Before ordering an electric TV lift bed, confirm six things: the maximum screen size and depth the footboard housing will accept, the quality and noise level of the motor, whether there is a safety stop, how sturdy the frame and base are, whether the full external dimensions suit your room and whether every box can be carried into the bedroom. Those details decide whether the bed is a pleasure to use or a source of frustration. Style matters, but it comes after function.
You can compare a wide choice of electric TV beds UK sale within our modern bedroom furniture in the UK collection. Use this guide with a tape measure and your television to hand, and you will be able to narrow the choice quickly.
The most common reason a TV bed disappoints is a television that does not fit. Every model lists a maximum screen size, usually in inches measured diagonally. That figure is a guide rather than a guarantee, because the true limit is the physical width, height and depth of the set. Two televisions with the same diagonal measurement can differ in bezel width and stand design.
Measure your television without its stand. Note its width, height and depth at the thickest point, then compare these against the internal housing dimensions if they are provided. Check the back of the set for the mounting holes, known as the VESA pattern. Most lift brackets use common patterns, but it is worth confirming before you order. Weight matters too: very heavy older sets can put more strain on the motor than a modern slim panel.
The lift motor is the heart of the bed. A well made mechanism raises and lowers the screen steadily, without juddering, and holds it firmly in place once up. Noise is worth asking about if you share the bed or have a light sleeper in the household. A gentle hum is normal. Grinding or clicking is not.
Look at how the lift is controlled. Most use a handheld remote, sometimes paired with a wired button as a backup. Consider where you will keep the remote so it does not disappear down the side of the mattress. Some people find a small tray or bedside dish solves this neatly.
A safety stop halts the lift if it meets resistance, such as a hand, a pet or an object left on the footboard. In homes with children or animals, this is an important feature to confirm. You should also check that the hatch closes cleanly over the housing so small fingers cannot reach the mechanism when the television is lowered.
Electrical safety is straightforward but worth stating: plug the bed directly into a wall socket rather than a crowded extension lead, and keep the cable clear of the frame where it could be pinched.
A TV bed concentrates weight at the foot end, so the frame must be built to handle it. Look for a solid frame with a central support rail on double sizes and above, plus additional feet along that rail. Ask what the frame is made of and how the joints are fixed. Bolted metal brackets at the corners are more durable than simple dowel joints.
The base will be either sprung slats or a solid platform. Sprung slats offer a little flex and better ventilation, which helps keep a mattress fresh. Solid platforms give a firmer feel. Choosing your mattress with the base in mind makes a noticeable difference, and our UK mattresses on sale include options designed for slatted frames. If you want to understand how firmness labels compare with the way a mattress actually feels, our article on UK mattress firmness ratings and what they mean is a helpful read.
UK mattress sizes are standard: double 135cm by 190cm, king 150cm by 200cm and super king 180cm by 200cm. TV beds add length because of the footboard housing and width because of the upholstered side rails. Always use the external dimensions given in the product details.
Once you have those figures, mark the outline on the floor with masking tape. Walk around it. Open the wardrobe doors, pull out the drawers and check that the bedroom door clears everything. This simple exercise reveals problems a tape measure alone can miss. For a detailed breakdown of clearances, see our guide to UK king size bed dimensions and room planning.
TV beds arrive flat packed in several boxes, and the footboard housing is typically one of the largest and heaviest. Measure the narrowest point on your route to the bedroom, including front doors, tight landings and turns on the stairs. Older terraced houses and converted flats often have the most awkward access, so it is worth checking before the delivery day rather than on it.
Some electric TV beds combine the lift with an ottoman style base, where the mattress platform lifts on gas struts to reveal a storage well. This is genuinely helpful in smaller homes with limited wardrobe space. The trade off is extra weight and more parts to assemble. If you have ample storage elsewhere, a simpler slatted design keeps things lighter and easier to move.
Fabric, chenille, velvet and faux leather are the usual choices. Woven fabric is breathable and forgiving. Chenille feels soft and warm. Velvet is luxurious but marks easily. Faux leather wipes clean and suits a crisp, contemporary room. Think about pets, children and how often you sit up against the headboard, then pick a colour that will hide daily wear in your household.
An electric TV lift bed changes how you use the headboard. Instead of leaning back briefly to read, you may sit up for an hour or more while watching. A tall, well padded headboard supports your back properly and makes that viewing position comfortable. Thin or decorative headboards look elegant but can feel hard after a while, so it is worth checking the padding depth and height in the product details.
Consider your viewing angle as well. When the television rises, it sits just above the footboard. If you have a particularly deep mattress, your eye line may sit higher than the screen. A mattress of moderate depth, within the range the bed recommends, keeps the view natural and avoids any need to crane forward.
Every electric TV lift bed needs mains power, so decide where the bed will sit before ordering and make sure a socket is within reach of the foot end or side. The bed and the television will both draw power, and you may want a streaming stick or small set top box too. A surge protected extension of good quality, placed neatly out of sight, can tidy this up without overloading a single socket.
Inside the housing, leave a little slack in each cable so the lift can travel freely. Cables pulled tight can snag as the bracket moves, which strains both the connections and the motor. If your aerial point is on the opposite side of the room, a streaming service or wireless connection may be simpler than running an aerial lead across the floor.
If anything is unclear in a listing, it is reasonable to ask. Useful questions include the internal dimensions of the housing, the weight limit of the lift, the type of base and the number of boxes the bed arrives in. Ask whether the headboard height can be adjusted, whether the remote uses standard batteries and whether replacement parts for the mechanism are available. Clear answers to these points tell you a great deal about how well the bed has been thought through.
Allow time for assembly, ideally with two people. Follow the instructions in order, keep fixings sorted and leave bolts slightly loose until the frame is square before tightening fully. After the first few weeks, check every bolt again, because new beds settle. Keep the footboard top clear when the television is lowered, and dust the housing hatch occasionally so the seal stays clean.
We offer free delivery to most UK mainland postcodes. Returns are available up to 30 days. Full product details, including dimensions and screen limits, are shown on every TV bed at Furniture in Fashion.
It varies by mechanism, but most lifts take a matter of seconds. A smooth, steady movement is a better sign of quality than speed alone.
The lift will stop wherever it is until power returns. It will not drop the television, since the mechanism holds its position when idle.
Usually not inside the housing, as space is reserved for the screen and bracket. A compact speaker on a bedside table or a wireless soundbar placed nearby is the common solution.
It can be, provided the lift has a safety stop and the hatch closes securely. Supervise younger children around the mechanism, as you would with any motorised furniture.
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