An ottoman bed makes everyday living easier by turning the largest piece of furniture in the bedroom into its most useful storage. Lift the mattress platform on its gas struts and you reach a deep, enclosed space for spare bedding, out of season clothes, luggage and the things that otherwise end up on top of wardrobes or under the stairs. In many UK homes, where bedrooms are compact and built in cupboards are scarce, that one change frees up floor space, cuts visible clutter and makes the room feel more restful.
The appeal is not only about capacity. Because everything sits inside a closed base, it stays clean and out of sight, and you are no longer kneeling on the floor to drag boxes from under a bed frame. Our collection of modern ottoman beds UK shows how much choice there now is in upholstery, headboard height and bed size. Below, we look at how these beds help in practice and what to check before you choose one.
Many British houses and flats were never designed with generous storage. Victorian terraces have alcoves rather than cupboards, post war semis often have a single box room, and newer apartments tend to prioritise open living space over bedroom storage. The bed, meanwhile, takes up a large rectangle of floor that does nothing during the day.
An ottoman base reclaims that rectangle. A double bed covers roughly the same footprint as a small wardrobe laid on its side, and the storage inside runs the full length and width of the frame. For a household that has been buying extra chests and boxes to cope, that can mean one fewer piece of furniture in the room, which matters when every few centimetres of walkway counts.
The benefit people notice first is how much quicker small routines become. Changing the bed is simpler when clean sheets, pillowcases and duvet covers sit directly beneath the mattress. You lift, take what you need and lower the base without leaving the room.
Seasonal changes are easier too. Rather than hauling a winter duvet down from the loft, you swap it with the summer one inside the base. Heavy knitwear, coats that only come out in January and holiday clothes can rotate in the same way, so the wardrobe only holds what you are wearing now. That makes getting dressed in the morning faster, because the rail is less crowded.
Guests become less of a scramble. Spare pillows, an airbed or a folded mattress topper can live in the ottoman until needed, rather than occupying a cupboard all year round.
An ottoman works best as long term or occasional storage rather than a place for things you use daily. Opening the base is quick, but you still have to clear any cushions or throws from the bed first. Good candidates include:
Things you reach for every day, such as chargers, books or nightwear, are better kept in bedside drawers. Very heavy objects are also worth avoiding, because the base board inside is designed for textiles and boxes rather than tools or dense piles of paper.
Using soft bags or shallow lidded boxes keeps the space organised. Label the ends facing the opening so you can see what is where without lifting everything out.
Most ottoman beds open from the foot end, with the hinge at the headboard. This works well when there is clear space at the end of the bed and the bed is centred on a wall. It also lets you reach the full depth of the base from one position.
Side lift designs open along one long edge. They suit rooms where the foot of the bed is close to a wall, a radiator or a wardrobe, which is common in box rooms and narrow bedrooms. The trade off is that you may need to stand at the side to reach the far corners.
Before choosing, measure the clearance around the bed and think about how you will stand when the base is open. You need room to lean in comfortably, and the lifted platform should not hit a window sill, a pendant light or a shelf.
The gas struts do the heavy work, so they deserve a closer look. A good mechanism lifts the mattress smoothly with light pressure, holds it open securely and lowers it without slamming. Look for these signs:
It also helps to check the recommended mattress weight and depth. A very heavy hybrid mattress on struts rated for lighter models will feel stiff to lift and may not stay open reliably.
In a compact bedroom, the ottoman often replaces the need for a chest of drawers or a second wardrobe. That said, it is still worth planning the whole room around it. Choose a frame with slim side rails so the bed does not take more floor than necessary, and consider a lower headboard if the bed sits beneath a window.
Upholstered frames in soft greys, oatmeal or muted greens tend to blend into the room rather than dominate it. If the walls are pale, a fabric close to the wall colour makes the bed visually recede, which helps in a box room.
For a wider view of how storage fits into the room as a whole, our modern bedroom furniture UK sale range brings together wardrobes, chests and bedside cabinets that can be planned alongside the bed rather than in competition with it.
An enclosed base is excellent at keeping dust off your belongings, but it does need a little care. Mattresses release moisture overnight, so a slatted platform with gaps helps air move. Every few weeks, lift the base for a while to let it breathe, especially in winter when windows stay closed.
Avoid storing damp items or anything straight from the washing line. Breathable cotton bags are kinder to textiles than sealed plastic, which can trap condensation. A cedar block or lavender sachet keeps things smelling pleasant without harsh chemicals.
When you buy a new mattress, check that its depth and weight suit the frame. Our mattresses UK sale selection includes options that pair comfortably with lift up bases.
An ottoman bed rarely does the job alone. It is most effective as part of a simple system: daily clothing in the wardrobe, folded items in drawers, small essentials by the bed and occasional items in the base.
A blanket box at the foot of a side lift bed adds a second layer of hidden storage and somewhere to sit when putting on shoes. Our blanket boxes UK are a natural partner, although with an end lift bed you would place the box elsewhere so it does not block the opening.
If you are planning a full bedroom around the bed, our guide to king size bed dimensions for UK bedrooms explains how much floor space to allow around the frame. For rooms where you are wondering whether drawers will still fit, we also look at chests of drawers in small UK bedrooms.
For most people the answer comes down to two questions: do you need more storage, and is there room to lift the base comfortably? If both answers are yes, an ottoman bed is a straightforward way to make a bedroom more practical without adding furniture.
Couples sharing a double often find it eases the pressure on wardrobe space. Families use it to store outgrown clothes or school uniform for younger siblings. People living in flats rely on it in place of a loft. Even in larger rooms, the tidiness it brings can make a bedroom feel more like a retreat and less like overflow storage.
It is less suited to anyone who cannot easily lift the platform, or to rooms where the bed must sit tight into a corner on two sides. In those cases a frame with drawers may be more convenient.
You can explore ottoman beds in a range of sizes and finishes at Furniture in Fashion, with free delivery to most UK mainland postcodes.
A good ottoman bed opens with modest effort, because the gas struts take most of the weight. Problems usually arise when a mattress is heavier than the struts are designed for, so it is worth checking the recommended mattress weight before you buy.
Yes. An end lift bed can sit with its long side against a wall, as long as there is space at the foot to lift. If the foot is restricted, a side lift design opening on the free side is the better choice.
They can if airflow is poor. A slatted platform, breathable storage bags and opening the base regularly to ventilate it will keep the space fresh in most homes.
Most standard mattresses work, but very deep or very heavy models may make lifting harder. Check the depth and weight guidance for the frame and choose a mattress within those limits.
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