Bed buying guide

If you’re wondering how to choose a bed, you’ve come to the right place. The Furniture Village bed buying guide covers all the different types of bed available, helps you work out what bed size is right for you, offers bed style suggestions and has top tips when buying a bed. Read on to learn more about beds.

Things to consider when buying a bed

So, what bed is right for you? If you’ve already started looking for a new bed, you’ll know that there are hundreds of different types of beds, bed frames and divan beds to choose from. Narrow the field by asking yourself a few key questions.

What are you looking for?

A focal point for your bedroom

Whatever the size of your bedroom, a statement upholstered bed frame can be the focal point around which you create a fabulous new bedroom. A new bed can establish a design style – like contemporary or glamorous – or anchor a colour theme.

More bedroom storage

If your bedroom chests of drawers and wardrobes are overflowing, think creatively about bedroom storage especially if yours is a compact bedroom. A divan set with drawers or an ottoman bed frame will provide useful extra storage space without taking up any extra floor space.

A new-look bedroom

A complete bedroom furniture set – bed frame, wardrobe, chest of drawers and bedside table – can be an effortless way to transform your bedroom. Oak bedroom furniture is a timeless look, or mix and match a contemporary upholstered bed with modern sliding door wardrobes.

A base for an existing mattress

If you have a mattress that you love, you may be looking for just a new bed base. As most traditional bed bases come as part of a divan set, which typically comprises an upholstered base plus mattress, consider either a wooden, metal or upholstered bed frame for your existing mattress.

What style is your bedroom?

Traditional bedrooms

If you love the timeless look of traditional furniture, choose a wooden or metal bed frame and add pieces of furniture that have a classic feel to them, like an upholstered bench or a dressing table.

Be inspired: Shop Furnitureland bedroom furniture for traditional real wood bed frames and bedroom furniture in a wide variety of beautiful styles.

Contemporary bedrooms

With clean lines, minimal details and a neutral colour palette, contemporary bedroom style is calm and relaxing. Keep the clutter contained by opting for a divan set with storage drawers, and choose a simple geometric headboard.

Be inspired: Sleek and well-engineered, the Rauch range of bedroom furniture includes wardrobes and chests of drawers in a choice of contemporary finishes.

Urban bedrooms

The industrial furniture look works just as well in a bedroom as is does in a living space or dining room. If you love rustic wood combined with weathered metal accents, opt for an industrial bed frame and sturdy wood bedroom furniture.

Be inspired: Shop our industrial bedroom furniture collection for on trend wooden bedroom furniture with urban flair.

Glamorous bedrooms

Turn your bedroom into the stylish sanctuary you’ve always wanted. A tall and elegant headboard paired with high-shine bedroom furniture creates an understated opulent look. Add modern wall art for a grown-up approach to glamour.

Be inspired: Shop our ALF furniture collection for stunning bed frames and bedroom furniture, designed and crafted in Italy.

Luxurious bedrooms

Dial up the luxury with an upholstered bed frame, ideally with dramatic scrolled head and foot ends, deep buttoning and velvet upholstery. Pair your choice with warm oak bedroom furniture for a stylish and inviting space.

Be inspired: Our gorgeous upholstered bed frames come in all kinds of luxurious styles, from the heavily embellished to the dramatically geometric.

Scandi bedroom style

Light, airy and relaxing, the Scandi bedroom look is easy to put together and easy to love. Opt for a pale wood bed frame or a divan bed upholstered in a calm neutral colour, and pair with pale oak bedroom furniture, fluffy rugs and off-white walls.

Be inspired: Iconic by design, Ercol bedroom furniture combines retro curves and angles with modern Scandi style notes.

What extras do you need?

Headboards

A headboard is an easy way to turn a simple divan base and mattress set into a stylish and eye-catching bed frame. Available in a huge array of styles, headboards are usually padded and upholstered so they’re comfortable to lean against when you sit up in bed.

Most headboards are either strutted, which means the part that’s visible above the mattress is supported on wooden legs or struts, or floor standing, which means they're fully upholstered from top to floor for a more finished look.

Pillows

After the right mattress, having the right pillow is absolutely vital to a good night’s sleep. As well as providing head and neck support for comfort, pillows also help promote optimum spinal alignment – and an aligned spine can help prevent back pain.

Like mattresses, pillows come in a range of comfort levels, usually soft, medium and firm. You also have a choice of fillings, including man-made like polyester and memory foam, and natural like down and feather. Pillows degrade over time, so change yours at least once a year.

Bedroom furniture

If you’re investing in a new bed, now’s the perfect time to rethink your entire bedroom look. Make life easy by opting for the bedroom furniture that matches your bed frame or, if you’ve chosen an upholstered divan set or bed frame, explore different bedroom furniture styles from brands like Ercol and Wiemann.

At a minimum you’re going to need a wardrobe, a chest of drawers and one or two bedside tables. If your bedroom lacks storage space, consider a storage bed and be creative with furniture – a wooden bedside cabinet with drawers can double as extra clothes’ storage.

What type of bed is right for you?

There’s really no such thing as the perfect bed – it’s different for everyone and depends on a variety of factors that include the size of the room where your bed will live, who’s going to sleep on it and your own interior design style. Here’s a quick rundown of different bed types.

Divan beds

Divan beds, or divan sets, consist of a bed base plus mattress. Divan bases tend to have a firm and supportive surface – that’s why you might hear them referred to as platform-top divan bases – and often have firm or sprung edges for sturdy support from side to side and top to bottom.

Divan bases are usually upholstered in fabric, and are quite simple in style with few embellishments beyond decorative stitching. You can add a headboard to a divan bed to give it more of a designer look and feel.

Bed frames

Bed frames have two purposes. First, they provide support to your mattress, usually on a wooden slatted or sprung base. And second, as they come in a wide variety of styles, they’re a fantastic way of making a design statement in a bedroom.

Choose from simple wooden bed frames, ornate metal bed frames and luxurious upholstered bed frames. Most bed frames are raised above the floor on legs, which gives them an elegant look. This does mean, however, that bed frames can’t have built in drawers. If you need a new mattress too, visit the Furniture Village mattress finder.

Storage beds

Many beds come with built in storage. While this doesn’t change the look of the bed or how it feels when you’re sleeping, it’s an easy way to enjoy extra storage capacity without giving up any valuable floor space.

Double divan beds, king size divan beds and super king size divan beds often have two or four optional storage drawers in a choice of configurations. Single divan beds may have only one drawer. In an ottoman storage bed, the entire top of the bed plus mattress can be raised, either from the foot end or from the side, to reveal a large storage compartment.

Guest beds

Any bed that’s meant for guests is a guest bed. Your guest bed could be an affordable double divan set in a guest room or a specially designed guest bed like a folding bed. Some single beds come with a second bed hidden underneath that slides out and pops up to form a super king size bed.

If you don’t have a separate guest room, a sofa bed is a great guest bed option and is the perfect way to turn a home office, second living room or teen bedroom into a multi-functional space.

Children’s beds

If you’re looking for a child’s bed, you have plenty of options. A single divan bed or single size bed frame plus single mattress will do the job perfectly, or you can opt for a purpose-built kid’s bed.

As children’s bedrooms tend to be on the smaller side, many children’s beds are designed to save space. Bunk beds are great for siblings, mid sleepers have room for a desk and chest of drawers underneath, and high sleepers can even accommodate a wardrobe. If you opt for neutral colours and designs, a well-made child’s bed will last until your toddler is a teenager.

Adjustable beds

If you need help getting in or out of bed or simply want to sit up more comfortably in bed, an adjustable bed might be right for you. An adjustable bed can also help you find a better sleeping position if you struggle to get comfortable at night.

Adjustable beds have a multi-part base plus a flexible mattress which together can be moved into a variety of seated and reclining positions. Most adjustable beds are operated via a remote control pad, which makes them easy to use even for someone with limited strength.

What’s the right bed size for you?

The best bed size for you will depend on the size of your bedroom and who’s going to be sleeping on the bed. Here’s a quick look at all the different bed dimensions available.

Small single beds

If you thought a single bed was the smallest bed around, think again. A small single bed is slightly narrower than a regular single bed and saves floor space in a very small bedroom.

Best for: A young child’s bedroom or for occasional use in a small guest room.

Mattress size: For a small single bed, you’ll need a UK standard small single mattress which is 75 cm wide and 190 cm long (2’ 6” wide and 6’3” long).

Single beds

Sometimes called a twin bed, a single bed is the original one-person bed. Single beds provide enough sleeping space for either an adult or a child.

Best for: A child or teen bedroom, or a small guest room.

Mattress size: For a single bed, you’ll need a UK standard single mattress which is 90 cm wide and 190 cm long (3’ wide and 6’3” long). For a European bed, you’ll need a Euro single mattress which is 90 cm wide and 200 cm long (3’ wide and 6’6” long).

Small double beds

If you don’t have quite enough room for a double bed, a small double bed is a great compromise. Small doubles can accommodate two people in only a little more floor space than a single bed.

Best for: Guest rooms and teen bedrooms.

Mattress size: For a small double bed, you’ll need a UK standard small double mattress which is 120 cm wide and 190 cm long (4’ wide and 6’3” long).

Double beds

The most popular bed size in the UK, double beds comfortably sleep two adults. Double beds don’t need an especially big bedroom or a lot of floor space.

Best for: Average size bedrooms for one or two people.

Mattress size: For a double bed, you’ll need a UK standard double mattress which is 135 cm wide and 190 cm long (4’6” wide and 6’3” long). For a European bed, you’ll need a Euro double mattress which is 140 cm wide and 200 cm long (4’7” wide and 6’6” long).

King beds

If you like having plenty of space to sleep in or you tend to toss and turn and don’t want to disturb your partner, then a king size bed is for you.

Best for: Larger bedrooms.

Mattress size: For a king bed, you’ll need a UK standard king mattress which is 150 cm wide and 190 cm long (5’ wide and 6’6” long). For a European bed, you’ll need a Euro king mattress which is 160 cm wide and 200 cm long (5’3” wide and 6’6” long).

Super king beds

The biggest bed there is, the super king size bed makes sure that both partners have plenty of room to sprawl and sleep. A super king bed is a good choice for larger than average people.

Best for: Very large bedrooms.

Mattress size: For a super king bed, you’ll need a super king mattress which is 180 cm wide and 190 cm long (6’ wide and 6’6” long).

Bed frame and bed base size variations

Unlike mattresses, there’s no standard sizing for bed frames and bed bases. That’s why it’s really important to check the dimensions of any bed you’re thinking of buying so you can be sure that it’s the right size for your mattress and your bedroom.

Upholstered bed frame size

Upholstered bed frames vary according to style and manufacturer. Some very grand bed frames with scroll head and foot ends can be significantly larger than the mattress they accommodate.

Wooden and metal bed frame size

Wooden and metal bed frames are typically a few centimetres larger all round than their corresponding mattresses.

Divan bed size

Divan bed bases come in the same sizes as mattresses because the mattress sits directly on top of the base.

Your bed buying questions answered

Q. What’s the difference between a divan base and a bed frame?

A. A divan base is the upholstered base on which a mattress sits. Platform top divan bases offer a firm and supportive surface. Pocket sprung divan bases are designed to provide a softer sleeping surface. Many divan bases come with optional storage drawers or lift-up ottoman storage. A bed frame is any other type of mattress support and can be made of wood or metal, or finished with fabric in a wide variety of styles.

Q. Will sprung slats make a big difference to how my mattress feels?

A. Solid slats in a bed frame will make a mattress feel firmer, sprung slats will make it feel a little softer. It’s essential to consider the type of base you have (or want) when you’re choosing a mattress.

Q. Does a bed with built in storage still provide enough mattress support?

A. Yes, and that’s the beauty of storage beds – you get extra bedroom storage plus excellent mattress support.

Q. My new bed frame is too big for my bedroom. Where did I go wrong?

A. It’s likely that you assumed that your new bed frame would be the same size as your mattress. For example, a double mattress is a standard size (135 cm wide and 190 cm long) but a double bed frame can be wider and longer, depending on the design. A wooden bed frame with a deep head end, for example, will be longer than its mattress.

Q. Can I use an existing mattress on a new bed frame?

A. Yes, although buying a new bed frame is a good time to consider whether it’s time to buy a new mattress. You might also find it more cost efficient to buy a mattress plus bed frame at the same time. If you’re shopping for a new mattress too, start by visiting the Furniture Village mattress finder.

Q. How do I clean my upholstered bed frame?

A. As with all upholstered furniture like sofas and armchairs, it’s important to deal with any spills or stains quickly. Take a look at our upholstered furniture care guide for more tips.

Q. What’s the best colour for an upholstered bed?

A. A bold or vibrant colour for an upholstered bed guarantees that your new bed will make a strong design statement. Choose a colour that you absolutely love, of course. If you like to change your bedroom décor from time to time, we suggest a sophisticated neutral shade. Our grey upholstered bed frames are very much on trend and go with so many other design styles and colour palettes.

Q. I like to change my décor regularly, but can’t afford to buy a new bed as often. What’s the best bed for me?

A. A beautiful high-quality oak bed frame will never go out of fashion. Oak works well with many décor styles, from contemporary to classic.