There’s something distinctly old-world about day beds, in that they hark back to a time when lounging languidly was the order of the day. And what is chicer than a surplus of leisure? That said, the day bed is a surprising workhorse. They can serve as a slim-lined replacement for sofas; fill in as a cushy alternative to a bench; or give partygoers a place to perch mid-cocktail. So whether you admire the day bed for its ability to multitask or to encourage respite, take a few moments to admire these beautiful pieces in some equally beautiful surroundings.
Amidst Octopus-shaped sconces, Calder inspired tables and brass insects, a gilt wood and emerald velvet daybed holds its own inside Vincent Darré’s magnificent, Cocteau-esque Paris apartment.
Photo François Halard for T Magazine.
Inside the apartment of Italian architects Massimiliano and Doriana Fuksas, a stark interior with exposed ceiling beams offsets a choice of understated pieces including paper lamps by Isamu Noguchi, Diamond chairs by Harry Bertoia and armchairs by Jean Prouvé. Both daybeds are also by Jean Prouvé.
Photo Aki Furudate via Dwell.
In the village of Sézanne, France — located in the country’s Champagne region — antiquaires Pascale and Olivier Gisciard have amassed a treasure trove of French antiques in their 18th-century chateau, including this slate blue day bed.
Photo via Le Grillon Voyageur.
Set and prop stylist Joanna Lavén does away with color almost completely inside her Stockholm, Sweden apartment — a black leather daybed complements the muted palette.
Photo Idha Lindhag via Design Milk.
In this Foscarini-designed space, a Twiggy floor lamp by Marc Sadler hangs over a daybed upholstered in a bright blue shade. A scruffy rug and an Eames Molded Plywood Lounge Chair in cherry red complete the primary color aesthetic.
Photo by Andrea Ferrari for Foscarini, RITRATTI-volume 1.
For her sunroom, Milanese design doyenne Nina Yashar opts for a custom re-upholstered Jean Prouvé daybed.
Photo François Halard for W Magazine.
A Richard Serra work on paper crowns a Jean-Michel Frank shagreen daybed from the ‘30s in Stephen Sills’ recently redecorated Manhattan penthouse.
Photo François Halard for T Magazine.
Inside Rupert Peter Landendinger’s home in Copenhagen, Denmark, a zebra skin rug sets the tone whilst a PK80 daybed by Poul Kjærholm and an Orbiter floor lamp by Robert Sonneman effortlessly complement one another.
Photo Kristian Septimius Krogh, via Bo Bedre.
Striking lipstick-red leather brings flamboyance to a classic Mies van der Rohe Barcelona daybed inside the Paris apartment of shoe designer Rodolphe Menudier. Minnie Mouse seems to approve.
Photo Enrique Menossi.
For a Parisian-style boudoir in a Napa, California home, interior designer Paul Vincent Wiseman used an Art Deco daybed upholstered in chenille beneath a vintage glass chandelier.
Photo by Matthew Millman courtesy of Gibbs Smith.
Taking the term den to a whole new (elevated) level, Eric Goode’s Manhattan loft features a sofa and lounge chair by Le Corbusier, a Barcelona daybed in black leather and a roaring taxidermy lion (which died of natural causes)!
Photo Persona Production for Yatzer.
Inside fashion designers Momo Suzuki and Alexander Yamaguchi’s Pasadena bungalow, an A.R Cordemeijer Cleopatra daybed is a highlight of their mid-century Scandinavian furniture collection.
Photo Kikuko Usuyama for Remodelista.
A plush, orange silk velvet daybed offers a warm note amid the cooler palette of this Paris apartment by Frédéric Sicard.
Photo Hervé Goluza for Côté Maison.
A tailored gray daybed takes center stage in this elegant, graphic Fifth Avenue apartment by Jean-Louis Deniot.
Photo by Jonny Valiant.
