We may not all have the space for a dedicated guest room but with a sleeper sofa, you’ll have peace of mind knowing you can always accommodate a couple of overnight guests. The Sarah Sofa Bed from Wayfair was designed to provide a modern sitting area during the day and a cozy place to rest at night. Over the course of a month and a half, we tested the sofa to see how it held up to regular daily use as well as overnight guests. Read on to see if the Sarah Sofa Bed is a good choice for your home.
Design: Clean lines and endless choices
The Sarah Sofa Bed is small but mighty. While its footprint is a mere 77 x 37 inches, we still had plenty of room to stretch out and relax. The arms of the sofa solidify its modern design with interior padding for extra comfort and exterior lines that are straight and clean. Both the seat and back cushions have piping along the seams giving the well-stuffed cushions a crisp and more rigid look. The feet of the sofa are a bit chunky, which is to be expected with a sleeper sofa, as they have to support more weight than a standard sofa. However, we appreciate that the feet are tapered, making them look a bit more elegant. Wayfair’s design considerations go much further than just the sofa’s silhouette, though; the Sarah is available in an astounding 150 different colors, patterns, and fabrics. Because we have a dog and a toddler, we opted for microfiber upholstery to make cleaning up inevitable spills just a little easier. As added insurance against visible stains, we chose the color Hermes Normandy, a lovely dark blue. Other available materials include cotton, micro-suede, polyester, and even Sunbrella® —a great option for outfitting a three seasons room. Wayfair knows that choosing from so many colors and fabrics can be overwhelming, so they also offer free fabric samples so you can feel confident in your final choice. Two toss pillows also come included with the sofa. We wish the product listing stated “Toss Pillows Included” in the general information rather than “Toss Pillow Included” as it made an impact on the pillows we ordered. When we thought it was only one pillow, we made the safe choice and ordered a matching pillow in Hermes Normandy. Had we known to expect two pillows, we would’ve opted for a complementary color or pillows with a pattern.
Comfort: A firm seat and a decent night’s sleep
The cushions are firmly stuffed, but not overly so. We found the cushions comfortable and cozy, perfect for cuddling up for storytime with our 3-year-old. If you find the cushions too firm, it’s easy to unzip them remove some of the loose stuffing. However, before pulling out the stuffing, we’d recommend giving the sofa a few weeks to soften up with use. When it came time to test the pull out the mattress, we had our reservations. After all, it’d been quite a while since we’d slept on a spring coil mattress. The mattress is thin, measuring just over 6 inches. It’s reasonably comfortable, but it’s not something we’d want to sleep on every night. We slept on it overnight and awoke without back pain, but it obviously wasn’t as supportive as our Tempur-Pedic. For guests staying just one night, this mattress should suffice. And, in our opinion, it’s far superior to an air mattress and all the rigmarole that goes along with them. But, if you’re planning on hosting frequently or want to provide your guests with a more luxurious rest, opt for some cozy sheets and consider springing for a mattress topper. Right now, our 3-year-old is getting the most use out of the pullout as he thinks it’s a special treat to be able to sprawl out and watch his favorite cartoon.
Size: Perfect for a small sitting area or home office
While the Sarah Sofa Bed isn’t what we’d pick as a main seating option, we love it for additional seating in our living room. When the bed is pulled out, it extends to 74 inches, so you do need to have it in a room with enough clearance to fully extend the bed. This sofa would work beautifully in a home office, making it easy to convert a daytime workspace into a makeshift guest room.
Ease of Use: Straightforward sleeper
The sofa comes pre-assembled so it’s a cinch to use from the get go. In order to fully extend the sofa bed, you’ll need to cut the straps that hold the mattress in position during transit, so have some heavy-duty scissors nearby. We didn’t realize there were three straps, so at first the mattress seemed incredibly difficult to pull out. But, once we caught on and cut the straps on each side, we found that the bed pulls out quite easily. The Sarah Sofa Bed easily and comfortably fit my husband and I. We both have average builds and are average height (5’10” and 5’7”). As a bonus, we had plenty of room for a toddler to snuggle up in the middle for a movie night. As a note, the weight limit is 500 pounds. Whether or not this sofa is easy to maintain has a lot to do with the upholstery and color you choose. Microfiber is easier to care for and less likely to tear than something like cotton and obviously, darker colors are less likely to show grime and stains over time. No matter the upholstery you choose, the manufacturer recommends spot cleaning only. These instructions may be due in part to the fact that the back cushions cannot be removed from the sofa, but also because of how the cushions are stuffed. All four cushions and both throw pillows are stuffed with loose filling. It’d be a real chore to wash the cushion covers and then re-stuff them. We wish the stuffing came in an enclosed pillowcase or even simply wrapped in thin batting so the cushion covers can be removed and cleaned more thoroughly in the event of large spills. If you’re particularly worried about stains or rips occurring, you can always opt-in to Wayfair’s Warranty Program offered through SquareTrade.
Price: Midrange price for a luxurious feel
With a base price of $1,000, the Sarah Sofa Bed is solidly in the middle of the pack in terms of cost. If you’re trying to stay within a budget but have your heart set on the Sarah Sofa Bed, our advice is to bide your time. Wayfair has sales on this model a few times a year and your patience could be rewarded with a savings of up to a few hundred dollars.
Competition: The Sarah Sofa Bed delivers on all fronts
Serta Upholstery Martin House Modern Sofa Bed: If you’re looking for a similarly sized sofa bed with an even more modern look, the Martin House Modern Sofa Bed may be a good option. The sofa is slightly larger than the Sarah Sofa at 35 x 36 x 81 inches and it’s only available in two upholstery options, but with a retail price of $760, it’s certainly worth considering. Pottery Barn Buchanan Roll Arm Upholstered Twin Sleeper Sofa: If saving space is your number one priority, the Buchanan Twin Sleeper Sofa from Pottery Barn is a great option. It has a classic look with dozens of fabric options to choose from and because it’s just a twin sleeper, it’s only 56 inches wide compared to the Sarah Sofa Bed at 77 inches. Best of all, the memory foam mattress provides a comfortable and supportive sleep. The Sarah Sofa Bed is a fantastic blend of quality, style, and customization all at a reasonable price point. If you’re planning on using this sofa bed regularly, you may want to invest in a mattress topper for a more comfortable rest, but if it’s just for occasional overnight guests, you’ll be good to go.
