Daybeds have little use, but they take up a lot of space in your home. With limited functionality, that piece of furniture stays unused for days on end. So, why not put it to good use and transform it into a couch?
That way, you can add more seating options to your living room and reclaim the wasted space. But, how exactly can you go about using a daybed as a couch?
To turn your daybed into a couch you’ll need to have the right comforter, a bunch of pillows, and you’ll need to place the daybed in the right spot. A coffee table and side tables will also come in handy to create the right atmosphere. And, if you like how they look, then a bed skirt will finish off the daybed with a flare.
Of course, it’s not just the pillows and cushions that will transform your daybed into a couch. You’ll need to tastefully rearrange these items and take advantage of the other decor in the room, such as bookshelves. Keep reading to learn how to make good use of your daybed.
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Can You Use a Daybed in the Living Room?
Some rooms in the house give you total control over how to decorate them and what pieces of furniture go in them. The bedroom is a good example. But, the living room is where you host guests, friends, and even total strangers. So, certain furniture—like a bed—is off limits in the living room.
However, a daybed can have a rightful place in your living room with just a few modifications. The idea is to disguise the daybed and make it look just like another couch with the help of some pillows, cushions, and a good comforter. When you’re done, you’ll have a comfortable couch that increases the seating capacity of the living room and also allows you to host more visitors.
A converted daybed is a comfortable place to sit, lounge, and read. It can make the living room a more cozy place to spend a lazy afternoon or have people over. And, if a guest needs a place to sleep, it’s easy to convert the couch back to a daybed.
How Can I Make My Daybed Look Like a Couch?
It’s easy to make your daybed look like a couch. All you need is to get creative and use a few accessories to disguise the daybed without sacrificing its comfort. Here are six ideas to get you started:
1. Large Pillows
Since the daybed is often larger than a regular couch, your first task is to minimize the depth of the daybed and make it look just like a large sofa. The best way to do this is to use large pillows and arrange them along the back of the daybed as a backrest. When you lean on them, they push you forward and upright just like a regular couch.
Make sure the pillows match the daybed in terms of color, texture, and patterns. Then, when you need to use the daybed, just remove the pillows.
2. Throw Blankets or a Comforter
You tend to see throw blankets on couches, not daybeds. So, using a throw blanket on the daybed will help disguise it.
But, the throw blanket has other benefits as well. It gives the daybed a cozy feeling, and makes it more inviting and comfortable. At the same time, it serves as a comfy cover if you want to take a nap or if the weather is a little chilly.
3. Coffee Table
This is another item that often goes hand-in-hand with a couch. Place a coffee table in front of the daybed to give the impression that this is just another couch. Not only will the coffee table create a relaxed atmosphere in the room, but it is also quite portable. When you need to use the bed, you can just push the coffee table to the side.
4. Side Tables
One usually sees side tables in the living room, not in the bedroom. So, using side tables with a daybed will make it look like a couch. Place one side table on either side of the daybed and finish it off with a lamp or a decorative clock. The tables are also quite functional and give you a place to put a book or a cup of coffee.
5. Bed Skirt
Bed skirts are an accessory designed specifically for beds. However, when you wrap them around the bottom half of the daybed, they will hide its legs and give it the look and feel of a couch. As long as the bed skirt matches the daybed and the rest of the decor in the living room, it will look good.
6. An Ottoman
By now, you probably have a good idea of how to disguise your daybed. To turn a daybed into a couch, you need to surround it with the items and accessories often associated with a couch. One of those accessories is an ottoman. In addition to disguising the daybed, the ottoman has plenty of storage space inside of it to help declutter the living room.
How Do You Put Cushions on a Daybed?
Cushions and pillows can work together to give your daybed the appearance of a regular—albeit deep—couch. The trick is to start with the largest pillows at the back and line the smaller pillows and cushions in front of them.
Mix the pillows in terms of size, colors, texture, and shape. The more varied the combination of pillows and cushions you use, the more comfortable the “couch” looks. If the daybed has a neutral color, then colorful pillows are a good choice, and vice versa.
How Do You Place a Daybed?
When looking for the right spot to place your daybed, take a look at your living room and the furniture in it. If you have a desk in one corner, then the daybed should be on the opposite side of the room, as far away from the desk as possible. The daybed is for relaxing and comfort, which is not what the desk is used for.
Keep the daybed close to the sources of entertainment in the room. If you have bookshelves, then place the daybed within reach of the books. Otherwise, place it near the TV set where you or your guests can spend hours on the daybed.
How Do I Arrange a Room with a Daybed?
While the daybed is by no means the centerpiece in the room, it can be a focal point if you know how to arrange the room. For example, if you’re keeping the daybed in a home office, then place it in a corner of the room, away from the desk. Transform it into a couch using the above ideas to create a cozy and relaxing corner in the office.
If you’re placing the daybed in the sewing room to make it double as a guest room, then make sure the daybed has its own space. It’s important to separate the sleeping area from the work area in the room.
Conclusion
If you have a daybed that you want to make good use of, disguise it as a couch and place it in the living room. You can use large pillows, bed skirts, ottomans, throw blankets, as well as side tables, and a coffee table to transform the daybed into a couch you can use every day.