In a studio flat, a TV bed with gas lift storage earns its place by replacing three pieces of furniture at once: the bed, the television unit and a good share of the wardrobe or cupboard space. Choose a small double or double frame with a slim footboard, place it along the longest wall so the rest of the room stays open, and use the storage base for bulky items such as bedding, suitcases and out of season clothes. Done well, it frees enough floor for a proper sitting and dining area in a single room.
Studio living asks a lot of every piece of furniture. When you cook, eat, work, relax and sleep in one space, there is little room for anything that only does one job. Our range of modern TV beds UK sale includes several frames with gas lift bases, and our wider modern bedroom furniture UK collection has compact pieces to complete a studio layout.
Think about what a TV bed removes from a studio. A separate television stand typically takes up a strip of floor along one wall, plus the space needed to view it. A wardrobe takes another wall. Under bed storage boxes on a standard frame are awkward to reach and gather dust. A TV bed with a gas lift base consolidates all of this into one footprint.
There is also a visual benefit. In a single room, everything is on show at once. With the television lowered into the footboard and belongings stored beneath the mattress, the room looks calmer and less crowded, which makes a small space feel larger.
Size is the most important decision in a studio. Every centimetre the bed takes is a centimetre lost from the living area.
At 120cm wide, a small double is a strong choice for one person in a studio. It offers more comfort than a single without the bulk of a full double, and it leaves noticeably more floor space.
A 135cm double suits couples or anyone who values extra room in bed. In most UK studios, it is the largest size that still leaves space for a sofa or a small dining table.
A king size frame can be tempting, but in a studio it often dominates the room and leaves the living area feeling cramped. Remember that the overall dimensions of a TV bed are larger than the mattress, especially in length, because of the footboard housing.
Placement determines how well the rest of the studio works.
Running the bed lengthways against a long wall keeps the centre of the room clear. It also means the television, when raised, faces into the room rather than at a wall, so it can be watched from the bed or a nearby chair if the frame has a swivel bracket.
If your studio has an alcove, a bed placed within it feels tucked away and separate from the living space. Check that the gas lift has enough room to open, as some alcoves are tight at the sides.
Where possible, keep the bed at the opposite end from the cooking area. This reduces cooking smells reaching the upholstery and gives the sleeping area a more restful feel.
The storage base on a TV bed is one of the largest single storage spaces in a studio. Using it well makes a real difference.
The base suits things you need occasionally rather than daily: spare duvets, winter coats, suitcases folded flat, sports kit and seasonal decorations. Lifting the mattress platform every morning to find a jumper quickly becomes tiresome.
Fabric boxes and zipped bags fit the shape of the base better than rigid crates and are easier to lift out. Label them on the top so you can see what is inside when the platform is raised.
Many bases are divided by a central support. Use one side for bedding and the other for clothes or general storage, so you always know where to look.
Gas struts make lifting easy, but they are designed around the weight of a mattress, not a fully loaded base. The struts support the platform; the stored items sit in the base below. Even so, keep very heavy items such as books or tools elsewhere to make the base easy to clean and reorganise.
In a studio, the bed is part of the living room during the day. A few ideas help it work in that role.
Dress the bed with a fitted cover or a well tucked throw and a row of firm cushions against the headboard, so that it reads as a daybed. With the television lowered, it becomes a comfortable place to read. If you work from home, keep your desk away from the bed so that you have a clear separation between work and rest.
Even with a gas lift base, most studios need a little more storage for daily items. A compact chest of drawers is often more useful than a full wardrobe in a small room, because it doubles as a surface for a lamp or plant. Our modern chest of drawers UK sale include narrow and tall designs that suit studios.
Look for storage that works vertically. Tall shelving, wall hooks and over door hanging all use space that would otherwise go unused. Our range of modern storage furniture UK includes compact units for small homes.
If you are unsure whether a chest will fit, our article on fitting a chest of drawers in a small UK room covers clearances and sizes.
Space either side of the bed is usually limited in a studio. A single slim bedside cabinet on the open side, or a small shelf fixed to the wall, may be enough. Choose a cabinet with a drawer to hide chargers and small items, keeping the surface clear. For more ideas, see our guide to choosing a bedside cabinet for a small UK bedroom.
Because the bed is visible from every part of the room, its colour sets the tone for the whole flat. Light and mid tone upholstery in grey, stone, sage or oatmeal keeps a small space feeling airy. Darker shades can work if the walls are pale and the room gets good light.
Keep the palette consistent across the studio. A bed in soft grey, a sofa in a related tone and accessories in one or two accent colours will make the room feel cohesive and larger than a mix of unrelated shades.
In a studio, the television in the footboard is likely to be your main screen, not a second one. That changes how you use it. You may want to watch from the sofa as well as from bed, so a frame with a swivel bracket is worth considering. Check the viewing angle from your main seat before deciding where the bed and sofa will go.
Because the television rises and lowers regularly, keep the footboard lid clear at all times. It is easy, in a small space, to leave a bag, a book or a folded jumper on the end of the bed. Make it a habit to keep that area empty so the lift can operate safely.
When you sleep in the same room where you cook, upholstery and stored items can pick up odours. Open windows regularly, use the cooker hood whenever you cook, and choose a fabric that can be brushed or vacuumed easily. Open the storage base every few weeks on a dry day to let air circulate around stored bedding and clothes.
Moisture is another consideration. Studios often have the bathroom close to the sleeping area, and drying laundry indoors adds humidity. A small dehumidifier or a window left slightly open helps protect the bed, its storage and the rest of your furniture from damp.
To compare TV beds with gas lift storage and other compact pieces, browse the full range at Furniture in Fashion, where we offer free delivery to most UK mainland postcodes.
Yes. It combines a bed, television unit and large storage space in one footprint, freeing floor space for living and dining.
A small double suits one person, while a double suits couples. A king size frame is usually too large for a studio.
Bedding, seasonal clothes, suitcases and occasional items work well. Keep everyday items in more accessible storage.
Yes. With the television lowered and cushions arranged against the headboard, it works as a comfortable daybed for reading or relaxing.
Lamps frame the bed, add warmth and shape the mood of a bedroom after dark,…
Ottoman TV beds and Chesterfield TV beds answer different questions. An ottoman TV bed is…
Ex council flats are often well built, with solid walls, sensible room shapes and generous…
A rug can transform a bedroom, softening hard floors, adding warmth and framing the bed…
In a studio flat the bed is always on show, so where you place it…
Country cottages are full of character, but they are rarely generous with storage, and their…
This website uses cookies.