There's a moment on a Saturday in December when the backyard finally earns its keep. Someone's in the pool, someone else is horizontal with a book, and nobody is in a hurry to be anywhere. An outdoor daybed is the single addition that turns a tidy backyard into somewhere you'd happily lose a whole afternoon.
This guide is for anyone chasing that resort-at-home feeling — Bali-inspired, coastal, or simply calmer than what you have now. We'll cover what separates a daybed from an oversized sun lounge, how to pair one with shade, where to place it in an Australian backyard, and how to style it without tipping into theme-park territory. Browse the sun lounges and daybeds range as you read.
What makes an outdoor daybed different from a sun lounge
A sun lounge is a single-person recliner. It points at the sun, it adjusts, and it's built for one body at a time. An outdoor daybed is a different proposition: a deep, generous platform you share. Two adults can sit upright on it with drinks, or one can stretch out sideways and doze off.
That dual use is why a daybed changes the mood of a space so quickly. It reads as a destination rather than a seat, and it invites the kind of lounging that makes a backyard feel like somewhere you've checked into. One generous piece in a modest space beats three small ones. Still weighing one shared platform against a pair of separate loungers? Our double sun lounge vs two singles comparison works through the capacity, footprint and cost maths.
Two daybeds, two very different moods
The Surabaya Daybed ($2,065) is the softer of the pair. Its woven finish in a warm wheat tone sits against greenery, rendered walls and pale paving — the palette most Australian pool areas already have. It's the closest thing to a Seminyak villa you can put on a suburban slab.
The Ubud Daybed ($2,941) goes the timber route. Teak brings warmth and a more architectural line, and it suits homes where the decking or screening is already timber. Left untreated outdoors, teak weathers to a soft silver-grey over a season or two; oiled, it holds its honey colour. That's a look decision, not a durability one.
If your backyard is busy — kids, dogs, constant foot traffic — the woven option hides marks more forgivingly. If your outdoor area is calm and you don't mind seasonal maintenance, teak rewards you.
Shade is the other half of a resort-style backyard
A daybed without shade is furniture you use for twenty minutes at 6pm. Shade makes it a midday destination, and in Australia that's a health decision as much as a comfort one. Summer UV sits in the extreme range through the middle of the day across most of the country, so plan the ceiling before you buy the mattress.
There are four realistic ways to shade a daybed, and they suit very different setups.
| Shade option | Best for | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|
| Cantilever umbrella | Poolside and open lawn — the pole stays off the daybed and the canopy swings as the sun moves | Needs serious ballast; not set-and-forget on windy afternoons |
| Market umbrella and heavy base | Standing beside the daybed, or through a side table | The centre pole eats usable space if you try to centre it |
| Portable beach umbrella | Light, occasional shade you can move — and take to the beach | Not built to stand unattended in gusty conditions |
| Pergola or fixed roof | Permanent coverage in a spot you've committed to | Costs more and may need council approval |
For a low-commitment start, the Noosa Beach Umbrella ($71.99) is the easy one — light enough to reposition through the afternoon, and it doubles as your beach umbrella in January. For anything permanent, spend the money on the base rather than the canopy. Our Granite Umbrella Bases (from $169) exist because a beautiful umbrella on an underweight base is a projectile waiting for a sea breeze. The full outdoor umbrellas range is worth a look before you decide.
Where to put a daybed in an Australian backyard
Australian sun tracks across the northern sky, which flips the advice you'll read on overseas sites. A north-facing backyard gets sun most of the day. A west-facing one cops a low, brutal blast from about 3pm in a Perth or Adelaide summer — exactly when people want to be outside. Sit in the spot at the hour you plan to use it before committing.
Wind matters more than most people expect. Coastal suburbs from Fremantle to the Northern Beaches get a reliable afternoon sea breeze, and that's the wind that lifts umbrellas and shifts cushions. Tuck the daybed against a wall, hedge or screen on the windward side and the area becomes usable an hour earlier.
Two rules are worth knowing before you place anything. Around pools, Australian fencing standards treat furniture near a barrier as a potential climbing aid. Keep daybeds, lounges and side tables well clear of the fence line — clearances and the rules that apply vary by state and council, so check with your local authority. In an apartment courtyard, your strata or body corporate may also have a view on anything fixed.
Leave at least 90cm of walking space on the sides you'll step off, and don't back a daybed into a corner it can't be walked around. If you're planning the whole outdoor area rather than one corner of it, our zone-by-zone alfresco planning guide works through how the lounging zone should sit relative to dining, cooking and shade.
Styling the Bali look without the clichés
Resort style is mostly restraint. Pick one palette and hold it — sand, off-white and a single accent, or greens against timber — and let texture do the decorating. A tight run of outdoor cushions in two or three tones always looks more considered than six competing prints.
Then build the scene around the daybed rather than on it. A low side table within arm's reach, a large pot with something structural in it, a lantern or two for after dark. Add a second seat so the daybed isn't an island — a Tampa Sunlounge ($699) alongside gives someone a place to land without crowding the platform.
Outdoor daybeds — frequently asked questions
Can you leave an outdoor daybed outside all year?
Yes — the frame is built for it, but the cushions are the weak point. Cushions fade, hold moisture and can develop mould if left uncovered through a wet Brisbane summer. Store them or use a fitted cover and the setting lasts far longer.
How much space does an outdoor daybed need?
Allow the daybed's own footprint plus 60 to 90cm of clear space on every side you'll walk past or step off. That clearance is what stops a generous piece from feeling like it has taken over. Mark it out with painter's tape before you order.
Is an outdoor daybed comfortable enough to sleep on?
For an afternoon nap, absolutely — that's what the format is designed for. It isn't a substitute for a bed overnight, and outdoor cushioning is firmer than indoor upholstery because it needs to shed water and dry quickly. Add a throw and a few scatter cushions.
What's the best shade for an outdoor daybed?
A cantilever umbrella is the best all-round answer, because the pole sits off to one side and the canopy swings as the sun moves. It does need a properly weighted base to be safe. If you'd rather not commit, a portable umbrella works fine in a sheltered spot.
Do daybeds work in a small courtyard?
Yes, and often better than a full lounge setting. One generous piece in a compact courtyard reads as deliberate, where four smaller pieces read as clutter. Push it against the longest wall and add shade overhead.
Shop the range
Start with the sun lounges and daybeds collection, then pair your pick with something from the umbrellas range so it's usable at midday, not just at dusk. We deliver Australia-wide, delivery is free on orders over $100, and installation is available on request.
