New Build Homes and Divan Beds: The UK Space Squeeze Report

A divan base is the most storage efficient bed available in the UK, and in new build housing that is no longer a minor advantage. It is frequently the difference between a bedroom that functions and one that needs a second wardrobe it has no wall for.

The headline finding of this report is that divans win on volume and lose on access. Drawers built into a divan base recover storage from the single largest unused void in any bedroom, but they only work if the side or foot clearance to open them exists. In a room built to the Nationally Described Space Standard minimum double bedroom width of 2.75 metres, that clearance is not guaranteed, and the drawer configuration has to be chosen from the floor plan rather than from preference.

Key findings at a glance

• Standard UK divan sizes follow mattress sizes: single 90 by 190 centimetres, small double 120 by 190, double 135 by 190, king 150 by 200 and super king 180 by 200 centimetres.
• The void beneath a standard double bed is roughly 135 by 190 centimetres of floor area, which is more than a square metre larger than the built in storage allowance of one square metre the Nationally Described Space Standard sets for a one or two person dwelling.
• Side opening divan drawers need clear floor equal to the drawer depth plus body space, typically 75 to 90 centimetres, on the side they open.
• End opening or continental drawers open at the foot of the bed and suit rooms where both long sides are tight against walls or wardrobes.
• Ottoman lift bases give the full under bed volume with no side clearance required, but need overhead swing space and a clear route to stand at the foot or side of the bed.
• Divan bases are supplied in two halves for double sizes and above, which matters more than any other specification when a new build staircase has a half landing turn.
• A sprung edge divan base adds comfort and typically raises the overall bed height, which affects how a headboard reads and how easy the bed is to get out of.

The under bed void is the biggest storage opportunity in a new build

Bedroom storage discussions usually start with the wardrobe, because that is the visible piece. But the wardrobe is competing for wall length, and wall length is the scarcest resource in a modern bedroom. Doors, windows, radiators and the bed itself consume most of it.

The floor beneath the bed is different. It is already committed. Nothing else can use it. In a double bedroom at the space standard minimum of 11.5 square metres, the bed occupies around a quarter of the floor area, and a divan converts a meaningful share of that into usable storage without adding a single centimetre to the room’s furniture footprint.

That is the argument for the divan in its simplest form, and it is a strong one. Where the argument gets complicated is in the mechanics of getting things in and out.

Drawer configurations and the clearance each demands

Divan drawer options are usually presented as a numbered list: two drawer, four drawer, two drawer continental, ottoman. Presented that way they look like a preference. They are not. They are a response to the room’s geometry.

Two drawer bases place both drawers on the same side, or one on each side, depending on the model. Four drawer bases place two on each long side. Both require the drawer to pull fully clear of the base, and then require someone to stand beside it. A drawer that opens 60 centimetres into a 70 centimetre gap technically opens, but nobody can reach into it.

Continental drawers are shorter and sit at the head end, which suits rooms where a wardrobe run occupies the foot of one side. End opening drawers pull out at the foot of the bed and are the correct answer when both long sides are tight, which is common in single and small double bedrooms placed against two walls.

Ottoman lift bases remove the clearance problem in the horizontal plane and introduce one in the vertical. The whole mattress platform lifts on gas struts, giving access to the entire void. They need ceiling height and a clear standing position, and they are less suited to daily access than to seasonal storage, because lifting a mattress to retrieve a jumper is not a routine anyone maintains.

The table below sets out the clearance each configuration needs. These are physical requirements, not preferences.

Base type	Clearance required	Suits which room shape	Best for
Two drawer, same side	75 to 90 cm on one long side	Bed against one wall, walkway on the other	Single occupancy rooms and small doubles
Four drawer, two per side	75 to 90 cm on both long sides	Bed centred with walkways both sides	Rooms of 12 sq m and above
Two drawer continental	75 cm at the head end of each side	Wardrobe run along the foot of one wall	Rooms with fitted storage on one side
End opening drawer	90 cm at the foot of the bed	Bed in an alcove or between two walls	Single and small double bedrooms
Ottoman lift base	Overhead swing plus standing room at one side	Any plan with adequate ceiling height	Seasonal and bulky storage
Platform top, no drawers	60 cm walkway only	Rooms too tight for any drawer	Maximum floor clearance

Getting the bed into the house

This is the practical failure point that catches out more new build buyers than any comfort or storage consideration, and it deserves its own section.

Divan bases in double sizes and above are supplied in two linked halves, each roughly half the bed width by the full bed length. For a king size that means two pieces of around 75 by 200 centimetres. Those pieces are rigid. They do not flex, they do not fold, and the length is fixed.

New build staircases are efficient. Many have a half landing with a ninety degree turn, and the pinch point is the diagonal available at that turn. A 200 centimetre rigid panel negotiating a turn in a 900 millimetre wide stairwell is a real constraint, not a theoretical one. Standard UK internal doorways are commonly 762 millimetres wide, which accommodates the panel width comfortably but adds another turn at the bedroom door.

Our advice is to measure the route before choosing the size, in this order: the front door, the hallway width, the stair width, the diagonal at any turn or half landing, and the bedroom doorway. Where the route is genuinely restrictive, a bedstead with a slatted base and demountable frame will pass where a divan will not, and that is the correct trade off to make. Comparing options across modern beds UK at the measuring stage saves considerable difficulty later.

Comfort, height and the headboard question

Divan bases come as platform top or sprung edge. A platform top is a rigid surface, usually a solid or firm padded deck. A sprung edge base contains its own layer of springs beneath the mattress, which extends the life of the mattress and gives a softer overall feel.

The consequence that matters in a small room is height. A sprung edge base plus a deep mattress produces a tall bed. Tall beds are easy to get out of and generous in appearance, but they change the proportions of a room with a lower ceiling, and they consume more of a headboard’s height. In a new build where the Nationally Described Space Standard sets a floor to ceiling height of 2.3 metres over most of the dwelling, that difference is perceptible.

Headboards attach to divan bases via struts bolted to the base, which means the headboard sits against the wall rather than standing on the floor. Measure the drop: the visible portion of the headboard is the total height minus the mattress and base height. A headboard that looked substantial in isolation can disappear behind a deep mattress. Where the bedroom wall behind the bed is the room’s feature, choosing from upholstered fabric beds UK as a complete unit avoids that mismatch entirely.

What this means for UK homes

Choose the drawer configuration from the floor plan. Draw the room, mark the door swing, mark the wardrobe positions, then see which sides of the bed have 75 centimetres of standing room. If neither long side does, specify end opening drawers or an ottoman base. Buying a four drawer base for a room that can only open two of them is the most common and most avoidable error.

Do not put daily items in under bed storage. It works for spare bedding, seasonal clothing, luggage and household overflow. It works badly for anything retrieved in a hurry. Keep everyday items in a wooden chest of drawers UK at standing height and reserve the divan drawers for storage that is planned rather than reactive.

Mind the dust and the airflow. A fully enclosed divan base restricts ventilation beneath the mattress. Turn or rotate the mattress according to the maker’s guidance, air the bed regularly, and avoid storing anything damp beneath it.

Measure the route in first, every time. It takes ten minutes and it determines which bed types are available to you at all.

Finally, treat the base as part of the sleep system rather than as a plinth. The base affects mattress feel, mattress life and bed height. Our full range at Furniture in Fashion is grouped by size so the base and mattress can be matched properly.

Methodology

This 2026 report was compiled from our editorial assessment as a UK modern furniture retailer, standard UK bed and mattress dimensions, standard internal door and stair dimensions in common use, conventional circulation clearances, and published UK housing context where a named public source genuinely applies, principally the Nationally Described Space Standard. It contains no proprietary sales data, customer data, search data or survey fieldwork, and no statistical estimates. Comparable national data on under bed storage use is not published, so the analysis is reasoned from physical specification and our editorial judgement.

Citing this report

Journalists and websites are welcome to cite this 2026 analysis with credit to Furniture in Fashion and a link back to our site. The report reflects retailer editorial judgement combined with published housing standards and standard furniture dimensions. Please describe it as such rather than as survey research.

Frequently asked questions

How much clearance do divan drawers need?

Allow 75 to 90 centimetres of clear floor on the side the drawer opens. That covers the drawer travel plus room for a person to stand and reach in. If a long side has less than 75 centimetres, that side will not give usable drawer access even if the drawer physically opens.

Will a divan base fit up a new build staircase?

Double and larger divan bases arrive in two rigid halves, each around half the bed width by the full bed length, so a king size means two panels of roughly 75 by 200 centimetres. Measure the stair width and the diagonal at any half landing turn before ordering. Where the route is tight, a bedstead with a demountable frame and slatted base is the practical alternative.

Is an ottoman base better than divan drawers?

An ottoman lift base gives access to the entire under bed void and needs no side clearance, so it holds more and suits tighter rooms. Divan drawers are far quicker for everyday access. Choose ottoman for bulky seasonal storage and drawers for items you retrieve more often.

Do divan beds need a special mattress?

No, a divan takes a standard UK mattress in the matching size. The base type does affect feel: a sprung edge base softens the overall response and can extend mattress life, while a platform top gives a firmer result. Match the base to the firmness you want rather than treating it as a neutral platform.

Can I store anything under a divan bed?

Store dry, non perishable items: spare bedding, out of season clothing, luggage and household overflow. Avoid anything damp, and avoid using the space as a sealed archive, because enclosed bases restrict airflow beneath the mattress. Air the room and the bed regularly.