Day Beds with Trundle Guest Bed

Day Beds: The Ultimate Buying Guide

Day beds offer a practical combination of seating and sleeping accommodation, making them particularly useful in bedrooms where space needs to serve more than one purpose. With a backrest and often raised side panels, a day bed can resemble a sofa during the day while providing a comfortable sleeping surface at night.

The range includes traditional wooden and metal frames, contemporary upholstered designs and day beds with trundle guest beds that provide a second sleeping space without permanently occupying additional floor space.

From children's bedrooms and sleepovers to guest rooms and home offices, day beds offer an adaptable alternative to conventional beds and sofa beds.

1. Day Beds: Seating and Sleeping in One

The main advantage of a day bed is its ability to function as both a bed and a seating area.

Unlike a conventional bed frame, many day beds feature a raised back panel and side sections, allowing the mattress to be dressed with cushions and throws to create a sofa-style appearance.

This makes them particularly suitable for rooms where a permanent bed would otherwise limit how the space can be used during the day.

2. Day Beds with Trundle Guest Beds

A day bed with trundle incorporates a second bed underneath the main sleeping platform.

The additional guest bed pulls out when required and can be stored beneath the day bed when not in use, providing two separate sleeping surfaces within the footprint of a single bed when closed.

Trundle day beds are particularly useful for:

• Children's bedrooms – providing an extra bed for sleepovers.
• Guest bedrooms – accommodating occasional visitors without permanently occupying the space required for two beds.
• Teenagers' bedrooms – offering additional sleeping accommodation for friends.
• Multifunctional rooms – allowing a home office or spare room to double as a guest bedroom.

Check the individual design to see whether the trundle remains at floor level or can be raised to a similar height as the main mattress.

3. Pull-Out Trundle Beds: Different Designs

Not all pull-out guest beds operate in the same way.

Low-level trundles slide out from beneath the main bed and remain close to the floor. These are particularly useful for children's sleepovers and occasional guests.

Pop-up trundles incorporate a mechanism that allows the guest bed to be raised, potentially bringing the two sleeping surfaces to a similar height.

Not every day bed offers a pop-up mechanism, and not every raised trundle is designed to connect to the main bed to form a double. Always check the individual product specification.

4. Space-Saving Day Beds

Day beds are particularly effective in rooms where every metre of floor space matters.

During the day, a day bed can provide a comfortable place to sit, read or relax without requiring a separate sofa.

Where a trundle is incorporated, the additional sleeping surface can be stored underneath rather than occupying permanent floor space.

Remember that a pull-out guest bed still requires sufficient clearance in front of the main frame when opened.

5. Day Beds for Children's Bedrooms

A single day bed can provide a practical sleeping arrangement for children while also creating a sofa-style seating area.

Adding cushions along the backrest can make the bed suitable for reading, relaxing or spending time with friends.

Models incorporating a pull-out trundle are particularly useful for sleepovers, allowing an additional guest to stay without requiring a separate permanent bed.

6. Day Beds for Guest Rooms

A day bed is a useful alternative to a conventional guest bed, particularly where the spare bedroom also serves another purpose.

Rather than having a traditional bed occupying the room, a day bed can provide a more informal seating arrangement while remaining available for overnight visitors.

A day bed with guest bed adds further flexibility, making it possible to accommodate two guests using separate sleeping surfaces.

7. Day Beds for Home Offices

Day beds are well suited to home offices and multifunctional rooms because they can provide occasional sleeping accommodation without making the space look like a permanent bedroom.

A simple wooden, metal or upholstered day bed can be dressed with cushions to create a seating area when the room is being used for work.

When guests stay overnight, the cushions can be removed and the mattress used as a conventional bed.

8. Wooden Day Beds

Wooden day beds provide a traditional furniture-style appearance and are available in a variety of painted and natural finishes.

White wooden day beds are particularly popular for children's rooms and guest bedrooms, while natural wood finishes can complement Scandinavian and contemporary interiors.

Explore our wider range of Wooden Beds to compare different finishes and frame designs.

9. Metal Day Beds

Metal day beds often feature decorative side and back panels, creating a more open appearance than solid wooden or upholstered designs.

Depending on the model, metal frames can incorporate traditional curved detailing or simpler contemporary lines.

The relatively open construction can make metal day beds particularly attractive in smaller rooms where a substantial upholstered frame might appear too dominant.

10. Upholstered Day Beds

Upholstered day beds combine the sleeping function of a single bed with the softer appearance of upholstered seating furniture.

Padded backrests and side panels can provide additional comfort when the bed is being used for sitting, reading or relaxing.

Fabric finishes also allow the day bed to coordinate with other upholstered bedroom furniture.

11. Day Beds with Storage

Some day beds incorporate drawers or other storage beneath the main mattress.

This can provide useful space for spare bedding, pillows, clothing and other bedroom essentials.

It's important to distinguish between a day bed with storage drawers and a day bed with a trundle guest bed. Although both make use of the space underneath the main bed, they serve different purposes.

Explore our Storage Beds for other under-bed storage options.

12. Day Bed Mattress Sizes

Most UK day beds are designed to accommodate a standard 3ft single mattress measuring approximately 92cm x 190cm.

However, mattress requirements can vary between designs, particularly for the pull-out guest bed.

Common UK mattress sizes include:

• 2ft6 Small Single – 76cm x 190cm
• 3ft Single – 92cm x 190cm
• 4ft Small Double – 122cm x 190cm

Most day beds use a single mattress, but always check the individual product specification rather than assuming every design uses standard dimensions.

Explore our 3ft Single Mattresses and 2ft6 Small Single Mattresses to compare suitable options.

13. Mattress Depth for Trundle Beds

One of the most important considerations when purchasing a day bed with trundle is the depth of the guest mattress.

Because the trundle needs to slide underneath the main frame, there is usually a maximum mattress thickness that can be accommodated.

Many trundle designs require a relatively shallow mattress, but the permitted depth varies between models.

Always check the manufacturer's maximum mattress depth before ordering, as a mattress that is too thick may prevent the guest bed from sliding underneath the day bed.

14. Mattress Support

Day beds commonly use wooden slats or metal supporting structures underneath the mattress.

Depending on the individual frame, wooden slats may be solid or sprung, providing different levels of flexibility.

Check the manufacturer's mattress requirements, particularly when choosing foam, pocket sprung or hybrid mattresses.

15. Day Beds vs Sofa Beds

Although both provide seating and sleeping accommodation, day beds and sofa beds operate differently.

A day bed generally uses a conventional mattress that remains in position whether the furniture is being used for sitting or sleeping.

A sofa bed usually incorporates a folding, sliding or converting mechanism that transforms the seating area into a bed.

Day beds can therefore be particularly convenient where the sleeping surface will be used regularly, as there is no need to convert the main bed frame each night.

16. Day Beds vs Guest Beds

A conventional guest bed is primarily designed for occasional sleeping accommodation, while a day bed is intended to provide a useful seating area as well.

A trundle day bed combines both functions by incorporating an additional guest bed beneath the main sleeping surface.

This makes it particularly practical for spare bedrooms and rooms where two separate beds would otherwise occupy too much space.

17. Day Bed Dimensions and Room Layout

Day beds can be positioned against a wall to create a sofa-style arrangement, although the most suitable position depends on the frame design.

Unlike some conventional bedsteads, day beds often have raised panels along three sides, so their external dimensions can be larger than the mattress itself.

For a trundle day bed, measure both the closed dimensions and the total floor space required when the guest bed is fully extended.

18. Day Bed Assembly and Property Access

Most day beds are supplied in separate components and require assembly.

Wooden and metal designs commonly include side panels, a backrest, mattress supports and connecting fittings.

Trundle models also require assembly of the additional guest bed and its sliding or lifting mechanism where applicable.

Check the largest component dimensions and your property access before ordering, particularly where staircases, landings or doorways are narrow.

19. Choosing the Right Mattress for a Day Bed

The mattress plays an important role in how comfortable a day bed feels for both sitting and sleeping.

A mattress with suitable support can provide everyday sleeping comfort while also accommodating occasional use as seating.

Depending on the bed's construction and mattress depth requirements, options may include Pocket Sprung Mattresses, Memory Foam Mattresses and Rolled Mattresses.

For the lower trundle, mattress thickness and clearance are particularly important.

20. Comparing Day Beds

When comparing day beds, consider the frame material, mattress size, external dimensions, seating design, trundle mechanism, mattress depth restrictions, mattress support and available floor space.

For occasional guests, a simple day bed may provide everything you need. Where additional sleeping accommodation is required, a day bed with pull-out trundle guest bed can offer significantly greater flexibility without permanently occupying the space required for two separate beds.