Best daybeds: daybeds with trundles, daybeds with storage, playhouse daybeds and more

In the market for the best daybed you can buy? Not quite a sofa, not quite a bed, a daybed is essential for those who find themselves frequently hosting

Best daybed: lifestyle image of kids room

Looking to purchase one of the best daybeds currently on the market? You've come to the right place. While the appearance of a daybed might bring back unpleasant memories of university and flat-share futons, but if we're being honest, daybeds are the real deal. 

A far cry from the cheap and cheerful futon, they are thoroughly grown-up and surprisingly useful pieces of furniture, using a proper mattress and a sturdy frame to provide you a place to sit or power nap during the day, and extra capacity should overnight guests suddenly appear on the doorstep.

After you’ve decided what you want your daybed for – power naps in the home office, double-duty piece in the kids’ rooms, guest bed in the sitting room or second bedroom – it’s all down to the design. Iron-look Victoriana styling, plush and premium-looking modern sofas, contemporary chaises, even playhouses: it’s all here in this buying guide. Look for more guest beds in our dedicated guide.

WHAT IS THE BEST DAYBED YOU CAN BUY?

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We think the best daybed you can buy is the Hunter Grey Fabric Guest Bed. It's stylish, has lots of room for storage and it's super comfortable. What more could you need? Find out more about it below.

Haven't got time to read the entire guide? Shop our top three daybed picks below, all at their cheapest prices.

HOW TO BUY THE BEST DAYBED

For added utility, some daybeds even come with a built-in trundle, an extra bed that can be pulled out of the daybed’s deep frame at a moment’s notice to house guests, or drawers for added storage, neatly keeping things like extra linen, throws and pillows out of sight.

Bed size

Day beds do usually come in a single size, however we've also included a double option for those after something to fill a larger space.

Material

For those worried about durability, we've listed what the daybed's frame is made from too, whether it be wood or metal.

THE BEST DAY BEDS

Best day bed you can buy: HUNTER GREY FABRIC GUEST BED

1. HUNTER GREY FABRIC GUEST BED

Best day bed you can buy: a high class daybed with secret storage

Specifications

Best for: Style and functionality
Colour: Grey
Bed size: Single
Dimensions: H104cm x W212.5cm x D103cm
Frame material: Wood

Reasons to buy

+
High-end look 
+
Useful under-seat storage 

Reasons to avoid

-
Arms won’t be to everyone’s taste 

If there were ever a piece that would persuade you towards buying a daybed, it would be this one. The Hunter day bed from Happy Beds comes in a beautiful soft grey shade, an elegant neutral that fits in anywhere, and boasts a tufted button-detail back that’s at once a nod to the antique and thoroughly modern. The high-cut curved ends (or arms, depending on how you’re using it) allow for an extra-deep mattress for ultimate comfort, and the trundle drawer offers storage for blankets and cushions. A beautiful-looking and useful piece that rightly sits in our top spot for best daybed.

Shop more Happy Beds products at Amazon

Best day bed for kids: The White Company Classic House Day Bed

2. The White Company Classic House Day Bed

Best day bed for kids: an imagination-boosting place for play and sleep

Specifications

Best for: Kids
Colour: White
Bed size: Single
Dimensions: H199cm x L213cm x D106cm
Frame material: Birch and pine wood

Reasons to buy

+
Lovely whimsical house design 
+
Great for sleep or play 

Reasons to avoid

-
Very expensive 

To create the ultimate hideaway in your child’s bedroom or playroom, look no further than this sweet indoor playhouse-meets-daybed from The White Company. It’s the most expensive option on our list, but for the sheer versatility and whimsy, it’s worth it. It’s tall enough for you to squeeze into for story time, and gives them a place to play and read as well as sleep, while the handy shelves let them keep their most beloved bits close to hand. We can’t comment on the ease of assembly, but once it’s up, that solid pine base and birch frame is sure to last. A wonderful investment piece to hand down.

Shop more beds at The White Company

Best day bed for older kids: Argos Collection Kingston Day Bed

3. Argos Collection Kingston Day Bed

Best day bed for older kids: a sturdy, storage-filled and minimal day bed for the kids’ rooms

Specifications

Best for: Older kids
Colour: White
Bed size: Single
Dimensions: W100cm x L200cm x H77cm
Material: Solid pine

Reasons to buy

+
Solid pine frame 
+
Built-in storage 

Reasons to avoid

-
White can look dirty quickly 

Sturdy and affordable with oodles of storage, this solid pine daybed is the perfect piece for a kid’s room. Not only does it offer up a place to sleep for overnight guests that’s guaranteed to be comfier than a sleeping bag on the sofa, it also gives them extra seating for reading or playing video games, ensuring their room will be the one all their friends want to visit. It also doesn’t compromise on looks for the sake of durability, with a lovely matte white finish that’ll fit into any wild and wonderful room scheme.

Find more daybeds at Argos

Best daybed for relaxation: Vigo Fabric Daybed

5. Vigo Fabric Daybed

Best daybed for relaxation: catch your next forty winks in style on this modern chaise

Specifications

Best for: Relaxation
Colour: Latte, red, heather, elephant, teal, chocolate
Bed size: N/A
Dimensions: H86cm x W76cm x D168cm
Material: Metal and fabric

Reasons to buy

+
Cushioned, curvy design 
+
Elegant modern look 

Reasons to avoid

-
Not really for long sleeps

The design may not be quite what springs to mind when you think of a daybed, but Furniture Village’s Vigo looks to be the perfect place to put your feet up if you’re after a quick spot of relaxation during the day. Partway between a chaise and a daybed, its attractive curved base, attached headrest, thick cushioning and springy inner all come together in a design intended to cradle the spine and keep things comfortable. A useful and handsome addition to any modern home office.

Shop more daybeds at Furniture Village

Best daybed for guests: Esprit Daybed

6. Esprit Daybed

Best daybed for guests: a short and sweet daybed in a sumptuously soft fabric

Specifications

Best for: Guests
Colour: Silver, pewter or taupe
Bed size: Double
Dimensions: H68 x W225cm x D81cm/154cm
Material: Beech wood and fabric

Reasons to buy

+
Low back doesn’t take up much room 
+
Double pull-out bed 

Reasons to avoid

-
Not the best as a sofa for back support 

A low-backed daybed is just the ticket if you want to make the most of the vertical space in your room and give the illusion of more openness, and to that end, we particularly like this Esprit daybed from Furniture Village. Handcrafted in soft, velvety fabric with modern turned beech feet that prevent the sizeable piece from looking too bulky, it transforms from a stylish-looking sofa perfect for a quick nap to a double bed, great for a sitting room or second bedroom that frequently sees guests. 

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Hebe Hatton

Hebe joined the Real Homes team in early 2018 as Staff Writer before moving to the Livingetc team in 2021 where she took on a role as Digital Editor. She loves boho and 70's style and is a big fan of Instagram as a source of interiors inspiration. When she isn't writing about interiors, she is renovating her own spaces – be it wallpapering a hallway, painting kitchen cupboards or converting a van.