Modern Icons: The Case Study Daybed
Just toss the bolsters and add a sheet — turning this classic midcentury sofa into a bed is as easy as one, two
The beauty of this streamlined daybed is in its simplicity. Made of a flat platform with a mattress cushion and bolster pillows, the piece serves as a sofa or a bed, with much more style than the collegiate alternative, a futon. Also, it has a pedigree that will satisfy you midcentury modern fans: George Nelson designed the original, and the Case Study furniture sold today is inspired by the furniture used in the famous Case Study Houses, introduced by Arts & Architecture magazine in 1945.
Modernica Case Study Daybed With Leg Options
This is one of the easiest sofa-to-bed conversions there is; all you have to do is toss the bolsters on the floor and throw on a sheet. The covers are removable for cleaning.
The frame is laminated maple plywood, and the hairpin legs are brushed steel. These delicate legs are sturdy yet give the illusion that the seat is floating.
This amazing unfolding apartment makes the most of every square inch. The fact that the designer chose a Case Study Daybed is a ringing endorsement for its versatility and practicality.
Today, Modernica builds the Case Study Daybeds to the original specifications in Los Angeles. This is fitting, as the Case Study Houses were all built in Southern California.
This room has the daybed with an Eames Elliptical Table and an Eames screen. Charles Eames was one of the original collaborators in the Case Study program. The home he shared with his wife, Ray, was Case Study House #8; it is still standing and was recently given a ringing endorsement by Ice Cube.
The sofa looks smashing with this pair of modern webbed chairs. Webbing was a common World War II–era furniture material and became a midcentury classic; the designs sprang from a lack of materials available, and clever designers, like Jens Risom and Ralph Rapson, made do with what they had. Rapson was also a Case Study architect.
Of course, you aren't required to go midcentury modern with all of the furnishings around this piece. I love the contrast between the modern Case Study Daybed and the traditional chesterfield in this collected room.
Multi-ply bentwood legs are another option.
To learn more about the Case Study House program, check out the Southern California Architectural History Archives, where a similar platform sofa can be seen in a photo by Julius Shulman in House #20.