Can You Put A Daybed In The Living Room?

Tom Gaffey
by Tom Gaffey

The purpose and function of a daybed can be a bit confusing at first. It is a bed for resting during the day, but it is not quite a bed nor is it a couch, exactly. But once you come to terms with what a daybed is capable of you realize they are, in fact, incredibly versatile. You can use a daybed in many ways in order to best utilize your space. You can even buy a daybed and put it in your living room.

Putting a daybed in the living room is a great idea. Daybeds can transform into sofas, reading nooks, room dividers, or even window seating areas in your living room. Using a daybed in your living room allows you to maximize sleeping space in your home. They are also perfect for those looking for a piece of living room furniture that is both comfortable and versatile.

There are many daybed variations. In fact, they are used in so many capacities within homes today that sometimes they are hard to spot. They can be confused for other types of furniture quite often, as their design is often unassuming. In order to know whether you should put a daybed in your living room, you should understand what a daybed is, and how they are most commonly used.

What Is A Daybed And Where Do You Put One?

A daybed is a substantial piece of furniture that acts as both a bed and a sofa. It is a bed as there is a mattress resting on the daybed frame. The daybed frame itself is raised on three sides. This three-sided raised structure makes a daybed mirror the outline of a sofa. It is not a sofa, however, as it does not have back support or armrests.

A daybed is usually the size of a twin bed, often having an actual twin mattress as its cushioning. You can certainly use a daybed as a sleeping bed. The level of comfort, however, will depend on the quality of the mattress.

Daybeds are very common in guest rooms and studys. This is because they can serve multiple purposes. When you have overnight guests, they can be arranged as functional beds. When you do not have company they can act as a seating area in a study, or a couch in a multi-purpose room. But guest rooms are not the only place you will find daybeds.

Five Daybed Ideas For Your Living Room

Daybeds offer endless opportunities to be your own creative interior designer. You can make them elegant or purely functional. They even work perfectly in your living room. While the opportunities are as vast as your own imagination, there are five popular and wonderful ways you can incorporate a daybed into your living room.

1. Use A Daybed Instead Of A Couch

One of the most practical and functional ways to use a daybed in your living is to “dress it up” as a couch. Since daybeds often have three raised support sides, they already slightly resemble a couch.

In order to help make your daybed more couch-like you should invest in firm pillows. Purchase pillows that will fit properly on the three raised sides of the daybed. Once you have pillows lining these three sides you now have a piece of furniture that can act as a bed or a luxurious couch. This is a perfect afternoon lounging furniture piece, but also great for those who have limited sleeping arrangements for guests.

2. Daybed As A Chaise Lounge

One of the best attributes of a daybed is that it is naturally luxurious. While you can transform your daybed into many things, it is best to preserve its function as a place to lounge. This is why using a daybed as a chaise lounge is a great option.

You can create a chaise lounge effect by elevating one side of the daybed using pillows or another form of removable headrest. This is a great option for those who already have a couch in the living room. Daybeds are a perfect solution if you can’t decide what other major piece of furniture to add to your living room. It’s the best of both luxurious worlds.

3. Create A Reading Nook

One popular trend that can really elevate your living room is a reading nook formed using a daybed. This idea works great if you have an alcove or small area within your living room that is difficult to incorporate with the rest of your living room.

The idea of using a daybed as a reading nook involves carefully selecting a daybed that fits snuggly in the alcove. Any corner space or unused area with walls in your living room will do. Then you can anchor the space by building bookshelves above the daybed. You can even place bookshelves on either side of the daybed. This concept works to create a “room within a room.” You can have a portion of the living room for entertaining and socializing, while the daybed and bookshelf area can be a sanctuary for books and learning.

4. Window Seat Area

If you have a large window feature in your living room, a daybed is a great way to help get the most out of the window area. One great way to use a daybed in the living room is to stage it underneath your living room window feature. This allows you to anchor that area. It provides a seating area for people to enjoy sunlight and the view of the outside.

By adding a piece of furniture by the living room window, it also allows you to feature the window area more. It, in essence, draws the eye and the guest over to the window more than without it. When you purchase a daybed to go undercut the window, look for a daybed that is not raised too high. You want a daybed that will fit comfortably below the start of the window. The daybed should not block the view.

5. Daybed As A Room Divider

If you have a large living room, or a living room that serves more than one purpose, a room divider is essential. Long Buffet tables, shelving or even tall plants are frequently used to divide a room. Daybeds can also help serve this purpose. Since a daybed is fairly long and relatively thin, they can help separate one side of the room from the other.

If you are using a daybed as a room divider, you might want to look for one that has only two raised sides. This way you can approach the daybed from either side of the room and take a seat.

Final Thoughts On Putting A Daybed In Your Living Room

Daybeds are a great addition to your living room setup. They have many of the benefits of a sofa, while also serving as a functional bed when needed. Daybeds in the living room are great for those with limited sleeping space for guests. You can have your daybed act as a sofa, a chaise lounge, a reading nook, a window seating area or even a room divider in your living room.

The options for how you use a daybed in your living room are only limited to your imagination. With the variety of designs and the versatility of many new daybeds, you can fit one into almost any living room design scheme.

Tom Gaffey
Tom Gaffey

Tom Gaffey is an expert writer who currently resides in Washington D.C. Tom has a passion for real estate and home improvement writing, as well as travel and lifestyle writing. He lived the last twelve years in Hawaii where he worked closely with luxury resorts and event planners, mastering his knowledge of aesthetics and luxury products. This is where he found his passion for home improvement and a keen interest in DIY projects. Currently, Tom resides in Washington D.C, and also working on his debut fiction novel.

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