Bedroom The Best Ottoman Bed: A Buyer’s Guide

The other day I was looking for my hiking bag after a friend had just invited me to the enjoy some time out of town as we climb some hilly place in Kajiado.

After my frantic search, without much success, I had just one other place where I could have kept the bag. Under my bed. And voila, there it was. BUT, it was in such a terrible state. It had mold, dust and all kind of dirt on it.

Does the story sound familiar?

This is where ottoman beds, such as this one by MakeSpace Functional Furniture, come in.

What is an Ottoman Bed?

An ottoman bed is a bed frame also known as a divan bed that comes with lift hydraulics that lift up the base of the bed to reveal more storage underneath.

These beds are known for their great storage capacity which is more than that of your standard drawer bed. And therefore are the practical solution for a bedroom with limited space, a common challenge in Nairobi and most urban houses.

A short history

The modern-day ottoman bed has a rich history.  The name ottoman is taken from the place of origin and that is the Ottoman empire.  Ottoman furniture is mainly made up of footstools, beds and wooden chests.

The Ottoman empire is what we know as the modern-day Turkey.

The modern ottoman bed is no longer about intelligent storage space but it is also one way to make your room look great.

Whether you go for a traditional or modern taste, the ottoman bed is a statement of style.

What are the Available sizes of a Bed with an Under Storage Platform?

When you buy a mattress that is too small for you then you have joined the club of the very many people who always make the mistake of getting the wrong bed size.

It is important to note that bed sizes are determined by standard mattress sizes which vary from country to country. There are mainly two metric measures and depending on where you come from, you can choose what works for you.

 

Bed Type	Metric system	Imperial System
Crib	76  cm X 191 cm	30×75 in	For babies
Single bed size	92 X 187 cm	36 X 80 in	Also known as a twin mattress.  Best choice for children who have outgrown the crib.
Single extra long size	92 X 203 cm	36 X 80 in	Extra inches but same width as the twin. Best for taller children and even college.
King single size	106 X 203 cm	76 X 80 in	Best for couples who want maximum sleeping space. Check the dimensions of your room first before buying.
Double  size	137 X 187 cm	54 X 74 in	Only fits one but is mostly short for the adults therefore mostly bought for children and the extra space is used for reading bedtime stories.
Queen size	153 X 203 cm	60 X 80 in	For couples who don’t need as much sleeping space. Still ideal for singles who love snoozing.
King size     Super king size	183 X 203 cm     203 X 203 cm	72 X 80 in     80 X 80 in	For maximum, personal, plenty sleeping space.

5 Ottoman Bed Designs Available in the Market Today

People today refer to Ottoman beds by different names and the most common one is divan. However, it should be noted that the term, divan is used to refer to an ottoman frame. It should also be noted that it is not necessary for these beds to have an underneath storage.

The name ottoman simply refers to the type of frame structure that the bed has. So before you go about finding a design that suits you, you better know the type of frame that has been used.

Ottoman beds are constructed in a manner that the bed utilizes the mattress platform. So when the mattress is lifted storage space underneath is revealed.

Just because the bed comes with such space does not necessarily mean that you’ve got storage. This is simply the framing structure of an ottoman bed in fact without it, an ottoman would not be. When it comes to the framing systems, there are two and all depend on the spring set at the end.

You could have tension or hydraulic springs but at the end of the day they serve the same purpose and that is to lift the heavy mattress. Having this in mind then it is good to know the five best ottoman bed designs that you can find in the market today.

1. Tiger bed

• Gas lift up bed frame
• Metal frame under faux leather
• Can carry upto 75 kgs mattress
• Has sprung slats for comfort
• 10mm Wooden Sprung
• Opens at the footend
• Can accommodate single, small double, standard double and king size mattresses
• Heardboard height is 91.4 cm
• Footboard Height 33cm

2. Otto-Garisson

• Double storage bed
• Fitted with a gas lift
• Wooden frame
• Faux leather cover material
• Has a full framed headboard
• 9mm Wooden Sprung
• Maximum mattress load of 75 kgs
• Footend opening
• Can accommodate single, small double, standard double ,king size mattress and super king size
• Headboard height is 90.5 cm
• Footboard Height 30 cm

3. Seattle

• Side lift ottoman storage bed
• Gas lift opening
• Faux leather cover material
• Wooden Sprung
• Can accommodate single, small double, standard double and king size mattresses
• Headboard height is 84 cm
• Footboard Height 35 cm
• Maximum mattress load of 75 kg

4. AFS Chester

• Metal frame
• Upholstered in faux leather
• Wooden Sprung
• Foot end opening
• Can only be used with two mattress sizes, standard double and king size.
• Maximum mattress load of 75 kg

5. Caspian Ottoman

• Lift up bed base
• Stitched headboard
• Upholstered in a soft faux leather
• Headboard height 85 cm
• Footboard height 31.5 cm
• 4ft6 double bed

Benefits of having a Bed with Storage beneath it

A bed that has storage is one of the best investments you can make for your home. You get to rest and store your clothes, or some other stuff, out of sight. You therefore will not have a messy bedroom.

Here are some benefits of storage beds.

It’s the perfect place to store forgotten items

Storage beds are great for storing toys that are no longer needed. Instead of you tripping over them or having to go down on your hands and knees searching for them, simply put them away in one place.

Storage beds can have drawers too. And in case of an ottoman, simply raise the sleeping platform up and you are done.

Optimizing the space that you have

Bedrooms come in different shapes and sizes. If you are living in a busy city where residential homes have small spaces then a storage bed is heaven sent.

If you only have space for a bed and a lamp shade and no dresser, ottoman beds are your best option.

Best for kids

Children outgrow their baby cribs and not only that but they want more space and personal stuff. So a storage bed is best because they get a place to store their clothes and other items that they may have.

Something for your guest room

Storage beds are not limited to small spaces. You can also put them in your guest room.

Decluttering

A bed with storage space underneath will help you realize your declutter goals plus it helps you remove unnecessary furniture. Who needs a wardrobe when they’ve got one under the bed?

Your legs get comfortable

Little things do count and one of these little things is your legs. Ottoman beds do not have drawer handles on the side. So if you are sitting on your bed there is no wooden knot hurting your legs or causing you to sit awkwardly.

Buying the Best Ottoman Bed: Factors to consider

Information is power and it is important to know all the fine details to look out for before making your purchase for your bed. So here are some of the aspects that you should have a look at before you own one of the best ottoman storage beds.

The mattress base

You want a high quality, well-constructed mattress-and-bed base. If you spot joints that are flimsy or even chipboard that has been glued together then you better walk out of that particular shop.

An ottoman base should have a solid build since they will be supporting 80 kgs of weight on average. Anything that is poorly made will serve you poorly and eventually collapse.

Ensure that your bed is well made

A jointed box with solid corners should do the trick.

There should be no splinters that will be catching your sheets. Stitchbond or hessian coating come highly recommended thanks to their resilience.

What are the components used?

Not all that glitters is gold. There are lots of cheap imported mattress bases that are flooding the market and because of their cheap prices, people go for them. Get to know what product was used to make your mattress.

Ambiguity and fluff should be taken with a grain of salt. For instance, a description that only talks about luxury or state of the art is meaningless because it does not address the real details of construction.

Construction components have to do with type of wood, stuffing and upholstery type and even pistons or gas struts used.

Types of pistons or gas struts used

If there is one essential aspect about ottomans that should never go unchecked, it is the pistons. These parts are just like pocket springs meaning that they do not come standardized but still you really need to know the maximum weight that they can tolerate.

Do note that some struts perform better than others. The good ones have a sturdy look plus they fit well.

Avoid plastic struts and even spring hinges because they cannot carry the weight of your mattress. Cheap struts could also endanger your safety because the mattress might fall while you are accessing the storage area, getting your fingers or hands painfully trapped.

So the question is, how do you get the right gas struts for your mattress? Find out the weight of your mattress before buying the ottoman base.

Every set of struts always comes with specific information for instance, the weight range that the struts can lift. Do not confuse affordability for cheap. Just ensure that you are getting the quality that you are paying for. Test the bed, lay on it and feel its life.

Purchase the bed’s functionality.

How heavy is the mattress?

Initially you will need all the strength that you can get when dealing with the ottoman bed but once you place it inside the room, the gas struts should be able to do the rest. Do note that high quality mattresses, such as high-density ones with a about 10 inches depth, are quite heavy.

Are the covers at the top non-stick?

One major sign that you are dealing with a cheap ottoman base is that its mattress on the upper part is non-stick. How bad is this? Well, it means that when you raise it up to access the storage, the mattress might slip and crush into your headboard. It can also crush on anything that is near the bed.

Assembly

An ottoman bed is an upgrade from the common bed that you will find on the road side, a common place for Kenyan household furniture.

Therefore, it is only fair that the bed is easy enough to assemble for a non-technical/hands on person to put it together.

Better even, with this being a premium product it would not be too much to ask for if it was delivered to your house and assembled by the furniture house selling it.

The price

Yes, this comes last. Choose an ottoman bed that fits inside your pocket, to put it loosely. A basic Upholstered ottoman bed should do but if you are looking for an upgrade then go for an upholstered bed with a headboard cushion.

Check out what is offered by MakeSpace Functional Furniture (Kenya) for such an upholstered ottoman bed.

Conclusion

An ottoman bed with storage space underneath is one of those furniture pieces that make your bedroom whole. Not only are they an element of style but they also promote neatness.

This review has listed five ottoman bed designs that you can find in the market. However, if you love Made-in-Kenya-by-Kenyan’s products then you now have the opportunity to get such an ottoman bed here.