A sofa + a coffee table + a pair of accent chairs. The go-to living room arrangement creates a simple and pleasing balance and makes for highly functional seating. Why mess with a classic? Well, if you, like us, spend your time ogling beautiful home blogs and getting lost in Pinterest wormholes, the standard setup can also feel more than a little uninspired. Which is why we're so glad to see a cool sofa alternative cropping up all over the place of late: the boxed daybed cushion.
The daybed is an incredibly versatile piece of furniture, and can really suit any style. It's downright formal tucked in a wallpapered nook and framed by library sconces, or completely preppy in a bright ikat surrounded by ribbon-trimmed curtains. But can you really swap out your sofa for it? In it's most hippy-chic iterations—namely a tufted, boxed shape like the Urban Outfitters styles above—it's a big thumbs up from us.
Benjamin Sormonte and Elisa Marshall, founders of the dreamy Manhattan cafe, Maman met the challenge with the most DIY approach of all, topping a stack of wooden shipping pallets with a twin mattress and a bevy of throw pillows (above). But you needn't go full-nomad to embrace the look. Designer Brad Ford approached the boxed daybed with casual Midcentury style when designing a friend's earthy New York apartment (top).
On board with us yet? If so, you're in luck. There are a ton of pretty, affordable cushions out there to nab the look. The Ballard Designs styles above come in 1-, 2-, and 3-seater sizes. We're partial to the on-trend gingham.
A vintage-style iron bed, like the one found in photographer Melanie Acevedo's home (above), makes the perfect frame for a laid-back striped cushion. This ticking stripe take from Wayfair (below), complete with matching bolsters, is actually a memory foam Mattress, ensuring you won't be sacrificing comfort for style.
See even more daybeds from Lonny, here.
