Delights of a daybed

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Once thought of as a relic from the past, daybeds are making a huge comeback in the world of interior design, and I couldn't be more thrilled. These little honeys are so versatile and fetching that they'll fit with any decor, in any room, and work so hard, they earn their keep.When I was picking out furnishings for my shady screened porch, I fantasized about napping on a beautiful daybed, propped up on a pile of pillows as the birds chirped and the breeze kissed my cheeks. Fired up by this heavenly vision of Sunday siestas, I found a darling wood daybed and festooned it with squishy feather pillows.Sadly, that's when I had to paddle back from Fantasy Island and admit I never actually have time to take naps, as much as I'd love to. But, happily, my efforts to make the world's most comfy daybed were not in vain. Not a beautiful summer day goes by when my husband doesn't beeline there after work to enjoy libations and a little before-dinner doze.I don't begrudge my husband Dan his R&R on the daybed, because I've found my own use for it. In the early-morning hours, I curl up there with my first cup of coffee and greet the day.By definition, daybeds can serve as a seat, a bed or both, taking on the looks of a cozy sofa during the day and then morphing into a bed at night. This makes them the perfect pick for double-use rooms, like a home office that also serves as a guest room. These super space savers also are ideal for folks who live in lofts or in smaller homes where squeezing in a bed and a sofa just isn't practical.While traditional daybeds feature headboards and footboards that are the same height and a backboard that's a tad bit taller, today you can find them in any number of styles. Some have tall sides with four posts, resembling a canopy bed; others are completely armless. Many have only a head and footboard, but no back. And some almost encase you in a box, with decorative wood panels on the front corners.When I'm designing living rooms and family rooms, I love to throw a beautiful daybed into the mix. Even though daybeds are gaining popularity, you still don't see them that often, so they turn heads.One of my favorite arrangements is to place a backless daybed in front of the fireplace, flanked by two club chairs and fronted by a sofa. Another favorite floor plan of mine is to place a daybed, with or without a back, to the side of a fireplace, and add two club chairs opposite.If you would like to use the daybed as seating when you're entertaining, place a backless one in a location where guests can sit on both sides. If your daybed has a back, be sure to stuff it with plenty of pillows so guests can lean against the cushions and still touch the floor.Daybeds are also a perfect pick for a TV room or office. A customer of mine reported that when she placed a daybed in her home's library, within eyeshot of the TV, her teen-age son practically moved into the room. She's hoping that daybeds will create a revolution and replace the recliner as the male's favorite place to lounge.Once you find a home for your daybed, dress it just as you would a sofa or guest bed. How about filling the back with plump Euros, fronted by soft accent pillows? Or nestling bolster pillows by each arm? Or pull together a rich assortment of square accents and smaller lumbar pillows perfect for napping. Then, to test the effectiveness of your paradise found, curl up and take a snooze.(Mary Carol Garrity is the proprietor of three successful home-furnishings stores and is the author of several best-selling books on home decorating. Write to her at nellhills(at)mail.lvnworth.com. For more stories, visit scrippsnews.com.)