How to Choose an Upholstered Bed Frame: Fabric, Colour and Comfort Explained
An upholstered bed combines a padded headboard and fabric-covered construction, giving you a softer finish than exposed wood or metal and plenty of scope to make the bed part of your bedroom design.
We currently offer a wide range of upholstered bed models in a variety of different colours and textures, with options across Single, Double, King and Super King sizes. You can also choose from different base and storage configurations depending on the model.
With that much choice, it helps to work through the decisions in order. Start with the fabric, move on to colour and then think about the headboard, storage and base that best suit your room.
Start With The Fabric
Fabric has a big influence on the finished look and feel of an upholstered bed.
Across our made-to-order range, you can choose from several fabric families, each bringing a different texture:
- Tweed has a distinctive woven finish and is designed to be durable, low-maintenance and good at holding its shape.
- Velvet has a dense pile, rich texture and subtle sheen that catches the light.
- Plush Fleece is our softest bed fabric, adding warmth and a deeply tactile texture.
- Brushed Chenille has a soft, velvety feel with plenty of depth and is designed with wear-and-tear resistance in mind.
The best choice is really about the effect you want to create. Tweed brings visible woven texture, velvet gives you a richer finish, Plush Fleece adds softness and Brushed Chenille offers understated texture.
Choose A Colour That Works With Your Room
Our upholstered range gives you plenty of freedom with colour, with a selection of colours and textures across the collection.
The current range includes everything from soft neutrals and greys to deeper browns, greens, blues, reds and black, so you can either let the bed blend into the room or make it one of the main features.
If you already have flooring, curtains or large pieces of furniture you plan to keep, use those as your starting point. A neutral bed can give you flexibility to change bedding and accessories over time, while a stronger colour can turn the headboard into a focal point.
The texture matters alongside the colour too. The same shade can look quite different depending on whether you choose a matt woven tweed, a plush fleece or a velvet with a subtle sheen.
Use Our Free Swatch Service
Choosing upholstery from a screen only tells you so much, which is why we offer a free swatch service. You can choose up to four fabric samples and we'll send them to you free of charge.
Once they arrive, take them into the bedroom and compare them with the colours and materials already in the room. It's worth looking at them in both natural and artificial light, particularly with fabrics such as velvet where the pile and sheen can affect how the colour appears from different angles.
A swatch also lets you feel the material before committing to an entire bed, which can make choosing between Tweed, Velvet, Plush Fleece and Brushed Chenille much easier.
Think About The Headboard
One of the defining features of an upholstered bed is its padded headboard. Our range includes a wide variety of shapes and styles. Some designs keep things simple and contemporary, while others use deeper padding, channels, curves, arches or tufting to give the headboard more presence.
The headboard is often the most visible part of the bed once your mattress, pillows and duvet are in place, so it's worth choosing a shape you'll be happy to build the rest of the room around. Dimensions also vary from model to model. Check the individual product page before ordering, particularly if your bed will sit beneath a window, sloping ceiling, wall light or other fixed feature.
Choose Your Base And Storage
Our made-to-order upholstered beds give you several base choices, so you can configure the bed around the way you use your bedroom.
Depending on the model, options can include:
- No Storage, for a simple platform base
- 2 Drawer, providing two built-in storage drawers
- 4 Drawer, providing additional drawer storage
- Ottoman, using a gas-lift mechanism to open a larger storage area beneath the mattress
- Bed Frame, available as a base option on selected models
If you choose drawers, check that you have enough room beside the bed to open them comfortably.
An Ottoman is particularly useful when you want one larger storage area rather than individual drawers. Our Ottoman bases use a gas-lift mechanism to make accessing the space beneath the mattress easier. The exact base choices can vary, so check the options shown on the product page for the upholstered bed you've chosen.
Match The Bed To The Space
Once you've chosen the style you like, check its full dimensions rather than relying only on the mattress size.
Our upholstered beds are available in:
- Single: designed for a 90cm x 190cm mattress
- Double: designed for a 135cm x 190cm mattress
- King: designed for a 150cm x 200cm mattress
- Super King: designed for a 180cm x 200cm mattress
The bed itself will be slightly larger than the mattress because of the surrounding frame and headboard, and those external dimensions vary between models.
This is particularly worth checking if you're working with a smaller bedroom or positioning the bed between wardrobes, windows or other furniture.
Think About Access Before Delivery
Don't forget to measure the route into the bedroom as well as the room itself. Our made-to-order beds arrive securely packed in two, three or four separate boxes depending on the size and base you've chosen. Individual product pages include dimensions that can help you check access through doors, hallways, staircases and landings before delivery.
We provide free standard delivery to most UK postcodes, usually within 10 working days for our made-to-order beds.
If you'd rather have the bed assembled for you, our VIP Delivery service costs £50. Our specialist delivery team will build your bed in the room of your choice and take the packaging away afterwards.
Caring For Your Upholstered Bed
A little regular care helps keep upholstered furniture looking its best. We recommend using a vacuum cleaner or soft brush to remove surface dust weekly.
Keep upholstered furniture away from direct sunlight where possible, as prolonged exposure can distort or fade the material. If something is spilled on the fabric, blot it as soon as possible using a soft, dry cloth or paper towel. Don't rub the mark. Instead, work from the outside edge towards the centre to help prevent it spreading.
If you're unsure how to treat a mark, we recommend seeking professional assistance rather than experimenting with cleaning products.
Putting It All Together
Start by choosing the upholstery texture you like most, then narrow down the colour using our free swatches.
From there, choose the headboard style and base that suits your bedroom. Think about whether built-in storage would be useful, check the complete dimensions against the space and make sure the packaged components can reach the room comfortably.
You can explore our current upholstered bed collection to compare the different designs, fabrics, colours and storage options available.
With a wide range of models and plenty of colours and textures to choose from, there is plenty of room to create a combination that feels like it belongs in your bedroom rather than simply choosing a bed from a fixed set of finishes.
FAQs
Our current upholstered bed range offers a variety of colours and textures across fabric families including Tweed, Velvet, Plush Fleece and Brushed Chenille.
Yes. Our free swatch service lets you choose up to four fabric samples, which we'll send to you free of charge so you can see and feel them at home before ordering.
Yes. Our made-to-order upholstered range includes storage configurations such as 2-drawer, 4-drawer and Ottoman bases, alongside no-storage options. The exact configurations available depend on the model you choose.
Our upholstered beds are available in Single, Double, King and Super King. They're designed to fit mattresses measuring 90cm x 190cm, 135cm x 190cm, 150cm x 200cm and 180cm x 200cm respectively.
We recommend removing surface dust weekly using a vacuum cleaner or soft brush. If you spill something, blot it promptly with a soft, dry cloth or paper towel rather than rubbing. Work from the outside of the spill inwards and seek professional assistance if you're unsure how to treat a mark.
Yes. Our £50 VIP Delivery service includes assembly in your chosen room and removal of the packaging afterwards.
Yes. Our upholstered beds come with a 200-night home trial and a 10-year guarantee against qualifying manufacturing defects.
