| Futons are an interesting category of furniture as | | | | the idea of futons but wanted it to be more like |
| they weren’t so much established in main | | | | regular furniture in look and function. In 1985 a |
| stream retail stores originally but in specialty | | | | patent was filed by Robert Fireman’s |
| stores and waterbed stores. Looking back over | | | | Furniture Gallery which incorporated arms into the |
| the last twenty five years since futons first came | | | | sides of the futon frame. This new futon |
| onto the scene is an interesting look into the birth | | | | invention was made up of a seat and back |
| of a furniture category that would soon become | | | | section and two connecting rails. This design gave |
| a household name. In this article we’ll take a | | | | futons the look of a traditional sofa and could |
| look at the early days of the futon industry and | | | | cater to the look that many people were looking |
| take a brief look at where it is today. | | | | for. At the same time it provided the same |
| Back in 1983 a gentleman by the name of Nikita | | | | function of converting from a sofa to a bed in a |
| Grigoriev filed a patent for what he called | | | | similar fashion to that of the frame Mr. Grigoriev |
| “convertible furniture”. The heading | | | | invented. |
| doesn’t really seem remarkable and the | | | | This style of futon would come to be called the |
| abstract of the patent was rather generic in | | | | bi-fold design and would soon dominate the |
| terms of what it described but there’s a line | | | | industry in a few years as the number one selling |
| of text which pretty much says it all about this | | | | design in futon frames. Many of today’s |
| furniture. It reads “a piece of furniture which | | | | manufacturers have also created matching |
| is convertible from a bed to a sofa utilizing the | | | | furniture like loveseats and chairs that will match |
| geometry of its component parts to facilitate | | | | to the futon sofas allowing you to have an entire |
| conversion from one mode to the other.” If | | | | room of convertible furniture. Designs in arm |
| someone has to describe what a futon is that | | | | styles have also come a long way. Mr. |
| sentence is it. | | | | Fireman’s arm initial arm design was a simple |
| The earliest futon designs like the one Mr. | | | | open look that helped to facilitate the operation of |
| Grigoriev had were considered by today’s | | | | his frame. Newer designs quickly followed including |
| standards as tri-fold futon frames. What this | | | | arts and crafts designs, the ever popular mission |
| means is that three separate wood sections | | | | look and most recently more exotic designs with |
| made up the foundation that the mattress would | | | | sweeping outer features and curving lines. Futon |
| rest on. The frame itself used these three | | | | mattresses and futon covers were also |
| sections to convert from sofa/chair down into a | | | | developed and are available in many of the |
| bed. Many of the earliest futons sold were these | | | | resources used today in regular furniture. New |
| frames made most often from poplar, spruce or | | | | styles are introduced yearly by the major futon |
| pine woods and sat very low to the ground. An all | | | | suppliers and it’s always fascinating to see |
| cotton futon mattress would be placed on the | | | | what new modern or classic design is incorporated |
| frame and the user was ready to go. Popular for | | | | into the newest products. |
| college dorms or studio apartments these were | | | | In this article we’ve explored a little of the |
| an affordable alternative to mainstream furniture. | | | | history of futons and where we are today. We |
| The futon industry was still in its infancy when | | | | read about Nikita Grigoriev and his contributions to |
| Nikita Grigoriev first introduced his convertible | | | | creating “convertible furniture” as he called |
| furniture or futon as it would come to be called. | | | | it. The first in a long line of futon tri-fold frame |
| Futon is actually of Asian origins and refers to a | | | | designs. We also learned about Robert Fireman |
| type of mattress that is used there. Being only | | | | and his introduction of sofa futons or bi-fold |
| 3-4 inches thick it is laid on the ground and slept | | | | frames. With the history of these two futon |
| on. It was an American idea to build a frame and | | | | pioneers we also took a step forward into |
| place the mattress on top of it. Soon the name | | | | today’s futons and talked briefly about the |
| futon was used to describe these convertible | | | | products available today and how they share |
| pieces of furniture and the name stuck and is still | | | | many of the same traits with their futon |
| used today. | | | | ancestors. I hope this article has given you a |
| Even though the tri-fold design was a success it | | | | glimpse into a unique furniture category just |
| didn’t quite fill the need for everyone who like | | | | moving beyond 25 years and into the future. |
