I think that should totally be the mother's and child's decision.

My daughter had one at this age. I really like them, especially with a trundle underneath for sleepovers or house guests. Just make sure you get a good sturdy one. Ours was inexpensive metal and as she got older it just squeaked too much and we went to a regular bed.

My DD had one for several years when she was young. When we rearranged bedrooms it went into the guest room and as Joanie mentioned the trundle was great for sleepovers. My brother and his wife used it for a week when they visited and they thought it was fine.

Since the daybed is placed against the wall it can be harder to make.

Both my grands(the 2 in Tx)have one, and I also have one. They're great for guests as well as slumber parties, and take up less room. When the oldest grand is about 10, DD will get him a queen bed.

Granted, they are more difficult to make, but that's where a coverlet vs a bedspread/comforter comes in handy. ;)

I don't like them for adults (they are annoying to sit on and don't replace a sofa IMHO), but for kids rooms I think they are great. I would echo that a trundle or storage underneath is a great idea.

Having had one for the past 5 years, I agree with Mtnrdredux: they are great for kids but not so much for adults. For kids, I love the flexibility they offer, giving kids more day-to-day floor space to play on. For adults, though, they are too deep to make a comfortable sofa and too uncomfortable as beds. I sold ours right before Christmas, as my kids are both adults now.
Lynn

One of my kids has an IKEA Hemnes daybed as his bed. I took many naps there when the kids were babies -- personally I think it is the most comfortable bed in our house (don't tell DH). Storage underneath for extra blankets and off-season clothes.

Here is a link that might be useful: Hemnes daybed

Because you don't have access to both sides of the bed, they can be less convenient to change the sheets and make each morning. You are also limited in the placement, since they usually are placed against a wall.

Thanks everyone for your opinions.
Oaktown: That is the exact bed she is thinking of getting and putting a DIY king size headboard on the back as is done in this blog. Clever idea if anyone wants to take a look at this DIY.

As far as making the bed, i guess it would be a pain but then again having extra space in the room would make up for it, I think.

Here is a link that might be useful: Look here

My daughter, age 11 has one and loves it. It is like a couch for her and her friends and has a bed underneath for sleepovers. Still gives her plenty of floor space for "Just Dance" :)

My 8 year old has had another IKEA daybed for a while (a discontinued dark-stained pine one). Her stuffed animals don't fall down the sides (three of them anyway). It's hard to make if you stick it in a corner but not too bad if you can access both ends.

We wanted a storage bed so the drawers are nice. I don't think shorter adults should have a problem with it.

Anyway, it's cute and functional.

My boys, ages 4 1/2 and 8, have matching twin-size captain's style beds in a shared room that is about 10 x 9:

I love the under-bed storage. In our small 3-bedroon home, it makes much more sense to have them share a bedroom and then have the other bedroom be available for play/homework/etc.

With the two beds in that room, there is not really space for much else. It's easy for them to keep clean, and they settle right down for bedtime.

I agree that making the beds is more challenging, but they'll learn to manage -- I did (my bed was always against the wall in my small bedroom).

I think daybeds are great for kids!

Edit -- > I forgot that many beds have top sheets and bedspreads, etc. Our beds have a fitted sheet and a duvet, which simplifies the bed-making process.

This post was edited by melle_sacto on Thu, Jan 23, 14 at 12:44

Mele
That is a good idea to just have the fitted sheet and then a duvet with over.
Would be much easier to make bed.

I think having drawers under the bed is a great idea for small rooms. You don't have to have a day bed to do that, though. There are plenty of "captain's" beds that have drawers underneath.

I think a lot depends on who is going to be making the bed and what the bedding is like. It is much easier for an adult to make a day bed than a child. (Although I consider them harder to make than a regular bed.)

If they want a day bed because they want a day bed, fine. If they just want underbed storage, I'd look at the other options available first.

Both my son and daughter had similar beds growing up. My son's bed had large storage drawers underneath for much needed extra storage. My daughter's daybed had a trundle underneath and was used frequently for sleepovers and slumber parties. Both kids had hugger style comforters that had fitted ends at the bottom and extended just to the top of the mattress. They made their own beds, just had to pull the comforter to the top with pillow on top. My daughter's bed is now in our guestroom and gets used several times a year. The trundle pops up to the height of the bed, so we use a king sized memory foam topper, mattress pad and sheets on it. I have slept on it several times and it is quite comfortable.

KSWL, Just get younger friends.

BTW i love love those beds. I was looking at something similar but not as nice for the girls attic room. I am so sold on these. Did you buy their cushion, too? I would need a mattress. I wonder how thin I can get and have them comfy too...

lyban, sorry to hijack your thread but does anyone have a daybed in another room of their house? like the kitchen for instance? I know it sounds strange but I remember the grandmother of my BF had one and she would use it to "take a break" from housework. I've forgotten how large the room was but it fit. If I had a large kitchen I might try to work one in altho I don't really lay down during the day much now but perhaps when I'm older and don't want to nap in the big bedroom. :)

No, but close. I had a sofa in the kitchen of my Montclair house. When it was delivered to the house, my DH said it was "the dumbest idea he ever heard of" and then promptly fell asleep on it.

My kitchen had no island, it had a galley for most of the functions, and large eating area where I had a round table and the sofa. Guests loved sitting on it when people congregate in the kitchen as they always do. Many a nap was taken there, too. I would do it again except here we have a swedish bench.

I have a pretty white/iron daybed in my living room...which is actually my office. (The sofas are in the family room, with the TV.)

We needed something in front of the big bay window and if I have to watch the phones early in the morning, it's nice to lie down and read a book...also great for a place to sit back (feet up) have a cup of tea and watch the snow fall.

My mom used twin beds with bolsters in our rec room (as kids) and they were great. The trick is to have enough bolster and back pillows, to make the seating depth the same as a sofa. Easy to remove, if you need guest room space :)

To be honest, though, to make the depth the same as a sofa requires a TON of pillows and bolsters, and they they don't look so hot, especially from the side.

I reiterate that a daybed is suboptimal for adult seating (lovely for napping tho)

My guest room is small, 10x10. It has a queen-size bed, nightstand, bookcase and small tv. That's about it. It's only good for sleeping, which gets it used maybe four times a year at most. I'd love to repurpose the room for sewing or craft projects, but also be able to put one or two people up for the night if needed.

I have considered a daybed with trundle, but they really aren't comfortable as a sofa substitute. I don't want a bunch of pillows that need to be flung on the floor. I wonder if I could get away with 1) sofa/sleeper, or 2) air-bed.

Camlan,
They are looking at daybed because of both storage ,plus this ikea one also can be made into a double for sleepovers without losing the storage space and then if they add the king headboard as I posted in post yesterday they can sit in sofa position with a soft back.
This would be the idea but without the side bookcases.

Instead of a sofa, I had a bunk custom made many years ago, and it was and still is VERY comfortable to sit on as I had it made to a standard bunk measurement of 36" - has no back or sides, just the wedge-shaped bolsters across the back. Believe it or not has provided many a comfortable night's sleep. And Schoolhouse, yes, for years we enjoyed it in a kitchen-keeping room; our open concept room we designed in the early 70's.
: )

I have a daybed in my home office.

Oops, just measured my bunk; standard bunks were 30 and 36"; mine actually is the 30" size. Probably why with the wedge bolsters it makes for such comfortable seating...but the twin size of the daybed will provide more lounging/play space. I'd say go for it!

The king headboard thing is kind of clever. I can't decide, though, if it looks like a linen dept display, KWIM?

Mtm,
Yes that particular photo I showed does have a lot of linen on display.
Here is another photo I like.
Anyways, today my daughter was lucky to find a mint condition hennes daybed like shown above on CL.
So she will be making the king headboard in a still not determined fabric.