Day bed. I find them to be much more bed-like because they have a real mattress than a sofa sleeper which often have very thin mattresses which allow one's body to feel the steel frames of the sofa bed.

Sofa beds don't make very comfortable sofas either, although maybe they've improved in recent years. I'm thinking of sofa bed experiences from a few years ago.

I'd rather sleep on an air mattress.

I would prefer a daybed over a sleeper sofa. Mattresses on sleeper sofas have gotten better in recent years, but in my opinion they're still not as good as a "regular" mattress on a daybed.

If you need a visitor bed that is larger than a twin, you can get a daybed with a trundle.

I don't mind sleeper sofas but DH can't stand them.

We had a queen size sleeper sofa with a good innerspring mattress. I slept on it for several weeks after my husband had a stroke. I found it quite comfortable.

Day Bed

I would prefer a day bed. With a trundle it easily can sleep more than one. With a pretty cover and decorative pillows it makes an attractive seating spot.

Day bed. Inflatable beds are not terrible.

Something that is so comfortable to sleep is what I like, I have had it all staying at others homes. Hard mattresses, way too uncomfortable mattresses 5o years old I find out, bed bugs being bitten for three weeks in a pull out couch. Couch unless you are really skinny, they wouldn't work, pull outs can be awful unless they spend the money on a comfortable nice mattress for it. And fouches (sp) are awful as they don't hold when used for long time.

Another vote for daybeds. A real mattress is better.

A daybed is generally better. I currently have a sleeper sofa that is 30 years old, maybe pushing a couple more years than that. It is the ONLY sleeper sofa that I've found to be comfortable, and I've slept on it when I was between master beds, AND my back was out. But this is rare to find. Not sure if one can, anymore. Or maybe I lucked out!

Unfortunately it will cost me $2000 to recover it, and I'm planning on moving where the color scheme I want will not work. Besides, as something to sit on in the living/great area - it isn't so comfy! And, it's old...

I will be picking up an IKEA sleeper sofa for about $800. The frame structure is different than your typical sleeper sofa. At least for sitting on, it is comfortable. A day bed won't really work in my living room, as it is not going to be against a wall, and I want back support for people who are sitting on it.

But yes, most sleeper sofas are terrible, especially nowadays! I've had to sleep on one at my brother's. I don't know how his daughter does it! Ah, youthful backs! (I had a better time sleeping on an air mattress with lots of blankets camping this past fall!)

(There will also be a real queen-sized bed in the guest room.... it's just that motels aren't anywhere near close if I have several people visit!)

Futon....it opens flat to make a wider bed.

A murphy bed is also a nice option.

I think the daybed is a better choice than a sleeper sofa. I had bought a couple of sleeper sofas about 20 years ago. They were designed to be fairly comfortable. They were heavy and hard to move around the room.

I've experienced sofa beds and find them horrific. I have a daybed in our office and use it frequently for naps. Single overnighters have claimed it to be comfy.

I hate air mattresses, even the higher ones are too low for my bad knees.

I know people see a daybed or sofa as two comparable options, but I don't think there is really an comparison between them at all. The function of a sofa bed is primarily for seating, the bed is secondary and IMO, they are a complete design disaster because NO ONE likes sleeping on them. With a daybed, it's the opposite, it's primary function is for sleeping and seating is secondary, but at least sitting on them won't be back breaking. We have a daybed with a trundle so two people can still be easily accomodated. Everyone who has slept on it has said they've slept "like a baby".

So I am going with the daybed option. Now, do you guys like the upholstered daybeds--kinda the midcentury modern look OR the kind that is more traditional like a frame with a mattress? THANKS.

Frame and mattress style. With good woods and sleigh bed ends, lots of large pillows and it can be an elegant sofa.

We have had a daybed with a trundle for over 30 years in a guest bedroom. Another plus, privacy, whereas a sofa would be in the LR. And we got too many complaints from older relatives about the sofa bed we had, so stopped buying them. We have put the trundle in the office when we had two people who didn't want to sleep in the same room together.

Ours is the white cast iron look. I wish we would have bought a wood one. The cast iron, even with lots of pillows, is not comfortable to sit with your back against it.

Defninitely daybed. Air mattresses are uncomfortable, IMHO.

Both alternatives you mention are compromises and which is the better choice for you may depend on who you expect to have as guests. Trundle beds are fine for kids and younger adults but floor level sleeping may be unsuitable or undesirable for oldsters or those with less than normal mobility. With sofa beds, I've never encountered one I could comfortably sleep on. Maybe they do exist. I'm >6 feet tall and >200 pounds - the beds I've had to use were always too short and had mattresses too thin to prevent me from sensing the metal support bars underneath. Uncomfortably so, like having something protruding into my back or side.

I dislike air mattresses and find them very uncomfortable. They also are unsuitable for people who can't comfortably sleep on the floor. Nothing beats a regular mattress if you can provide one, whether it's on a day bed also used for sitting or otherwise.

Upholstered if the daybed is going to be in a common area like a living room. If it's going in a bedroom or office, either look would be fine - a matter of your personal preference.

We have a wrought iron and wood day bed in the living room of the house my father lived in because the bedroom is in a loft and we didn't want him going up and down the steep ladder like stairs at night. But, pretty as it is, it does kind of look like there is a bed in the living room. I don't remember seeing the upholstered types when we bought ours; if I had I would have bought one of those over the wrought iron look.

There's a beautiful wood one at World market. So pretty with lots of their colorful pillows.

https://www.worldmarket.com/category/furniture/bedroom/chaise-daybeds.do?searchTerm=day%20bed

Elmer, the trundle we had popped up to the same height as the day bed.

Will you use this for seating? A twin mattress is 38 inches wide. You'd need firm backrests about 20 inches deep to narrow the seating depth to a comfortable 18-19 inches.

DH and I have been comfortable on a queen Murphy Bed that was built into the cabinetry in a friend's 'sewing room' -- with adjoining bath. Comfort depends on the quality of the mattress. When open, the bed was normal bed height. There was recessed lighting in the top of the enclosure (head of the bed).

We had a pop-up bed. The 'stowed bed can't have a very thick mattress and still fit under a normal height upper bed.

I wonder if anyone has a sleep sofa and keeps a memory foam topper stored for when it's used as a bed?

The photo from Elizabeth A illustrates the depth of a twin bed. It looks like what it is...a bed with a frame around it. If you tried to sit back on that bed, your legs would stick out in front of you on top of the bed. The end pieces also limit the height of a sleeper.

You often need a twin long mattress on a daybed frame. It also needs to have large firm pillows along the back to make the mattress seem less wide. Most daybeds are taller and will not be an exact substitute for a couch. Some have adjustable mattress height. They are great for curling up on with a good book or to watch a movie.

Our daybed (with trundle) is very comfortable. The sleeper sofa is not.

I prefer futons. I have a very nice futon with a memory foam mattress that lays flat and people comment all the time how comfortable it is to sit on and sleep on. I tried out daybeds and looked at pull out sofas but the futon was the most comfortable.

I have a flex room or the game room as we call it where the futon is housed we use it when I have more guests than guest bedrooms. I have found people downstairs in the flex room who were watching tv sound asleep. When I ask them what they are doing they say that darn futon is so comfortable it gets you every time.

I can't find the exact one I have but this one is very similar. Mine folds down into a full queen size and the mattress is very thick.

https://www.overstock.com/Home-Garden/Somette-Ali-Phonics-Multi-flex-Espresso-Full-size-Wood-Frame-with-Bonded-Leather-Innerspring-Mattress-Futon-Set/8365989/product.html?refccid=GKG6BYEIEWAIRESI3TSU44Z2CY&searchidx=3