Pick a storage bed if your bedroom is short on cupboard space and you need somewhere to keep bedding, seasonal clothes or bulky items out of sight. Pick a floating bed if storage is already handled elsewhere and you want the room to feel lighter, more open and distinctly contemporary. Storage beds are about practicality; floating beds are about atmosphere. The right one depends on what your room lacks more: space for belongings or a sense of space.
Both styles sit within our wider range of modern beds UK homeowners compare when replanning a bedroom, and each solves a different problem. This guide sets out how they differ and the questions that usually settle the decision.
A storage bed uses the space beneath the mattress for keeping things. There are two main types. Drawer beds have two or four drawers built into the sides or foot of the frame, which pull out to give easy access to clothes, shoes and linen. Ottoman beds have a base that lifts up on gas struts, revealing a large open storage area across the full footprint of the bed.
Drawer beds are convenient for items you reach for regularly, but they need clear floor space beside the bed so the drawers can open. Ottoman beds offer more volume and do not need side clearance, but you have to lift the mattress platform to get to the contents, which suits items you use less often.
Because a storage bed changes how much other storage you need, it is worth planning it alongside the rest of your modern bedroom furniture UK sale pieces. A good storage bed can sometimes replace a chest of drawers entirely.
A floating bed is designed so the frame appears to hover above the floor. The supporting legs or plinth are set well back from the edges, often hidden in shadow, so from most angles you cannot see what is holding the bed up. Some designs add a soft strip of light beneath the frame to heighten the effect.
The look is clean, architectural and calm. Because you can see floor beneath and around the bed, the room feels larger and less crowded. Floating beds suit minimal, contemporary and Japandi interiors particularly well, and they can make a modest bedroom feel considered and designed.
Start by looking honestly at your storage. If your wardrobe is full, your chest of drawers overflows and spare duvets live on top of the wardrobe, a storage bed will make a noticeable difference to how tidy the room feels. The space under a double or king size bed is substantial, and using it well can clear several surfaces at once.
If you already have fitted wardrobes, a walk in cupboard or a spare room for linen, the storage bed advantage shrinks. In that case, a floating bed lets you enjoy a more open room without losing anything you actually need. You can still add focused storage elsewhere, and our clothes storage UK range covers rails, cabinets and organisers that work alongside any bed style.
Storage beds are generally solid to the floor or close to it, which gives them visual weight. In a small room, that block of furniture can make the space feel heavier. Choosing a storage bed in a light finish or a fabric close to the wall colour helps reduce this.
Floating beds work in the opposite direction. The visible floor and shadow beneath the frame make the bed feel lighter than its true size, which is a real advantage in compact rooms and in rooms with low ceilings. If your bedroom feels cramped even when tidy, a floating bed may do more for it than extra storage would.
Storage beds are easy to clean around because there is no gap beneath them for dust to gather. The storage area itself benefits from a periodic clear out and vacuum, and lidded boxes inside an ottoman help keep contents fresh.
Floating beds leave a gap under the frame. With a recessed base, that gap is often low, so check whether your vacuum cleaner can reach underneath. Robot vacuums often handle this well, but measure the clearance first.
Both styles can support a mattress well. Ottoman beds usually have a sprung slat platform on the lifting lid, and drawer beds generally use slats or a solid top. Floating beds commonly use slats on a central plinth. In every case, check slat spacing against your mattress maker’s guidance and make sure larger sizes include a centre support.
On ottoman beds, consider mattress weight. Gas struts are rated for a certain load, and a very heavy mattress can make the lid harder to lift or prevent it staying open. Product descriptions usually state the mattress weight the mechanism suits.
Storage beds come in many styles, from upholstered ottomans with tall panel headboards to wooden drawer beds with a traditional look. They tend to feel substantial and grounded. Floating beds are almost always contemporary, with low headboards and clean edges. If your home has period features and a classic scheme, a storage bed may sit more naturally. If your style leans modern and minimal, a floating bed will feel at home.
You do not always have to choose one or the other entirely. Some beds raise the frame on slim legs so the bed feels lighter, while leaving space underneath for low storage boxes. This gives a little of both benefits, though the effect is less dramatic than a true floating design and the storage is less concealed than an ottoman.
Another approach is to choose a floating bed and add storage at its foot. A blanket box or storage bench holds throws, spare pillows and bedding while doubling as a seat for putting on shoes. Our modern blanket boxes UK range includes upholstered and wooden designs that sit neatly at the end of most frames. For more on choosing between low storage pieces, our comparison of chests of drawers and bedroom benches in UK homes explains the practical differences.
Ottoman beds are popular in British homes for good reason, but they work best when you know how to use them. Because the whole platform lifts, the storage space beneath is large and undivided. Without some organisation, items can end up in a jumble at the bottom. Fabric boxes, vacuum bags for duvets and labelled containers keep things easy to find and stop the space becoming a dumping ground.
Think about what you store. Spare bedding, winter coats, suitcases and seasonal decorations suit an ottoman well, since you only need them occasionally. Things you use every day are better kept in drawers or a wardrobe, as lifting the bed each morning soon becomes a chore.
Check whether the lid lifts from the foot or the side. Foot lifting ottomans suit beds placed against a wall, while side lifting designs need clear space along one side. Make sure bedside tables and rugs will not obstruct the mechanism.
A floating bed relies on shadow and space for its effect, so placement and lighting matter. The bed looks most convincing when the floor around and beneath it is clear. A rug that stops short of the frame, or one large enough to extend well beyond it, keeps the illusion intact. Bulky items pushed under or around the base quickly spoil the look.
Some floating beds include a soft light strip beneath the frame, which creates a gentle glow at night and doubles as a low level night light for getting up in the dark. If yours does not, a warm toned light strip can often be added discreetly. Keep the light subtle, as a bright glow can feel more like a showroom than a bedroom.
Floating beds suit simple surroundings. Wall mounted bedside shelves or slim cabinets on legs echo the raised effect, while chunky furniture placed directly on the floor can make the bed look less light by comparison.
Do you regularly struggle to find space for bedding and seasonal clothes? A storage bed is likely the better choice. Does your room feel small even when it is tidy? A floating bed will probably help more. Do you need drawers you can reach every day, or a hidden store for occasional items? That points you towards a drawer bed or an ottoman. Is the look of the room the main priority? A floating bed gives a calmer, more designed result.
Whichever direction you lean, you can compare storage, floating and raised beds across our full range at Furniture in Fashion.
Neither is better outright. Ottoman beds offer more storage volume and need no side clearance, while drawer beds give quicker access to everyday items.
A well made floating bed is fully stable. The supports are set back rather than absent, and a good design spreads the load evenly through a central plinth or frame.
Yes. The visible floor beneath the frame makes the bed look lighter, which can make a small room feel more open.
Not usually beneath it, but you can add a blanket box at the foot, storage bedside cabinets or a wardrobe to make up the difference.
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