Chair bed shows promise for RV living spaces

The RV industry has been a leader in innovation for many years. Crafting comfortable living quarters in the confines of a small space is where RV manufacturers have excelled. But sometimes we find inspiration outside the confines of the RV world. I recently visited a relative in the hospital and discovered a chair that converts into a bed. This is my nephew Joe Manley relaxing in the chair. RVs have couches and dinettes that convert into beds, but you don’t see many chairs that convert into beds. This is called the “Cascade Slumber” by the Brandrud company. They say it is, “designed to provide a dimensionally compact and visually comforting sleep solution for guests.” The company is named after Harold Brandrud who established his furniture business in the Pacific Northwest in 1955. His company provided furnishings for the Space Needle for the 1962 World’s Fair. The company now produces furniture for health care institutions like the Mayo Clinic, Harvard University and many other famous institutional customers. The chair is unique because it slides out to make a chase lounge and slides out again to make a bed. Most hide-a-beds are not very comfortable, but this chair/bed is exceptionally comfortable. I would like to see more of these kinds of chairs incorporated into RV interiors. They are functional, comfortable and multipurpose. These units are not cheap costing six times as much as a brand name recliner. I believe they could be made for a more reasonable price and fit nicely in the RV environment. Learning to relax - Jim Twamley, Professor of RVing