Which Bed is Best: A Day Bed or a Sofa Bed?
Though both have diverse uses and are relatively similar choices, there are some distinguishing aspects between day beds and sofa beds. Both combine seating and sleeping space, can subtly accommodate guests overnight and can be used in various rooms in the house.
As a result, both day and sofa beds make excellent additions to the home, whether you pick one for a home office, place it in a lounge or make it a staple of a spare room. But which one serves as the best choice? In this guide, we compare the pros and cons of day beds and sofa beds so you can choose the right one for you.
Advantages of day beds
- Perfect for guests
- Single mattress size
- Stylish
For those who are definitively seeking a piece of furniture to serve as a guest bed, a day bed is a way to go. Guest beds are roughly defined by having three sides to them and being large enough to accommodate single mattresses, so this larger frame certainly lends itself well to those sleeping on it frequently.
This three-sided nature often improves the day bed's overall sense of aesthetics. Their designs often feature enriching factors, too, such as trundle bed sections that provide second sleeping areas and storage options to keep spare rooms clean and clear.
Disadvantages of day beds
- Mattress sometimes not included
Despite the advantages of day beds, there are certain disadvantages. For example, many day bed frames don’t come with a mattress. This means you’ll have to source your mattress. However, this can work out well in case you have guests who need a specific firm mattress or if you choose a soft mattress for a soft seat.
Advantages of sofa beds
- It looks like a sofa
- Versatile placement
- Soft and spacious
- Double size sofa beds are available
Sofa Beds enjoy many benefits; the main one is probably looking and feeling mainly like a sofa. It is in the name, but this general style can be placed virtually in any room.
Most of the time, the sofa bed design will also accommodate those wishing to starfish a little, with the back of the sofa sliding down to make one ample sleeping space. They are also amply padded upon arrival, much as you would desire from a sofa, so unlike day beds, no additional purchases are required. There are also sofa beds that fold out to make a proper bed, though that’s not universal to the category.
Disadvantages of sofa beds
- Require folding out
- Petite
Not all is perfect in the realm of sofa beds. Firstly, effort is required to transform it from a sofa to a bed. They are also generally smaller than day beds, so large or tall guests may find their feet and legs hanging off the side.
The padding mentioned above also means that a sofa bed may become somewhat lumpy or damaged after years of love and use without any simple means of revitalising it.
At a glance: sofa beds vs. day beds
If you’re still weighing up your options, the table below shows the differences between sofa beds and day beds at a glance:
| Sofa Beds | Day Beds |
|---|---|
| Looks more like a sofa than a bed | It looks more like a bed than a sofa |
| It needs to be folded out to access the sleeping space | Sleeping space is always visible |
| It can be used in a variety of rooms, including living rooms, home offices and spare bedrooms | Mainly used in spare bedrooms or the living space of studio apartments |
| Mattress included | Mattress not usually included |
| Generally, smaller than day beds, which may not be suitable for taller sleepers | Accommodates a single mattress with the option of a pull-out trundle sleep space beneath |
| Stylish | Stylish, usually contemporary designs |