My single futon mattress… Dreamy!
There is one household furnishing that I simply could not do without, one that I discovered back in the summer of 1989 and have been using ever since.
My futon mattress has been my favorite choice of mattress ever since I bought one from a second hand furniture store in Midtown Manhattan, when I transferred to Brooklyn College. My stint at CUNY Brooklyn didn’t work out so well, but my futon mattress was a godsend.
Futon mattresses come in many shapes and sizes, materials and models. Some come with frames, some without. Personally, I’ve never been a big fan of futon mattress frames, so the only one I’ve ever really owned found its way out to the curb to await the arrival of the garbage crew very quickly into my ownership.
I’ve always really preferred a full-sized futon mattress, though a single futon mattress is also an option. Depending upon what kind of space you have to work with could certainly dictate which size would be your best fit (no pun intended). Single futon mattresses also make a great hideaway bed for guests, that you can store rolled up in a large closet and set up when guests arrive.
when it comes to protecting your mattress, a futon mattress cover is easily the best way to go. These covers come in some durable and elegant designs, and are really no more difficult to choose then if you were choosing Egyptian cotton sheets for a standard bed. the first futon I owned did not have a cover, and I think this single-handedly contributed to its early demise. Futon mattress covers are also just as reasonably priced as bedding sheets. Choosing the right futon cover will go a long way toward preserving your futon mattress.
Futon mattress resting on hardwood floor
I’ve owned several futon mattresses in my lifetime, and the first was purchased in NYC as I mentioned above. I had just moved to Manhattan to attend college in Brooklyn, a subway journey that would ultimately destroy my desire to attend college altogether for many years down the road.
My uncle suggested a futon shop nearby, and my father helped me purchase the mattress, then helped me lug the thing 5 blocks back home. Once I slept one night on the mattress, I was hooked. I’ve never required much in the way of solid back support from my mattresses, so throwing my thin futon mattress on the hardwood floor seemed like a logical progression.
When I moved to Vegas in the fall of 1996 I immediately found a futon that a friend of mine no longer wanted. I was happy to take the mattress off his hands, as it was in a remarkably mint condition considering this friend of mine doesn’t necessarily have the reputation for taking good care of his personal belongings. That mattress lasted me the entire 4 years that I lived in ‘Sin City’ and I was sad to have to set it out by the curb for the garbage crew. There was simply no way to transport the mattress all the way back to the East Coast, as I was moving all my belongings in a Plymouth Breeze.
About a year later I moved in with another friend, and he had a futon mattress and frame setup for me to use, and ultimately have as my own. I tossed rickety frame into the refuse pile, and am still using the mattress to this day, almost 10 years later. I would be lost without this mattress! My girlfriend and I have a traditional queen-sized bed, but the futon still gets plenty of use, as I find myself falling asleep on it while watching TV on many a night.
Traditional Japanese futon mattresses are also meant to be placed directly on the floor, with a tatami mat as a base. they are constructed of high-quality cotton layers that come together for a comfortable fit. I won’t go too deeply into Japanese futon lore, as there are many pages on the internet dedicated to this very topic. A simple search engine query will yield many results. If you can’t find it online, then it most likely doesn’t exist!
Choosing the right futon mattress is a personal decision and one that may change your life for years to come. The futon may actually become the favorite bed in your own home, as far as beds go that is. For other great home furnishing ideas that will help you live the slow-cookin’ lifestyle, simply visit our crock pot homepage and see what many others have already learned…
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