Time to recline
Time to recline
If you want to lift your feet and perhaps transition into a full lie down, your era has arrived. Enter the epoch of reclining, and thus the golden age of the chaise lounge and daybed.
‘What’s the difference between them?’ you might enquire. Classically, a chaise lounge is an upholstered chair with an extended seat with one or no armrests. Once associated with the French aristocracy it evokes a luxurious take on relaxation, offering a sophisticated and comfortable seating option. Its extended seat encourages lounging, making it ideal for enjoying a moment – or two, or three – to one’s self.
Galeotta by Zanotta
Eames La Chaise by Vitra
4 Chaise Lounge by Cassina
Originally designed for daytime lounging, the daybed is traditionally flat, serving as both a seating area and a bed, with mattress-style cushioning and a pillow at one or both ends, and a distinct lack of arms. Its dual-purpose function – sofa by day, bed by night – makes it a boon for guest rooms, home offices, compact spaces where a transforming functional comes in handy, or anywhere you might fancy having a little nap in.
As you may have come to expect with ultra-contemporary takes on furniture, modern-day designer chaise lounges and daybeds blur the lines between each other. At the crux of the trend is one thing – versatility. Just because something’s flat, does it mean you have to sleep on it? No. Just because something has a back do you have to lean on it? Must you use those arms? Lay your head exactly where a pillow is? No, no, no. There’s a sliding design scale, so simply choose what feels right.
461 Daybed by Vipp
Febo Chaise Lounge by Maxalto
Tuscany Chaise by Molteni&C - Shop now
At the most chaise longue-y end of the spectrum come designs such as B&B Italia’s Charles Chaise Longue, the design rather sofa-like with an arm and some back support missing at one end. Then there are pieces such as Cassina’s Indochine Chaise Longue, which is distinctly more chair-like but generously upholstered with a set of (incredibly minimal) rounded arms. Then follows the likes of Fritz Hansen’s highly minimalist PK24 Chaise Longue, the design comprised of a slip of angled-in-just-the-right-place wicker with a helpful (rather day bed-esque) pillow in the head area.
Heavenly Design
Charles Chaise by B&B Italia
Indochine Chaise Lounge by Cassina
D-142 by de Sede
"Sometimes the most productive thing you can do is relax"
Moving into the modern designer day beds, on the more classic side come the highly cushioned Porada Webby Daybed-types, with a keep-hitting-snooze thick cushion and substantial pillow. More slimline designs such as Muuto’s Outline Daybed move the design into the ultra-modern and probably more suited to sitting on (although there’s a pillow just in case), and finally the pillow is removed altogether with something like Carl Hansen & Son’s OW150 Day Bed, which has a more bench-y feel as well as carrying enough cushioning to accommodate an impromptu nap too.
All in all, it’s a good time to take up a siesta or start a new book – reclining around the house just got a whole lot more convenient, comfortable and cool.
Outline Daybed by Muuto
OW150 Daybed by Carl Hansen
Webby Daybed by Porada
Life outdoors doesn't need much to feel spectacular. But if it’s an ethereal Eden you’re after, then a little lighting can go a long way. From portable solar lanterns through to thoughtfully-placed wall lights, our selection of outdoor lighting solutions will help extend your soirées into the small hours. Delve into our favourites, here…
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