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10 best storage beds to help you maximise on space

Whether you have a double or a king size, with a little bit of help you can achieve a clutter-free bedroom

Ali Howard,Sarah Young
Tuesday 06 February 2024 17:02 GMT
<p>We tested for quality, style, capacity and user-friendliness, as well as that all-important comfort factor  </p>

We tested for quality, style, capacity and user-friendliness, as well as that all-important comfort factor

Our Top Picks

No matter how big our home is we can never have enough storage space – it is, after all, a precious commodity. So, when an opportunity comes to combine storage with a stylish new furniture piece, shrewd homemakers grab it.

Storage beds generally fall into two groups: those with generous under-bed drawers and ottomans, which come with nifty lifting mechanisms that allow the bed to open up, revealing a sizable void ready to be filled with extra bedding and all manner of clutter.

Purchasing a bed with concealed storage is a game of weighing up form and function. While some offer commodious spaces underneath the mattress, they can be on the bulky side.

Storage beds with feet elevate the frame to give the illusion of extra floor space but these designs often trade storage space for a slimmer silhouette. It is a matter of taste and of course, de-cluttering needs – exactly how deep are you drowning in last season’s winter coats?

How we tested the best storage beds

We put a range of storage beds to the test, looking for quality of make, stylish design, storage capacity, a user-friendly mechanism and that all-important comfort factor, storage space. We were interested to see how a side-opening bed fared against an end-opening one, and whether those with underdrawers offered enough storage space to suit our needs.

The best storage beds for 2024 are:

  • Best overall – Button & Sprung Camelia king size ottoman with sprung slatted base: £1,645, Buttonandsprung.com
  • Best budget storage bed – Dusk Berkeley storage bed: £369, Dusk.com
  • Best slimline storage bed – Happy Beds yorkie grey fabric ottoman bed: £449.99, Happybeds.co.uk
  • Best storage bed with drawers – Loaf tight space storage bed: £745, Loaf.com
  • Best side opening storage bed – Dreams wilson upholstered ottoman bed frame: £599, Dreams.co.uk

Button & Sprung Camelia king size ottoman with sprung slatted base

Button and Sprung Bed.jpg
  • Best: Overall
  • Available frame sizes : Double, king and super king
  • Storage type: Ottoman, opening from the foot end of the bed
  • Maximum mattress weight: N/A
  • Fabric: Moleskin, plain texture, stone wash cotton, woven linen blend, brushed cotton, rich velvet, soft textured weave, soft wool, broad weave, pure wool, plush velvet and premium slubby linen
  • Why we love it
    • Statement design
    • Comprehensive selection of colours and fabrics
    • Ample storage space that’s easy to access

This elegant and modern handcrafted bed is a real showstopper. The Camelia’s design is inspired by the Regency era with a plump headboard that makes morning cups of tea and nightime reading in bed a dream, as well as deep-set buttons that give it a lavish touch. Opening from the bottom using a fabric pull handle, it maximises storage space as the entire top of the bed lifts up easily to reveal an impressive capacity underneath. While the king size feels grand and provides ample storage space, we found that the slatted base glides back down again with real easy, and without causing any backache. The design allows for both easy access and oodles of functional storage space, and we loved that you get a comprehensive choice of colours and textures to choose from, including brushed cotton and rich velvet.

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Dusk Berkeley storage bed

Dusk Berkeley.jpg
  • Best: Budget storage bed
  • Available frame sizes : Double, king and super king
  • Storage type: Ottoman, opening from the foot end of the bed
  • Maximum mattress weight: N/A
  • Fabric: Linen look
  • Why we love it
    • Clean-lined silhouette

Thanks to its clever design, Dusk’s offering boasts a deceptively spacious storage capacity. The bed has a clean-lined silhouette that makes it a great fit for almost any bedroom and we loved the winged headboard, which gives it a touch of class. The bed opens up with ease at its foot to reveal a void that offers enough room to store all our extra bedding and then some. Upholstered in a smooth, linen look fabric, it’s stylish, functional and thoughtfully designed. Plus, at less than £400 for a double, it’s exceptional value for money.

  1. £369 from Dusk.com
Prices may vary
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Happy Beds yorkie grey fabric ottoman bed

Happy Beds.jpg
  • Best: Slimline storage bed
  • Available frame sizes: Double, king and super king
  • Storage type: Ottoman, opening from the foot end of the bed
  • Maximum mattress weight: 55kg
  • Fabric: N/A
  • Why we love it
    • Design gives the illusion of extra floor space
    • Easy to open

What we loved most about the yorkie was its deceptive design. You wouldn’t think this one’s a storage bed thanks to its dark wood feet elevating the frame off the ground – the illusion of extra floor space makes a big difference. The bed opens up from the foot end with ease using gas-powered pistons and can reach a 45-degree angle to give you ample access to your stored bits and bobs. The bed is on the slimmer side, storage-wise, but we found it more than enough for our extra bedding and pillows. Upholstered in chic elephant grey, and with a plush, buttoned headboard, this is one smart, contemporary storage bed.

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My Furniture Venus storage bed, chalk

My Furniture Venus storage bed indybest.jpeg
  • Best: For luxury
  • Available frame sizes: King and super king
  • Storage type: Ottoman opening from the foot end of the bed
  • Maximum mattress weight: N/A
  • Fabric: Velvet
  • Why we love it
    • Sculptural design
    • Ample storage space
    • Brass finishes

One for fine art lovers, this sculptural bed takes its design cue from Botticelli’s masterpiece, The Birth of Venus. Most obvious is the shaping of the scalloped wraparound headboard, which echoes that of the shell. But beyond that, the opulent colourway and rich tactile materials borrow from the famous painting, too. As practical as it is pretty, the bed opens up at the end with a simple gas lift mechanism to reveal oodles of storage space underneath. You won’t just fit bedding and coats here but the family’s suitcases, too. We loved the addition of the brushed steel base with its gleaming brass finish, which further adds to the luxurious look and feel.

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Mirage storage bed

Mirage storage bed indybest.jpeg
  • Best: For glamour
  • Available frame sizes: Single, small double, double, continental double, king, continental king, super king and emperor
  • Storage type: Ottoman with choice of end or side opening mechanism
  • Maximum mattress weight: N/A
  • Fabric: Choice of fire retardant fabric or leather
  • Why we love it
    • Large choice of materials and finishes

As its name suggests, the Mirage is an optical illusion with its narrow body and slender gold-coloured legs. You wouldn’t think it’s a storage bed at all. But this one boasts an impressive 33cm of storage depth, which holds more stuff than you’d think. The bed opens up at the foot and offers great access, allowing us to properly get stuck in and organise – and to maximise on capacity. Scoring points on versatility, the Mirage comes in a variety of materials and finishes, as well as a choice of headboard designs. We loved the sumptuous Cleopatra with its fluted, geometric lines. This is a great choice if you want a bed with decent storage space but don’t want to compromise on style.

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Loaf tight space storage bed

Loaf-indybest-best-storage-bed.jpg
  • Best: Storage bed with drawers
  • Available frame sizes: Single, double, king and super king
  • Storage type: Drawers
  • Maximum mattress weight: N/A
  • Fabric: Choice of 142 fabrics
  • Why we love it
    • Discreet drawers

This modern, upholstered bed features four discreet fabric covered drawers, which provide generous under storage without the need for any lifting. With separate drawer space, we liked that our stuff could be easily compartmentalised – as opposed to all thrown in together. The bed comes in four sizes, from single up to super king, and has a huge range of fabrics to choose from, alongside 17 headboards, winning points on versatility. Whichever you choose, this one’s as plush as it is practical.

  1. £745 from Loaf.com
Prices may vary
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Dreams wilson upholstered ottoman bed frame

Dreams-indybest-best-storage-bed.jpg
  • Best: Side opening storage bed
  • Available frame sizes: Single, small double, double and king
  • Storage type: Side opening ottoman
  • Maximum mattress weight: N/A
  • Fabric: N/A
  • Why we love it
    • Great for loft rooms
    • Good value for money

With its scrolled head and foot end, this offering by Dreams features a cosy sleigh-like shaping, which can only be achieved in a storage bed if it opens up from the side – choose left or right when putting the bed together. This one’s available in three sizes, from a small double up to a king, and comes in a choice of three monochrome fabric finishes. While access to its storage space is limited compared to some of the others in our round-up, this bed is a no-brainer when it comes to furnishing a loft room with a slanted ceiling. Further to that, the wilson has impressive build quality for its affordable price.

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Snug Sofa the cloud sundae chaise sofa bed

cloud sundae chaise sofa bed.jpg
  • Best: Storage sofa bed
  • Available frame sizes : N/A
  • Storage type: Ottoman
  • Maximum mattress weight: N/A
  • Fabric: Velvet, recycled woven polyester, boucle

The cloud sundae is a stylish sofa bed that not only looks incredibly stylish but is also extremely functional, with a storage compartment built into the chaise. The sofa transforms into a double bed with a simple pullout action, while the chaise section offers a space to keep your bedding, helping to make the transition from sofa to bed as seamless as possible. After months of testing, we’ve found this set-up to be super comfortable with plush, plump cushions that create the perfect lounging, or snoozing, space. You can choose from a range of fabrics and colours, including soft-touch velvet, recycled woven polyester and trendy boucle. The best part? The sofa bed comes delivered in boxes that can fit through small spaces, including tricky doorways or stairwells, and it’s incredibly simple to put together without the need for any tools. While it’s expensive, we think this storage sofa bed is a great option for someone who lives in a studio apartment or those who host guests on a regular basis but don’t have a spare bedroom.

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The Dormy House ottoman divan

The-Dormy-House-indybest-best-storage-bed
  • Best: Divan storage bed
  • Available frame sizes: Single, small double, double, king and super king
  • Storage type: Ottoman opening from the foot end of the bed
  • Maximum mattress weight: N/A
  • Fabric: Choice of house fabrics or send in your own fabric
  • Why we love it
    • Space-saving

Making a feature out of its storage compartments, as opposed to hiding them, this stylish bed from The Dormy House has an innovative design. The ottoman divan is elevated with smart turned wooden legs and while the top of the bed lifts up in one piece, its storage space is divided into two. These are simply clipped together to create separate storage boxes underneath. This is another space-saving bed that allows for full customisation: choose from a range of fabrics and wood finishes for the legs. Headboards are sold separately so do factor that into your budget.

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Ikea platsa bed frame with storage

Ikea-indybest-best-storage-bed.jpg
  • Best: Ikea storage bed
  • Available frame sizes: Double
  • Storage type: Shelves
  • Maximum mattress weight: N/A
  • Fabric: N/A
  • Why we love it
    • Great for those short on space
    • Clever design

While most designs are concerned with hiding storage space, this contemporary bed frame from Ikea does the opposite and makes a feature of it. Made from a mix of particleboard and fibreboard, the flat-packed furniture piece is ideal for apartment-dwellers short on shelving: the bed utilises three sides for accessible storage and includes an integrated ottoman-style shelf to perch on at the foot of the bed. Adorn it with scatter cushions or a faux fur rug for the full effect. We loved this storage bed for its clever design. Practical, modern and affordable.

  1. £299 from Ikea.com
Prices may vary
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The verdict: Storage beds

The Button & Sprung Camelia bed is a stylish, contemporary piece that oozes quality craftsmanship and plenty of practical, and cleverly concealed, storage space. We loved its plush, sizable buttoned headboard and that you can choose from so many different types of fabrics and colours, depending on your personal style. We were also really impressed by Dusk’s Berkeley storage bed which looks far more expensive than it is, offering fantastic value for money.

Complete your bedtime set up with our round-up of the best mattresses

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