Overnight hosting season is finally here, a time when I’m acutely aware of my lack of beds. I live in New York, everyone wants to stay, and while I’ve considered a sleeper sofa, the few pockets around Thanksgiving and Christmas when I actually need one hardly justify surrendering precious square footage year-round.
Offering the same mattress size in roughly half the sofa, Macy’s Radley Chair Bed is pretty much exactly what I needed for my spare city corners. Like other sleeper sofas, it pulls out to reveal a single-sized bed (which, by the way, I’d always pair with a mattress topper). Unlike most in the category, though, it’s not heinous-looking – the lines are actually quite clean-cut and nicely tailored. And as a chair, which it will be 99% of the time, its cushy, chenille-upholstered foam cushions make it a genuinely nice spot to kick back for some cozy-season TV.
At just 54 inches across, this ‘chair-and-a-half’ is the best sleeper sofa alternative for small living rooms. It comes in a rainbow of 13 chenille upholstery colorways, from trending chocolate brown and caramel to airy robin’s egg blue, and has earned 4 stars across more than 1,700 reviews.
The Radley is actually not new – only new to me – and is one of Macy’s exclusive offerings, arguably one of its more popular ones at that. It’s kid- and pet-friendly, with removable covers that can go straight in the wash.
‘I’ve had this couch for 10 years with five kids,’ one reviewer writes. ‘This couch has held up through moving three times. I’ve removed the cushion covers every few months over the last 10 years, washed them in the washing machine, and put them back on. They have held up great. The couch is sturdy and made very well. The fabric is very thick, great for somebody that has kids or pets.’
So it’s practical for daily life – because, again, this chair-couch, whatever you want to call it, will be part of your existing living space – in more ways than one. If you love (or, at least acquiesced to) the idea of hosting without a dedicated guest room, but don’t want to give up precious space for the handful of nights you’ll actually need one, this ‘chair bed’ might be the smartest addition before the holidays.
More Chair Sofa Beds We Love
Ahead, a few more chair beds for when you need an extra bed, but not all that sofa.
With 4.8 stars from more than 2,200 reviews, this Koala Twin XL sofa bed – including a colorway created with Pantone – is the winner if you don’t mind a splurge. The Radley above might be small, but at just 46 inches across, this one is smaller still. It flips from sofa to bed in seconds, with deep seats and washable covers for the 99% of the time it’s just a sofa.
Meet the slightly more polished older brother of the Radley. Where the Radley feels classic, cozy, and inviting, West Elm’s statelier Harris silhouette gives the ‘chair bed’ concept an elegant edge with precise tailoring. At 50 inches across, it seats one comfortably, two if they don’t mind snuggling.
Bet you didn’t think a ‘chair bed’ could look this good. It’s the largest of the bunch, but at 57 inches across, not by much – and still a fabulous space-saving alternative to a traditional sleeper sofa. Take your pick between bouclé (I’ve just interviewed designers on the matter; it’s actually back in a big way for 2027) or a range of jewel-toned performance velvets, pictured here.
Any of these ‘chair beds’ could also make room for one more in an existing guest room. Ahead of holiday sleepovers, visiting relatives and last-minute plus-ones, see our top ideas for creating the ultimate home away from home.
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