Ottoman Storage Beds: A UK Buying Guide

If your bedroom is short on cupboards, an ottoman bed is the closest thing to finding a hidden room. The entire base lifts up on gas pistons to reveal one deep, undivided storage space the size of the bed itself. No drawers to open, no wasted corners, just a lift of the sleeping surface and everything is there.

This guide explains how ottoman beds work, how they compare with drawer storage, which sizes make sense, and what to check before you buy. Everything here is written from how beds are actually built and used, not from a sales script.

What is an ottoman bed?

An ottoman bed looks like an ordinary upholstered bed from the outside. The difference is underneath. Instead of drawers, the whole mattress platform is hinged at the head end and lifted by gas pistons, opening up the full footprint of the bed as storage. It is the largest amount of hidden storage you can get from a bed, because there are no drawer boxes, runners or dividers eating into the space.

Most ottomans we build are part of our divan beds with ottoman storage. They are handmade to order in our Dewsbury workshop, in your size, fabric and colour, like everything else we make.

Gas lift or drawers: which suits you?

This is the question we get asked most, and the honest answer is that it depends on how often you need to get at your things.

Choose a gas-lift ottoman if you want maximum space

An ottoman gives you one big open cavity. It swallows spare bedding, suitcases, winter coats and the boxes of things you keep meaning to sort. Because the storage opens upwards, you need no clearance beside the bed, which makes ottomans the better choice for narrow rooms where drawers would have nowhere to pull out into.

The trade-off is access. To open an ottoman you lift the sleeping surface, so it suits things you reach for weekly or seasonally rather than daily. Good gas pistons make the lift light and hold the base safely open while you load it.

Choose drawers if you want everyday access

Drawers work like a chest of drawers built into the bed base. You pull one open, grab what you need, push it shut. Nothing to lift, nothing to clear off the bed first. For daily items like clothes, drawers are simply more convenient.

The trade-off is volume. Drawer boxes and their runners take up room, so you store less overall than an ottoman of the same size, and you need clear floor space beside the bed for the drawers to open into.

Sizes: measure twice, order once

Ottoman storage scales with the bed. A super king ottoman holds far more than a single, because the storage space is the full footprint of the frame. Standard UK sizes are:

• Single: 90 x 190cm (3ft x 6ft 3in)
• Small double: 120 x 190cm (4ft x 6ft 3in)
• Double: 135 x 190cm (4ft 6in x 6ft 3in)
• King: 150 x 200cm (5ft x 6ft 6in)
• Super king: 180 x 200cm (6ft x 6ft 6in)

If you are unsure which size your room can take, our UK bed sizes explained guide walks through each size with room guidance. And because we build to order, non-standard sizes are possible too: if your room needs something in between, message us on WhatsApp and we will tell you honestly whether we can build it.

Fabrics and colours

A storage bed is a big piece of furniture, so the fabric matters more than people expect. Darker fabrics are forgiving in busy family homes. Lighter fabrics keep a small bedroom feeling open. Textured weaves hide the odd mark better than flat ones.

Every bed we make is upholstered to order, so you choose the fabric and colour rather than settling for what is in stock. If you are choosing between two or three options, send us a message and we will give you a straight opinion based on what wears well in real homes.

What to check before you buy

Not all ottoman beds are built equally. Before you order from anyone, it is worth checking a few things.

The mechanism. The gas pistons should lift the base smoothly and hold it open without you having to prop it. A well-built ottoman feels controlled, not springy.

The base. The sleeping platform should be solid and properly supported. It carries your mattress and both of you every night, so flimsy slats or a thin frame will tell within a year.

Access to your room. Measure doorways, staircases and tight corners on the route to the bedroom. Ottoman bases are large single pieces, and a bed that cannot get upstairs helps nobody. This is your responsibility with most bed makers, including us, so measure before you order.

Delivery and returns, in writing. Because ottoman beds are made to order, returns work differently from off-the-shelf furniture. Read how delivery works and our returns policy before you commit, so there are no surprises. Our handmade beds are typically delivered within 7 to 14 days, and delivery is free across mainland UK.

The mattress. Pair the frame with a proper mattress in the same size. A good frame with a poor mattress still sleeps poorly. Our guide to choosing the right mattress firmness will help, and our mattresses are made to match our frames exactly.

Who is an ottoman bed right for?

Ottoman beds suit small bedrooms, flats without much cupboard space, and anyone who wants the spare room to double as storage without looking like it. They also suit guest rooms, where the bed can quietly hold the bedding it needs when guests arrive.

They suit less well anyone who needs to get into the storage every single day, or anyone with a bad back who would struggle with lifting, even with gas assistance. For those cases, drawers are the kinder choice.

Ready to look?

Browse our divan beds with storage, or look at every handmade bed we make. And if you want a human opinion before you decide, message us on WhatsApp. You will talk directly to the people who build the beds.