Bed Frame Buying Guide
Searching for the best bed frame? Learn everything you need to know about the different types of bed frames to complement your bedroom design from our experts.
Your bed is the heart of your bedroom, a peaceful sanctuary that supports your health and wellbeing. As the centrepiece of your carefully curated décor and the place where you spend nearly a third of your life, choosing the best type of bed frame is a decision that deserves thoughtful consideration. The right bed frame offers lasting support and style, transforming your bedroom into a place of comfort and elegance.
From the timeless appeal of divans to the discreet practicality of ottoman beds, our guide will help you explore the different types of bed frames and choose the perfect design for your space.
The bed frame’s role in creating your sleep sanctuary
A bed frame is the structure that supports your mattress and bedding, lifting them off the floor to safeguard against moisture, dust, and wear over time. A well-selected bed frame helps prevent sagging, enhances air circulation, and provides the foundation for your mattress needs, ensuring lasting comfort and support. Many designs also include a headboard or footboard, adding an extra layer of functionality and style.
Beyond its practical purpose, a bed frame can transform the look and feel of your bedroom. Whether you prefer the natural charm of weathered wood, the clean lines of metal, or the softness of upholstered fabric, there are different types of bed frames to suit every space. The right choice brings together comfort, craftsmanship, and design, creating a beautiful focal point in your room.
How the Right Bed Frame Supports Restful, Restorative Sleep
A good night’s sleep is at the heart of our emotional and physical well-being, and it begins with the sanctuary we create in our bedroom. Picture sinking into a bed that supports and cradles you, helping you drift into deep, restorative rest. While choosing the right mattress is essential, selecting the best type of bed frame is just as important for lasting comfort.
A well-crafted bed frame offers the stability your mattress requires to perform at its best. It aids in evenly distributing weight, reducing pressure points, and supporting your body as it should. By raising your mattress off the floor, it also promotes airflow – a detail valued in Feng Shui practices - helping to maintain your mattress's freshness while safeguarding it from moisture and dust.
A closer look at the different types of bed frames
Selecting the best type of bed frame is a personal decision shaped by your lifestyle, bedroom size, and design preferences. Perhaps you’re drawn to minimalist silhouettes, or maybe hidden storage is high on your list. Whatever your needs, understanding the different types of bed bases is the first step towards finding a bed frame that blends style, comfort, and practicality.
Classic bed frames
At its core, a classic bed frame is a sturdy structure with four legs and a rectangular base supporting a slatted platform for your mattress. Designs range from simple, low-profile frames that speak of modern minimalism to grand four-poster styles that add drama and elegance. Many bed frames include a headboard for added comfort and style, while some feature a footboard to create the graceful shape of a sleigh bed.
The material you choose plays a defining role in the character of your bed frame. A wooden bed frame brings natural warmth and enduring charm, as beautifully exemplified by our Sienna Bed with its elegant weathered oak finish. A metal bed frame, like the timeless Oliver Bed, offers strength paired with understated sophistication. For those who desire a more cocooning, tactile experience, an upholstered bed frame such as our Cambourne Bed, enveloped in soft bouclé or plush velvet, combines opulence with inviting comfort.
Ottoman beds
An ottoman bed is the perfect marriage of intelligent design and understated elegance, offering generous hidden storage without compromising style. With a smooth hydraulic lift, the mattress rises effortlessly to reveal a spacious compartment, ideal for keeping spare bedding, duvets, or seasonal clothing neatly tucked away yet always within easy reach.
This type of bed frame is particularly well-suited to bedrooms where space is at a premium, but where beauty and craftsmanship are never overlooked. Designs such as the Orla Ottoman Bed pair discreet functionality with refined upholstery, creating a focal point that is as practical as it is luxurious. For more inspiration on combining storage with style, explore our guide to three of the best storage beds.
Divan bed frames
A divan bed offers a smart and stylish approach to built-in storage, combining everyday practicality with effortless charm. Instead of lifting the mattress, discreet handle-free drawers are beautifully integrated into the base, providing easy access to essentials while maintaining a clean, refined silhouette. It’s an ideal bed frame choice that balances functionality with understated elegance.
Divan beds are thoughtfully crafted using a solid wooden frame, padded with soft wadding, and finished in your choice of luxurious upholstery. For a design that blends storage, comfort and craftsmanship, the Harrison Spinks Classic Divan and Mattress Set offers tailored style with everyday practicality. Complete the look with a coordinating headboard from the upholstered bed collection and create a bedroom as functional as it is beautiful.
Headboards: The finishing touch of bedroom elegance
A statement headboard has the power to transform your bedroom into a truly luxurious retreat. While not a bed frame in itself, a beautifully crafted headboard creates the illusion of a complete bed, bringing the opulence and comfort of a high-end hotel suite into your own space. From the timeless appeal of deep-buttoned upholstery such as the Sleepeezee Darwin Headboard to the clean, contemporary lines of modern minimalism in the Canterbury Headboard, the right headboard elevates your bed into an elegant sleep sanctuary.
How to choose a bed frame that embodies lasting luxury
Choosing a bed frame is an opportunity to bring together comfort, craftsmanship, and enduring beauty, enhancing both your sleep and the character of your space. Our simple three-step guide will help you make a thoughtful choice, perfectly suited to your bedroom sanctuary.
1) Find the right bed frame size
The size of your bed frame shapes not only the look of your room but also the quality of your rest. Consider the proportions of your space, your sleeping habits, and whether you prefer the cosiness of sharing or the indulgence of extra room. For true harmony between form and function, explore our buyer’s guide to mattresses to ensure your bed frame and mattress are perfectly matched.
A double bed frame offers timeless comfort for two, while a king or super king brings a sense of grandeur to larger rooms. For those seeking the ultimate in luxurious sleep, an emperor bed frame promises unrivalled space and ease. Our bed frame size chart provides a helpful reference as you make your choice:
| Bed Frame Size | Dimensions (cm) |
|---|---|
| Single | 90cm x 190cm |
| Small Double | 120cm x 190cm |
| Double | 135cm x 190cm |
| King | 150cm x 200cm |
| Super King | 180cm x 200cm |
2) Choose a style that reflects your taste
Once you have chosen the size, take a moment to consider how your bed frame will enhance the character of your bedroom. This is your chance to select a piece that fits effortlessly within your space but also captures your personal style and helps create a sanctuary of quiet luxury.
Think about the atmosphere you wish to create, whether you are drawn to soft, understated elegance or a design that makes a confident statement. The right bed frame will feel seamlessly at home, uniting your furniture, fabrics and palette in a way that brings harmony, refinement and comfort to your room.
3) Check if your bed frame will fit
Before purchasing your bed, ensure it complements the dimensions of your bedroom and can be easily moved into your home. Note the precise measurements of the bed frame using our bed frame size chart and visualise its placement in your bedroom by mapping out the area with masking tape. This allows you to walk around and assess the remaining space, ensuring it meets your expectations.
Additionally, verify that the bed can navigate through doorways and staircases with ease. Measure all entry points and clear any obstacles, such as pictures or freestanding lamps, to facilitate a smooth installation. Appropriate planning to ensure your mattress fits on the bed frame, at this stage will help you avoid unexpected issues when your beautiful new bed frame arrives.
Need help assembling your bed?
Every bed frame in our collection arrives flat-packed with clear, step-by-step instructions to make self-assembly straightforward and stress-free. If you would prefer, we also offer an expert assembly service for an additional fee and a recycling service to minimise waste. Our team will assemble your new bed frame with care and precision, remove all packaging, and leave your space ready for you to enjoy a peaceful night’s sleep.
Discover your signature bed frame style
Your bed frame is more than just a foundation for sleep; it’s the statement piece that shapes the mood of your entire bedroom. Let your personal design vision lead the way, whether you are drawn to timeless craftsmanship, natural textures or plush upholstery. Our beautifully curated collection of bed frames blends enduring luxury with exceptional functionality, helping you create a sanctuary that reflects your individuality and enriches your space for years to come.
Rattan bed frames
A rattan bed frame is a beautiful addition to contemporary bedroom décor, offering enduring elegance and natural charm that blends seamlessly into various modern-day trends, from rustic farmhouse to Scandinavian chic. Rattan’s intricately woven and delicately detailed finish is wonderfully tactile, yet incredibly durable and exceptionally long-lasting, allowing you to revel in its inviting warmth and earthy beauty.
Our Aubrey Rattan Bed makes a chic style statement, with clean straight lines and an exquisitely crafted central rattan panel in the elegant yet understated headboard. Embrace a softer, more romantic style with our beautiful Sienna Rattan Bed frame, where 100% natural rattan takes centre stage in the gentle, sweeping curves of the graceful headboard.
French-style beds
A French-style bed brings timeless romance and effortless opulence to any bedroom. With graceful curves, elegant silhouettes, and thoughtful detailing, this style evokes the charm of classic French interiors while blending beautifully into traditional and modern spaces. Finished in soft weathered oak, painted wood, or wrapped in luxurious fabrics, a French bed creates a striking focal point that combines comfort with refinement.
The Sienna range captures this aesthetic with sweeping lines, intricate carved accents, and a soft weathered finish that adds relaxed sophistication. For those seeking a more tailored look, the Aubrey Bed pairs clean lines with subtle French design influences, offering a serene and stylish centrepiece for your bedroom sanctuary.
Wooden bed frames
There is a certain quiet grandeur to a wooden bed. The natural grain, the subtle variations in tone, and the unique markings bestowed by nature; together, they bring a sense of heritage, warmth and enduring beauty to your bedroom. A wooden bed frame is more than furniture; it is a statement of timeless elegance, crafted to stand the test of time. Whether captivated by the rich depth of dark wood furniture, the gentle softness of light wood furniture, or the distinctive character of acacia wood, each material tells its own story of craftsmanship and quiet sophistication, opening an invitation to create a sleep space defined by natural luxury.
Upholstered bed frames
An upholstered bed frame is the ultimate indulgence, cradling you in the luxurious embrace of sumptuously soft fabric as you drift into peaceful sleep each night. Whether enveloped in plush velvet, soft linen or cosy bouclé, an upholstered bed frame transforms your bedroom into a haven of decadence and relaxation; a sanctuary to escape the outside world and enjoy life’s simple pleasures.
Our timelessly elegant Scandinavian-style Cambourne Bed features a lavishly upholstered headboard wrapped in irresistibly indulgent bouclé. Its gently winged design and calming neutral hue create a cocooning effect to lull you into a state of blissful serenity. For a bold and sophisticated ambience, the Art Deco-inspired Wooster Bed boasts an impressive statement headboard enveloped in opulent tones of rich cream or deep navy velvet.
Crafted to last: Our buyer’s guide to selecting your ideal bed frame
At Feather & Black, we understand that a new bed frame is a significant investment, and it’s important to find the right one. Our lead buyer offers the following expert advice on how to use this guide to embark on your bed buying journey:
“Navigating the bed base types and the different styles of bed frames can seem like a daunting task, but it’s really all about you and your unique needs. Pause to consider your health and wellbeing, your practical requirements and your desire to create an aesthetically beautiful bedroom. Firstly, prioritise comfort and support by selecting a high-quality, well-crafted bed frame that provides the necessary stability for your mattress to aid restful sleep.
“Next, decide on the type of bed frame you prefer and what suits your practical needs. For example, in smaller spaces, consider ottoman or divan beds with hidden storage solutions that don’t compromise on style. Match your décor by choosing a bed frame that complements your bedroom’s design, whether it’s the rustic charm of weathered oak, the sleek lines of metal or the luxurious feel of upholstery.
“Ensure the bed frame fits your bedroom dimensions and personal space requirements by using our bed size chart and visualising its placement. You may also want to consider the height of the bed frame with your existing mattress and how easy the material is to care for and maintain. Lastly, consider the ease of assembly and opt for our professional services if you prefer convenience and efficiency.”
Armed with all the information you need on how to choose the best type of bed frame, you can now begin the journey to find your ideal match.
Explore our expertly curated collection of meticulously designed bed frames, each one showcasing exquisite craftsmanship, to transform your bedroom into a luxuriously comfortable and wonderfully stylish retreat.