Yo bedsofa

The YO™ sofa first came to conceptualization when Nolen Niu began exploring the sofa bed market for his own personal use. “What I found was most sofa beds were either dated in style, oversized, or too bulky…I was looking for a piece that would compliment my lofty interior,” explained Niu. The YO™ sofa is a unique sofa sleeper concept that uses no mechanical devices for mattress extraction. Three, cleverly hidden, high resilience foams are neatly concealed to look like a singular seat cushion. Convenient handles on the underside of the cushion allows for simple mattress expansion, which reveals a hidden full size bed. Once the three-sectioned foam is completed unfolded, the backrest of the sofa acts as a privacy and sound barrier for guests. The 100% down lumbar pillows also double as pillows for sleeping. There is also an option for a soybean foam mattress for those who want that extra comfort with a green, peace of mind.

“When I first began developing this concept, I took cues from foldout futons…I like the simplicity but most futons looked like college dormitory furniture,” stated Nolen. “My thoughts were, create a sofa sleeper that had the compactness and simplicity in use like a futon, yet had the looks and feel of a full size sofa…there’s something fun about futons that are reminiscent of spontaneous sleepovers which is what I ultimately wanted to capture in a more sophisticated form,” continued Niu.

The concept for the YO™ armchair focused on seating posture and comfort. “Most of the comments I’ve received from past clients and attendees of tradeshows are that armchairs these days are so deep that there is a lack of back support…without a lumbar pillow, people generally slouch in armchairs,” explained Niu. The soft contours of the backrest and shallow seat depth both contribute to the YO™ armchair’s surprising comfort. It uses firm high resilience foams along the backrest with a slightly softer seat cushion to provide the lower back support similar to most task chairs. “In designing the YO™ armchair, my thoughts were to create almost a hybrid “lounge-dining” chair that allowed you to sit taller with your lower back firmly seated in place,” Nolen stated.

The YO™ sofa and armchair are both offered in fully upholstered leather, fabric, or leather and fabric combinations. Adler hardwood frames and optional soybean foam mattress for the YO™ sofa sleeper are greener alternatives, reducing overall environmental impact.