My Byron Sofa Bed review — why I chose Koala over Crate & Barrel and LoveSac, how it feels to sleep on, and everything to know before you buy.
I’m excited to tell you about my new loft sofa bed / lounge couch! This post has been a while in the making because I needed to actually live with this couch before I could tell you more about it.
The short version: I needed a queen sofa bed for my new loft, I refused to buy anything with springs, and after scoping out the sofa bed market, I landed on the Byron Sofa Bed by Koala. And I’m genuinely thrilled with it! Here are all the details about it.
Byron Sofa Bed Review
My loft needed a cozy couch that could pull double duty as a guest room. I wanted a cozy spot to read or nap or listen to someone playing the piano that I could turn into a comfortable queen bed at night for guests.
I already have a queen-sized sofa bed in my basement that is memory foam and very comfortable (according to both my dad and 13 year olds who have stayed the night!), so I knew I wanted another memory foam style. I despise sleeping on springs and didn’t want a metal pull-out sofa that always makes me think I’m going to lose a finger.
That one requirement narrowed the field. I looked at the memory foam sofa beds from Crate & Barrel and LoveSac on a trip to Short Pump in Richmond and the $7,000–$8,000 price tags had my jaw on the ground. Beautiful sofas, but not happening at that price. Of course during this time Instagram had a gut feeling I was couch shopping and kept putting Koala in my feed! At ~$2,000 with good reviews, I decided it was the one to buy.
Byron Sofa Bed verses the Wanda Sectional
Koala actually makes two sofa beds I seriously considered: the Byron and the Wanda, which is a sectional and sits a little higher off the ground. I went back and forth, but ultimately decided I didn’t need that much couch for my loft. The Byron is smaller, less expensive, and the right scale for the room once I put the storage cabinet in there. If you have a bigger space to fill or want a true sectional feel, the Wanda is worth a look. And I would consider getting it for my living room if/when I decide to upgrade down here.
Byron Sofa Bed Specs
- Sofa dimensions: 92″ wide x 31″ tall, with a 42″ seat depth
- Bed size: Queen, with a 70″ depth when fully extended
- Frame: FSC-certified timber
- Foam: CertiPUR-US certified
- Warranty: 5 years
- Trial period: 120 days, free returns
- Price: Byron starts around $2,495 for Classic fabrics and $2,695 for Luxe fabrics (it frequently goes on sale, so keep an eye out — more on that below)
How It’s Made: Materials, Fabric, and Construction
The frame is built from FSC-certified timber, which just means the wood is sourced from responsibly managed forests. Instead of a traditional metal pull-out mechanism with springs, you literally flip the bottom cushion out onto a roll-out platform. No bars, no springs, fingers in tact!
The mattress part is what Koala calls Kloudcell, and it’s their proprietary foam layer designed to feel like an actual mattress. There’s also something called Zero Disturbance™ technology built in, which is meant to isolate motion so if you’re sharing the bed, you’re not getting jostled awake all night (you know the bowling ball commercials!) Also: the mattress topper zips off and is fully washable, which makes me feel better about many people sleeping on it.
There are two levels of fabric:
- Classic fabrics (100% recycled polyester) — water-resistant and machine washable
- Luxe fabrics (a polyester and recycled polyester boucle blend) — a little more texture, a slightly higher price point
I actually liked the look of the Classic more than the Luxe, so that was an easy choice. It’s soft yet feels high end – like a nice linen-blend feel. The covers are removable and washable (I’m not sure they are dryer safe though.)
Green or Pink?
I almost went with the pink! Because this loft is my space, I wanted it to be light, airy, and feminine. And since it’s not a main floor eating couch, I didn’t think stains would be as big of a concern. But the pink is in the Luxe fabric that I didn’t love the texture of, and when I thought long-term about a piece of furniture this size that I plan to keep for years, I talked myself into the Forest Walk instead — something that will age well and mix with whatever else I bring into the room. (My friend Ellen also argued that the green matches the mountain view better anyways!) I’m getting my pink fix a different way: these pink throw pillows and a blush rug.
Comfort: How It Feels As A Sofa
I was terrified to buy a couch without sitting on it first. But their website does a great job with videos showing people sitting at different heights and how far back they sink. The Byron has the perfect sink-in feeling — it’s soft without being unsupportive. I like that the seat is slightly declined so you lean back instead of falling forward. I also love that the arms are tall enough to actually rest your head on, which sounds small but makes a huge difference if you’re taking a nap up here!
Comfort: How It Feels as a Bed
The whole reason I bought this couch is that it needed to double as a legitimately comfortable guest bed. While I have not spent an entire night on it, laying on it for about an hour was lovely.
One honest con: the mattress sits pretty low to the ground, which could be a little harder for an older guest to get up and down from. But that same low profile makes it perfect for kids and toddlers.
Delivery and Assembly
I paid an extra $170 for the assembly service, and it was worth every penny. The fee covers assembly, but a bigger part of the value is the haul-away and recycling of all the boxes. The Byron ships in multiple large boxes, and not having to haul them upstairs or to the recycling center was great.
Here’s the one thing I’d flag: the delivery team told me they’re technically only supposed to carry furniture up two flights of stairs. My loft is on the fourth floor. They did it anyway, and I tipped them well for it, but that’s definitely something to be aware of. It’s weird because the type of person paying for delivery and assembly is often exactly the type of person with a lot of stairs to climb. If you’re in a walk-up or have multiple flights to get to the room, call ahead and confirm with Koala that it’s ok.
Assembly itself took about an hour. It’s supposed to be simple, but I was glad I didn’t have to do it myself!
There’s a secret compartment in the back where you can store pillows or bedding, and I didn’t find it for a month!
A Little About Koala
Koala is a Sydney-based furniture company and a certified B Corporation. They also contribute toward koala habitat conservation. Materials are chosen with sustainability in mind first: FSC-certified timber, recycled and plant-based fabrics, and CertiPUR-US certified foam. These were all reasons I decided to go for this sofa.
Is the Byron Sofa Bed Worth It?
Yes – it’s great! It solved my exact problem: a comfortable couch for my loft that turns into a comfortable queen bed with zero springs. It’s a fraction of the price of the Crate & Barrel and LoveSac options I looked at, the fabric feels great, and the FlipBed conversion is genuinely fast and easy.
My one piece of advice: watch for a sale. Koala runs promotions often, so if you’re not in a rush, it’s worth waiting for a discount before you buy. And if you have more than two flights of stairs between the truck and your door, give the delivery team a heads up.
Shop the Byron Sofa Bed here. And if you want more square footage, the Wanda sectional is worth a look too.
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