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 has stopped being a minor advantage. Our 2026 analysis finds that the void beneath a standard double bed exceeds the entire built in storage allowance the Nationally Described Space Standard sets for a one or two person dwelling, which makes the base itself a storage decision rather than a plinth. The catch is access: side opening drawers need 75 to 90 centimetres of standing room on the side they open, and in a bedroom at the 2.75 metre minimum width that clearance often exists on one side only. We set out each drawer configuration against the room shape it suits, explain why rigid two part bases fail on new build staircases with half landing turns, and cover the height and headboard consequences of sprung edge bases. A drawer configuration table and clearance guidance are set out in full within the report....