Yes, you can take time off between jobs without appearing lazy to hiring managers, but it's important to handle this situation diplomatically. Some good rules of thumb are: 1) be reasonable in choosing how much time you take off; 2) make sure your break length is appropriate to the activities you fill it with (couch time should be measured in weeks, not months); and arguably most importantly, 3) be transparent and forthcoming about it.
Employers recognize that life isn't always about ...