Here are some examples of Art Deco daybeds.

Here are some examples of contemporary daybeds available for purchase for comparison

IMO it would be very hard and expensive to take your bed parts and create a first class daybed. The headboards are too high and the foot boards appear to be too low. The daybed would also require wood side rails to complete the look. I would either purchase an Art Deco daybed to create the appearance you seem to desire or a contemporary daybed.

I think it could look really great! I like those pieces. Will you or DH DIY it? DH may be poo-pooing it if he's the one that has to build it .

DH usually defers to me on decor matters but I do like his input. I will usually narrow the choices down to a few and then show him. I will agonize over the options but he's pretty decisive and will give good reasons for his choice which I may not have considered.

I have a daybed in my sunroom. I love it. It is the most comfortable place to relax and cuddle up w/ two puppies.

BUT

1. It's harder to sit on even w/ 10,000 pillows. You can lay on it, but not sit on it very comfortably (and mine has a back- if you copy these others w/ no back then I think it would be extremely uncomfortable to sit on)

2. No one else likes to sit on it except me. Not guests, not my other family members

3. I think you might have a difficult time getting onto and off of it after a hip replacement if it is standard day-bed depth. My mother-in-law just had a hip replacement and she found their recliner in the basement the most comfortable b/c it was firm, easier for her to get up off of, and could be reclined with an arm-lever thing so she could easily lay back (as a side note, she had the surgery 2 weeks ago and is up and doing extremely well, walking really fast w/ a cane already and driving already- she's so happy she did it!)

Several of Beverly's photos have low sides so I don't think that's an issue and you can just do upholstered side rails. I'll bet there are "how-to" videos on the Internet or YouTube so you can get an idea of how labor-intensive it will be to do.

None look that comfortable for a place to relax after surgery. They do look like they would be great as a chatting perch during a party.

Your dilemma reminds me of the commercial where a woman is 'reclining' on her new chaise lounge. Every time she says shaaayyyyz, her husband says chase.

I love the look of the day beds, but have to agree that the recliner would be more comfortable and easier to use.

Beverly - I love the art deco daybeds you posted! That's what I have in mind. The others not so much. I would maybe just get the second couch then. My DH would be happier.

Joanie - Yes I/we do have the skills. I used to refinish furniture as a hobby. However we are DIYing the whole house, I should just stop with this now :) My DH is usually good about my ideas but we are a bit burnt out on this project so he is less enthusiastic these days, we are not in the house yet but should be by August.

The bed does have wooden side rails, just not shown in that picture. I have to go look at them to see the veneer condition etc I would have to have a seat made and bolsters too.

Beagles - Thanks for the thoughtful real life experiences. I never sit on furniture, more of a lounger/layer. I did think this could be useful for seating from both sides of the room - kind of as a divider between seating areas. Good to know about your MIL. I suppose I should be shopping for recliners but...

chispa - Yes - for chatting at a party! I'm into denial mode on the hips anyway...

Mama Goose - That commercial is us! Yes I know a recliner is in my future; I'm just not wanting one in this room, yet...

I wouldn't buy a recliner either missymoo12. But just thought I'd share.

Like I said, I love my daybed for laying/lounging but it is definitely not a sofa-replacement.

Mine is a large-scale piece of furniture though. Yours look like they may be smaller than mine, so perhaps would not dominate a room quite as much :)

Mine fits a standard twin mattress (i bought a memory foam one from overstock) and i used a fitted slipcover from theslipcovershop. http://www.slipcovershop.com/Product_List/fitted_mattress_slipcover.asp

These are twin beds Beagles. My thought is to get them for the guestroom/suite over the garage if I can't get my way with the daybed. Thanks for the slipcover link. I was thinking about a mattress like this but it's not art deco.

I do remember your sunroom from your GW open house a couple years ago. I'm the gray-haired lady who brought her daughter...:)

I would purchase a recliner myself to recover from surgery.

I would estimate that your foot boards are not more than 20" tall. For comparison, none of the ready made daybeds have sides less than 30" tall. I don't see a way for it to work without much $$$ and effort. Are the foot boards finished both inside and out?

Beverly I have not seen them in person yet - tomorrow. Don't know about the finish. If the veneer is to rough, it is all for naught. I hate fixing veneer, not that it cant be done - it just sucks all the fun out of a project.

This is not just to recover from surgery. So say I just wanted to lay around in my living room but was completely fine hip wise. Daybed good or bad idea?

Daybed good idea ... and for recovering from the hip surgery, you need something with STURDY arm rests so you can get out easily. Daybed not good for that.

It can be butt-ugly and short-lived as long as it's easy to get out of without using your weight on both legs.

Back in the day when HGTV had more design shows I remember lots of designers used daybeds like you want to eventually.....for separating conversation areas but not visually closing off the space and for more party seating.

Agree it may not be great for hip surgery. I am recovering from knee surgery and in those first few weeks I needed both arms of the chair to push off of to get up. The few times I sat on the couch I had a heck of a time getting up without that extra arm.

Do the places that rent hospital beds and other equipment have recliner/lift chairs? Rent one for recovery, then have the beautiful (good idea) daybed.

They do! Scroll down in this link.

Daybeds are a decorating idea that usually doesn't look good or work well IRL. As regular daily seating on a conventional living room, no. Chispa has the right idea, they are auxiliary seating for a very large room. After the regular sofas and chairs.

With respect to the recliner after surgery, it's okay if your feet are REALLY elevated. If they aren't you risk dvt in your legs. Good luck with your surgery!

I have always wanted a chase lounge to sit/lay on to watch TV. My husband found out his padded desk chair with arms and rollers was best when he first came home from surgery. He could sit and roll himself up to the table, over to in front of the TV and over to the bed at night. After a few days, he graduated to his recliner. Yes, you will need arms on your chair/recliner to help you get up. Good luck with your surgery.

Now I remember you :) I don't remember user names of everyone who came to the open house, but I remember people who came. That was a fun day :)

If you are decorating with hip surgery in mind, just remember your recovery will be a few weeks (less time if you are of an age where you would have a cemented implant) - I wouldn't decorate a room around recovery. You are going to want a straight backed chair with two arms for safe and comfortable seating not a deep recliner (a chair that could be moved from room to room as needed), and a bed the right height when you want to lay down and rest or read.

A PT will show you your acceptable range of motion, you'll want to follow those instructions for your best outcome - a day bed will not likely be included ;)

Lazy gardens - Joanie - Mama Goose - I agree I would need hospital equipment for the initial recovery period. I already have a walker and a lift chair/recliner.

kswl2 - I agree with you about using daybeds for primary seating. This would be in addition to a regular sofa and two other chairs in the LR. My other option is two matching ( or not matching) sofas. I completely agree about the recliners and leg elevation. My BIL and a good friend both had embolisms after knee replacements. It happens more often than people realize.

erinsean - My BIL did the same thing with the rolling chair. He carted the walker around with it too!

Running place - that's what I'm worried about! It's just a tricked out bed after all...which is why my DH has horrors over the idea and I'm thinking I never sit in anything anyway. Always laying...maybe that will change when my hips get fixed.

Beagles - it really was fun! We enjoyed your home so much and meeting GW people was great! If I ever get this house finished I'll have a GW open house :)

I have not scheduled surgery yet and am ignoring the suggestion of having them both done at once. When I was a newly graduated RN I worked ortho for a year ( some disasters but hips have come along way) and my mom had a horrible hip replacement outcome, so I am putting it off for as long as I can.

I guess I will go look at them see if there is potential. I need twins for a guest room anyway...

I think it's an interesting idea, since you have other seating for guests to use. It can't hurt to try it out and see if it's comfortable for you. I think it would need to be against a wall, and have a large bolster pillow in back.

My DH would never go for it :-) I think it sounds great for naps.

Can you post a proposed layout? To me, daybeds work best in front of a fireplace or possibly windows where they can be used for lounging/reading in front of a peaceful view (where you plan to have your sofa and chairs) and as room dividers, were they probably are used only as a bench for large parties.

Pushed against a wall, they aren't good seating for most people. I had one in my first apartment and even though I am tall, I had to sit against pillows on the back (againnst a wall) and my feet straight out or crossed leg. Good for spreading out the Sunday newpaper, but not lounging.

If you have a room for a pair of twins and these would work there, you could try the daybed idea out and them move them tot he beddrom if you don't like the daybed. I would do whatever you need to for post surgery and consider it temporary rather than a decorating choice.

I have not scheduled surgery yet and am ignoring the suggestion of
having them both done at once. When I was a newly graduated RN I worked
ortho for a year ( some disasters but hips have come along way) and my
mom had a horrible hip replacement outcome, so I am putting it off for
as long as I can.

Don't wait so long you are too out of shape ... it's best done while you are still reasonably spry with muscle strength left for rehab instead of totally crippled and weak. And before you have wrecked the surrounding support muscles and tendons compensating for the pain and lack of mobility. (SO has a prosthetic knee, his brother has 2 of them, and another brother has a hip replacement he loves).

Yes, it's come a LONG ways, even using 3-d imaging and custom manufacture of the prosthetics if needed. They can build a copy of the joint, figure out exactly how things need to be altered and dry-fit the prosthesis without ever lifting a scalpel.

Jlc and lascatx - here is a crude sketch of the layout

Lazy - Thanks so much for the comments. I am actually doing PT and going to give stem cell therapy a try first. I don't have as much confidence in my current Dr and have other underlying issues that keep me from jumping on the replacement. I am a fairly spry 57 yo ;)

Is that two sofas (or sofa and daybed) and six chairs, bench, coffee table, console or sofa table, two end tables and a long table between two of the chairs? Not to mention the piano and a bench there. I don't know which side you were thinking of using a daybed on, but I think you have too many pieces of furniture in that room.

lascatx - That would be the most furniture it could hold and where but not all at once... The sofa on kitchen side and another sofa on the left of FP. Or the left would be where the daybed could go. The bench in the bump out is not a built in and could be a place for a daybed but it might be too bulky for that spot.

I think I need to just move my old sofas into those places and see what it looks like. I might just get the beds for the guest room - as I want some taller headboards in that room. The beds appealed to me because of the curved foot boards.

I think it would be wonderful and you should have your dreams come true. Tell your husband he can wait until after the surgery and then the two of you can work on it together. He can do and you can watch lol. Go for it. Rules are for fools is my husband's motto. Think outside the box is mine.

Rather than a day bed, which tends to be higher, look for a backless sofa...same idea only more fitting for the room. Christopher Lowell would use them all the time in his large rooms as a "cross-linking" device...he would have 2 separate sitting areas with a backless sofa in between so people could sit and converse in either cluster either way....and they are essentially a day bed in the room.

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yayagal - Ha! I'm a firm believer in dreams coming true...I work hard to achieve just that! As far as my DH doing this - not so much - it is well within my abilities. I keep him around for the really heavy lifting ;)

Annie - Yes! Christopher Lowell! What started all of this was a stroll through Arhaus with my DD. She fell in love with a backless sofa ( daybed ) there and said just buy it. And now I think maybe I will, although it seemed a little inadequate construction -wise. But since she liked it so well I could just give it to her if need be. I just came across these beds and thought they might make a good alternative. I will go see/buy them tomorrow. Neither my DD or myself seem to be able to just sit on furniture we are layer/loungers.

My hip replacement is far off in the future Good Lord willing.

I do like chaise lounge chairs and they would be nice to relax on after surgery...but Mamagoose, I hate that commercial.