Do Storage Beds Compromise Comfort? What to Check Before You Buy
The short answer is no - a well-made storage bed is just as comfortable as a bed without storage. Your comfort comes from the mattress and from how evenly the base supports it, and a good storage bed is built to do that job properly while giving you somewhere to keep spare bedding, out-of-season clothes and everything else that needs a home.
The things to check are the base, the way the storage opens, the size of the compartment and how the bed will fit in your room.
Where Comfort Actually Comes From
When you lie down, the mattress does the work of cushioning your body and keeping your spine aligned. The bed underneath has one job, which is to hold that mattress flat and stable across its whole surface. If the base is solid, level and the right size, the mattress will feel the way it was designed to feel.
That's true whether there's a drawer, a lift-up compartment or nothing at all beneath the platform. So the question to ask about any storage bed is simple: what is the mattress sitting on?
Check One: The Base Under The Mattress
Storage beds generally use one of two platform types. Some have a solid platform top, and others use sprung wooden slats. Both work well with a quality mattress.
If you're looking at a slatted design, check the gaps between the slats. For our mattresses, we recommend slats that are no more than 7.5cm (3 inches) apart, so the mattress is supported evenly along its length. A solid platform gives continuous support by design.
Our upholstered storage beds are made in the UK with FSC-certified wood. The drawer bases have a solid platform top, and the Ottoman bases pair an FSC wood frame with sprung wooden slats and a gas-lift mechanism.
Check Two: How The Storage Opens
There are two main styles, and the right one depends on your room.
- Ottoman beds have one large compartment under the mattress. The whole platform lifts up with the help of a gas-powered mechanism, so you can reach everything inside at once. Ottoman beds come in side-lift and end-lift versions. If access at the foot of your bed is limited, a side lift will be more practical. If there's very little room at the sides and plenty at the foot, go for an end lift.
- Divan and drawer beds have drawers built into the base. Ours come in two-drawer and four-drawer configurations. Drawers are handy for things you reach for often, because you don't need to lift anything to get to them. You'll need enough clear floor space beside the bed for the drawers to pull out fully.
Check Three: How Much You Can Fit Inside
If you're buying a storage bed to free up wardrobe space, it helps to know the real dimensions. These are the internal storage measurements for 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 gives you a generous space for bedding, clothing and anything else you'd like to keep out of sight.
Check Four: The Mattress You'll Pair It With
The mattress needs to be the same size as the bed, so a king size bed takes a king size mattress. With an Ottoman, it's also helpful to choose a mattress that suits the lifting mechanism. When you pick one of our Ottoman beds online, you'll be offered a selection of our mattresses to pair with it, which takes the guesswork out of matching the two.
We design our beds and mattresses to work together, so a Simba mattress on a Simba base will sit exactly as intended.
Check Five: The Fit In Your Room
Measure the space where the bed will go, and then think about the space around it. You'll want room to walk past comfortably, plus clearance for the storage to open. For an Ottoman, that means space at the side or the foot to stand while you lift the base. For drawers, it means space for them to slide out.
It's also worth measuring your stairs and doorways. Our beds are delivered in two or three boxes, depending on the model, and our delivery team can assemble the bed for you for a small fee if you choose VIP Delivery at checkout.
Choosing A Style You'll Love
A storage bed is still a pretty large piece of furniture, so it's nice when it looks the part as well. You can see our full collection of beds online, including upholstered designs in 22 colours and textures, and the Epping Wooden Bed, which is available with optional Ottoman storage. Most of our upholstered beds can be configured with two drawers, four drawers, an Ottoman base or no storage at all, so you can choose the headboard you like first and then decide on the base.
If you'd like to see the fabrics in your own light, our free swatch service will send samples to your door.
The Bottom Line
A storage bed gives you the same comfort as any other well-built bed, along with a lot of useful space. Choose a solid or closely slatted base, pick the opening style that suits your room, check the internal dimensions against what you'd like to store, and match the mattress size to the frame. Every Simba bed comes with a 200-night trial and a 10-year guarantee, so you'll have plenty of time to make sure it's right.
FAQs
The gas-lift mechanism does most of the work for you, so the base rises smoothly once you start to lift it. Some of our beds are also available with an electric Ottoman base. We advise that children don't operate the lifting mechanism, and it's sensible to keep pets out of the way while it's open.
The compartment sits beneath the mattress platform, so your belongings stay tidy and out of sight. Storing spare bedding in a bag is a nice extra step if you won't be using it for a few months.
Yes. The majority of our Ottoman beds come in Single, Double, King and Super King. Two-drawer and four-drawer bases are available from Double upwards. For reference, a single bed takes a 90 x 190cm mattress and a super king takes a 180 x 200cm mattress.
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. We design our beds and mattresses to work together, so a Simba pairing will always fit properly.
Our made-to-order upholstered beds usually arrive within 10 working days, with free standard delivery to most UK postcodes. The courier will contact you directly to arrange a convenient date. It's a two-person delivery to your room of choice, and you can add assembly by choosing VIP Delivery at checkout.
