Are Ottoman Beds Worth It? Pros, Cons and Who They Suit

An ottoman bed is worth it if your bedroom is short on storage, because it turns the whole space under your mattress into a hidden store. The base lifts on gas struts that carry most of the weight, so the mattress rises with it and the storage opens in one smooth movement. Spare duvets, winter coats in summer and the presents you'd rather keep out of sight all go inside, and the room stays clear.

There are only two things to plan for. You need space for the base to open, and the storage suits things you reach for now and then rather than every morning. Get those right and an ottoman earns its place in almost any bedroom, from a compact guest room to a shared main bedroom. You'll find both foot-end and side-lift designs in our ottoman beds range.

How does an ottoman bed work?

An ottoman bed is a frame with a storage compartment built into the base. Your mattress sits on a platform, often made of sprung slats, that is hinged at one end or along one side. Lift the tab and the platform rises with the mattress still on it, opening up the full area underneath. Lower it again and it closes down onto the frame, so from the outside it looks like any other bed.

That's the real appeal. A chest of drawers needs its own floor space, while an ottoman uses floor space you were already giving to the bed. You gain storage without adding a single piece of furniture.

Like any bed frame, an ottoman arrives in parts and goes together in your bedroom, which also makes it easy to get up the stairs and through doorways. What makes it feel effortless day to day is the lift.

Are ottoman beds easy to lift?

Yes, because the lift does the heavy work. Under the base sits a pair of gas struts, each a sealed cylinder of compressed gas with a piston inside. As you raise the tab, the gas pushes the piston out and takes most of the weight of the base and mattress, so you guide the bed up rather than heave it. The struts then hold the base open while you load or unload, and a gentle pull lowers it again.

Struts come in different strengths, so each frame's lift is matched to a maximum mattress weight. Our Stratus fabric ottoman, for example, takes a mattress of up to 45kg. Keep your mattress within your frame's limit and the struts and mattress stay in balance, so the base rises with a light touch and stays open while you reach in.

What are the pros of an ottoman bed?

A whole bed's worth of storage

A traditional ottoman uses the entire floor area under the bed as storage. Because it's one open compartment rather than a set of drawers, it takes the bulky things a drawer never could, and you can pack it around whatever you own. Soft items such as bedding and folded clothes fit most easily; keep smaller bits together in a box or bag so they lift out in one go.

Tidy storage, out of the dust

Boxes pushed under an open bed frame gather dust and always look a little untidy. With an ottoman, everything sits inside the closed base, so the floor stays clear and the room feels calmer.

What are the cons of an ottoman bed?

To reach your things you lift the base. The gas lift makes that easy, but it's still one more step than opening a drawer, so an ottoman suits things you need now and then rather than every morning. If you want everyday items under the bed, a divan with drawers is the alternative. Drawers slide out without moving the mattress, but they need clear floor beside the bed and use only part of the space underneath, while an ottoman opens the whole base at once. Our guide to what a divan bed is explains the drawer options in more detail.

The other thing to plan for is the space where the base opens, because that's where you stand to reach in. It comes down to choosing the right opening for your room.

Foot-end or side-lift: which opening suits your room?

A foot-end ottoman is hinged at the headboard end. You stand at the foot of the bed, lift, and the whole compartment opens in front of you. It works well wherever there's clear floor at the end of the bed.

A side-lift ottoman is hinged along one side, so it opens towards you as you stand beside the bed. It's the better choice when the foot of the bed sits close to a wall, a wardrobe or a radiator, or in a narrow room with more space at the side than at the end.

A simple test settles it. Stand where you would open the bed and picture the base raised in front of you. If you have room to stand there and reach in, that opening will work. If you prefer the look of a divan, our divan bed bases include ottoman versions that open from the side or the foot end, and the side-lift base is made for rooms where the foot end is tight.

Sprung slats or a solid base: does it matter?

The platform that lifts is also what your mattress lies on, so it shapes how the bed feels. Many of our ottoman frames use a sprung slatted base. The slats are gently curved and flex a little under you, which gives the mattress some natural bounce and lets it respond to where you put the most weight. Others have a solid base, a flat platform that doesn't flex, so the feel comes from the mattress alone.

Neither is a compromise. If you like a bit of give, choose sprung slats. If you'd rather the mattress did all the work, a solid base keeps things simple. Either way, the storage works just the same.

Which ottoman bed style suits your bedroom?

Storage doesn't mean settling for a plain bed, and our ottoman beds come in wood, fabric and faux leather. Wooden frames bring warmth, in solid oak or an oak or walnut-effect finish to sit with the furniture you already have. Upholstered frames soften a room and give you a cushioned headboard to lean against when you sit up in bed, and our fabric beds show the full spread of designs. Faux leather (PU) gives a sleek, tailored finish. Whichever you choose, the storage stays hidden, so you can pick the bed for its looks and let the ottoman add the space.

So, who is an ottoman bed for, and is it worth it?

If your wardrobes are full and the space under your bed is doing nothing, an ottoman bed is well worth it. It earns its keep in a small bedroom where every bit of floor counts, and in a guest room where spare bedding needs a home. Get the opening right for your room, keep your mattress within the frame's limit, and you gain a whole bed's worth of storage without giving up any floor.

Browse our ottoman beds to find the frame, headboard and finish that suit your room.