If the words “sleeper sofa” still conjure images of a musty, squeaky, lumpy pull-out mattress with the thickness and support of a peanut butter sandwich, you may want to take a look at what’s been going on in the world of convertible furniture lately.
Modern-day sleeper sofas now come with luxe, real mattresses, like the Tempur-Pedic in Joybird’s Eliot, or offer multiple sitting and sleeping configurations, like the Koala Wanda. The Neptune, from Montreal-based, direct-to-consumer home goods brand Cozey, aims for something entirely different: a couch with modular components that can be moved or added to, along with seats that pull out to make either a twin- or full-sized bed, depending on couch size. Add on storage underneath each seat and machine-washable fabric, and you’ve got a truly versatile setup that’s ideal for guest rooms and living rooms alike. That is, as long as you like things firm.
Build-a-Bed
Cozey offers a variety of Neptune packages, from chairs and loveseats to five-seat sectionals and everything in between. Bed size options include twin or full, with optional storage ottomans, arms, and headrests. For testing, I selected a four-seat sectional with a full-sized bed, in Performance Slate upholstery. It looks almost like a charcoal color online, but turned out to be a lighter medium gray with a sturdy woven texture. There are four other Performance colors available (green, two beiges, and gray) and four basic neutrals in Aquaforte, Cozey’s proprietary water- and stain-repellent fabric—a pretty small selection compared with other brands, but that’s the price one pays for having inventory available for immediate shipping.
The last couch I tested, from Interior Define, took almost four months to arrive, but a couple of months is pretty typical for made-to-order furniture. Mercifully, the Neptune—which I’ve now been testing for almost six weeks—arrived in four days via free FedEx shipping, in 13 unwieldy boxes. An average-sized, 5’6″ woman, I had no problem carrying each box around the house, but struggled to take some of the heavier ones upstairs by myself.
Photograph: Kat Merck