Floor cushions from Etsy seller lacasadecotoI was sitting at work today thinking about how I need to get rid of my not-so-old and very busted futon because it’s so damn uncomfortable, but also knowing this wasn’t gonna happen anytime soon because we don’t the have money to buy a replacement sofa. And then a “crazy” idea occurred to me. Why do we need a couch at all?
Couldn’t I just throw the futon cushion on the floor with some sexy blankets and pillows and get rid of that godforsaken frame that threatens to stab anyone who sits on it? So I started looking up couchless living and most of what I found had to do with homeless people or substituting luxe chairs for a sofa which I can’t do either (nor do I want to). Is there anyone in the offbeat universe who has ventured into couchless living? I could use some inspiration -Naomi
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Comments on Adventures in couchless living
In college (but it was classy, I swear!) I had a huge living room, so I turned one corner into an indoor lounging tent. I put a mattress on the floor in a corner with a nice fitted sheet on it, then spread out all my best looking blankets and quilts overlapping on it, made a bunch of colorful pillows and put them against the walls. I took sheer, thin fabric and hung it from the ceiling diagonally to the walls, on on one side it hung down where the was no wall, making a three sided tent resembling a platform tent in shape, but without the front flaps, and as tall as the ceiling. It was great, obviously the tent isn’t neccessary, you I think you could totally but your futon mattress on the floor with a nice cover on it, make some pillows or pillow covers for pillows you have so people can lean against the wall, and maybe make (or buy) some floor cushions to sit on. As long as you give it all a cohesive (or intentionally uncohesive?) look it’ll be great!
I know one person who has a ‘brasilazy’ and it is awesome – it’s sort of like a giant, bean bag, mattress, thing. it even *floats* if you want to take it to the lake. http://shop.brasilazy.ca/products/lazy
I had a neighbor that used a twin size mattress as a couch so I could see just using the futon mattress…sometimes I kind of wish I didn’t have couch either…
i have a double sized hammock hung on heavy duty eye hooks sunk into weight-bearing beams with gorilla glue for good measure. i’ll never be able to pull the hooks out but i’m planning on just leaving them there when we move and this is a shitty slum apartment anyway so i don’t much care. the next tennants can hang plants on them or something. i also have dining chairs scattered around. i’d prefer poofs of some kind but i’m not sure if my cats will avoid them like they do my kneeling chair or pee on them till they’re beyond saving, which is why i don’t have a couch
Yep! My apartment is really tiny and the couch just wasn’t good for having groups of people over. So I got rid of the couch and the coffee table, bought a bunch of meditation cushions, a nice rug and a TV stand that functions as my floor desk. It’s so much better!
The hubs & I are currently living abroad in a student dormitory situation with no couch. Without any space for a couch, we are making due with just 2 beds, a desk and 2 chairs.
We’re also looking at coming back “home” to an apartment without a couch. Our solution will be a mix of 1 used ottoman, an exercise ball, folding chairs and yoga mats.
If we did not have cats (that like the texture of carpets way too much) we would probably have something like an animal pelt rug to lay on with lots of pillows to prop ourselves up on.
For the most part, our time spent at home is spent at a computer desk, or in bed.
At my last apartment, we had a daybed in the living room (guest bed, plus risers gave us tons of storage underneath), but we spent as much time on the floor as on the bed. I have a huge round, low coffee table, and we bought floor cushions (which doubled as cushions for the “back” of the daybed). Most of the time we sat around the table on cushions. It was convenient for laptops, food, crafts, and our fairly elaborate tea parties. I imagine a twin mattress on the floor could serve a similar purpose as our daybed, but at the same “level” as a table and cushions.
We don’t have a couch. There’s really limited space, and I prefer to have some floor space. Generally if people are over, no one has a problem sitting on the small chairs, pillows, on the bed, or on the floor. We just pull out whatever is going to make people most comfortable.
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In college (but it was classy, I swear!) I had a huge living room, so I turned one corner into an indoor lounging tent. I put a mattress on the floor in a corner with a nice fitted sheet on it, then spread out all my best looking blankets and quilts overlapping on it, made a bunch of colorful pillows and put them against the walls. I took sheer, thin fabric and hung it from the ceiling diagonally to the walls, on on one side it hung down where the was no wall, making a three sided tent resembling a platform tent in shape, but without the front flaps, and as tall as the ceiling. It was great, obviously the tent isn’t neccessary, you I think you could totally but your futon mattress on the floor with a nice cover on it, make some pillows or pillow covers for pillows you have so people can lean against the wall, and maybe make (or buy) some floor cushions to sit on. As long as you give it all a cohesive (or intentionally uncohesive?) look it’ll be great!
I don’t have a sofa.
I adopted an old futon- the kind that folds into thirds to make a sofa. Unscrewed a third and used it as a headboard.
The remaning frame i folded the futon onto, tucked sheets to protect the futon and piled in with cushions.
You could also use pallets as its a good idea to be above the draught
I know one person who has a ‘brasilazy’ and it is awesome – it’s sort of like a giant, bean bag, mattress, thing. it even *floats* if you want to take it to the lake.
http://shop.brasilazy.ca/products/lazy
I had a neighbor that used a twin size mattress as a couch so I could see just using the futon mattress…sometimes I kind of wish I didn’t have couch either…
i have a double sized hammock hung on heavy duty eye hooks sunk into weight-bearing beams with gorilla glue for good measure. i’ll never be able to pull the hooks out but i’m planning on just leaving them there when we move and this is a shitty slum apartment anyway so i don’t much care. the next tennants can hang plants on them or something. i also have dining chairs scattered around. i’d prefer poofs of some kind but i’m not sure if my cats will avoid them like they do my kneeling chair or pee on them till they’re beyond saving, which is why i don’t have a couch
Why not hang a hammock? Or a bench swing with cushions?. Though with the hammock you have the benefit of being able to unhook it and hide/hang it somewhere else. It wouldn’t actually be ON the floor so it would make your room look bigger. Just make sure to use the right hanging hardware! I love these three http://pinterest.com/pin/139541288426435796/
http://pinterest.com/pin/485755509778143673/
http://pinterest.com/pin/347340189980486913/
If you are in a rental and can’t drill into a stud or support beam, you can find adjustable metal frames to hold the hammock.
Yep! My apartment is really tiny and the couch just wasn’t good for having groups of people over. So I got rid of the couch and the coffee table, bought a bunch of meditation cushions, a nice rug and a TV stand that functions as my floor desk. It’s so much better!
The hubs & I are currently living abroad in a student dormitory situation with no couch. Without any space for a couch, we are making due with just 2 beds, a desk and 2 chairs.
We’re also looking at coming back “home” to an apartment without a couch. Our solution will be a mix of 1 used ottoman, an exercise ball, folding chairs and yoga mats.
If we did not have cats (that like the texture of carpets way too much) we would probably have something like an animal pelt rug to lay on with lots of pillows to prop ourselves up on.
For the most part, our time spent at home is spent at a computer desk, or in bed.
At my last apartment, we had a daybed in the living room (guest bed, plus risers gave us tons of storage underneath), but we spent as much time on the floor as on the bed. I have a huge round, low coffee table, and we bought floor cushions (which doubled as cushions for the “back” of the daybed). Most of the time we sat around the table on cushions. It was convenient for laptops, food, crafts, and our fairly elaborate tea parties. I imagine a twin mattress on the floor could serve a similar purpose as our daybed, but at the same “level” as a table and cushions.
We don’t have a couch. There’s really limited space, and I prefer to have some floor space. Generally if people are over, no one has a problem sitting on the small chairs, pillows, on the bed, or on the floor. We just pull out whatever is going to make people most comfortable.