does anyone use a futon for a couch?

[treeoflife3]

How comfortable is it?

I've been looking to replace my couch/loveseat with a more natural/clean option however the couches in that category are, of course, really expensive.  I'm concerned though about the comfort level of using a futon as a couch.  I know I want a latex mattress but I'm also concerned about how thick it should be to ensure it is comfortable and soft enough while not being too thick to where it won't stay folded on the frame.

Anyone else with a futon for a couch and enjoying it?  any tips for shopping for me?  It would be the perfect solution for us as it would provide us with guest sleep space in our little home while making more room in our little living room...

[minta]

TBH, I find futons to be the most uncomfortable option for either sitting OR sleeping. And they kind of scream college pad to me.

It sounds like you want a sofabed but can't afford a good one. What about a daybed? You could probably pick up a nice secondhand one for cheap and then just put a quality mattress on it. I don't think daybeds are nearly as comfortable to sit on as sofas but much better than futons, and it could be quite attractive if you put lots of throw cushions on it to make the back more supportive.

A daybed also offers storage space underneath, or even drawers, which could be handy if you live in a small space.

Alternatively, if you have high ceilings, maybe a double loft bed with a sofa beneath?

[eirual]

http://www.greenyour.com/home/furnishings/couch/tips/opt-for-a-low-voc-couch ??

If it had arms, sure. We have a very plain futon that's just a bottom plank that folds up and it's not that comfy and not used in our living room as a couch. With arms you could add pillows and manage, without, it's just not comfy. ...the matresses can get pretty slidy off the edges too if you don't get a good frame. 

[treeoflife3]

is the flat back and angling of the seating (I know they usually have the butt lower than the knees rather than flat although some have multiple positions?) comfortable enough?  what would you say I should look for in a frame?

Originally Posted by eirual 

http://www.greenyour.com/home/furnishings/couch/tips/opt-for-a-low-voc-couch ??

If it had arms, sure. We have a very plain futon that's just a bottom plank that folds up and it's not that comfy and not used in our living room as a couch. With arms you could add pillows and manage, without, it's just not comfy. ...the matresses can get pretty slidy off the edges too if you don't get a good frame. 

[Chamomile Girl]

We have a futon and a leather couch and our futon is the much more comfortable of the two. It has arms, but needs some hefty pillows on them if one wants to lounge. Its not a great TV watching option (not that we have one) but works well for reading and surfing. Its also comfy to sleep on. Its especially comfy if you have a coffee table or ottoman you can rest your feet on.

We have a nice thick organic cotton/wool mattress on it so that makes a difference. Don't get a futon if you're not going to get a nice mattress. Our previous futon mattress was pretty yick and the cheap ones flatten out very fast.

We've had our mattress now for...ummm...about seven years?

[treeoflife3]

is your futon the typical full size?  does the frame sit more up right?  do you buy chance remember where you got the mattress or frame?
 

Originally Posted by Chamomile Girl 

We have a futon and a leather couch and our futon is the much more comfortable of the two. It has arms, but needs some hefty pillows on them if one wants to lounge. Its not a great TV watching option (not that we have one) but works well for reading and surfing. Its also comfy to sleep on. Its especially comfy if you have a coffee table or ottoman you can rest your feet on.

We have a nice thick organic cotton/wool mattress on it so that makes a difference. Don't get a futon if you're not going to get a nice mattress. Our previous futon mattress was pretty yick and the cheap ones flatten out very fast.

We've had our mattress now for...ummm...about seven years?

[philomom]

No, I have one that serves a guest bed in a small office. They are not comfy for sitting on very long.

[Chamomile Girl]

Originally Posted by treeoflife3 

is your futon the typical full size?  does the frame sit more up right?  do you buy chance remember where you got the mattress or frame?
 

Originally Posted by Chamomile Girl 

We have a futon and a leather couch and our futon is the much more comfortable of the two. It has arms, but needs some hefty pillows on them if one wants to lounge. Its not a great TV watching option (not that we have one) but works well for reading and surfing. Its also comfy to sleep on. Its especially comfy if you have a coffee table or ottoman you can rest your feet on.

We have a nice thick organic cotton/wool mattress on it so that makes a difference. Don't get a futon if you're not going to get a nice mattress. Our previous futon mattress was pretty yick and the cheap ones flatten out very fast.

We've had our mattress now for...ummm...about seven years?

Yeah, I got it at a place called Hermosa Design Center in Hermosa Beach, CA...but that's not going to help you . Its a typical full size (and, yeah I got it as a college student...grad student if that makes it any better). One clarification: Its only comfy to sleep on if you pull it out. Otherwise you roll into the crack because the seat is at an angle...of course I've probably slept on it as a couch way more than as a bed, but still.

[taubel]

We use a futon for a couch and one for a matching chair in our living room. We wanted chemical-free seating and could not afford organic furniture. We bought a nice looking cherry wood frame with arms and bought the matching chair. Then we bought futons with no chemicals, no borates, just cotton fill. We had the company stuff them 10% more than they would a mattress so they'd be stiffer.

We then bought really nice fitted zip-on covers for them and then got coordinating throw pillows. The covers are thick and textured and look like upholstery. 

While this is not my ideal arrangement, the futons really do look nice in our living room! They are not as comfortable as a couch, but we have gotten used to them and don't mind them. I do have to reposition the mattress from time to time when it slides down a bit. But we do have three active boys who are leaping all over this thing.

We are happy with our choice.

Good luck finding something that works for you! We bought our futons from whitelotus.net (we also bought futon mattresses for sleeping from them) and we bought our futon frames from a local store.

ETA: Here's a link to some pictures where you can at least see the futon chair (these pictures were focused on our floors so I did not take a pic of the couch). The chair is more comfortable than the couch. You could buy two chairs with matching ottomans, which together could be converted into single beds for sleeping.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/44030825@N02/

[diana_of_the_dunes]

We have a futon in our living room.  I bought it when I was a poor college student, but I made sure to get a decent mattress.  It has springs, so it has a little more "give" to it.  When we moved to our current house, we got a mission style cherry wood frame, a microsuede cover, and matching bolster pillows for it, which matches the rest of our decor.  Here's a photo: http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_cm49P41qLLE/SjVMTXci6BI/AAAAAAAAAlg/pUNCioLRrf8/s1600-h/Picture+008.jpg  The cover is a tad too big for the mattress, which makes me crazy I want to get some kind of padded cover or mattress topper to put inside to poof it out a bit. Granted, it's 8 years old, so it may have deflated a some from my 225 lb DH plopping on it!  It's help up remarkably well, though, and I love that I can take the cover off to wash it.

Overall, I'm happy with it.  We have an old home, with several pieces of antique furniture, and modern sofas are just too big (and loveseats are too small).  Restoration Hardware makes small-scale sofas that I would love to have, but there's no way I'm spending that much on a couch. 

[treeoflife3]

diana and taubel, I love your pictures of your couch/chair :)  I think they both look nice and comfy and not like dorm furniture :)