Placed in the center of a living room designed by Stephen Shubel, this daybed functions as a transitional element that divides yet visually connects the spaces.
Photo: Jeremy Samuelson
It's a confident name, daybed, a shameless admission of luxury and leisure. After all, what other piece of furniture suggests that its user engage in some activity at a particular moment in time? To sleep when the sun is out ... how cheeky.
"I love the concept of relaxing and lounging everywhere," says Chicago decorator Alessandra Branc. "It is very Roman."
In fact, daybeds can be traced back to ancient Greece, Rome, and China and have endured in numerous forms throughout the ages. Whether iron, wooden, upholstered, wicker, foam, canopied, or backless, this hybrid functions in many ways -- even as a spot for serious slumbering when the moon's aglow.
As seating, the daybed serves as a settee or little sofa. In a small room, it can replace a sofa entirely, freeing up additional floor space. If the room is large, a daybed can anchor a secondary seating group that complements the main pieces. "With a couple of chairs, it can create an auxiliary space in the living area, tying the space down but providing another visual accent," says Dallas designer Richard Trimble.
Although expansive living spaces might lend themselves nicely to a freestanding daybed, backless pieces are best resting against a wall and adorned with cushy pillows, says Washington, D.C., designer Frank Babb Randolph. "People just don't feel comfortable without any support, sitting out in the middle of a room."
But opinions are as many as there are springs in a cushion. According to Tulsa designer Charles Faudree, the rules of placement are hardly rigid. "I love one in the middle of a room, where people can sit on both sides of it and face in all directions."
Because of the daybed's sculptural nature, it can handily stand alone, where a bench or banquette might have gone. "It can work in hallways, if the dimensions are not too deep, or on large stair landings," says Trimble. Randolph has placed them in front hallways for a gracious entry. Faudree likes them flanking a fireplace. Branca suggests placing one in a corner or a bay window. Make sure that the arms don't block a view, though, especially if there is a garden just outside.
If you intend for people to actually put on their pajamas and snooze till morn, daybeds are a versatile alternative to the standard twin. "There is no reason for a sleeper sofa," says Branca, who has a daybed in her guest room and each of her three children's bedrooms. "With trundles underneath, they are perfect for kids."
Recently, Branca furnished a niche off a living room in a New York pied-à-terre with a toile-covered daybed. Because space was limited, furniture had to handle multiple roles, so the piece serves as both a sofa and a bed. "We added chairs and a tray table and mixed lots of paisleys and toiles for a fantastic collected look," she says.
Finding a daybed is relatively simple. Antiques are plentiful, as the form was common in many European countries, particularly in the 18th century. "Everybody made them," says Randolph, who prefers the patina and charm of painted wooden ones and shops both Paris flea markets and local stores for his clients. "If you are looking for a completely upholstered piece, you may as well buy a new one," he says.
When hunting, keep in mind that average heights have increased over the centuries, so older furniture was built to accommodate shorter people. Some antique beds can be as much as 10 inches shorter than modern ones. Choose new models if you want happy slumberers.
Contemporary pieces can be geometric and spare or made to resemble antiques. The only guideline for selecting the right one is your personal taste. Look at the shape, the lines, the carving, the legs. Sit on it, lie down on it, feel the fabric. "It has to appeal to you visually," says Branca. "See it as a bed and as sculpture, and enjoy the elements of both."
RESOURCES: Charles Faudree, Inc.www.charlesfaudree.comFrank Babb Randolph Interior DesignRichard Trimble & AssociatesAlessandra Brancawww.branca.comStephen Shubel Designwww.stephenshubeldesign.comPeter Noldenwww.peter-interior.decanopy fabricwww.pierrefrey.frPAGE:1
