Clean, uncluttered look.

Busy, "double chin" look of the seat deck on top of the narrow stretcher between the arms.

Single front board is integral with seat deck for superior strength and rigidity. Seat simply can't slide out. No wear and tear on the stretcher nor any chance of it breaking out.

Seat deck wants to slide out on the stretcher it rests on. To prevent this, notches are made on the bottom of the seat deck which catch against the stretcher. These notches tend to wear and splinter the top of the stretcher. To decrease wear on the top of the stretcher some frames have metal brackets on the ends of the stretchers. But the pressure of the seat deck down and outward on these stretchers is so great that it is not uncommon, in this design, for the stretcher to break out from the arms.

All Nikita frames have horizontal or transverse slats, which naturally tend to hold the futon mattress in place better and restrain the mattress from slipping down off the frame

Other futon frames have vertical slats. These cut costs for the manufacturer because they are much shorter pieces of wood and can therefore be cut out of lower grade lumber with more knots and defects in it. But vertical slats don't restrain the mattress at all, in fact they help it slide off the frame acting as runners under the mattress. Rubber mats are placed under the mattresses to alleviate this problem but they roll or bunch up and need to be rearranged.

All Nikita frames have wheels for effortless mobility across the floor. Just lift up the front of any Nikita frame to balance its weight on its wheels and, with virtually no weight in hand you can easily roll it and turn it anywhere you like.

Other futon frames typically do not have wheels so to be moved they need to be picked up and carried by two strong people or dragged across the floor, risking scratching the floor.

Nikita frames convert effortlessly from either the front or, if preferred, from the back.

Most other futon frames don't recline at all. The ones that do recline, require one to get up off the futon and adjust the seat and backrest manually for every position.

Other futons are more difficult to convert, requiring varying degrees of effort and strength. The majority of them convert only from the back, making it rather awkward when the back is against a wall.

All Nikita frames automatically self lock when lowered into bed position and automatically unlock when converted back to sofa.

Most other futon frames need to be manually locked in the bed position by pushing the decks and engaging the rollers in special notches in the grooves of the arms. Then they must be manually unlocked before converting back to sofa.

Nikita frames provide triple ash support in nine strategic places in the sofa beds and six places on the love seats and chairs. All Nikita frames have six legs that are all firmly braced in both the front to back direction and the sideways direction.

There are two equally important and amazing benefits from this, unique to Nikita Frames: Exceptionally strong and rigid pieces of furniture, highly resistant to breakage, andA uniquely flat and uniform sleeping surface, which is absolutely essential for proper sleeping posture.

Other futon frames have decks that are supported only at their extreme ends with no additional support in the middle whatsoever. This lack of support in the middle, where most of the weight is carried, naturally makes the other frames weaker. But more importantly, in makes them sag in the middle, in both the sofa and the bed position.

Other futons have only four legs and no additional support in the middle for the decks so they tend to sag in the middle. This sagging makes them just a little less comfortable than a Nikita frame to sit on but a lot less comfortable to sleep on. When these beds sag in the middle you essentially get a hammock effect with poor support for your spine, no matter how good the mattress.

The Nikita Freedom frame easily supports ten people in bed position with virtually no sag in the middle and no swaying. Totally solid support. Note: Do Not attempt this demonstration. It is considered unsafe and a misuse of the product and will void all product warranty. Nikita cannot and will not be responsible in any way for any personal injury or property damage caused be any misuse or abuse of any of its products. Please use our products wisely and safely and they will provide you with excellent service and satisfaction for many years to come . Thank you and enjoy!

NIKEA attaches all slats and all other permanently assembled parts using wood screws, never air nails. The screws are driven in at ideal torque into predrilled and countersunk holes so the screw heads remain below the surface of the wood, for safety, strength and a clean look.

Other frames typically use air nails to attach the slats at their extreme tips. Because of this, the slats often split at their tips and sometimes work themselves loose. The air nails are occasionally not driven in by the gun completely and their heads may protrude above the wood surface.

Nikita frames come as fully assembled as possible. The decks are complete with all slats screwed in and end caps attached. The legs are also pre-assembled at the factory with stretchers and bracing struts installed.

Here's all you do:

1. attach three pairs of legs with four bolts and six pins
2. pin the two decks together with three pins
3. turn frame over on its legs and tighten the four leg bolts securely.

There are some other frames that assemble almost as quickly and as easily as the Nikita frames. But most other frames require a lot of assembly by the customer. This cuts the labor for the manufacturer and also the box size, which also cuts their shipping cost. Some manufacturers require the customer to assemble even all the slats one by one. So, if you are quite handy and if your time is free, and if you enjoy the challenge of assembling furniture where the holes line up as often as not, then that may be a deal for you.

Otherwise get a Nikita frame and just enjoy it!