French Daybed

by | Feb 8, 2017 | All Things Home, Antiques, Favorite Finds | 56 comments

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If you’ve been coming here for a while, you’ll notice that things look a little different on my blog now!  I actually had this design created over a year ago, but it’s taken this long to get all of the technical ducks in a row to implement the new design and entirely rebuild the backend of the site for the sake of speed and efficiency.  We still have some minor tweaks and cosmetic changes to make, so hang in there if things are missing or a little off for the next few days.

So, last week, I drove out to fellow antique dealer’s home to buy some ironstone, but I ended up buying an antique French daybed instead!  It was pretty much impossible to resist.  It does need some work, but I know it will be fabulous when it’s finished.

Here is how it looks now…

I will paint it, because if you look very closely, you can see the front “headboard” is white and other pieces are pale blue. Of course, I’ll be reupholstering it as well.  The panels you can see will be pretty simple, but the outsides of the headboards are missing their foam, so I’ll need to add all of that.

At first, I thought I might just upholster everything in cream hemp sheets and use a twin mattress I already have, but after looking for inspiration, I really think it needs an upholstered box spring and a cushion, so it looks more like a daybed/sofa and less like a twin bed with a really high footboard.

And, while I think a nubby cream linen would look lovely, the idea of doing a dramatic blue and white fabric makes me giddy.  I envision something like this…

And I’m considering a fabric like this blue and white check…

It would definitely be a show-stopper!

I’ll keep you posted on what I decide and will share the process…

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    56 Comments

    1. Sharon Rexroad

      ooh, can’t wait to see your progress! I’m actually getting ready to make a daybed from some old chairs so can take all the hints I can get.

    2. Colleen

      Being a vintage bed I’d be wondering if a traditional twin mattress would even fit. Older beds sometimes are shorter then mattresses today. That looks like it was stuffed with horsehair, not foam. It’s a really neat piece! I’m looking forward to what you do with it!

    3. Robyn

      Hi, I am working on a chair right now with a similar blue and white check, love that fabric. My vote is for the check!

    4. Jo

      Can’t wait to see what you choose. I love the inspiration piece but the check is pretty amazing. Looks the new look of the site.

    5. Teresa

      LOVE the daybed! And while I really like the blue check, you had me at nubby cream linen! Lol. With blue check pillows of course. : )

      • Becky

        Same here!

      • Tanya

        Me too!!! Can’t wait to see the finished product. No doubt it will be gorgeous.

    6. linda okane

      Beautiful , I am not surprised you couldn’t resist. Look forward to see you work your magic!

    7. jacqueline pankuck

      fabulous!!!

    8. Emily

      Love the daybed! While you’re tweaking the new format, may I respectfully suggest making the font larger and a little darker? I’m using a 19″ monitor and am having a difficult time reading the lighter, small font. The light gray font seems to be popular on so many blogs lately, and it’s just difficult for older eyes to read.

      • Barbara G,

        I second that! Darker font, please. Larger is good, too. Both would be wonderful.

        • Barbara H.

          Oops, I’m Barbara H.

    9. Ramona

      No doubt it will be lovely!

    10. Lisa

      Ooh, I just see a toile and the Buffalo check together… Gorgeous any way you finish it!

    11. Jane

      I have to address the elephant in the room: The website makeover, while attractive enough, is completely annoying. Ads are popping up everywhere and keep coming back. The large initial picture takes longer to load and navigation is worse! I’m sorry, this is the first time I’ve really had trouble with your website. The ads everywhere are the worst part.

      • Marian Parsons

        Yes, we did launch a new look and layout, but we’re still tweaking some things! 🙂

    12. Laura Ingalls Gunn

      Oh what a fabulous find!!! I had been looking for such a daybed and finally found two twin headboards at Round Top that I made into a bed. It is in our sun room and we love it. Can’t wait to see what you do.

    13. Lynne

      The new site is beautiful! Great job.

    14. DeAnna

      What a fun project! I have two of these beds waiting for the same treatment but I’m just not sure how to go about it and don’t want to ruin them. I’m looking forward to seeing you do your magic and hoping you show how you tackle the actual upholstering of it. Thanks Marian!

    15. Angela

      Oh that day bed…..what a beauty. Love the new look, as soon as it opened. It so soft and pretty, so you. I don’t mind ads, i understand the purpose and i know you have tweaks but the one on the top, it’s huge and just takes away from your blog.

      • Marian Parsons

        Yeah, the one on top is one of the things we’re fixing. Right now it’s covering the header and it’s supposed to bump everything down. Anyway, it’ll be fixed soon!

    16. angela

      I am sorry but I do not like the new look.

      • Marian Parsons

        Sorry! I know not everyone is going to love the change, but this is it, now. 🙂

    17. Sandy

      Love the daybed! I think I would use both fabrics; the cream linen on the interior and the blue and white check on the outside. Whatever you chose it will be beautiful! Oh yes, I would do a French mattress similar to the one Anita from Cedar Hill Farmhouse has on her outdoor daybed. I am swooning as I type…

    18. LJ

      Lovely find
      How about a mix of the check with that great curtain patterned fabric you
      have used a lot and ❤️

    19. Jelena

      Love that French daybed! I also like the new, simplified version of the blog. Good call on both!

    20. Carla

      I’m reading on a smart phone and no problems with ads.

    21. AnnW

      Are you sure it will take a regular sized mattress? I bought a wooden one thirty years ago for my daughter. I had to have a special sized mattress custom made. It was only 30 or 33 inches wide. Then when they delivered the mattress, the rails wouldn’t hold it, so they had to alter it and add slats. But, it was my daughter’s bed for over 15 years and we still have it.

    22. AnnW

      The size of the type is really small. I know I am one of your older readers, but I’m wearing glasses. Thanks

    23. Dolores

      I love the inspiration room you featured- I have my living room painted in that same blue- Ben Moore’s Van Deusen blue. I used blue and white toile for curtains and a very similar blue and white check as pillows on my blue mohair chairs..I can’t wait to see your bed transformation, as always- you’ll produce a beauty!

    24. Jessica | Petal + Ply

      No doubt whatever fabric you decide on this is going to be one amazing and gorgeous piece!!

    25. Margie

      You might be in a rut with the blue and white checked fabric for the daybed. Just sayin’…

    26. MARY-ANN (FROM CANADA!)

      Marian, what a wonderful find! Your French Daybed will be so beautiful once you finish it! I love the blue and white check! This is my favorite! However, just know it will be beautiful with whatever you decide! Have a great day!

    27. Denise

      Love gingham. Where do you find the gingham fabrics? All I find are red and black. Looking for middle sized checks to buffalo check.

    28. MICHELLE

      Like I wrote yesterday…Love the new look of the site. I’m not having any issues with ads or pop-ups. The day bed is going to be AMAZING! I can’t wait to see how you transform it!

    29. Debbie

      Marian, I love the daybed and your ideas for it!! Will you be selling it at Lucketts?

    30. Jude

      I hope you will not have a dust ruffle cover up those great side rails! Just me….and I would love a darker font as well. Size is okay for me but the gray is too light…but I love all you do and will follow you regardless. I would hate matching the plaids on that buffalo check but then I know it doesn’t bug you to not have it all matchy matchy! =) Which is also what is great about your style.
      Keep up the good work~!

    31. Kitsy Smith

      Love the daybed and look forward to seeing what you do with it. As for the new look, so very plain. Where are the great pics that were in your header? I looked forward to seeing them each day. As for ads, not a problem for me as I have Ad-blocker on Firefox. Love it!!!

    32. Kim Price

      Daybed is gonna to be swoon worthy for sure! Irrestible ! Love all ur stuff, I’m a big stalker….I mean fan !
      Please a little darker and bigger for the font. Thanks, cannot wait for updates

    33. Cheryl

      Oh my, I’m in love with this bed, can’t wait to see what you do to it. Love the new look!!

    34. Lisa

      Hard to read gray. I’m straining and I don’t like it.

      I also think a pattern other than buffalo check would look softer and better with the glorious curves on that piece!

    35. Janet - Shabbyfufu

      Wow…can’t wait to see what you do with it!

    36. Lyndsie

      I actually love the new design… gray font and all! I know it was a ton of work and I think you’ve done a beautiful job. Hope all the tweaks you plan are easy enough to accomplish. I have some web design and page building in my background and know it’s a lot at times. I think it’s gorgeous. Well done!

    37. Donna

      Sounds perfect! Can’t wait to see it completed. Live the style!

    38. Sherry

      I love your blog and look forward to my daily read. But this light gray type is killing me. And the links are impossible to see. I hope this is one of the things you are working on!

    39. Barbara M.

      I agree also and I am Barbara M. (CT Granny)

    40. Jen

      Love the buffalo check! I’ve been looking for some large check red. Hate ordering online because I want to see it and feel it!

    41. Sam

      Blue and white mattress ticking would look great on this 🙂

    42. Diane

      That is so weird…we went to a flea market two weeks ago and I saw a beautiful old day bed, I would like to call it a chaise but its way to big to be a chaise..the fabric is horrible shiny beige and green…yuk…I was thinking linen. I would love to go a bright for a pop of colour, but that would not go with the rest of my subdued furniture and then it was a question of which room should I put it in…..I love gingham I have gingham in two of my bedrooms, in lemon and lilac but this day bed is really making me think!

    43. Julie B.

      Love the new blog look… very light and airy, and feels less cramped. 🙂 Easier to read, too!

    44. Wendy York

      Yay! Glad you are thinking of a pretty printed fabric this time ??

    45. Naomi S.

      That’s a treasure, Marian! I know you’ll do a fabulous job!

    46. Luke Royer

      That is such a wonderful piece. I finally found a daybed of my own after three years of searching craigslist – can’t wait to see what you do with yours!

      Warm regards,
      -Luke

    47. Laurie P.

      Where did you find the blue checked fabric?

    48. John Donovan

      This French daybed offers a beautiful way to furnish a spare room or a small bedroom. It is a great way to give a room a dual purpose, especially if you have a smaller home. Of course, you can purchase one of these beds simply because you like it!

    49. Josephine

      This is like heaven, really!

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