I had a white wraught iron daybed growing up. It was my first bed and lasted me till high school. I still LOVE my daybed and carted it across the country when I bought a house to use as a bed for the guest room. I recently bought another house and its going to go into the "future daughters room" and be her bed someday. I had a friend sleep over with her daughter one night, and the little girl lit up when she saw the daybed and she said "It's a Princess Bed!"

I am very strongly attached to my daybed. Growing up I was the only girl I knew with one. The only bed that could have topped mine was a canopy bed. I did love the canopy beds when I saw them in stores.

Love your wallpaper.
I don't know what it would be like to sleep in and remake a daybed every day, but the PB one looks very pretty.

Finding bedding is a bear -- the advantage of the pottery barn one is that you just slip on a PB mattress cover and it looks tidy and finished. The ready made things you throw over look bad to me, especially at the corners. And those bedskirts are usually not to my taste either.
The fitted caps look better, but they are difficult to find, and then what do you do for a bedskirt?

I opted for Le Jardin from Elliott's designs. The head and foot are the same height. You can put it against a wall to make it more daybed like, but have it out in the middle of a room, too, if I ever want to move it to a larger room. Mine has a sort of silvery finish.

I really, really like this bed, but I have never dressed it nicely. Good pillows, but the rest does not do the bed justice.

Stock photo.

My DD (10) just got her daybed with trundle - similar to PB. She wanted a loft bed like her brother's but she moves all around at night and will fall out. She loves her bed. If space is an issue you should also consider a loft bed - my son has his desk and a bookcase under his bed. We have a daybed with trundle in the spare room too.

I would love a 4 poster bed that I have seen for her room but I think it would just look silly. The room is ridiculously small and with only 8 ft ceilings.

gamecock - that is so nice to have had something so long and you still love it!

jamie - thank you, the wallpaper is my favorite thing in her room. Been in there for 4 years now and I can't think of when I will grow tired of it. That is a really pretty bed you posted too, it's metal?! Looks great.

pam - would love a loft bed or even bunk bed of sorts but ceiling too low and she's still too young, just turned 4. : )

I redecorated my 9-year-old DD's room last year and changed her existing bed to a wrought iron daybed. I bought hers on Craigslist very reasonably. I made sure to get one with a popup trundle that is even cooler than a regular trundle for sleepovers as the trundle can be popped up to match the height of the other bed. It can even be pushed together to make a king bed, but I've not tried that one as yet.

Her room is also quite small and the daybed allowed for the best configuration of space. Even though before she had a trundle bed, it was not possible to put a nightstand next to the bed and still pull out the trundle. As she likes to read in bed and needs a lamp and have a glass of water next to her, this was always a problem, but with the daybed, the bed is pulled away from side wall and we put nightstands on either end. We opted not to use any daybed bedding. I bought two twin bed-in-a-bag sets from JCP Penneys so there would be bedding for each bed as well as all the pillows. Then I use the two bedskirts to piece together a new skirt that was skirted on all 4-sides. My DD makes her own bed, most days and doesn't seem to find it much more difficult than her previous bed. I don't think that sleeping under the fitted daybed cover would be comfortable and most likely would be taken off the bed for sleeping and put back on the next morning. However, my DD can sleep under the comforter if she likes or she pushes it to the side next the frame if she does not. She never needs to pull out the back end of the covers or put that back--that part is the most challenging. At this stage, I still change her bedding. Definitely easier than a loft or bunk bed. That I would not recommend--giving your daughter's age.

I would definitely check the measurements carefully on the wooden beds you are considering as they may take up more room than you think due to the frame and limit the placement options especially when you consider what else you plan to include in her room. I chose the wrought iron both for looks as well as a less bulky profile. I felt the wooden ones added a lot of wood/bulk to a small room when taken together with her other furniture. The wrought iron gives it a nice change.

Your dd's room is so pretty!!!

My dd had a daybed from the age of 3 -7. In all honestly, it was a pain in the patooie. i never did get the proper daybed bedding for it (got a pattern but never got around to it) and I found it a total pain to make. therefore, her bed rarely got made, and I did not expect her to do it.

However, if fussing with bedding does not bother you, then I would go ahead and get it. It sure would be adorable in her room. Just, for me, it was not a good fit!! LOL

We have a daybed n my daughters room, she could climb out of the crib at 13 months and so we shifted her to the daybed and pulled the trundle out about a foot for the first six months or so, this gave her a cushy surface and she never fell more than 8 inches. She still loves it, but has a bigger room and wants to move up to a full-size bed.

DD2 has a daybed just like valinsv's DD. I don't know if we still have the trundle or not. She redid her room for her 13th birthday and got the trundle. She's never liked sleeping in a big bed by herself. lol

She's now 22 with her own home, married and expecting. Daybed will be leaving the guest room making way for babies room. She doesn't want to leave in for fear of crowding. If you live in central Alabama, you can come get it. ;D

val - what a fun bright space for your daughter! The bedding is cute! Thanks for all your input regarding a wooden bed visually taking up more space. I think you are probably right. I just really love the look of that PB one! : P

roch - thank you! And I agree, I haven't been able to find "daybed" bedding that was cute. Also her wallpaper really dictated the style. I like the quilt I have on there now from Home Goods. Let's the wallpaper shine!

amy - that was awful smart so your dd didn't have far to fall! : )

allison - you know it's funny I am trying so hard to get my daughter's room done and she still sleeps with me!

I think the daybed idea is charming, though I would not want one with such a huge back - I think it would feel very restrictive, and would make the bed hard to move to make. It is pretty, tho! You have created a lovely room!

Why not just keep those two makeshift footboards to create the daybed look (I assume they match as far as design goes), paint them white or maybe the hot pink from the wallpaper, and you are set! As for the trundle, consider one of those inflatable mattresses that you can tuck away uninflated under the bed, then pull out as needed the few times you might use it. Probably could be a double bed size, which could come in handy for adults that might visit.

As for the loft bed, your ceilings are not too low. We had a bed with a desk underneath for younger DS, which he used until he was about 10 - and he was tall for his age and we have 8 ft ceilings. The real issue with the loft bed to me was that it was a royal pain to make the bed and change the sheets. But he LOVED having the desk underneath. I made some curtain panels that tied to the rails of the bed along the front that could hang down closed for a private space, and then made tiebacks that hooked on the end rails and closed with velcro when he wanted to pull the sides back. Once in a while he will still talk about that, and he is about to turn 20.

Pretty room!

I have this brass and iron Charles P Rogers daybed in my guest room/office with a pop-up trundle. It's excellent quality and not hard to make unless I use all the decorative pillows.

I custom ordered mine in their vintage iron finish but this is their standard vintage white finish. It would look very pretty in your DD's room!

Here is a link that might be useful: Charles P Rogers

les - love what you are describing of your son's loft bed! So cute that he still talks about it. : ) I am sure my daughter would LOVE that! But I can see how it would be a pain as far as changing sheets and whatnot.

Since I used 2 foot boards I wasn't able to do a box spring underneath. So I am going to need additional supports on the bottom. There is no trundle underneath but it's works great to stash all of her toys underneath in plastic boxes!

juddgirl - thanks for the link!! That is actually really pretty! Wow I may have to consider that one. Can I ask what the bottom frame part looks like? I mean are you using a box spring and mattress?

Nevermind! : P I took a better look at the pictures and saw just the mattress. That might work perfectly!! Thanks again!

(Before anyone emails asking for the daybed, last night I told DD2 I might be getting a home for it and she said she had changed her mind. I think that's a good thing.)

Love the bed, juddgirl2. It has always been the plan to paint DD2's daybed. Going for that same look, including the part that hold the mattress.

Hello,

I love daybeds! I had a white iron daybed that I bought when I moved into my 1st apt. It was just so pretty! I used it for 7 years.

Elaine

You can buy trundles separately!

I like daybeds and have had one in the past. I would love to get one for the kids playroom but can't justify it as they already have seating in the room.

The one I'm looking to buy is like valinsv's, I also had my eye on that PB one but thought it was too chunky. I don't remember which catalog valinsv's bed is in; might be Home Decorators.

I made a daybed for my daughter's bedroom with two footboards like the posters picture. We needed the low profile look. I added wheels so it was easier to roll out and make. I cut a piece of plywood to fit the bottom (like a bunkboard) or you could use slats placed close together. Once we added the mattress and mattress pad it was quite comfortable. I love the look of your makeshift daybed, maybe painted tho.

inspiredisabel and allison - it is a very pretty daybed! The multi-layer paint is so much nicer than powdercoat and the brass is gorgeous with a nice rubbed finish - not shiny.

It's also much heavier and sturdier than most reproduction iron beds because they use a traditional casting and forging process. You can tell the frame and paint finish are done by hand, very similar to DD2's antique iron bed.

The iron piece across the front frame in front is also painted. There are a few bolts that might show if you don't have a bed skirt but they send a small bottle of paint to cover them.

The trundle comes in handy when DD2 has her friends sleep over.

Juddgirl, that is a gorgeous daybed!

Inspiredisabel, I think a daybed would look perfect in that room. Love the wallpaper, and I can see canopies and a secluded alcove look with it.

I had trundle beds for both my girls because their rooms were so small and wished I had daybed frames for them instead of just a headboard. When they were teens, they both really wanted something a little more special than just a bed.

Thanks so much for all the replies! I appreciate it. : )

Juddgirl - I am seriously loving you!! You don't know how happy I am to have found that daybed and the vintage, chippy looking paint is totally what I love. It isn't cheap either but it's so good to hear first hand from you that it is worth it.

Truly, thanks again!

You're welcome!

For me, it was worth the extra expense to get an authentic looking and quality iron bed. I bought my DS a Wesley Allen bed before I found Charles P and it looks nice, it's a good bed, but it's very lightweight compared to this daybed and my DD2's antique iron bed.

Charles P has free shipping right now and I might be mistaken but I don't think I was charged tax, since they're back east. I did wait a few weeks extra b/c I ordered it in a non-standard finish so they made one just for me, but it wasn't a long wait.

Another option is Loading Dock Antiques where I bought my DD2's antique iron bed, but they don't usually have many daybeds. You can get a custom finish though if you decide to use a twin. They sandblasted mine to get the old paint off and repainted in a chippy, glazed antique white finish. It's a mom and pop shop (literally), and the wife would call me and send photos during the finishing process.

Since it's an antique, it's a few inches wider than a standard twin, but it was easy and inexpensive to order a custom-size bunkie board from a local mattress manufacturer. With the custom finish, it was about the same price as the daybed.

I LOVE both beds.

Here is a link that might be useful: Loading Dock Antiques Twin Iron Beds

juddgirl - ack I ordered it!! I don't know when the sale ends but it was several hundred off and with free shipping - excellent! I will post a picture when I get it.

Your other daughter's bed is beautiful too! You have great taste! ; )

That's great! It will look gorgeous in your daughter's room and it takes up much less space than most wood daybeds. Can't wait to see it!

juddgirl - that bed is gorgeous! I want one just for me, lol!

I found having a day-bed difficult in a small bedroom. My daughters room was small. After she married, I wanted to make the room a guest room for when they came to visit. I bought a iron day bed from Crate & Barrel. Very pretty. It had a trundle which was on wheels and would roll out to make two twin beds.

Problem is a fully open day bed is bigger than a king bed. Each time you open it you need to move any furniture to make room. When the bed was fully open you couldn't walk around the bed to leave the room. I had a small desk and night tables which all had to be moved to open the bed.

Eventually, it became a real hassle. I gave it to my daughter to take home (she has a big house) and I bought a full size bed. The two girls slept on the floor on air mattresses.

Bottom-line. It might be good if used as a twin. But you need a big room to use it open. They are heavy and not the most comfortable beds to sleep in.

Jane