The high gloss beds with integrated bedside tables that work best are those where the side surfaces are generous enough for a lamp, a book and a glass of water, sit within a few centimetres of mattress height, and are built into a sturdy, continuous headboard. Look for designs that include either a drawer or a shelf beneath the surface, cable routes or built in sockets for charging, and an overall width that suits your wall. A well chosen design replaces two separate bedside units, saves floor space and gives the bedroom a seamless, hotel inspired look.
These beds suit compact UK bedrooms in particular, where every centimetre matters, but they also look striking in larger rooms. Our collection of modern high gloss beds UK sale includes several designs with this feature, and below we explain how to tell a practical design from one that simply looks good in photographs.
An integrated bedside table is a surface attached to, or forming part of, the bed frame or headboard. Instead of placing a separate cabinet beside the bed, the bedside storage is built into the same piece. Designs vary. Some have floating shelves that extend from either side of a wide headboard. Others include small cabinets with drawers that are fixed to the frame. A few combine both, with a shelf above and a drawer below.
The result is a single, unified piece of furniture. There are no gaps between bed and cabinet for items to fall into, and the floor beneath the floating surfaces stays clear for easier cleaning.
There are several practical reasons why people choose this style:
It also simplifies planning the rest of the room. Once the bed and bedside storage are settled as one piece, choosing a wardrobe, chest or dressing table from our bedroom furniture UK range becomes a matter of matching a single finish.
The bedside surface needs to be large enough to be useful. As a guide, look for at least 35cm to 40cm in width and around 30cm in depth. That is enough for a small lamp, a phone, a book and a glass. Very narrow ledges look elegant but quickly become cluttered. A useful benchmark is to compare the surface with our freestanding high gloss bedside cabinets UK sale: if the integrated top is noticeably smaller than a typical cabinet top, it may feel cramped in daily use.
The top of a bedside surface should sit roughly level with the top of your mattress, or within about 5cm either way. Too high and it feels awkward to reach; too low and you will be leaning over to find your glasses in the night. Check the recommended mattress depth for the bed, as this will affect the final relationship between the two.
A drawer or small shelf below the top surface makes a big difference. It keeps chargers, medication, hand cream and reading glasses close by but out of sight. Push to open drawers preserve the smooth, handle free look many gloss designs are known for.
Some designs include built in USB ports, plug sockets or reading lights. These are useful additions, as they reduce trailing cables and keep the surface clear. If the bed does not include them, check that there is enough of a gap behind the headboard to route a cable discreetly to a wall socket.
Integrated bedside tables make the bed significantly wider. A king size frame with two attached units can measure well over 250cm across. Measure your headboard wall carefully, allowing for radiators, sockets, window frames and the swing of the bedroom door. Our guide to bedside table measurements for UK bedrooms explains the dimensions that matter and how to check them.
Wide floating headboards. These run the full width of the arrangement, with shelves projecting from either end. They suit contemporary rooms and look especially sharp in white or grey gloss.
Attached cabinets. Small cabinets fixed to each side of the frame offer more enclosed storage. This style is useful if you like to keep surfaces clear.
Curved designs. Some headboards curve gently around the bed, with the bedside surfaces following the arc. The effect is softer and more enveloping.
Lit surfaces. Designs with LED strips beneath the shelves add a gentle night light and highlight the gloss.
An integrated design is not right for every room. If your bedroom has a window or radiator very close to one side of the bed, or the bed needs to sit against an uneven wall, separate units may be easier to arrange. Separate pieces also give you more flexibility to change the layout later or move the furniture to another room.
Our range includes frames with integrated surfaces alongside standalone designs, and freestanding bedside cabinets are available in shades that match many of our gloss beds. In very tight rooms, a single bedside unit on one side may be all you need; our feature on choosing a bedside cabinet for a small UK room looks at this in detail.
Because the surfaces are part of the frame, styling them is about restraint. Keep each side to a lamp and one or two other items. Matching lamps on both sides emphasise the symmetry of the design. If the bed has built in lighting, you may only need a small object on each surface, such as a bud vase or a short stack of books.
Above the headboard, a single wide artwork, a pair of framed prints or a long mirror will balance the width of the bed. A large mirror opposite a window can help bounce more light around the room, and a full length mirror on a wardrobe door or a nearby wall adds practicality without taking floor space.
For bedding, choose plain or softly textured fabrics. Patterned bedding can compete with the strong horizontal line of the headboard, while solid colours let the gloss take centre stage.
Because integrated designs present a wide, continuous surface, colour has a larger visual impact than it would on a standard frame. White gloss keeps a long headboard looking light and suits smaller rooms. Grey and taupe feel calmer across a broad expanse and sit well against warm neutral walls. Black gloss makes a confident statement in a larger room but will show dust on the bedside surfaces more readily. If you are unsure, hold a sample of your wall paint next to the finish in both daylight and lamplight before deciding, as gloss can look quite different at each time of day.
Bedside surfaces see daily use, so look after them gently. Use coasters for glasses and mugs to prevent rings, and place a small tray beneath items such as perfume bottles or hand cream. Wipe with a soft, damp cloth and dry immediately. Avoid placing hot items directly on the gloss.
A high gloss bed with integrated bedside tables combines sleeping and storage in one well considered piece. It frees up floor space, keeps the room looking coordinated and suits both compact and generous bedrooms. Choose a design with useful surface sizes, sensible storage and the right overall width, and it will serve you well for many years.
You can explore beds with built in bedside storage at Furniture in Fashion, with free delivery to most UK mainland postcodes.
Most are designed to hold a lamp, books and everyday items. Check the manufacturer’s weight guidance, especially for floating shelves, and avoid very heavy objects.
It varies by design and mattress size. A double with integrated surfaces is often around 220cm to 240cm wide, while king and super king versions can be considerably wider.
You can, but it is rarely necessary. If you need more storage, a chest of drawers elsewhere in the room is usually a better solution than crowding the bed.
They often suit small rooms well because floating surfaces keep the floor clear. Measure carefully, as the overall width is greater than a standard frame.
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