Since most children’s sheet sets do not include coordinating futon covers, how does a parent purchase their child a favorite cartoon character sheet set while ensuring a futon coordinates with the must-have sheets?

The answer is a solid-color futon cover.

Choosing the most dominant color in the child’s twin sized set, parents can order a futon cover in that color.

Additionally, if the sheets are cotton, jersey knit or another type of popular fabric, there are futon covers available in a heavyweight cotton or jersey knit which can further coordinate with the sheet set.

After the cover has been purchased, if looking to tie the cover into other elements of the child’s bedroom, a great idea is purchasing curtains or a valance in the same color. Finishing off the room, finding a throw rug featuring the cartoon character or purchasing a rug in the futon cover’s color is another great idea. While not required, to present a more formal appearance, if using the futon as a sofa during the day, parents can also purchase some accent pillows that coordinate with top sheets as well as a futon’s cover. This allows one cohesive look and draws attention to the futon as the bedroom’s focal point.

How we use our futons is quite a bit different as you can tell. We are more likely to purchase a futon for the reasons originally stated, extra seating or as a flexible sleeping arrangement for guests. Occasionally, people will choose to have it as their primary sleeping arrangement, though this is more rare. When this is the case, then the idea of using it as a sofa or having it folded is less of a concern. In this example, the type of frame and thickness of the mattress are much less of an issue. We’ll discuss these points in more detail in a moment. If, however, you are seeking to use it as a folded sofa, or extra seating in a home office or den, then there are certainly options for you as well. Your situation will definitely call for the use of a futon cover – a protective covering for your futon. It is also quite stylish, as they come in a variety of materials, patterns and styles – as you can tell from browsing our site.

If you are planning on using your futon in the “Western style”, then the frame and mattress thickness are points to consider. There are futon mattresses that are made of simple materials like cotton, wool and a variety of foam pads inside. Then, there are styles that utilize inner coil springs, mattress toppers and even latex materials. The latex futon mattress is a more recent innovation and it has given many people more quality sleep-filled nights. Because of its makeup, it is less prone to trigger one’s allergies and can provide for a much sounder sleep. Many people are waking up, so to speak, to the fact that the mattresses upon which we sleep can have health consequences. This is yet another reason why there are some futon covers that are specifically designed to keep those off-gassing products inside the mattress and not into the air and lungs of the homeowner.

You may not have known that there were these other types of futons. This is because they are somewhat new, though they have been around and ‘sleep-tested’ for almost a decade or more in some cases. Large brand name manufacturers of conventional mattresses also have futons. Names like Sealy™, Simmons™ and Beautyrest™ are just a few that come to mind. This is just one more reason to feel comfortable with a purchase of a new futon.

In terms of cost, for a smaller sized mattress, like a twin or full, you could get one for around $100-125 USD. In most cases, this is just for the mattress itself. At times, this could also include the frame. For a larger mattress, a queen, perhaps, you can expect to pay a few hundred dollars. There are not as many king-size mattresses available in these styles, but they do exist. In fact, many professional athletes have a custom-made futon to fit their large frames. They have been relying on them for comfortable sleep for years.

You may not need a mattress this large, but your plans are still big! Just to reiterate, if you plan on using your futon for your primary sleeping arrangement, then purchasing a thicker one, maybe with inner coil springs or a latex mattress topper, for example, is a wise investment. It will not need to be folded, in most cases, and will provide you with years of support. The old reputation of the flattening futon is a thing of the past. On the other hand, if your plans call for a more flexible seating/sleeping arrangement, then finding a thinner, more foldable version with a matching and suitable frame for your home décor, then this is also available. What ever type of purchase you decide to make, know that a modern home definitely has a place for the futon mattress. Sleep well.

I will grant you that keeping the plastic on a sofa indefinitely is, well, ridiculous, but when it comes to futon beds and futon frames, a futon cover is a welcome addition to the party.

Here are some reasons you want to consider adding a full futon cover over any futon mattresses in your home.

1. A Futon Slip Cover Protects Your Futon Mattress From Stains, Spills, and Other Accidents.

Did you just spill your dinner on your futon? Wait, why aren’t you eating at the dinner table? I regress…

Anyhow, no worries: that queen sized microsuede futon cover you just fit over your queen futon mattress sofa bed is now paying off. Instead of having to deal with “How the heck do I clean a freakin’ futon mattress?, you now need only to wash the futon cover (and go get a second helping of dinner – and this time, eat at the table!).

Seriously though, futon slip covers are going to protect your investment of buying a futon sofa bed in the first place. You can even buy futon covers that are designed to resist stains, such as a waterproof futon cover or vinyl futon cover. Just make sure you buy an easily washable futon cover and you’ll be set.

2. A Futon Cover Will Cover Up Existing Stains, Spills, and Other Accidents On the Actual Futon Mattress.

Futon mattresses get dirty. They seem to get dirtier than normal sofas or a normal bed. This is especially true for a black futon (and on that note, black futon covers have the same faults – they show dirt and cat hair and other icky things much easier than say, a light green futon cover or a nice blue futon cover.)

Since futon beds are a popular item amongst the youth, buying one used means.. you don’t want to know what’s actually on it. (Beer would be the least of our concerns.)

It’s much easier just to slap on a nice cotton futon cover or one of those fancy chenille futon covers and keep any spills and stains on the mattress itself out of sight and out of mind!

3. A Futon Cover Can Definitely Be Part of Your Homes Design and Decor Theme.

This is one of the coolest reasons to add a cover or slip to your futon: to make the futon add something to the overall design theme of your room or home.

For instance, say you’re a huge NC State football fan (for what reason, I do not know, but that’s for a different conversation). This means you like the color red. You want everything in your home to be red. But that stupid blue futon in the living room makes people think you like UNC instead! Show your true colors (pun intended) by buying a red futon cover!

Another example is something I saw at a beach house recently. You can imagine the theme going on here – shell decorations, sand art, beach photos on the walls, plants and greens around the house. And then I noticed that the two futon mattresses in the living room were decked out with the ever popular tropical futon cover theme.

These two examples are only the tip of the iceburg. You can pretty much get a futon cover that will add to the flair of your design goals, no matter if you’re going for a rustic futon cover to match the antique, country feel of your home, or a black futon cover to match the death metal posters in your dorm room.

4. A New Futon Cover Means You (Almost) Have a New Futon

Just because you bought a plain black futon doesn’t mean you have to always have a black futon! Applying a cover will basically give you a “new” piece of furniture without having to really buy a whole new futon. This is what puts the “cheap” in “cheap futon covers” since it’s far less expensive than buying a futon with a matching design.

Anytime you want a “new” futon, just change the cover. Simple as that!

Now I wish I had a 5th reason to buy a futon cover so I could title this article something like “5 Reasons To Use a Futon Cover”, because “4 Reasons To Use A Futon Cover” just doesn’t sound right. But let me turn the tables on you here – if you’ve read this far, you’ve probably thought this article was interesting (I hope), and I also hope it’s given you some realistic ideas on how and why to use a slipcover on your futon at home.

But what didn’t I cover?

I invite you to give me the 5th reason in the comments section below!

First off, we have “Bamboo Island” futon cover. I’m pretty much a fanatic of any kind of bamboo furniture, be it bamboo lamps, bamboo rugs, or a printed cover for the futon showing bamboo style art. This set comes with the slip cover as well as a two pillow set. It currently sells online for $70 – not a bad deal. Check out Bamboo Island for a high quality, good looking futon cover set made of cotton and polyester with a 3 sided zipper to secure it correctly to the futon mattress and futon frame. For the ambitious amongst you, there’s also a cool Bamboo Island matching chair set from Target as well.

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Next off we have a very elegant, classical looking cover that can absolutely transform a less than stellar mattress into a great looking sofa futon. This is the “Brushed Cotton Twill Futon Cover”. Take a look at the photo here showing the khaki model and tell me you don’t like it – I dare you! Just from looking at this full futon cover, I can imagine how soft and nice it would feel to the touch of my fingertips. This is a very soft, beautiful cover to slip nicely over your futon – and the good news is it costs less than $50.

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Here we have a very cool take on the futon cover – faux leather! If you’re looking for some cool leather furniture mock ups,  check out the Faux Leather Futon Cover from Loft New York. This is a full size cover and will transform any futon into a leather couch! Can’t be that cheap right? It runs about $60, a modest price for a high quality cover if I do say so. Note that this is made of polyurethane. It’s also a good style to use if you’re worried about cleaning up any spills or messes – just wipe it clean and you should be OK for the most part. This also has a zipper (of course) for easy fastening.

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Take a look here at this nice set from Southern Textiles. Here we have full size Beige futon cover and matching 2 pillow set to boot, all for under $100. This is the most expensive item on this list, but, you get what you pay for – and in this case, you get a great looking futon slip cover and matching beige pillows. The cover has a solid zipper for securely fastening itself to futon mattresses, and it’s made of cotton and polyester.

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Last we have one for those who just have to get something tacky. I’m including it on this list to mock you. It’s a futon cover showing a boat scene. I guess this would work for the boating enthusiast, beach house, summer home, or someone with just bad taste, eh? It costs a mere $25 bucks and… yea. I’d go with something from one through four if I were you!

And…so is Target, right?

Well, not exactly, but it’s no secret that anyone who has an eye (and a wallet) for high quality products is going to be hip to both Ikea and Target, although Ikea certainly has the edge for being cooler.

Either way, what I want to look at in this article is reasons for buying either an Ikea futon cover or a Target futon cover.

First of all, Targets are everywhere. I mean everywhere. And how many Targets are there? According to Wiki Answers, there’s 1724 Target stores. Not sure if that’s in the USA or everywhere, or if it includes Super Targets. To tell you the truth, this number actually seems small to me, as just my area has something like 5 Targets that are all within a 15 minute drive of one another. Either way though, nearly 2,000 Target stores – holy cow batman, that’s a lot of Target stores! For someone shopping, that makes things easy. Yes, sure, websites are wonderful to look at but for lots of things – especially home decor style type items – don’t you want to hold them in your hands and look at them? What about the benefit of being able to look at multiple items at once in person and do on the spot comparisons to decide which is best? This is going to be one of the biggest perks that Target has over Ikea – it’s everywhere, and people know it, and this means you can easily go into the store, take a look at the futon covers for sale, and decide what futon cover suits you and your sofa bed the best. You can likely even touch the actual fabric and get an idea of how it’s going to feel to sit on your new covered sofa bed futon with a brand new futon cover.

Compare this to Ikea, which has, according to the Ikea wikipedia entry, a comparatively measly 301 stores globally, in 37 countries total. In the US, there’s only 35 IKEA stores to choose from in all 50 states. So unless you happen to live in one of the few places that have an Ikea, your only option is to look at the different futon cover types online or in a print catalogue (Ikea make fantastic print catalogs still!) and order it without seeing it or touching it in person. That would be my only option, unless I want to drive 3 hours to get the nearest IKEA (which recently opened and amazingly, I hear about many people who do just that!).

Blah blah blah – you might be saying. This is just shennanigans. It’s no big deal to buy online versus in store.

Okay – we’ll give that one up for now, but Target secretly gets a +1 so far if you’re keeping score.

Now onto maybe what you’re really looking for: What about the actual products for sale? As in, what is different about the futon covers at Target or Ikea? Are they cheaper in one store versus the other? Are they nicer at one store versus the other? Does one store have a better selection than the other? Because that’s what it all comes down to really… price, quality, and selection. Soooo…. let’s go through these three questions in regards to Ikea futon covers and Target futon covers.

Are the futon covers nicer at one store versus the other?
I’m gonna have to go with Ikea on this one. Ikea has nicer futon covers than Target. Your intuition already told you that though, right? T’is is true. Ikea sells lots of slick looking, artsy, hip furniture, and this includes the sofa covers, futon covers, sofa beds, and so on too.

Can you get a cheaper futon cover at one store versus the other?
Yep. Ding, ding, ding – Target wins this round. Target has a futon cover selection that comes at a cheaper price that Ikea. You can find good deals for futon covers at both places, but by and large, Target is going to have more competitive prices for their futon cover products than Ikea will. This is usually for any product when it comes to Target versus any store, thus the reason they have nearly 2,000 stores and growing, right!

Does one store have a better selection of futon cover products over the other store?
You would think that Ikea wins this round, you would think that Ikea would have a really rocking selection of futon cover and soda slip products but… actually, they don’t. Not compared to Target at least. Target has more of a selection if you looking to buy a futon cover than Ikea.

The Results: Buy your futon cover at Target if you want to find a better price and a better selection of different futon covers to choose from, and you can easily size this purchase up in person. Buy your futon cover from Ikea if you want to spend a little bit more money on a select futon furniture and futon cover types, probably though mail order

I suppose we can start with the basics – the materials used in covers. In this area you’ve got the microsuede futon cover, microfiber futon cover, cotton futon cover (usually blended with polyester), and even weird things like a vinyl futon cover (“What the…”) or a denim futon cover, of which I suppose would make an awesome style to compliment the resurgance of the 1980′s jean jacket, and presumably the forthcoming mullet trend to go with it.

Beyond these, you also can find faux leather or fake leather futon covers, too, which, in this authors opinion, rock.

Next I’m going to point out something so obvious I risk losing your respect as reader, but since this is a guide, I want to discuss it all. I’m talking about futon cover colors. Popular colors include black, green, red, blue, beige, and khaki. Weird yet available colors include hot pink and bright yellow. (Egad!) Out of all these, the classiest in my opinion are are the solid black futon cover followed by beige and khaki.

Beyond this, how can we differentiate between the different slips and covers available? You can break them down into full futon cover, king sized covers, twin slipcovers, and the ever popular queen futon cover size too.

You can also start looking at features to gauge the different types out there in the home and bed market, such as waterproof covers, covers that are sold on the feature of being washable or just more easily washable than others, and futon slip covers that are made to be easily cleaned, such as those made from faux leather.

At this point, all that’s left to categorize (or nitpick) is the actual designs on the covers. Most designs come in a solid color, as mentioned, but you can find interesting things such as tropical futon covers, sports logo futon covers, and kids futon covers with cartoons and popular kids stuff (movies, toys, etc) on them.

What this all means for someone trying to decorate their house is that a futon is like a canvas: you can mask it with any kind of slip or cover you need to make it part of the painting that is your living room. Have fun and remember – to get a “new futon”, all you really need is a new futon cover!