Try Before You Buy: What to Test in a Sofa Bed Showroom (and How to Do It From Home)

August 30, 2026

Millbrook 3 Sofa Bed in cream fabric - try before you buy showroom guide

You can read every specification on a website and still not know the one thing that matters: how the sofa bed feels under you at 11pm when you are opening it half asleep. That is why Sofa Bed Expert (sofabedexpert.co.uk) runs a showroom in Bognor Regis, West Sussex, where you can test every mechanism, lie on the mattresses and see more than 40 fabrics in person, by private appointment, with no sales pressure. This guide covers what to test when you try a sofa bed, how a visit works, and how to test ours from your own home if Sussex is too far.

Short version: the showroom is at 21 Station Road, Bognor Regis, PO21 1QD, open Monday to Saturday 9am to 6pm by appointment. Book on 0800 368 8914 (free from UK phones). Most visits take 45 to 90 minutes, the appointment is private, and there are exclusive showroom discounts on selected models.

Key takeaways

A sofa bed is furniture you sit on and sleep on: testing both jobs in person answers questions no photo can.
Visits are by private appointment: the showroom is yours for the slot, with expert advice and no pressure.
Test the mechanism yourself, lie on the mattress properly, and compare 40+ fabric colours and textures in real light.
Cannot get to Bognor Regis? A 360° virtual tour, free fabric samples and a 14-day return window with free collection let you test from home.
You can order on the spot: fabric, delivery and payment are all handled during the visit.

Why try a sofa bed before you buy?

Because a sofa bed is two products, and most people only ever test one. Sitting comfort you can guess from any sofa shop; sleeping comfort depends on the mattress, the springs and the base, which you can only judge lying down. A showroom visit also settles the questions that cause most online hesitation: how heavy is the mechanism really, how does the fabric feel against skin, and is that colour on the website the colour in real life?

Millbrook 3 Double Sofa Bed in cream Royal Weave fabric

What to test in the showroom: a 6-point checklist

Open and close it yourself. Not the assistant: you. Our mechanisms open in one smooth motion; whatever brand you are testing, if converting the sofa feels like a workout in the showroom, it will not improve at home.
Lie down for ten minutes, not ten seconds. On your usual sleeping side. Pay attention to your hips and shoulders: on a pocket sprung mattress they should feel supported, not perched.
Sit where you would actually sit. Test the seat over the mechanism, the corner seat, the chaise. The seat and mattress on our models are both pocket sprung, so the sitting test tells you about the sleeping too.
Press on the frame and arms. Solid, quiet, no creak. Ask what the frame is made of: ours are strong, flexible plywood, not particleboard.
Handle the fabrics roughly. Rub them, drag a fingernail across, imagine the dog. Over 40 colours and textures are on display, all cleanable with water alone.
Check the storage. Lift the compartments, imagine your actual duvet in there, and see how the bedding lives day to day.

"I went down to Bognor Regis from London and met the owner. It was one of the best decisions I made. Not only did I get to try out the sofa, it was amazing to meet Gregg too."
Andrew, verified customer review

How a visit works

The showroom works by appointment so that the time is yours: no queueing behind other customers, no hovering. Call 0800 368 8914, free from UK mobiles and landlines, or use live chat to book. Most visits take 45 to 90 minutes; allow at least an hour if you want to test several models properly. Our most popular sofa beds are on the floor, and if you are coming for a specific model it is worth confirming before you travel that it is currently on display. There is public parking close by and the showroom is a short walk from Bognor Regis train station.

Detail	Information
Address	21 Station Road, Bognor Regis, West Sussex, PO21 1QD
Opening hours	Monday to Saturday, 9am to 6pm, by appointment
Phone	0800 368 8914 (free from UK mobiles and landlines)
Visit length	Typically 45 to 90 minutes
Extras	Private viewing, expert advice, exclusive showroom discounts on selected models

If you find your sofa bed during the visit, you can order it there and then: fabric selection, delivery arrangements and payment are all handled on the spot, and the exclusive showroom discounts apply to selected models.

Too far from Sussex? Test from your sofa

Most of our customers never visit, and the buying process is built for that. Three things do the showroom's job remotely.

The 360° virtual tour. Explore the whole showroom in 3D from the showroom page and see the models at real scale.
Free fabric samples. Individual swatches are free; full swatch books are £10. Check the colour in your own daylight and lamplight, next to your curtains, under your pet.
The 14-day safety net. If the sofa bed arrives and is not right, you have 14 days to request a return or exchange, with free collection on eligible returns. The delivery team even brings protective wrapping, since your packaging leaves with them on day one.

Millbrook storage footstool with the lid open showing the storage compartment

Bring to the showroom: your room measurements (wall width and the space in front of it), photos of the room, and anything the fabric must survive: kids, cats, red wine. We will match models to the measurements on the spot.

Frequently asked questions

Where can I try a sofa bed before buying in the UK?

Sofa Bed Expert has a showroom at 21 Station Road, Bognor Regis, West Sussex, PO21 1QD, open Monday to Saturday 9am to 6pm by appointment. You can test every mechanism, lie on the mattresses and compare over 40 fabrics in person.

Do I need an appointment to visit the Sofa Bed Expert showroom?

Yes. Visits are by private appointment so you have the showroom and the team to yourself. Book by calling 0800 368 8914, free from UK mobiles and landlines, or via live chat on the website.

How long does a sofa bed showroom visit take?

Most visits take 45 to 90 minutes. Allow at least an hour if you want to properly test several models, try the mechanisms yourself and go through fabric options.

What should I test when trying a sofa bed?

Open and close the mechanism yourself, lie on the mattress for at least ten minutes on your usual sleeping side, sit on the seat above the mechanism, press the frame and arms for solidity, handle the fabrics and check the storage compartments.

Can I buy a sofa bed at the showroom?

Yes. You can place your order during the visit, including fabric selection, delivery arrangements and payment, and exclusive showroom discounts apply to selected models.

Is there parking at the Bognor Regis showroom?

Yes, there is public parking close to 21 Station Road, and the showroom is a short walk from Bognor Regis train station.

How can I check sofa bed fabrics without visiting the showroom?

Order free individual fabric samples or a £10 swatch book from sofabedexpert.co.uk and check the colours in your own home lighting. A 360° virtual tour of the showroom is also available online.

What if I buy online without trying and do not like it?

You have 14 days from the day after delivery to request a return, refund or exchange, and collection for eligible returns is currently free. You can also cancel any time before delivery for a full refund.

The bottom line

A sofa bed is a purchase your back will review every night, so test it like one: mechanism in your own hands, mattress under your own shoulders, fabric against your own skin. Book an hour in Bognor Regis and do it in person, or let the virtual tour, free samples and 14-day returns do it remotely. Either way, you never have to buy blind.

Try every mechanism. Feel every mattress. Take your time.

Private appointments Monday to Saturday in Bognor Regis, with expert advice, 40+ fabrics and exclusive showroom discounts.

Book a showroom visit → Order free fabric samples →