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Choosing a bed comes down to five decisions, made in this order: the size your room can take, the storage your home needs, the headboard your wall allows, the fabric you can live with, and whether your mattress still suits. Headboard shape matters too, but it comes late, because a beautiful bed that blocks a wardrobe door or won't go up the stairs is the wrong bed.
This guide walks through each decision and links to deeper guides where a single choice deserves its own page. Every bed Legend Beds makes is upholstered to order in the UK in five sizes, from a 3ft single to a 6ft super king, so the questions below apply across the whole range.
What are the main types of bed in the UK?
UK beds split into a handful of base types. The base decides storage, height and how the headboard attaches, so it is the first thing to settle.
A gas-lift ottoman base open: the Side Lift Ottoman Divan Bed.
| Base type | How storage works | Headboard | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ottoman bed frame | Whole mattress platform lifts on gas struts | Built in | Maximum storage with a framed, finished look |
| Divan ottoman | Same gas-lift cavity inside a divan-style base | Separate, fitted to the base | Storage with a low, upholstered-to-the-floor profile |
| Divan with drawers | Drawers built into the base | Separate | Items you reach for every day |
| Platform or low bed | None | Built in | Low ceilings, loft rooms, a pared-back look |
| TV bed | Ottoman lift or divan drawers, plus a screen in the footboard | Built in | Watching in bed without a wall-mounted TV |
If you are torn between the two main storage formats, the ottoman bed vs divan bed comparison sets them side by side. The finer split between a framed ottoman and a divan-style one is covered in divan ottoman vs ottoman bed frame.
Step 1: What size bed will your room take?
Start with the floor plan, not the bed you'd like. Measure the wall the headboard will sit against, then the distance to the nearest obstruction at the foot. Allow walking space on any side you use, and extra room wherever storage opens.
The UK bed sizes guide lists every size in centimetres, feet and inches. If you're deciding between two neighbouring sizes, there are separate guides for small double vs double and king vs super king.
Room size is only half of it. The bed also has to reach the room, so check the front door, stair turns and bedroom doorway using the method in how to measure for bed delivery.
Step 2: How much storage do you need, and how often will you use it?
Frequency of access matters more than volume. An ottoman cavity holds the most, but you lift the whole mattress platform to get at it, so it suits things you use seasonally: spare duvets, suitcases, winter coats. Drawers hold less and open in a second, which suits bedding and clothes you reach for weekly.
The direction an ottoman opens is the detail most people miss. An end-lift base needs clear floor at the foot; a side-lift base needs it along one long side. The side lift vs end lift guide explains which suits which layout, and how gas-lift ottoman beds work covers lifting effort and mattress weight.
Step 3: How tall can the headboard be?
Measure from the floor to the first obstruction on the wall behind the bed: a window sill, a radiator shelf, a picture rail, a sloping ceiling. That figure is your maximum headboard height. Legend Beds headboards range from low designs such as the Frost Teddy Bouclé Low Bed at 90cm from the floor to the tall-headboard group, which is built to fill a wall.
A tall headboard built to fill a wall: the Tower Bed.
Taller headboards give better back support when you sit up to read, and they suit high ceilings. Lower ones give the wall back for art or a mirror. What height headboard do I need? goes through the measurements in detail.
Step 4: Which fabric and style?
Fabric is a practical choice before it is a visual one. Velvet reflects light and shows pressure marks. Teddy bouclé hides light marks but can snag on claws and jewellery. Chenille is hard-wearing and less reflective. The bed fabric guide compares them for homes with children and pets, and choosing a bed colour covers grey, cream, black and brighter shades.
Teddy bouclé upholstery on the Aspen Teddy Bouclé Ottoman Bed.
Headboard shape comes after that. Wingback, Chesterfield, sleigh, panel, channel and curved designs each change how the bed sits in a room. See bed headboard styles explained and the dedicated wingback beds guide.
Step 5: Do you need a new mattress?
Legend Beds sells beds and mattresses separately, so you can keep a mattress that is still in good condition. If it is due for replacement, buy it in exactly the same size name as the bed, and check its depth against the base. On an ottoman, a very heavy mattress makes the platform harder to raise. Matching a mattress to your bed explains what to check, and how to choose a mattress covers firmness and type.
A quick way to narrow it down
- Small room, bed against the wall at the foot: a side-lift ottoman.
- Bed in an alcove with open floor at the end: an end-lift ottoman.
- You want storage you open every day: a divan with drawers.
- Sloping ceiling or bed under a window: a low headboard or low platform bed.
- You read or watch TV in bed most evenings: a tall or wingback headboard, or a TV bed.
Where to start browsing
The full Legend Beds bed range covers every style above. If storage is the priority, go straight to gas-lift ottoman beds or divan beds. Because each bed is upholstered to order, free fabric swatches are worth ordering before you commit to a colour.
Frequently asked questions
What is the most practical type of bed?
For most UK homes, a storage bed. An ottoman base turns the whole footprint under the mattress into storage, which in a smaller home often replaces a chest of drawers. If you would open that storage daily, a divan with drawers is quicker to use.
What type of bed frame lasts longest?
Construction matters more than type. Look for a solid frame, fixings you can re-tighten, and on ottomans a gas-lift mechanism matched to your mattress weight. Upholstery is the part that wears first, so a fabric suited to your household makes a real difference to how long a bed looks good.
Should I choose the bed or the mattress first?
Choose the bed size first, because it is set by your room, then choose the mattress in that exact size. Firmness and type are independent of the bed style, although mattress depth and weight matter on storage beds.
Do Legend Beds beds come with a mattress?
No. Legend Beds beds are sold without a mattress, and the product pages say so. Mattresses are sold separately in the same five UK sizes.
What sizes do Legend Beds beds come in?
Every bed comes in Single (3ft), Small Double (4ft), Standard Double (4ft6), King (5ft) and Super King (6ft).
Is an upholstered bed a good choice for allergy sufferers?
An upholstered bed can be kept clean with regular vacuuming using a soft brush attachment. If dust is a concern, flat-panel designs have fewer recesses than buttoned or channelled headboards. The upholstered bed cleaning guide has a routine.
