As someone who hasn’t spent more than four weeks in the same house this entire year, I’ve tried my fair share of sofas lately. From moving countries and staying in Airbnbs and housesits, to living with family members before finally finding my own rental in Melbourne, I’ve come to realise (the somewhat obvious truth) that most furniture isn’t so compatible with a nomadic lifestyle.

When your life exists in a suitcase, it’s difficult to know where to start when the time comes to select furniture. Starting from scratch after returning to Australia from the UK, I needed everything. Bed. Chairs. Table. Washing machine. Fridge. The lot. And, importantly, a sofa. 

With the mattress set to arrive a couple of weeks after my move-in date, I decided a sofa bed was the best option. It’d give me somewhere to sleep in the meantime, and then somewhere for friends to stay in lieu of a spare room. I’m also fond of a movie night, so having ‘bed mode’ is always a welcome option on such occasions. 

After unsuccessfully exhausting second-hand options, Eva popped into my algorithm with its Slideaway sofa bed. All the sofa bed options I’d seen had involved fold-out beds, but this one was different. It could be a regular sofa, a daybed or a full-size double bed with a single step, or ‘slide’. The fact that the company is a locally owned B Corporation with a female co-founder also piqued my interest. 

Sofa beds have historically had a bad rap, and not always without reason. I have a distinct memory of sleeping (or trying to) on a fold-out sofa bed in a hotel as a child and feeling a metal rod digging into my back. But they’ve come a long way since then and there are plenty of brands across budget ranges that are raising the bar for comfort and convenience.

When the sofa arrived, I was able to assemble the base and frame easily with a few hand screws and I just had to wrestle the inserts into the cushion covers – which are also machine washable. I’ve dealt with my fair share of flat packs from a particular Swedish manufacturer, and this was seamless in comparison. 

If I’m honest, I wasn’t expecting to have the best night’s sleep (see hotel experience above), but it was great – miles ahead of the camping mat I’d been using up until that point. The sliding slat base closely resembles a conventional bed frame, making it super comfortable, but easy to slide away during the day. Though admittedly, I’ve kept it in the day bed mode most days. 

Contrary to the saying, I would argue that the sofa is the heart of the home, more so than the kitchen. Or at least it is in my home. It’s where I spend a lot of my time, reading, drinking tea, working, watching movies, lying in the sun doing nothing, chatting with my partner, or catching up with friends and family when they come over. 

For this reason, I see it as an investment. Like my mattress and favourite jeans – it’s helpful to think of them in terms of cost per use. I use them every day, so I want them to be high quality, made responsibly and comfortable. Eva ticks all those boxes. The Slideaway also ticks the aesthetics box, with the mid-century-esque timber frame and low profile. I’m also obsessed with the sage green fabric, which I know makes me a classic Millennial, but I won’t apologise for it. If I change my mind later on, I can swap out the covers for a different colour or fabric. 

As a renter, I don’t know when my next move will be. I don’t know how many bedrooms my future home may have or how big my living room will be. I may not be quite so nomadic anymore, but I do know I’ve found a sofa that I’ll take with me wherever I go next. 

Images: Supplied by Eva unless otherwise specified.

Top image: Eva Slideaway Sofa Bed photographed by Kate Fleming.