Whether you rent or own your home, you’ve probably thought about where guests might sleep. And if you live near an Ikea store, you probably thought about getting one of their couches which convert into a bed (the furniture is well-built and looks nice, after all).

I wouldn’t recommend it. I happen to own a Balkarp sofa, and I have found it to be the least comfortable sofa I’ve ever tried to sleep on.

Last summer (back before I bought the house in Clendenin) I hit on the idea of getting a sofa convertible for the basement of my future home. My plan was to sleep in the basement in the summer months so I can save on air conditioning.

And since I was already browsing the “as-is” department at Ikea every week to get furniture for that home, I decided to go ahead and get the sofa as soon as one was available.

I got it last May, and I am really regretting the purchase. Not only is the sofa uncomfortable to sleep on, I don’t even want to sit on it. It’s just not comfortable, and I honestly think that was on purpose.

I know you’re probably wondering why I didn’t sit on the sofa in the store and test it. I did, actually, and it felt okay, which makes me wonder if perhaps I was distracted by everything else going on in the store for me (it’s bright, and loud, and crowded). And you might also be thinking I just need to break in the sofa. I’ve never really had to do that before.

And just so you know, I have slept on couches before, both regular couches and ones that pull out into a bed. The Balkarp is the first sofa which I found uncomfortable.

I would not recommend buying it.