College kids and condo dwellers often make strange bedfellows, but a futon just may be the common ground.

Originally thought of as a sort of poor man’s couch, futons are making quite an impact in the home furnishings industry.

Once used almost exclusively by dorm and first-apartment dwellers, futons are increasingly showing up in condominiums and single-family homes in guest rooms, TV rooms and even living rooms as alternatives to sleeper sofas.

In some cases, they are being purchased as primary beds or couches. And purchases are being made by an older demographic than ever.

According to the Futon Association International, which represents futon retailers, industry sales are more than $890 million a year, and are growing.

The association’s most recent survey, in 2003, showed that 31 percent of futon buyers were 31 to 40, with 21- to 30-year-olds the second-largest group with 27 percent of buyers.

Erik Radloff, store manager of Brady Street Futons in Milwaukee, says there is no “typical” futon customer anymore.

“The young, old, all sorts of people are buying futons,” he says.

But the sofa-bed allure of a futon still calls loudly to young adults.

Alyssa Wauters, a student at Milwaukee School of Engineering, got a futon from her parents in her first year of college two years ago. It has a simple black metal frame with a pink cover, which matched her dorm room at the time.

“Futons are kind of like a college tradition and it just seemed right,” Wauters says.

She now lives in an apartment in downtown Milwaukee with roommate Alissa Coghlin, and her futon shares the living room with a couch.

Just as there isn’t one type of person looking for a futon, futons themselves have diversified. Varieties include front-loading or regular types, with frames of wood or metal, in styles that hug the floor or rise above. Mattresses can be stuffed with cotton, foam, polyester, springs, or a combination of the four. Covers can be of washable cotton, denim, fabric blends or even leather.

It’s easy to see why the appeal of a futon is widening, but also why buying one can require many decisions.

Here are some questions to consider when purchasing the convertible couch:

-What kind of mattress do I want?

“The quality of mattress will mostly determine your overall futon experience,” Radloff says.

Ben Huth, owner of PM Bedroom Gallery, has a futon in his living room that does double duty for guests. “It is used several times a year as a spare bed when I have family down from back home,” says Huth.

“To me, bar none, the most important thing to look at when purchasing a new futon is the quality and comfort of the mattress,” he says. “This is really the place where a lot of customers get taken advantage of. They buy a thick futon mattress and expect it to feel good for a long time to come and it becomes a hard lumpy nightmare after a short period of time.”

At PM Bedroom Gallery, the futon mattresses come with natural cotton batting, springs or high density foams, and one model is available with temperature-sensitive memory foam.

At Brady Street Futons, customers can pick the components of their mattress filling and have it made in the basement workroom. Radloff says that 95 percent of mattresses in the store are made on-site and can be made to a customer’s specified dimensions as well.

At Great Lakes Futon, president Japh Komassa says the best-selling mattress is a combination of fiber and foam or fiber, foam and cotton.

-What kind of frame do I want?

Like a bed, futons are offered in twin, full, queen and king sizes, with full-size frames being the most popular size sold today, according to Futon Life. Futon Life also reports that wood is by far the most popular frame material, representing 89 percent of purchases in 2004.

“In purchasing a futon, you want to find a frame that works easily when you convert it from a sofa to the bed,” says Huth. A front-loading frame allows the user to move the futon mattress from its up and down positions by standing in front, whereas a traditional futon frame requires a person to move around to get the mattress in a different position after pulling the frame away from the wall.

“I don’t know if there are any disadvantages of metal vs. wood,” says Komassa, who sleeps on a futon mattress and also has a futon sofa in his home. “Wood is probably more long-lasting in style, as metal tends to be more contemporary,” he says, adding the metal frames are more popular with his college-aged customers, whereas home owners and young adults tend to opt for wood frames.

-What about covers?

Most futon buyers opt for a removable cover. “These vary in price depending on fabric, design, etc.,” says Huth. “Customers can even go with leather covers.”

The removable covers are attached with zippers or buttons and are easier to maintain that sewn-on covers. Most fabric styles are washable.

“Covers should be washed at least once or twice a year,” says Radloff, who noticed that greens and retro print covers are popular choices. “Olive and sage green have been the hot colors in the past year,” he says. “The printed fabrics are kind of a return to the ’50s and “60s.”

Microfiber filling has been a good seller as well. “It’s a popular upgrade because it’s plush,” says Radloff.

Komassa says that among his customers, “the most popular futon pattern this year is an espresso leather and sage microfiber.”

Still, nothing quite replaces the all-around appeal of black.

“Black matches almost everything, and it also hides dirt and stains really well,” Radloff says.

-What can I expect to pay?

In the end, it seems quality and comfort are the kings of the futon world.

“People are willing to spend more to get a better quality and more comfortable futon,” says Huth. “Obviously buying a better frame means it will last longer and hold up better to the rigors of time. Buying a better mattress will give more comfort that will last longer than lesser quality.”

Nationally, 65 percent of futons cost $450 or more, with 13 percent ranging from $250 to $350 and 15 percent ranging from $350 to $450, according to Futon Life.

The best-selling, most economical futon at PM Bedroom Gallery is the Blakely, a full-sized frame made of birch wood. It sells for $228. The mattresses at the store range from $114 to $764. At Great Lakes Futon, mattress prices range from $149 to $369.

At Brady Street Futons, the most popular model is the Virginia set, with a wood frame, foam core mattress and solid-colored, removable cover. It is on sale for $419 through September.

Be sure to ask about delivery and setup charges, which may be extra.


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MOVING FROM A MAT ON THE FLOOR TO SO MUCH MORE

The futon has evolved from weed rugs that originated in Japan.

According to Kayo Matsushita, who researched the history of futons for his master’s thesis at Columbia University, the Japanese-style futon of today is typically about two inches thick and made with cotton or synthetic padding.

They are put on tatami flooring, a woven straw mat, and come with a comforter, blanket, towel-like blanket and pillow filled with beans or beads, somewhat similar to a Western-style bed set.

During the day, they are folded up and stored to expose the tatami flooring to air, according to Matsushita.

Futons are put in sunlight on a regular basis and beaten with a bamboo tool to keep their shape.

Western futons are thicker, less mobile and require a lot less maintenance.

Like the Japanese futon, the Western futon mattress can be filled with cotton or synthetic material, but can also contain foam or springs, making for a stiffer, more bedlike pad.

Futon frames, whose invention earned William Brouwer the 1983 Daphne Award (the furniture industry’s Emmy), made the futon more of a casual living fixture and its popularity has grown consistently.

Frames come in different types and finishes of wood or combinations of metals.

A wide selection of futon covers and accessories is available to help the futon fit into almost any decor.

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(c) 2006, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.

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Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services.

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PHOTOS (from MCT Photo Service, 202-383-6099): futons

AP-NY-08-17-06 0619EDT