Day beds, designed for afternoon naps, and as the single bed in a man’s dressing room, almost always with one long side against the wall. There are generally two ends- the head and the foot that are the same height. When not in use they act as sofas, so tend to have loose bolsters and cushions that reduce the depth and can be removed easily for the sofa to become a bed.
Day beds make good beds for small children and perfect sofa-beds in any room.
They also work well in a formal room for extra seating, and useful in the middle of the room where the absence of a high back keeps the space open.