In beautifully designed homes and equally aesthetic businesses, like restaurants and hotels, we’re seeing a tremendous resurgence in the popularity of the mid century daybed. With the spacious comfort of a sofa and the elegance of a chaise, the daybed is as utilitous as it is inviting. While daybeds have never truly gone out of style, trend reports point to an increase in sales and demand for this high-style furniture piece. 

This trend is a rally cry for fans of mid century modern design who enjoy clean lines, simplistic and stylish furnishings, and a touch of vintage. We’ll unpack the origins of the daybed and what brings this loungy piece to the forefront of every designer’s vision board for 2022, plus offer a few tips for finding the daybed of your California dreams.

A brief history of the mid century modern daybed

The daybed gets its origins in ancient Greece and is essentially an ancestor to the couch and sofa we know today. Daybeds were built and used to lounge around, sit and converse, or to sleep — as they were needed. The popularity and demand for daybeds has waxed and waned since then, with a stint of popularity among 17th century elites, beatniks and artists of the 20s, and again in the 60s, reimagined in the mod style. 

The rise in popularity of what we now call mid century modern — that is, a style of design inspired by trends of the 50s, 60s, and 70s — brings forth a new era for vintage items like the daybed. We will see the mid century modern daybed reappear throughout 2022 as a trendy alternative to futons and sofas in living rooms, guest rooms, waiting rooms, and more. Expect to see these in pops of color, patterns you haven’t seen before, and with clean, wooden framings.

Why is the mid century daybed coming back?

Though the term really just includes any couch that can be made into a bed, the modern daybed is a comfortable longline sofa with a wooden frame. Often, but not always, this frame will wrap the sides of the sofa in place of arms. Considered the luxurious older sister to the futon, a daybed can often be converted into a bed for guest rooms and convertible living spaces. Still, many commercial buyers are now choosing mid century daybeds in waiting rooms, hotel suites, and office buildings for their tremendous balance of style, comfortability, and durability. Designers and aesthetically motivated buyers are enticed by the daybed’s clean lines as an un-puffy alternative to many couches on the market. A daybed is a versatile furniture item that can seat a few guests comfortably or allow one or two to lounge in luxury.

The newly imagined MCM daybed is a California dream:  

Unlike many daybed styles in history, today’s frames are made of locally-sourced timber, as opposed to flaky painted iron. Modern daybed upholstery is soft, comfortable, stylish. Some boutique furniture studios even offer free fabric samples and customizations to make your MCM daybed dream a reality. Today’s re-imagining of the daybed feels fresh, coastal, and cool.

What all Thomas Studios MCM daybeds have in common are the tapered feet and straight cut upholstered cushions in friendly, but elevated colorways. You can browse our collection for varietals on the arm cut, and we do offer customization on wood stain and upholstery colors.

How to source quality mid century modern furniture?

Unfortunately, when any type of furniture or interior item rises in popularity, there will be a flurry of options on the market. Some furniture stores or sellers will batch produce low quality designs that copycat beautiful and handmade work. To ensure a high quality sourcing or shopping experience from end to end, here’s our inside-the-industry advice: 

• • Work locally, or with a small business
    Not only is it a good idea to support smaller businesses and indie creators whenever possible, you’re guaranteed to have a more committed, concierge experience while making this important and exciting investment.

• • Know your measurements and round up
    Many mid century daybeds, sofas, and tables are long by design. To ensure that your piece not only fits in your space, but also affords the airy aesthetic you’re looking for, add tax when measuring for your ideal fit.

• • Set a reasonable budget and round up
    Like measurements, you want to make sure you leave space in the budget to get exactly the look you want. While mid century daybeds should not break the bank, expect to invest $2500 with taxes and delivery. On other mid century pieces, pricing may vary. The key is to do your research before you choose to invest.

• • Have an idea of what you want
    Because the styling is very simplistic and clean on most mid century furniture, there are also a lot of options. If you’re sourcing new pieces, options may feel endless. WIth so many colors, grains of wood, styles of leg and arm and back, you might feel overwhelmed. Have an idea of where your piece will go, what colors it should complement, and how you want the room to feel once you’ve added this piece.

• • Work directly with a creative guide
    In the case of mid century modern furniture, many providers are quick to make a buck on the trend. By choosing a local designer or boutique provider, you can ensure that someone will be available to walk you through the process, discuss options, and review your needs before you make a purchase.

Where to discover the best California Modern Furniture?

Thomas Studios in Laguna Beach is your direct line to quality, handmade furniture and artwork for your home or business. We offer mid century modern daybeds and sofas, tables, wall art and sculptures, plus lighting and more. Visit our Laguna Beach gallery or shop all designs at the link below.