The Best Sleeper Sofa you can Buy - Taylor King

Taylor King rolled out a brand new Sleep Sofa with a radically new mechanism in it, that just fascinated me at the Spring 2016 Market. For years I have loathed sleep sofas in my store. They make for lousy beds, with poor mattresses on them and you can always feel the cross bars. They didn't sit all that well as a sofa, either. Plus they tended to be deep and hard to get into places where customers wanted them - and they never had standard sheet sizes.

Well, Ultra Mech has changed all that with their new design, and Taylor King is first out of the gate with production on it. This is what the industry has been waiting for. Here is a sofa with no conventional bar frame, and no mattress on it. The cushions are built into the piece and it 'stores' in the back of the sofa. These are standard bed sizes, too. This one is a 60" x 80" Queen and takes fitted Queen sheets. The amazing part, and what really sold me on it, is this fits through a 28" door opening. WOW. So I tried the sleeper out, and it feels great - like a real bed. Del Starnes, CEO of Taylor King was explaining all the work they did to get the cushions to feel right and the dozens of prototypes they went through to get the cores right. They settled on a 3-element tier as you see in the photo and it works. So yes, the guy that NEVER orders sleep sofas for the floor - ordered one. Of course i had to doll my floor model up a little bit, and spec'd a dark brown leather welt trim together with Crypton Performance Fabric for the main body. The two cushions that you see in blue DO NOT detach and as such you want them to be cleanable - so Cryton or Sunbrella is the way to go.

This is not an inexpensive piece, but it will do everything you want a sleep sofa to really do. Be a comfortable bed and a decent sit sofa. Pricing will be in in the $ 3K to $ 4K range depending on how you spec it, and its available in King size as well. It is a very heavy unit, over 300 ls in Queen so though it will go through that 28" doorway, don't expect to be going around corners with this that require a vertical lift up stairways and the like.

I will photo my floor model when it arrives sometime this summer (of course I forgot to get a photo of it closed up!). This is going to revolutionize the sleep sofa market, and Taylor King is just the first to offer it, I'm sure other companies will once they see how it performs.



Attachment 8492Attachment 8493Attachment 8494Attachment 8495

The photo all closed up.....btw, my TK Sales Rep says this new Sleeper was the most sold piece at Market, I'm not the only one that thinks its great.

Attachment 8506

Duane,

Very interesting design. There's no dreaded bar under the mattress?

TXCajun

Duane what size did you buy for your store? Queen or King?

No bars! This is a totally new clean-slate design. It feels like a real bed and the sheets stay on it. When I get my floor model, I'll do a video of it. Like no sleeper you have ever seen before.

The only negatives on this unit : 1) its not inexpensive. I ordered a Queen Size with Portfolio GR 2 fabric and extra cost leather welt trim and it will be around $ 4,000 in price. 2) Its heavy. 300 lb + and that can make it difficult to handle in tight areas. Where I really see this being a successful piece are in the following scenarios:

* Someone in a small Studio apartment where they have no room for a bed (as they have no 'bedroom' per se) and don't want to sleep on a futon or an uncomfortable old-style sleeper
* In an executive office, where sometimes work demands a nap without leaving the workplace.
* Residential - where someone wants to have a sleeper in the house that will be actually used frequently, and wants them or their guests to be comfortable.
* For Elderly folks who have a main bedroom upstairs but may have to stay on the main floor due to temporary illness, etc.

Very interesting design. When you laid on it how much could you feel the lines between the cushions? I would worry where the sections meet would be a soft spot. Probably still better than a regular sleeper though!

I will test it more when my floor model arrives.....

Cannot find a follow-up to the info about the Taylor King Connor sleeper sofa. Would you recommend this sleeper sofa? If not, what would be some other options?

I cancelled my floor model as I deemed it too expensive for what most people want to spend on a sleeper. The one thing I hear day in and day out on sleepers is "I don't want to spend a lot of money on one". Followed by complaints about "feeling the bars underneath". <laughing>. Well, spend more and you won't feel the bar!

Selling price is $ 3,600 (queen size) or higher depending on cover (plus delivery fees) and it's also 300 lb, making for a nearly impossible delivery up and down staircases to higher / lower levels where most people want them. There is no way to easily take down this unit on delivery ease,

I love the unit though, its FAR more comfortable than any other sleeper sofa I have ever seen. If you can deal with the price point AND use it on a main floor, its probably the best sleeper sofa system on the market, bar none. It's a unit you could use as a bed every night and love it. Perfect for a studio-type apartment.

Thank you very much. I understand that cost is an important factor. My daughter and her husband are closing on a townhouse. There is a small den which is on the main floor so delivery shouldn't be an issue. The bed wouldn't be used every night but family members from out of town will be visiting - especially with a new baby on the way. The sofa would also need to be comfortable for sitting. I agree that you get what you pay for - as long as it isn't beyond a reasonable amount.
It looks like American Leather has a similar sofa bed - no bars. However, it has very poor reviews. I don't see any reviews for the Taylor King.
Once again, thank you for your sharing your expertise.

The mechanism used in this sleeper is one designed by UltraMech and was done exclusively for American Leather, hence the similarity. Then, the folks at UltraMech and those at American Leather got into some kind of tiff - what I don't know about - and the exclusivity ended. Everyone in the industry knows about the issues with conventional sleeper sofas so many were eager to get their hands on this new UltraMech unit. Taylor King jumped right on it, but found very quickly the cushions that AL were using were not satisfactory and spent quite a bit of time making a custom core composition, with the CEO of Taylor King (Del Starnes) undertaking it as his own personal project. They did many combinations of layers and finally got it where they wanted it. I've tried it out in person, both sitting on it and lying on it. It's perfect. However its very new in the market as well, so it will be difficult to find one in a store or many reviews on it.

I checked for a customer a few days ago and they have (4) of them being built at Taylor King in Hickory NC right now that will finish next week sometime. She was considering driving there to test them out. That's an option always available - go to the factory and check them out, get a tour as well and the VIP treatment.

I live in New York so most likely I will purchase without testing it. If you deem it to be perfect, I will go with the Taylor King Connor.
I'm not sure where/how to make the purchase. I guess visit their website and contact them?

You have to purchase from an Authorized Dealer, such as my store (The Keeping Room). I regularly ship to New York with inside home delivery so distance is not an issue if you wish to purchase through my store. Otherwise you can contact a local dealer for Taylor King in your area. Every dealer sets their own selling price and I am pretty aggressive in that respect.

There are many fabrics to choose from, I would recommend what we call a Performance Fabric, which is going to be a brand name such as Crypton or Sunbrella, as keeping them looking nice is much easier as they are soap and water scrubbable (most fabrics are not and require dry cleaning fluids). Go here to see the fabrics and click on "Performance" to display those in category. Price will vary by grade, however the Performance fabrics as a rule as not in the upper price categories.

http://www.taylorking.com/finish_category.asp?FID=13

If you can narrow down samples to a dozen or so, you can post a request for free samples by going to the QUOTES section here on the forum and I will order them up for you.

I think you will be pleased with this unit. Were I to buy a sleep sofa for my own home, this is the only one I would consider.

I will definitely purchase the sleep sofa from you. Waiting for my daughter and son-in-law to get the closing date. They were told tentative date of February 1st. Attorney says buyer has one month to get out so March 1st would be the move-in date for my daughter.
I will take a look at the fabrics and discuss them with my daughter. The Connor sofa that I have seen on different websites is the blue Sunbrella.
I will keep in touch with you as I get more info.
Thank you very much.

Thank you!

Taylor king is running 10 weeks delivery right now, and then plan on 3 weeks transit time via the delivery service....

Note that I will be out of town for one week on vacation (here for 1 more hour today) and would have to process a fabric request next Friday when I return (02/03).

I ordered one of these in queen size for store floor stock this week, Taylor King is running a special in selected fabrics (Crypton and Sunbrella) that brings the price down so that in store it will be $ 3,299 and for internet customers $ 3,099 plus delivery fees. I have been hesitant to bring this into the store because of price before - however I think with this special they have its reasonable. And I still think this is the best sleep sofa I have ever seen and by quite a wide margin. Should be at my store in May - come check it out - you can even take a nap on it if you like!

Queen size is 325 lb, so this won't be going into places that require a lot of maneuvering or up / down narrow staircases.

My floor model arrived and we installed into the store this morning. If you are in the local Wash DC stop on by and try it out. I'm amazed at how good it feels. Del Starnes, CEO of Taylor King, spent a very long time developing a custom cushion core for this piece that is comprised of multiple densities and layers of material. Added to that special pricing in a selected group of fabrics and there's a good value in a unit that actually works as you want it to. A terrific sofa and an excellent sleeper - all in one. Price shown is for Wash DC area purchases. If out-of-area, price is less however you will have delivery fees for 325 lb, which is significant.

Attachment 10892Attachment 10893Attachment 10894Attachment 10895

Nice information! Thanks for sharing!

I do have one on the floor if you are local to Wash DC region and want to come try it out.

Taylor King's CEO, Del Starnes, spent hours and hours perfecting the cushions on this piece and he told me they made something like eighteen prototype cushions (in-house) before finding a layering blend that works just right for this unit. While American Leather has the same mechanism, the skill and art is in making the cushion composition correctly in a piece like this. I've not tried the AL unit so can't comment on it.

Taylor King runs a promotion on this sofa in selected fabrics, however its not an inexpensive unit. $ 4K and up depending on the cover.

We bought an American Leather Comfortsleeper about 5 years ago. Several of my family members have them, too, and we all enjoy visiting each other much more than before (especially visiting our one cousin who shelled out for the tempurpedic mattress version). We also love the microfiber fabrics. I've got three kids and they've puked and pooped and drawn with markers and spilled cereal milk and it all cleans up with minimal effort.

Our one big complaint is that the seat cushions don't stay put. Our local dealer has tried super hard to remedy that issue. They came to our home about a year after we bought it and added flaps to the bottoms of the cushions that would stick into the folded-up mattress to anchor the cushions. And last year they sent us entirely new cushions with heavy duty velcro on the bottom that sticks to the mattress. But nothing has really worked. With all the action our sofa sees (three kids, one small living area until now), the cushions are constantly sliding forward just enough to annoy the heck out of my wife, who always seems to be re-doing the cushions on the sofa.

Does Taylor King have a better solution for that? We are moving soon and will have a need for a second sofa or sectional. We're likely to go with a non-sleeper sectional for the living room and to put the existing American Leather sofa in the TV/guest room, but if there really is a sleeper option that solves the sliding cushion problem, we might consider it to have more flexibility for guests. Does Taylor King do sleeper sectionals? I don't see any on their website.

I don't have any sofas that seem to have a sliding cushion issue, most are just fine and have no special attachment points. If kids are jumping and rough-housing on the sofa - and being kids on it - I would expect the cushions may not be staying in place all that well. You can specify Velcro attachment points on the bottom at time of order, that's the best solution.

Yes, Taylor King does sleeper sectionals, you have to go into their Sleepworks segment, here's the link to the .pdf:

https://www.taylorking.com/PDF/Category/30_no_logo.PDF

Duane, Will the Connor King sofa fit through a 31.5 inch bedroom door? It will need to be on end to get through the passageway and into the room. The delivery men will have to set it on end and maneuver it through the hallway and into the room. Is this possible? The doorway height is 96.5 inches and width is 31.5 inches. The bedroom is about 12x12 ft. Do you think a Queen-sized unit would fit better here? Thanks, Bill

The Conner will not even close at 31.5" - its too large and too heavy. You would be better off with the Hooker unit I have posted here on the forum, the arms come off that unit which is the magic ticket for that small a doorway. It should work, but not guaranteed. Mattress is not a true Queen Size (60" x 80"), a bit smaller.

http://www.myfurnitureforum.com/show...ghlight=hooker

I'm sorry that it will not fit. The Connor sofa in your showroom was exceptionally comfortable! Unfortunately, I did not have a hand in design on this house and the optional double doors to that bedroom/study were not purchased.

Is Taylor king running any promotions on their sleep sofa? Do they have cushion firmness options? Do you have any personal preferences? Cary

Yes, they do run a promo on the Conner Series Sleepers in selected Portfolio fabrics, I'd have to reach out to my Taylor King sales rep to get the current promotion.

You cannot customize cores on this unit as they are specially developed or the Conner Sleeper and are integrated into the piece itself. There was a lot of time to get them "just right" and I would not change them as they work well.

Do you still have this sleeper on your floor?

I do not. Sold the floor model. The problem with this unit is getting it through doorways and where many people want sleepers. At least half the customers who wanted to buy it, we could not deliver it. It needs a wide doorway (35" plus) and is too heavy to go up and down staircases. I now have the Hooker unit which is much easier to deliver.

Our front door is 42” W, and it would be going straight into the open room from the entry. Curious about the hooker unit, though...

Heres the Hooker unit, it is imported from Italy and comes in two colors of leather, about a grand less than the TK unit in fabric.

http://www.myfurnitureforum.com/show...Hooker+sleeper

That’s a neat one... cheaper and italian leather. I think I prefer the metal hardware-less (when open) and the taller back of TK model. Would be great to have the longevity and ease of maintenance of leather, though...

That’s really neat how easy the Hooker Peralta is to set up too...

The Taylor King unit will be the most comfortable as a sleeper, however the Hooker unit is more versatile, costs less, and is in leather.

Just not wild about the look of finished leather... though it’s a quick sleeper conversion, and there is something to be said for having a dedicated sleep mattress that can be replaced if needed v using some of the cushion cores for the sleeping surface. As for comfort, a foam topper would do wonders for any sleeper mattress, and that’s easy enough. It is just hard to imagine it on display at the heart of my house, seen right upon entering for the front door and all main rooms. I really love the look of this TK one. How are the back cushions supported when sitting up on the sofa, though? It looks like they lean back against the top of the headrest shelf thing and are sort of just floating there?
Any other good options you know of?

I will still say the Taylor King unit is the best on the market (along with the Hancock and Moore Your Way Unit, which is built the same way), provided it can go into the home and not have to go up and down a flight of stairs. Your doors are wide enough and the delivery path short enough that it would not be an issue. Most customers don't even know the TK unit is a sleeper, because it doesn't feel like one when used as sofa. Yes, the back cushions are pretty much as you describe, however they seem to work well. All sleepers have a compromise vs their stationary cousins, so for max sitting comfort and best styling it's always going to be a properly designed stationary unit. Where the TK (and H&M) units really shine is the sleep comfort, its pretty close to sleeping on a real mattress. The seat / sleep cushions are not easily replaceable so it's a good idea to do them in a Performance fabric that is water-cleanable and has a high rub rating. https://taylorking.com/finish_category.asp?FID=13 Be aware that man-made fabrics all pill over time, so some natural material content in the blend helps in that regard (Linen / Cotton / Wool).

This from the TK Literature on the series:

“M” Series Luxury Sleep Solutions

The benefits to the “M” series sleeper versus conventional sleep sofas are:
 Full mattress length at 80” versus 72” of standard sleep sofas
 Solid sleep platform versus trampoline-type deck with conventional metal bars
 Attached seat cushions that become a part of the sleep surface, which eliminates storage of loose seat cushions when most sleep sofas are open
 Solid sleep platform allows two individuals to sleep comfortably without roll
 Available in King, Queen, Full and Twin sizes – all with 80” long sleep surface
 Removable legs to assist in delivery in tight spaces

Operating Instructions

 The seating surface of the sleep sofa is a tight cap seat that gives the appearance of loose seat cushions. To open the sleep unit, you first remove and store the loose back cushions
 Place both hands at the bottom of the tight cap seat and pull outward and upward
 As the unit is ¾ open, place one hand in the middle of the seating surface and push downward before the extending legs of the unit reach the floor

Tight Sleep Surface Composition

Three types of foam materials work in perfect harmony to create a comfortable and supportive sleep surface. First, we begin with a 1½”bottom layer of Pluralux ultra high density urethane foam with micro-spring technology for a superior foundation. A soft yet supportive 2.4 density 1”urethane foam covers the Pluralux foam and brings more movement and comfort to the surface while maintaining needed support. A 1½” inch layer of Viscoelastic Memory foam is added above the first two urethane foams and provides superior comfort and softness. A layer of ¾” ounce polyester fiber is then added for tailoring purposes. Lifetime warranty on the long-lasting comfort of this sleep and seat surface.

Because the sleep surface is not removable, we have chosen to use a Sunbrella fabric as the standard to cover two thirds of the sleep surface. The bleach cleanable and anti-microbial features of Sunbrella fabrics makes this the perfect choice. The third area that also serves as the seating area of the closed sleeper unit may be covered in any type of fabric or leather; however, we highly recommend covering this surface and the remaining frame in a Sunbrella fabric, Inside Out fabric, Crypton fabric, or protected leather. For an additional cost, a customer may request that the entire sleep surface be covered in the body fabric of the sleep sofa.

They run a promotion on this series in the following fabrics only for dealers that qualify:

Fabric Choices (All colors of the following patterns):

Bear Hug
Coconut
Grandbury
Milsap
Outlander (New This Market)
Proximity
Quincy
Sugar Shack
Topsail


.

Thanks so much!! A lot to digest.
On all of these, are the cushion cores irreplaceable then? They are sewn to the frame? Also the back cushions of the Hooker unit— are those zippered are any point to be refilled?

What do you know of the HM your way sleeper sofa construction— do those gray covers that are on the entire bed surface remove for washing? I could get the leather I want with a HM unit.
the YS76EAKEB your way unit looks like the back cushions could possibly flip behind the sofa out of the way??

They are not EASILy Replaceable. All are sewn on or bolted on to the piece on both the TK and the Hooker unit, not sure about the H&M one as I have only seen it briefly at Market, but I would think it likewise. However, most sleepers don't get that kind of use, because they are a secondary unit, not the main sitting piece that is used 4 + hours every day, so core resilience has never been an issue in any sleeper that I have ever seen. Quite honestly, if you are going to use a sofa hard enough to need a core replacement in 10 or so years, then you should be getting a stationary unit as its better suited to that kind of use.

The H&M Your Way is using the same mechanism (UltraMek) as the Taylor King Conner Series. The back cushions remove as in the Taylor King unit.

Hard to say... with four kids bouncing around, it’s possible I might be core replacements down the road. I was thinking too, what if the back cushions need more fill due to usage as well. Do a lot of people do have these units sort of tucked away rarely being used? Maybe a sleeper sofa isn’t how I should proceed 😅... giving potential guests our kids beds would be better. This stage of life isn’t forever anyway.

Most the time on a fabric sofa the cover material will never outlast the cores. On leather, yes. But fabric lifespan is typically 8 to 10 years, so cores would be down at the time of reupholster if needed.