A ravishing bed frame is the linchpin of a well-designed bedroom. Whether you have visions of a sleek four-poster or a dramatic rococo headboard, a great bed won’t just make your night feel like checking into a boutique hotel, it can also add storage, character, even the illusion of more space. Picture a Soho House bedroom and its liberal use of velvet and print, or the woven rush headboards at Heckfield Place – it’s always a sign of a good bed when you feel compelled to whip out your phone and Instagram it before you’ve even sat down. If you’re going to get up close and personal with your bed every day, heck, you might as well love it. Keep scrolling for an edit of the best bed frames in every style, for every budget.
- Best crafted wood bed frame: Gallery Direct Okayama Bed Frame, £1,149
- Best velvet bed frame: Loaf Sugar Puff Velvet Bed, £1,295
- Best metal bed frame: Wrought Iron And Brass Bed Company Sophie Iron Bed Frame, £895
- Best skirted bed frame: John Lewis Ottoman Storage Bed, £599
- Best statement headboard: Anthropologie Ash Wood Bed Frame, £1,798
- Best four-poster bed frame: Heal’s Marlow 4-Poster Bed, £2,599
- Best upholstered bed frame: John Lewis Mid-Century Style Sweep Bed, £879
- Best rattan bed frame: Pre-Loved Urban Outfitters Marte Rattan Black King Bed (ebay), £499
- Best for storage: Heal’s Alba Storage Bed,
£2,799£2,379
FAQs:
- Where is the best place to buy a bed frame?
- How much should you spend on a bed frame?
- What is the most comfortable type of bed frame?
- Who makes the best quality beds?
Best for: Crafted wood
A wooden bed frame endlessly classic. Wooden beds are also a good opportunity to show off craftsmanship if you go for a higher-end piece that’s been hand-made. On a more practical note, if you have allergies, a wooden bed is easy to clean and less likely to be a dust trap than, say, a fabric version.
The Brunel bed is the epitome of minimal-chic. Inspired by industrial design, it’s been perfectly-crafted to suit modern, urban interiors. The stained oak frame is made from premium materials that are built to last.
Sizes available: Double, king
Delivery time: Within 2 weeks
Material: American oak
Type: Slatted
Warranty: N/A
Marrying stylish design with elegant craftsmanship, the Okayama bed frame offers a contemporary look within minimal fuss. Ideal for those with a penchant for minimalism, the oak and pine wood bed frame is finished in a sleek matte lacquer for a neat finish.
Sizes available: Double
Delivery time: Within 3 weeks
Material: Solid oak, pine, MDF
Type: Slatted
Warranty: 1 year
The Jacob bed is an architectural piece featuring a winged slatted wooden headboard that comes in your choice of finishes. The wooden legs are discreet, allowing the curved side rails to envelop the bed for ultimate nesting.
Sizes available: Double, king, super king
Delivery time: Within 2 weeks
Material: Wood
Type: Slatted
Warranty: N/A
Best for: Velvet elegance
A velvet bed frame is a one-way ticket to achieving the mood of a boutique hotel. The stroke-able matierial looks and feels luxurious – and no other fabric makes a jewel tone sing like velvet. Choose “clever” synthetic velvet if your children or pets are likely to let loose on a high-maintenance (and un-washable) plush 100 per cent cotton pile.
Like sleeping on a marshmallow, reclining back on to Loaf’s Sugar Puff Bed will have you drifting off in moments. The padded bed frame is further softened by the headboards gentle curvature which creates an inviting silhouette. Available in 140 different fabrics, we love the duck-egg blue hue for its relaxing quality.
Sizes available: Double, king, super-king
Delivery time: 8-10 weeks
Material: Wood, foam and fabric
Type: Slatted
Warranty: 1 year
Soho Home’s Gerrard bed was specifically deigned for the new bedrooms at Babington House in Somerset. Regal and elegant, the fluted headboard adds grandeur to bedroom and a focal point to the room. Composed of superfine velvet, which can be upholstered in linen at your preference, a brush against the silky fabric is enough to send you off to sleep. Handmade in the UK, the bed comes in several sizes to suit any space.
Sizes available: Double, king, super king, emperor
Delivery time: 7-9 weeks
Material: Wood and velvet
Type: Slatted
Warranty: N/A
The Arbor bed boasts a sleek design with minimal but thoughtful features. The curved headboard adds interest to the pared back bed frame, and the painted oak legs contribute to the overall elegance. Plush and comfortable, The Conran Shop has mastered the art of setting one up for a great night’s sleep.
Sizes available: King
Delivery time: 10-12 weeks
Material: Wood frame and fabric upholstery (several options available)
Type: Slatted
Warranty: N/A
Best For: Metal heads
Traditional metal bed frames are ideal for charming period homes. Go for a traditional iron or nickel style and layer it up with plump vintage quilts and eiderdowns for a “Cottagecore” look, or keep it sleek with a contemporary four-poster.
Made from solid wrought iron, this slatted bed offers a modern take on a traditionally Victorian design. With sturdy cast-iron feet and a powder-coated finish, it ticks all the boxes for durability. Generously layer this bed with a duvet, extra blankets and soft pillows, making sure to match textures with the rest of the room.
Sizes available: Double
Delivery time: Within 6 weeks
Material: Wrought iron
Type: Slatted
Warranty: N/A
This sturdy steel bed frame is powder coated for a sleek, matte finish. The raised foot end and traditional design gives it a timeless feel to help create a cosy, cottage-inspired bedroom.
Sizes available: Double, king, super king
Delivery time: Within 10 days
Material: Steel
Type: Slatted
Warranty: 1 year
Finished in antique brass, the Gloucester brass bed had a regal, commanding air that naturally draws the eyes attention in a room. The tall frame that bookends the bed is artfully designed to achieve a traditional finish. Choose between three bases, including spring beech slats, a four-inch Salcombe base, and four-inch beech sprung base for your ideal level of firmness. All of Cornish Bed Co’s beds are made with the cast knuckle fixings used on original Victorian beds, and hand-cast and poured using traditional gravity casting techniques.
Sizes available: 9 sizes available
Delivery time: 6-8 weeks
Material: Metal
Type: Slatted
Warranty: Unlimited guarantee on the castings and frame of their beds.
Best For: Skirted beds
If you’ve noticed an uptick of skirted sofa and armchair designs around at the moment, you’re right in spotting a trend. A skirted bed feels current and timeless all at once. You can also create the style yourself quite easily with a valance. Their benefit, aside from visually softening the look of your bed, is the practicality of hiding storage drawers and boxes underneath.
Simple and practical, the John Lewis ottoman storage bed marries form and function. The tall headboard adds grandeur to the pared-back bed frame. The fuss-free design champions practicality, with the aid of hydraulic arms and a handle to easily lift up the mattress to reveal a spacious storage space. The clever design features wider slates at the shoulders, lumber and feet for maximum support, helping you make the most of your mattress.
Sizes available: Double
Delivery time: Within 16 weeks
Material: Poplar, wood, steel, fabric
Type: Slatted
Warranty: N/A
Upholstered in a fresh, washed linen, the textured lining brings a laid-back energy into any bedroom. The linen pairs beautifully with earthy shades and tonal neutrals and is removable for ease of cleaning.
Sizes available: King, super king
Delivery time: Within 2 weeks (product restocked soon)
Material: Fraxinus ash wood and textured washed linen
Type: Slatted
Warranty: N/A
This grand bed frame oozes comfort. The soft buttoned headboard is filled with padded materials to support your head, and the underneath storage is easily accessible thanks to the hydraulic-assisted lift-up system.
Sizes available: Double
Delivery time: Within 10 working days
Material: Wood and polyester
Type: Platform style ventilated base to allow airflow
Warranty: N/A
Best For: Statement headboards
Beds with statement headboards are the key to taking a plainly decorated bedroom to the next level. Treat them as artwork – they’ll draw your eye in and create a focal point. An oversized or curvaceous headboard is also a great way to add character to a rented home, especially if there’s a pattern or colour involved.
The Mathilde nightstand bed cocoons the sleeper creating a space that feels comfortable, safe, and enclosed for a peaceful nights rest. The bed frame has a lightweight, breezy feel due to the evenly-spaced billets that invite air flow, while the attached nightstands are as elegant as they are convenient.
Sizes available: King
Delivery time: 1-2 weeks
Material: Ash wood veneer
Type: Slatted
Warranty: N/A
Monologue’s Jill Bed features an oversized headboard in upholstered fabric with lashings of fibre for a soft touch. Enveloping the sleeper in softness, the bed creates a comfortable and intimate atmosphere.
Sizes available: King, queen, super king
Delivery time: 8-10 weeks
Material: Firwood structure, fabric
Type: Slatted
Warranty: N/A
It’s easy to imagine snuggling up in the Adelaide bed. Its curved headboard is made from natural linen with aesthetically pleasing contrast piping. Plus, the matching footboard gives it a grand yet understated appearance that will work wonders in tying together a room.
Sizes available: King size
Delivery time: Within 2 weeks
Material: Fraxinus ash wood and textured washed linen
Type: Slatted
Warranty: N/A
Best For: Four-poster
A four-poster bed is the ultimate bedroom luxury, but they don’t have to be heavy hunks of turned wood reminiscent of Scrooge’s bed-chamber. Modern four-posters add to a space without overwhelming it. They also give you the option to play around with curtains. Just make sure you have the ceiling height and access – the shape needs breathing space.
Designed for Heal’s by Tim Rundle, the Marlow bed is made to seamlessly complement any room. Composed of solid and veneered wood, each joint is expertly-crafted to create a satisfyingly sleek finish, while the cotton-linen blend headboard offers a wonderfully minimal canvas to decorate and style as you please. (We suggest opting for linen throws and colourful scatter-cushions.)
Sizes available: King
Delivery time: 1-2 weeks
Material: Solid walnut and walnut veneer
Type: Slatted
Warranty: 1 year
The thought of being tucked into a grand four-poster has remained as idyllic in adulthood as it did in childhood. The 100 per cent wooden frame is exclusively sourced from sustainable forests that practice ethical harvesting, so you can have confidence in the integrity of the item. Easily put-together, the bed frame comes flat-packed for convenience and when assembled stand 25cm from the floor, the perfect size to stow away out-of-season clothes, or other less-frequently used items underneath.
Sizes available: Small double
Delivery time: 2-3 weeks
Material: Solid wood
Type: Slatted
Warranty: 10 years
Best For: Upholstered
The easiest way to add a feeling of comfort and cosiness to a bedroom is via layers of textiles. An upholstered bed is a great way to create a snug space where you can cocoon yourself come winter. Much like velvet beds and beds with statement headboards, an upholstered bed is an instant injection of life and personality to a space through colour, texture and print.
Heavily influenced by contemporary Italian furniture, the Matera bed features clean lines and tall metal legs for an elegant effect. The bed frame can be upholstered in soft velvet, cosy wool, buttery leather, or pebbled leather, and you can choose between 25 different colour ways.
Sizes available: Double, king, super king
Delivery time: 12-16 weeks
Material: Solid wood, metal and upholstery
Type: Slatted
Warranty: N/A
Mid-century inspired, John Lewis’s Sweep bed is designed with clever slat spacing that provides maximum support and perfect spinal alignment while you sleep. The frame is cushioned by soft padding for comfort as you move around during the night.
Sizes available: King
Delivery time: 16 weeks
Material: Pine, rubberwood, plywood
Type: Slatted
Warranty: 1 year
Best For: Rattan and cane
Cane or bamboo beds are an easy way to give your bedroom a retro nod, whereas rattan has less of a ’70s vibe, all of which works well paired with antique wooden bedside tables. Another thing to consider is the price – more often than not, cane and rattan fall under the most affordable styles available to buy.
John Lewis’s rattan bed frame is a cool, understated design that would look right at home in a household that favours natural woods and leafy plants. The oak is finished in a matt lacquer for durability while the solid slats provide a firmer base for your mattress.
Sizes available: Double
Delivery time: From next day
Material: European white oak and MDF
Type: Slatted
Warranty: 1 year
The Nadia bed is made from rattan of varying thicknesses, which lends itself to the distinctive shape. The legs of the bed are nice and discreet so the eye isn’t distracted from the beautiful headboard.
Sizes available: Kingsize, double
Delivery time: 1-3 weeks
Material: Rattan
Type: Slatted
Warranty: 1 year
Allow this pre-loved bed from Urban Outfitters to be the finishing touch to a ’70s-inspired bedroom. With a rounded rubberwood bed frame and rattan headboard, we like to imagine this bed adorned with linen throws and soft lighting.
Sizes available: King
Delivery time: 5 days within the UK
Material: Rattan
Type: Slatted
Warranty: N/A
Best For: Storage
Storage beds are a two-fold win as their boxy design doesn’t allow dust or mess to accumulate underneath, plus they’re brilliant at shoehorning extra storage into a room without taking up any more floor space. Choose a divan base with drawers if you need to access it regularly, or an ottoman bed if you’ll only need to lift it up for the occasional spare pillow.
For ease of use, the Alba bed frame is fitted with hidden pistons so that it can be tilted upwards to reveal generous storage space underneath. Ideal for stowing away excess bedding, or out of season clothing. The bed frame has removable loose covers on the bed base for easy maintenance and is available in cotton, velvet, or leather upholstery.
Sizes available: Double, king, super king
Delivery time: From 1 week
Material: Hardwood beech and birch
Type: Slatted
Warranty: N/A
The measure of a good storage bed is entirely in its ease of use. Go Modern’s Annie bed is supported by gas pistons which help to lift the mattress and keep it up. It also have a clever sealing mechanism which means that no dust will creep into your storage space. Go Modern have a selection of fabric choice available, but if you already have a particular choice in mind, you can present them with them fabric and they will upholster the item for you.
Sizes available: Single double, king, super king
Delivery time: From 1 week
Material: Fabric
Type: Slatted
Warranty: N/A
Where is the best place to buy a bed frame?
“A bed can really make or break a room, but there are an overwhelming number of options when looking for the right one”, says Vogue’s beauty and wellness editor, Hannah Coates. “I love bed frames that are made of natural material, and rattan seem to work well in every kind of decor – I have this one (which is affordable, too) in my spare room."
If you’re out to make a statement, we also love the theatre of a four-poster bed, especially now there are so many good options with slim silhouettes that won’t overwhelm a smaller room, plus you can experiment with lightweight curtains at the corners or a textile panel at the back. If you have the ceiling height for a four-poster, try John Lewis, Graham and Green, Heal’s, or even Wayfair.
Trying to make a rented flat feel more characterful? Velvet bed frames will add instant texture, colour and warmth to an uninspiring white bedroom, this trick is especially impactful if the headboard is an interesting shape. Try Soho Home and Loaf for the best variety and colour options.
If space is an issue, stop by Loaf and John Lewis first for a great selection of divan storage beds with drawers, which are useful for keeping bed linen and towels out of the way. Just add a simple linen valance and a headboard. If you don’t need to poke around in there daily, Love Your Home has some stylish articulated ottoman beds, which are ideal for squirrelling away vacuum-packed clothes and suitcases.
How do I find the right headboard?
“It’s fun to incorporate a headboard”, assures Hannah. “You can get them made by an upholsterer, which is more affordable than you might think and means you can choose any fabric you like, and then fix it to a divan base – Sueno’s are super affordable and work well with a good mattress, as well as a SKRT bed skirt – which is a good hack if you don’t want to see a base. The Original Bed Company also offer upholstered beds in all different shapes and sizes – they’re a favourite among interior designers for good reason.”
Read more: The Best Sofas & The Best Sofa Beds
How much should you spend on a bed frame?
You can find a bed that looks stylish for as little as a few hundred pounds, but the cost of a good bed is usually determined by the style and materials used. Even if you go for a well-made bed with sprung slats, a frame upholstered in metres of linen or cotton velvet will likely be more expensive than plain wooden spindles, an articulated ottoman bed will cost more than a non-storage base on legs, so bear this in mind when setting your budget.
The retro, textural styling of a rattan or cane bed looks great in any space and you don’t need to spend a fortune. Some of the best around can be found at high-street names such as Anthropologie.
If you have the budget for something more special, try Maker & Son for plump pillow-back beds, or Alfred Newall and Chelsea Textiles for bobbin beds influenced by antique American spool styles. This writer’s favourite? Pinch cannot be beaten for the perfect balance of quality and interesting shape.
What is the most comfortable type of bed frame?
When searching for a bed frame you’ll typically be met with two options: divan or slatted. Depending on your needs, either could be a great fit. Divan bed frames are built with a solid, often wooden, but sometimes pocket-sprung unit that lays underneath the mattress. The wooden option provides a naturally firmer finish, and may be the best option for you if your mattress is on the softer side, or perhaps a little worn-out. Slatted bed frames are more widely found and provide excellent support. They’re easy to assemble on your own and work well with most mattresses.
Who makes the best quality beds?
Good quality beds are comfortable, durable, and are made form materials that allow the mattress to breath. Graham and Green’s beds are a particularly smart choice as many of them are made from natural linen, which is known for its breathability and durable nature – plus, they look great. Other bed frames from Graham and Green are finished with high-quality velvet, which – in addition to offering a rich and comforting texture – is a surprisingly hardy material. However, if you’re in the market for something more modern, then Heal’s has plenty of contemporary designs ranging from minimalist to maximalist, with many of its beds boasting high-quality fabrics and solid wood frames.
So, it goes without saying that there are plenty of quality bed frames on offer – just remember to consider the materials of both the frame and the headboard and make sure the price range and aesthetic match your budget and vision.