Storage Beds vs Wingback Beds: Which Is Right for Your Home?

Choose a storage bed if your home is short on cupboard space and you want the bed to work as furniture and storage at once. Choose a wingback bed if the bedroom already has enough storage and you want a statement headboard that frames the bed and gives a cosy, enclosed feel. Some designs combine both, offering a wingback headboard on an ottoman or drawer base, which is worth considering if you cannot decide.

Both styles sit within our wider range of modern beds UK, and both can look good in the right room. The decision really rests on what your home needs more: hidden capacity or visual presence. Here we look at each in turn, how they fit with the rest of your modern bedroom furniture UK sale and which households tend to get the most from each.

What Defines Each Style

A storage bed is any frame designed to hold belongings within its base. The two main versions are ottoman beds, where the whole mattress platform lifts on gas struts to reveal a large compartment, and drawer beds, where two or four drawers slide out from the sides or foot. Some frames offer a mix, with drawers and a small lifting section.

A wingback bed is defined by its headboard. The headboard extends forward at each side, forming curved or angled panels that wrap partly around the pillows, much like the wings of a traditional armchair. These beds are almost always upholstered, often in fabric, velvet or faux leather, and the headboard is usually taller than average.

So one style is about function under the mattress and the other is about form behind it. That is why the two are often compared: they solve different priorities.

How Much Storage Do You Really Need?

Before committing, take stock of what you would actually put in a storage bed. Spare duvets, pillows and seasonal bedding are the obvious candidates. Out of season clothes, shoes, luggage and paperwork also fit well. If you currently keep these in a loft, under stairs cupboard or spare room, a storage bed may free up that space for other uses.

Ottoman beds generally offer the most capacity because the whole footprint of the bed becomes storage. They suit bulky items that you access occasionally. Drawer beds hold less overall but are easier to reach daily, making them better for clothes you wear regularly.

If you already have fitted wardrobes, a generous chest of drawers and a loft, a storage bed may add little. In that case, a wingback design lets you put the budget and attention into how the bed looks and feels.

The Appeal of a Wingback Headboard

Wingback beds give the bed a sense of occasion. The wings frame the pillows, add height to the room and create a natural focal point. In a large bedroom they stop the bed from looking lost against a wide wall. In a medium room they add character without needing artwork or a feature wall.

There is a comfort benefit too. The padded wings shelter the sides of your head and shoulders when you sit up to read, and many people find the enclosed feel helps them settle at night. In draughty older homes, a tall upholstered headboard can also make the bed feel warmer.

Wingbacks suit a range of looks. Plain linen in oatmeal or stone feels calm and modern. Velvet in deep green, navy or rust adds richness. Buttoned or channel stitched designs lean more traditional or glamorous depending on the colour.

Space Considerations

Footprint

Wingback beds tend to be wider than the mattress because the wings extend outwards. Measure the external width, including the wings, before ordering. In a narrow room this extra width can make bedside tables a tight fit.

Storage beds are usually closer to the mattress size, though upholstered ottoman frames add a few centimetres on each side.

Clearance

Drawer beds need open floor space where the drawers pull out. If your bed sits against a wall, check that drawers are positioned on an accessible side or at the foot. Ottoman beds need clearance above, since the mattress platform lifts upwards, and they usually open from the foot end, so allow standing room there.

Wingback beds need wall height. Many headboards are tall, which is a problem beneath a low window, a sloping ceiling or a wall mounted shelf. Measure from floor to the lowest obstacle above where the headboard will stand.

Comfort and Everyday Use

Both styles take standard UK mattresses, and the sleeping comfort comes from the mattress rather than the frame. Where they differ is in daily routines.

With an ottoman, you lift the mattress platform to reach storage. Gas struts make this easy, but you will need to remove anything resting on the bed first. Some people find this a small daily inconvenience; others only open it a few times a year, so it is not an issue.

A wingback bed is generally more comfortable for sitting up. If you read, work or watch television in bed, the padded headboard and wings make a real difference. Storage beds with plain or low headboards can feel less supportive here unless you add plenty of cushions.

Ventilation and Mattress Care

Mattresses benefit from air circulating beneath them, which helps manage moisture. Many storage beds use slatted platforms that allow some airflow even with the compartment below. Solid platforms with no ventilation are less common but worth checking for. Airing the bed regularly, by pulling back the covers each morning and opening the ottoman occasionally, helps in either case.

Wingback beds on legs or open slatted bases have more natural airflow. If the wingback sits on a solid divan style base, the same airing habits apply.

Cleaning and Upkeep

Storage beds keep the floor beneath them clear of dust bunnies because there is no open gap to collect them. The inside of the compartment needs an occasional vacuum. Drawers can be wiped out as needed.

Wingback headboards, being upholstered, gather dust in their folds and seams. A regular pass with a soft brush attachment keeps them fresh. Choose a fabric suited to your household: performance fabrics and tightly woven weaves are easier to keep clean, while delicate velvets need more care. If the bed sits on legs, you will also need to vacuum beneath it.

Styling Each With the Rest of the Room

A wingback bed is the star of the room, so keep surrounding furniture simple. Slim bedside cabinets, a single statement light above or beside the bed and plain walls let the headboard stand out. Matching the upholstery to curtains or a bench at the foot of the bed ties the scheme together.

Storage beds are often more understated, which gives you freedom with other pieces. You can introduce character through a bold headboard colour, a patterned rug or a well chosen modern chest of drawers UK in a contrasting finish.

If you like the comfort and look of a padded headboard, our range of fabric beds UK sale includes both wingback styles and upholstered frames with storage bases, so you can compare the two side by side.

Who Each Style Suits

A storage bed is likely to suit:

• Flats and smaller houses without much built in storage
• Guest rooms that double as storage rooms
• Households where bedding, luggage and seasonal clothes have nowhere else to go
• People who prefer a calm, clutter free bedroom with everything out of sight

A wingback bed is likely to suit:

• Larger bedrooms that need a focal point
• People who read or relax in bed most evenings
• Homes with fitted wardrobes or other good storage already
• Anyone who wants the bedroom to feel like a retreat with a hotel style finish

Thinking About Your Wider Furniture

Your bed choice affects what else the room needs. With a storage bed, you may be able to skip a separate blanket box or reduce the size of your chest of drawers. With a wingback, you might lean on wardrobes and drawers to do the storage work.

Our guide to chests of drawers explained for UK lifestyles can help if you are planning storage around a wingback bed. For wider ideas, our look at bedroom furniture trends to try in UK homes shows how upholstered beds and storage pieces are being combined in current schemes.

A Balanced Decision

If storage is your pressing problem, a storage bed solves it in a way no other piece of furniture can, using space that would otherwise go to waste. If storage is already handled, a wingback bed brings comfort and character that a plain frame cannot match. For many people the answer is a design that offers both: a wingback headboard paired with an ottoman base.

At Furniture in Fashion, we offer upholstered and storage beds in a range of sizes and finishes, with free delivery to most UK mainland postcodes.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can you get a wingback bed with storage?

Yes. Many wingback designs are available with an ottoman base or drawers, combining a statement headboard with hidden storage.

Are ottoman beds hard to open?

Most use gas struts, which make lifting the mattress platform straightforward. You will need to clear anything resting on the bed before opening it.

Do wingback beds take up more space?

They are usually wider than the mattress because of the wings, and the headboard is often tall. Measure the full external width and height before ordering.

Is a storage bed bad for the mattress?

Not if the platform is slatted or ventilated and you air the bed regularly. Pulling back the covers each morning helps manage moisture.