The futon love

I know, I know, it's the third entry in a row about the futon, but if you had my futon, you too would be blogging like a mad woman, because I am in love, completely, totally, with this futon and all I can say is, "Where have you been for the last 18 months of my life and what took you so long to get here?" See for yourself just how attractive the newest member of my living room is (just imagine that with a hunter green cover with grape-colored pillows with pretty gold-green triangle patterns on them). And did I mention the mattress? It's nearly a foot tall and oh so comfortable. I sat down, intending to just test it out, before heading to the shower, and people, I didn't move for the next three hours. I may never leave the house again*

Putting the futon together was fairly easy but it's not a job for one person. There were three of us, and having an engineer to decipher some of the instructions was very vital. It was indeed easier than piecing together IKEA furniture except for the part where wood is very hard and a Phillips screwdriver just doesn't cut it. I recommend, for all of your futon building experiences, an electric drill. I would also recommend the engineer, if you can find one.

Other things I learned:

1. Futon salespeople will negotiate. I got them to drop $60 off the marked price just by telling them I would buy today if they could match the price of a store down the street (much gratitude to S., for suggesting we ought to try negotiating and then getting the ball rolling).

2. Get a thick mattress. The default mattress on the futons are little more than a 6-inch foam pad which will undoubtedly get crushed over time. A nice firm mattress with more cushioning will last longer, and will be more comfortable -- especially if you are using the futon for daily use (whether for sleeping or as a couch).

3. It's not difficult to assemble the futon, but it's nearly impossible if you try it on your own. Some places charged a flat delivery/assembly fee, but the place I went actually gave me the option of delivery only or delivery and assembly -- with a $30 difference between the two.

4. Armrests rock. Do not let anyone tell you that you don't need armrests. You so need armrests.

5. Take S. and R. with you, because they totally rock.

*I also spoke in caps for a very long time because my futon love is so strong that only caps can TRULY TELL HOW I AM FEELING RIGHT NOW!