BZ or Futon sofa bed – How to choose the right bench seat?

Have you decided to decorate your teenager's bedroom? As well as a space-saving solution offering optimal comfort for everyday sleeping? You have the choice between two models: on one side the convertible sofa bed and on the other the convertible sofa BZ . But what are the advantages of these two benches and how to choose the model that suits you?

The differences between a clic-clac or bz

The choice of Bz or clic clac is made according to the size of your room . The difference between the clic clac sofa and the BZ lies in the way of the opening mechanism.

• The sofa bed opens lengthwise parallel to the wall with a simple mechanism, folding forward , making it ideal for use against a wall.
• The BZ, for its part, opens perpendicular to the wall and its mattress folded into three parts creates a compact Z shape , the main reason for its name. Everything will therefore depend on your preferences when choosing between the bz bench seat or the clic clac sofa.

The mechanisms defining the opening direction

As said above, different mechanisms are used depending on the type of bench you have available.

The click-clack opens by unfolding forward, an element which facilitates its installation in narrow spaces.

On the other hand, the BZ opens thanks to the system located at the bottom of the seat. You have to unfold the sofa by pulling towards you unlike the click-clack. This will allow it to slide in three parts, which will form a Z configuration.

This second system is ideal for more open or less cluttered spaces, such as a guest bedroom or a small compact studio for example.

The size of the bench

The size of a bench seat is a key factor when choosing between a sofa bed and a BZ, especially in tight spaces.

Due to the two methods described above, the clic-clac is better suited to long and narrow rooms because it requires much less space than the BZ to deploy it.

For the BZ, it is better to provide more space to be able to deploy it perpendicular to the wall more easily. However, the BZ offers the advantage of being more compact once folded , thanks to its mattress folded into three sliding parts.

The direction of sleeping is defined by the horizontal or vertical opening

The choice between a sofa bed and a BZ can also be made on the basis of the sleeping direction, which is defined by their opening mode. If you want to choose the sleeping direction best suited to your space, opt for the configuration that will give you the most freedom and maneuverability in your interior.

For a forward opening (BZ), it is better to opt for a small, long room or place your bz bench against a wall that is rarely used with little traffic.

Whereas with the sofa bed , you can consider using it in a shallower room , which is ideal for rooms where the space in front of the sofa can be easily cleared, such as a living room for example.

Choosing between BZ and clic-clac , which convertible bench for your room?

The sofa bed like the BZ are so-called “space saving” pieces of furniture . That is to say, they are designed for optimal arrangement of small spaces. In terms of space, the sofa bed and the BZ both take up little space. The difference between the two types of benches lies in their opening direction.

The surface occupied by the sofa is 180 to 200 cm in length and approximately 1 m in depth. The sofa bed will therefore be ideally placed against the wall of a long room. The BZ has a direction of opening perpendicular to the wall. It is also practical to open and its mattress folded into three parts makes it particularly compact once placed in the sofa position.

Please note: to open a BZ bench seat comfortably, the free space in front must however be cleared.

The advantages of BZ , a compact format and numerous dimensions available

Bz Maia bench

The BZ is a compact bench seat with multiple specificities:

• its mattress, folded into three parts, gives it a Z shape;
• this bench is particularly compact and takes up minimal space while offering perfect comfort for daily sleeping;
• on a BZ, the cover is also a duvet allowing you to easily move from the bench to the bed;
• in terms of size, the BZ offers a wide choice ranging from the fireside chair to the 3-seater sofa. The BZ fireside chair will ideally find its place in a child's bedroom to allow occasional sleeping for a friend or a family member;
• if the BZ bench has minimal space, once converted into a bed it guarantees comfortable sleeping;
• the BZ is available from 80 cm for a fireside chair to 160 cm for an XXL-format bed, including 120 cm. An ideal size for a teenager or a guest room.

The sofa bed , the ideal bench for daily sleeping

The sofa bed is equipped with:

• a simple system that allows you to go from a real sofa to a cozy bed in just a few seconds;
• rectangular in shape and without armrest, the sofa bed is therefore designed to minimize space requirements when folded;
• with a slatted base, it offers an ideal alternative for furnishing a small living room while providing comfortable sleeping;
• with a width that can vary from 130 to 160 cm, the sofa bed is suitable for a teenager's bedroom as well as the studio of a student or a young couple;
• with a mechanism making it as simple as it is easy to use. When folded and covered by its cover it offers a wide seat and the design of a real sofa. Once opened it converts into a real bed with box spring and a mattress ensuring daily sleeping.

Good to know: although not all sofa beds have one, a good sofa bed must have a storage box under the seat which allows you to store sheets, duvets and pillows.

Find all of our clic-clac and Bz benches on La Maison Convertible .

Clic-clac or Bz , which options to choose?

The price of a sofa bed offering a quality mattress and robust mechanics starts at €990 . That of a BZ bench around €690 for a 1-person format. The price of a good sofa bed then varies depending on its equipment. A bench seat equipped with French or Belgian mechanics will be a little more expensive than if it is equipped with Spanish mechanics, for example.

Good to know: most BZs come with mattresses 12 to 15 cm thick and with a density of 35 to 40 kg per cm². Here again, by choosing a high-end model you will improve sleeping comfort, but will also increase the final price.

Open sofa bed, with storage box

Options are also available for the BZ as for the clic-clac. You can choose a model equipped with a storage box , or even a lined storage box. Most sofa beds are equipped with an empty space under the seat , but this option is also available on BZ benches.

Armrests can be added to your sofa bed for greater comfort or matching cushions. The cover for your sofa can also be offered in different colors or different fabrics to choose from .

Whether you opt for an anti-stain fabric, peach skin, solid color or two-tone, the clic-clac like the BZ adapts to your needs and your budget. And, thanks to the many options available, you are sure to find the bench that meets your desires.

A good mattress for your sofa bed : the guarantee of optimal comfort

Choosing a quality mattress for your sofa bed guarantees you optimal sleeping comfort. The mattresses offered on the clic-clac and BZ type sofa beds therefore have a sleeping density of 35 to 40 kg and a thickness of 12 to 20 cm. They are made of high-strength polyurethane foam, a shape memory material which prevents deformation of the mattress and therefore offers better homogeneity both in the sitting and lying positions.

The mattress rests on a real robust and durable slatted base. For the sofa bed like the Bz bench seat, everyday comfort is ensured by the mattress and its manufacturing quality.