Ok, I have to admit, I think futons are really cool, but seriously, aren't they a bit overpriced? The last one we saw in a furniture store was about $500 for the frame and about $300 for the mattress. Wow. Total that adds up to about the same cost as a regular bed, a nice one. But then again I do live in a cheaper part of the country where we don't tend to pay $5000 for a couch.

I digress. I do think futons are cool and my mother even has one in her guest room. It's a double bed size, and the way it can fold up into a very comfortable couch or down into a bed is very neat. It's out of the way when company is gone, it's a convenient bed off the floor when guests arrive. I'd suggest having children sleep on it if possible. Although it did quite comfortably sleep my elderly grandparents, I still think kids would find it even more cool than they did.

Now there's the issue of protecting the mattress. Mom's is green but if something was every spilled on it I don't think it would be that easy to clean. That's why they make futon covers. Actually the covers give you a great way to redecorate the room whenever you want. Since the futon doubles as a couch you can essentially have a new couch whenever you want just by changing out the cover. Neat huh?

The cover serves double duty as a protector. They're generally zippered, snug fitting, washable, and come in a huge variety of styles and colors. Even a variety of fabrics and textures. Hard to come up with something that doesn't exist really. And of course the internet is full of neat sites that sell them.