Contents:

The headboard, and the holes you don't want to see

The footboard

The base; where the strength really lives

Inside the storage

So what does the price actually tell you?

The OBS vs a typical oak-finish ottoman

See it for yourself

 

Browse ottoman beds online and a lot of them look almost identical. A warm oak finish, a slatted headboard, a low foot end, a lift-up base. Side by side in a row of search results, you'd be forgiven for thinking the main difference is the price.

Most of the time, it isn't.

The things that decide how a bed actually lives — what it's made from, how it's put together, how it holds up after a few years of being opened and closed every day — rarely show in a thumbnail. So before you choose, it's worth knowing what to look for.

We've spent 17 years making solid hardwood beds, and these are the details we'd check first.

The headboard, and the holes you don't want to see

Here's a small detail that tells you a lot about how a bed is built.

On our beds, the headboard frame arrives with its spindles pre-fitted. The only fixings are four pilot holes to attach the headposts and those holes are fitted with wooden buttons so they are hidden once it's together — so the finished piece looks clean.

A typical alternative comes as a frame you build at home: you attach the spindles, the headposts then attach the top rail. That leaves fixing holes visible on the finished headboard. It still does its job — but it's more work for you, and it shows.

The footboard

Our footboard arrives as one finished piece. There's nothing to assemble, and no fixing holes on show.

On many beds, the footboard is built at home from separate parts, which leaves visible holes on the leg posts — and on some designs those holes are front facing, so they're the first thing you see when you walk in. Again, not wrong. Just worth knowing before it arrives flat-packed.

>The base; where the strength really lives

This is the part you never see, and the part that matters most for how a bed lasts.

Our storage metal base is built from two large pieces — a top and a bottom — bolted together. Fewer parts, fewer joins, and nothing that needs propping up: the base is sound on its own.

A common approach is a five-piece base — a top, a bottom, two sides and a centre bar, all bolted together. To make that structure stable, it then needs two central support legs. It works. But it's more parts to assemble, more bolts to keep an eye on, and more that can loosen over time.

In our experience, fewer, larger components simply make for a stronger bed over the long run.

Inside the storage

Lift the base and the differences continue.

We use two dividers inside the frame. They separate the storage into sections, hold the structure together, and spread the weight evenly so nothing is taking more load than it should. Many beds use a metal support frame here instead — it keeps the side rails together, but it's more to assemble and a less considered way to balance the bed.

There's one more detail that's easy to overlook: we include floor panels that simply rest on the floor beneath the storage. They help protect your flooring — particularly laminate and hard flooring — and because anything you store sits on the floor rather than hanging off the frame, you're not limited by what the structure can hold. Many ottoman beds have no floor panels at all.

So what does the price actually tell you?

A lower price usually isn't a catch. More often, it's an honest reflection of the materials and the amount of work that's gone into the build — fewer solid components and more assembly left to you.

None of that makes another bed the wrong choice. For some customers, it's exactly right, and we'd never tell you otherwise. Our only aim here is to show you what you're looking at, so you can weigh it up properly and choose with confidence.

At a glance

 

See it for yourself

The best way to judge any of this is in your own home, in your own light. Our free wood samples let you see and feel the finish properly — against your flooring, your wardrobe, the walls you already live with.

And if you'd like a second opinion on anything, just give us a call on 02393 552 550 or reply to any of our emails. We're always happy to help.

Explore our ottoman beds · Request your free wood samples

Warmest wishes, The Oak Bed Store family

From our family, to yours.