An ottoman bed answers a problem that affects a great many British bedrooms. There is nowhere to put the bedding, the suitcase, the winter coats or the things that only come out twice a year. Rather than adding another cupboard to a room that has no space for one, an ottoman bed uses the volume already sitting unused beneath the mattress. Understanding how the design works, and what to check before ordering, makes the purchase far easier to plan.
The base of an ottoman bed lifts on gas assisted struts, revealing a fully lined compartment underneath. Unlike a divan with drawers, there are no runners projecting into the room, so the bed can sit against a wall or in an alcove where drawers would be unusable.
The capacity is substantial. A double ottoman base typically swallows two duvets, several pillows, spare bedding and a suitcase without any difficulty. For anyone living in a flat with a single cupboard, that is often the equivalent of finding an extra wardrobe.
Two opening styles exist. Side lifting bases open along the length of the bed and need clear space on one side. End lifting bases open at the foot, which suits a bed placed between two walls. The choice depends entirely on the room, so it is worth deciding before comparing designs.
Three measurements matter here, and none of them is the obvious one. The first is the clearance above the bed, because a lifting base needs the mattress to swing upward. A low sloping ceiling or a window sill directly above the bed can interfere with a side lifting design.
The second is the clearance beside or beyond the bed, depending on the opening style. You need to stand where the base opens, and standing space is different from walking space.
The third is the ceiling height at the door and along the route to the room. Ottoman bases arrive in large sections, and the frame parts are long. Measuring the turn at the top of a staircase saves a great deal of trouble on delivery day.
An ottoman base relies on the mattress weight being within the range the struts are designed for. A very heavy mattress makes the base difficult to lift and, over time, strains the mechanism. A very light mattress can cause the base to rise faster than expected.
Most manufacturers specify a suitable weight range, and it is worth reading. If you plan to keep an existing mattress, check its weight rather than guessing, particularly with older sprung models which are heavier than modern foam equivalents. Our modern mattresses UK sale range lists weights and depths clearly, which makes the pairing straightforward when both items are bought together.
Because the base is handled every time it is opened, the covering sees more contact than on a standard bed. Woven fabrics hide handling well and feel warm in a bedroom. Smoother finishes wipe clean easily but show scuffs at the corners where a foot occasionally catches.
Colour choice is worth considering in relation to light. A dark fabric in a small north facing bedroom absorbs what little light there is, whereas a mid grey or a soft neutral keeps the room calm without showing every mark. Our modern fabric beds UK range gives a good sense of how different weaves settle into a bedroom over a year or two.
A large storage compartment invites the household to put everything in it, and that is how a useful space becomes a place where nothing can be found. A little organisation at the start prevents that.
Keep bedding in breathable bags rather than sealed plastic, since bedding stored airtight can develop a stale smell. Put the least used items at the head end, because that is the hardest part to reach. Keep a small area near the opening edge free for whatever needs to go away quickly.
Avoid storing anything you need daily. Opening a bed base is easy but not instant, and items required every morning belong in a bedside cabinet instead. Our modern bedside cabinets UK sale range handles the everyday items that should never end up under the mattress.
Ottoman bases are assembled in the room, which is one of their advantages, since the components pass through doorways individually. Allow a couple of hours and clear the floor completely, because the side rails need room to be positioned.
The struts are usually fitted last and they are under tension. Follow the sequence in the instructions rather than improvising, and keep fingers clear of the pivot points. Once assembled, open and close the base a few times without the mattress to confirm the action is smooth, then again with the mattress in place.
If the base feels heavy to lift, check that the mattress falls within the specified weight range before assuming there is a fault. In most cases a stiff action comes from a mattress that is heavier than intended.
After a few months, most households find the bed has changed how the whole room works. Cupboards that were full of bedding become available for clothing. The chair that was covered in blankets becomes usable again. That knock on effect is the real value, and it is worth thinking about before buying additional storage furniture for the same room.
Maintenance is minimal. Check the strut fixings once a year and keep the compartment free of anything that could jam the mechanism. Vacuum the lining occasionally, since dust collects in a space that is opened infrequently.
We offer free UK delivery across our range, which includes both beds and mattresses, so ordering both together avoids a second delivery arrangement. If you are refreshing the whole room, our modern bedroom furniture UK sale pages bring the reduced items together in one place.
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A double base will usually take two duvets, several pillows, spare bedding and a suitcase. The compartment runs the full footprint of the bed, so the capacity is closer to a wardrobe than to a set of under bed drawers.
Not when the mattress weight sits within the range the struts are designed for. Most reports of a heavy action come from pairing the base with a mattress heavier than specified, so check the weight before ordering rather than after.
It needs standing space where the base opens, either along one side or at the foot, and enough clearance above for the mattress to swing up. A bed in an alcove usually suits an end lifting design better than a side lifting one.
Often yes, provided the size matches and the weight falls within the specified range. Older sprung mattresses are frequently heavier than modern ones, which is the detail most people overlook when reusing a mattress.
Yes, in breathable bags rather than sealed plastic. Airtight storage traps moisture and leaves bedding smelling stale, whereas a fabric storage bag allows air movement and keeps everything fresh between uses.
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