Daybeds: A Path to Seating Enlightenment
One obsessed Lonny editor preaches the squad's honest truth.
This is the perfect piece of furniture—why doesn't everyone have one?...is a thing I exclaimed to the entire Lonny office today. It's not an unusual occurrence, really. We're passionate people. And (no surprise) a good portion of our enthusiasm is directed in the general direction of furniture, rooms, designers, and the like. Simpler minds (aka good ole' Wikipedia) simply describe the daybed as "a cross between a chaise lounge, a couch and a bed," which, in my humble opinion, is a horrid underestimation. Let's wander into the wonderful world of the universe's most versatile and chic piece of furniture, shall we?
When I think daybeds, I instantly think of a tween's bedroom. What twelve-year-old wouldn't want a bed that, when pillows are arranged along the side instead of at the headboard, all of a sudden becomes a sofa? But I've got proof that this lounger is appropriate for all ages, and in all corners of the home. Samantha Knapp (above left) plops a petite one in the main living space of her boho-rustic Connecticut cottage, while Betsy Burnham (above right) nestles an oversized orange ikat number in a sunny, alcove. Both make for excellent locales to curl up with a book and a cuppa...or a glassa.
As for the sleeping variety of these multifunctional creatures, designer Lisa Sherry wins the daybed game with a guest room sporting an antique design piled high with bold textiles from houndstooth to zebra (above). And then there are the owners of Maman, (the cutest coffee shop in New York City, FYI), who utilized old wood pallets to create a serene place to watch TV that doubles as a spot for visiting out-of-towners to crash in their studio loft.
So, what say you? Would you swap one of these in for that ho-hum sofa you've got now? Here's a little test to see if you're cut out for the super-chic sofa switch.
