The Origin of Today’s Cheap Futon
Today, the cheap futon has become a staple in American homes but the current incarnation of the futon is very different from its initial form. This versatile piece of furniture originated in Japan, as signified today by the name “futon” itself, which is Japanese for “bedding.” Just as Americans buy futons to save space since the futon acts as multiple pieces of furniture, the Japanese created the futon because they had very minimal space. Their futon was a mattress much thinner than ours, about two or three inches thick, and instead of having a frame they would roll it out on tatami mat floors. This way, in the morning they could just roll them up and have all of that space free.
In the 1970s William Brouwer, a furniture designer, decided that this idea of a convertible bed was a great one and would be really useful for anyone in America who lived in a small apartment and needed all the space they could get. He recognized, however, that Americans differed from the Japanese in that they like to eat and sleep up off the floor. Plus, American floors tend to be much harder than the soft tatami mat floors, so it would probably be less comfortable. As a solution, he made the mattress a little thicker and placed it on a wooden frame several inches off the floor that could convert into a couch. The idea hit big in America, even garnering him an award for his creation and giving Americans all over the option of buying a cheap futon to save space and money.
These days, futons have come a long way, offering a multitude of different designs and styles for the same affordable prices. To find a cheap futon, visit Ultimate Futons and discover the perfect futon for your furnishing needs.
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