you 10% when buying two or more pieces priced at £150 or more – and that’s across several different selected sofas, rugs, chairs, beds, mattresses and other furniture.

And since opting for a high quality frame with a decent warranty (ideally at least 10 years) is a part of choosing a sofa that will last, I was also really glad to learn that this sofa comes with a 15-year structural guarantee.

This sofa just keeps on ticking all the right boxes!

I don’t need *any* more furniture, but this super-pretty Morris & Co sofa bed just made me rethink my living room setup

by Furnishly | Oct 9, 2025 | Design Inspiration

There are a lot of reasons to invest in a good sofa bed. This multifunctional furniture works hard for its floor space in your home, offering seating and sleeping space for overnight guests.

However, as Ideal Home’s Sleep Editor, I’ve tested dozens of sleeper sofas for our guide to the best sofa beds, and one thing I can tell you is that, generally speaking, sofa beds aren’t that pretty.

That is, they weren’t. At least not until furniture brand Swyft launched its recent Morris & Co collaboration, which sees the already stylish Swyft Model 08 Sofa Bed upholstered in four super-pretty floral prints.

There’s the bestselling ‘Blackthorn’ print, the fun ‘Fruit’ colourway, the timeless blue and white ‘Standen’ print, and the elegant ‘Willow’ print in sage green and cream.

Is this now the prettiest sofa bed on the market? Beauty is subjective, but I’ve visited more than twenty furniture showrooms over the last four years and browsed through all the upholstery options under the sun.

In my opinion, yes, the Model 08’s streamlined silhouette upholstered in these four new fabrics makes this the prettiest sofa bed you can buy.

I’d definitely be more than happy having any one of these sofa beds in my own home. However, style isn’t all the Swyft Model O8 has to offer.

This sofa bed offers seating and sleeping for two. There’s a full-size double mattress hidden in its depths. Plus, thanks to its cleverly designed slim armrests, it also offers a compact footprint that’s ideal for incorporating into a small living room design idea.

As with most sofa beds, you’ll need a mattress topper for when you transform it into a sleeping surface. But Ideal Home’s Thea owns this sofa bed, and she says the Swyft Model 08 sofa bed is more comfortable to sleep on than her own bed!

Thea uses the Swyft double mattress topper that’s made to fit the Model 08 exactly, but you could opt for a cheaper alternative, such as the memory foam Panda Topper, which is one of the best value mattress toppers we’ve tested.

If, like me, you live in a home that has awkward delivery access, you’ll also be delighted to know that this sofa bed is delivered flat-packed in two reasonably sized boxes. That means it can easily fit through any doorway or be carried up a twisting staircase without headaches.

And once it’s unboxed, this isn’t an IKEA sofa bed that can take a good hour to assemble. It’s simply a case of screwing on the feet and slotting the armrests and backrest into place via the brand’s tool-less locking system. Ideal Home’s Heather put together the Swyft Model 04 sofa bed with no problems when she reviewed it.

Even better, Swyft also offers an assembly service that you can book at checkout if you don’t fancy doing any DIY delivery day.

Admittedly, this sofa bed isn’t cheap. Although the current discount from £2,099 to £1,699 is very welcome indeed. However, I do think it’s worth it to get your hands on a sofa bed that’s this pretty as well as so practical.

It’s certainly making me reassess my living room setup to see if just *maybe* I could squeeze it into my home.

IKEA just launched a £650 sofa bed that turns into a full-sized bed for two with extra hidden storage – it’s ideal for small living rooms

by Furnishly | Oct 7, 2025 | Design Inspiration

IKEA has just launched a new sofa bed, the GRUNNARP, and it offers a lot for its £650 price tag.

As Ideal Home’s Sleep Editor, I’ve tested hundreds of sofa beds to create our guide to the best sofa beds on the market, and I think IKEA’s new launch is well worth having on your radar if you’re on the hunt for an affordable way to host overnight guests.

Why? For a start, the IKEA GRUNNARP sofa bed offers great value for money. Admittedly, a £650 investment isn’t cheap, but this is a three-seater sofa bed that transforms into a full-sized double bed, capable of sleeping two guests.

That’s unusual in sofa beds in this price category. A standard double mattress measures 135 x 190cm, and most ‘double’ sofa beds offer a lot less sleeping space than this. In contrast, the GRUNNARP provides a generous 142 x 200cm sleeping area once it’s fully extended.

Available in three colour options – grey, beige, and pink – the GRUNNARP also looks like a standard sofa, and a stylish one at that, so it’s an option you can use in your main living space without anyone knowing it hides a bed inside.

For comparison, you could opt for Habitat’s Kota 3-Seater Clic Clac Sofa Bed, which offers a similar amount of seating space for just £375. However, you don’t get a double sleeping area, and its build is a little… basic. It’s a useful budget-friendly option for a spare bedroom or home office, but you may not want it in your main living room.

The Habitat Julien Fabric 4 Seater Sofa Bed can seat four and features a double sleeping area, but it costs £850. That’s £200 more than the new IKEA GRUNNARP. Every other double-bed-sized sofa bed I’ve tested and can recommend costs *far* more than that, with prices generally around the £1500 mark and above.

Plus, the GRUNNARP is also hiding another secret. There’s roomy storage space hidden under its bench seating. That means if you have a small home that’s short on cupboards, you have some much-needed extra room to stash the spare duvet, mattress topper, and bedding your overnight guests will need when they sleep over.

When it comes to how to store guest bedding, it’s amazing how much space an extra set of bed linen can take up, even with the best bedding organisation. For that reason, the GRUNNARP’s secret storage space is a real bonus.

Overall, this new IKEA launch offers stylish design – I love those rounded armrests –generous seating, a full-sized double sleeping area, *and* hidden storage, which I think makes it a great value buy.

Yes, this is IKEA, and that means you will need to assemble this piece of multifunctional furniture yourself. But if your home is anything like mine, with awkward delivery access, that could be another plus point. After all, it’s far easier to get flat-packed furniture through a narrow hallway or awkward entryway.

I’ve included three tried-and-tested alternatives below so you can compare for yourself, but to my mind, the GRUNNARP looks like a great buy.

I just discovered this stylish Next sofa bed *and* it’s under £500 – no wonder savvy shoppers are snapping it up

by Furnishly | Sep 17, 2025 | Design Inspiration

Judging by the storm currently raging outside my office window, summer is officially over and autumn has begun. And, as Ideal Home’s Sleep Editor, I know that this change in seasons means that the savvy amongst us are already prepping and planning for the festive hosting season ahead.

In particular, that means considering how our homes are going to sleep the extra friends and family that may visit over the Christmas period. And this year, it seems that Next shoppers are leading the way in their organisational efforts. Why? Because Next customers are busy snapping up the brand’s Palma sofa bed. And at just £475 for this stylish seating that doubles as a sleeping space for two, it’s easy to see why.

The Palma sofa bed comes in two designs. There’s the two-seater Palma sofa bed that starts at £475 and offers a double-bed-sized sleeping area, or the single-seater Palma chair bed that costs £350 and provides a sleeping space for one.

Both are similar in design to two other hosting solutions that I regularly recommend in Ideal Home’s guide to the best sofa beds and best chair beds, namely the Habitat Roma Sofa Bed and MADE’s Haru Sofa Bed.

All feature a ‘click-clack’ style of design where the seat and backrest unfold and lay flat to become the sleeping area, and come in a good range of upholstery options, including on-trend boucle and luxurious-looking velvets.

The Palma sofa bed’s main point of difference is its curved backrest, which, in my opinion, gives it some extra style points compared to its competition.

The two-seater Palma sofa bed also offers a good-sized sleeping area. Although Habitat’s Roma sofa bed is the more affordable option, with prices for the Habitat Roma Double Sofa Bed starting at £300 compared to the Palma sofa bed’s £475 price tag, the Roma maxes out at a 121cm width.

That’s smaller than your average double bed, which measures 135cm in width. In comparison, the Next Palma sofa bed is bang on 136cm wide. If you’re hosting a couple, that’s 15cm extra wiggle room they’ll definitely appreciate.

Alternatively, the MADE Haru Large Sofa Bed does offer even more space with a 143cm width, but it also costs more, coming in at £550 for the larger size.

To my mind, that makes the Palma sofa bed great value for the money, as well as being a space-saving and stylish addition to the home. And it seems I’m not alone in thinking so.

‘The sofa is comfortable, conveniently space-saving, easy to open out into a bed and to fold back up again,’ shares one 5-star reviewer of the Palma on the Next website. ‘Fabulous,’ says another. ‘I want another one when funds allow.’

Plus, according to Next shoppers, the Palma is the ideal solution for last-minute hosting.

‘I am really pleased with this sofa bed,’ says one reviewer. ‘It looks like a stylish sofa and folds out to a normal side double bed. Really pleased we invested in this. Will suit my family when they stay at Christmas.’

‘Researched in a hurry due to sudden additional guests arriving over Xmas,’ says another reviewer who bought the sofa bed last year. ‘I am so glad that I was persuaded by reading all the good reviews. No regrets at all. Converting it from a sofa to a bed is very straightforward and quick. It looks great too!’

‘Brilliant design,’ says a third. ‘I was looking for a spare single fold-out bed which could serve as an attractive seat, on short notice of a family visit, and this is perfect. It’s also very well made and comfortable as a seat. Ordered mid-week and delivered on the following Monday. Family arriving this afternoon!’

In fact, the only negatives I can see are related to the sofa bed’s comfort in bed form. A few reviewers note that the sofa bed is quite firm for sleeping on, which is similar to how I found the Habitat Roma and MADE Haru when I tested them in store. However, thankfully, that’s nothing that the addition of a good mattress topper can’t solve.

‘You will need a good mattress topper, but other than that, it fits the bill perfectly,’ shares one reviewer. ‘The sofa is comfy to sit on, but when converted to a bed, it is a little firm for my liking,’ says another. ‘As a result, I purchased a mattress topper.’

That does mean you’ll need to factor the cost of a mattress topper into your purchase, but I’ve rounded up three of the best value mattress toppers I’ve tested below. And even with the addition of some extra cushioning, I still think the Palma sofa bed’s under £500 price tag makes it a great value buy.