What's the Difference Between a Divan Base and an Ottoman Base?
Both a divan base and an Ottoman base give you storage under the mattress. The difference is how you get to it. A divan has drawers built into the sides, which you pull out one at a time. An Ottoman lifts the whole mattress platform on a gas-powered mechanism to reveal one large compartment underneath. This guide explains what that means for storage space, convenience and everyday use, so you can choose the right one for your bedroom.
How a Divan Base Works
A divan is an upholstered base with a solid platform top and drawers set into it. Ours come in two-drawer and four-drawer configurations. Because the drawers pull out individually, you can reach what you need without moving anything else. That makes a divan ideal for the things you use often: spare pillows, a second duvet, jumpers, or the children's pyjamas.
How an Ottoman Base Works
An Ottoman base uses a gas-lift mechanism to raise the mattress platform. To access the storage, you simply pull up the base, with the lifting mechanism helping to raise the mattress platform. Once it's open, the whole area beneath the mattress is accessible, giving you one large, deep space for items such as spare bedding, suitcases and out-of-season clothes.
Here's the storage space inside our Ottoman beds:
Bed size |
Height |
Width |
Length |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Single |
22cm |
88cm |
186cm |
|
Double |
22cm |
133cm |
186cm |
|
King |
22cm |
148cm |
192cm |
|
Super King |
22cm |
178cm |
192cm |
That's up to 812 litres of storage in a super king, which is enough for suitcases laid flat, boxes of clothes and several folded duvets.
The Key Differences
Divan base |
Ottoman base |
|
|---|---|---|
|
How you access storage |
Pull-out drawers |
Lift the mattress platform |
|
Total storage space |
A portion of the area under the bed |
The whole area under the bed |
|
Convenience |
Everyday items within easy reach |
Best for things you need less often |
|
Floor space needed |
Room beside the bed for drawers to open |
Room at the side or foot to stand while lifting |
|
Platform type |
Solid platform top |
Solid platform top |
|
Sizes |
Single, Double, King, Super King |
Single, Double, King, Super King |
Which Is Right For You?
Choose a divan if:
- you'd like storage you can dip into every day
- you have floor space beside the bed for drawers to open
- you'd rather not lift the mattress to access your storage
- a modest amount of extra storage is all you need
Choose an Ottoman if:
- you'd like plenty of storage beneath your bed
- you have bulky items such as suitcases, spare bedding or out-of-season clothes
- your room is short on wardrobe space
- you have space at the side or the foot of the bed to stand while you lift the base
- you want extra storage without taking up additional floor space with separate furniture
- you have enough room to access the lifting mechanism safely
Many of our customers with a small bedroom find an Ottoman lets them skip a chest of drawers altogether. Many with a larger room prefer a divan for the convenience.
Comfort Is the Same
Your comfort comes from the mattress and from a base that supports it evenly. Both of our base types do that job well.
Whichever you choose, every Simba mattress is designed to feel medium-firm, and a Simba mattress on a Simba base will sit exactly as intended.
One thing to check with an Ottoman is mattress weight. Our Ottoman bases have maximum mattress weights of 34kg for a single, 48kg for a double, 55kg for a king and 65kg for a super king. When you choose an Ottoman bed online, you'll be offered a selection of our mattresses that pair with it, which takes the guesswork out.
Choosing the Look
Both bases are available in our design-your-own upholstered beds, so you pick the headboard design you love first and then choose your base. Most of our upholstered beds are available with a plain base, two drawers, four drawers or an Ottoman, in a range of colours and textures, and you can order free fabric swatches to see them at home. If you'd rather have a bed with no built-in storage, our wooden, metal, selected upholstered designs and bed frames without built-in storage give you an open, airy look with room underneath for boxes.
Delivery and Assembly
Our design-your-own beds arrive in two or three boxes, mostly pre-built, and they usually arrive within 10 working days. Standard delivery costs £30 to UK postcodes and is a two-person delivery to your room of choice. If you'd like the bed assembled for you, choose VIP Delivery at checkout for an extra fee. Every Simba bed comes with a 200-night trial and a 10-year guarantee.
FAQs
The gas-lift mechanism does most of the work, so the platform rises smoothly once you start it. We advise that children don't operate the lifting mechanism, and it's sensible to keep pets clear while it's open.
Yes, depending on the bed design. Some of our upholstered beds, including the Richmond, offer a two-drawer divan base in Single. Four-drawer configurations are available from Double upwards. Ottoman bases come in Single, Double, King and Super King.
Drawers open from the sides of the base, so you'll need clear floor space on the side you'd like to use. A side-lift Ottoman needs space along one side, and an end-lift Ottoman needs space at the foot.
Our beds and mattresses are sold separately, so you can choose the combination you'd like. You can also build a bed and mattress bundle on our website.
Both our divan and Ottoman bases use a solid platform top, so neither provides a sprung-slatted feel. Both are designed to work with our Hybrid® mattresses. The main difference is how you access the storage underneath.
