How to choose between a divan and an ottoman bed
Two great options to consider when upgrading your bed are the divan and the ottoman bed. Both provide useful storage space and comfort at a reasonable price point.
However, some key differences between these two styles are worth examining when deciding which is better suited for your bedroom.
What is a divan bed?
A divan bed has a sturdy base of quality materials such as solid wood, plywood, or metal surrounded by padding, creating a supportive foundation for your mattress. At the same time, optional drawers offer ample storage space for extra linens, clothing, and other items.
Divan drawers are mounted on smooth wood or metal runners, gliding open and closed with little effort. The separate drawers mean you can pull one out at a time to access the contents inside. The downside of drawers is they require clearance in front of them, so a divan with drawers is only sometimes suitable.
Many divan bases include castors or feet as well, so the whole bed can be moved around the room easily for vacuuming or rearranging furniture – this makes life much easier. However, you can also get divans that sit on wooden or metal feet.
Pictured: Giltedge Beds Eco Lux Divan Bed. Available from Bedstar.
What is an ottoman bed?
Like the divan, an ottoman bed contains storage space built into its base, but instead of separate drawers, the ottoman has one giant hollow compartment that runs the entire length and width of the bed. This sizable storage area lets you use the space below the whole mattress rather than just the sides.
To access the storage, you lift the mattress to reveal the spacious compartment underneath. The ottoman base lifts on gas struts or pistons to make lifting the mattress a piece of cake – minimal muscles are required.
Ottoman beds come in end and side-lift configurations – we recommend end-lift ottoman beds when your bed will sit in the middle of the room and side-lift ottoman beds when your bed will sit against a wall.
Pictured: Boutique Forest Green Ottoman Bed. Available from Bedstar.
Key factors to consider.
When deciding between a divan and an ottoman bed, here are some key factors to weigh:
- Do you need a mattress? You can buy divan and ottoman beds with a mattress, like the Giltedge Beds Express Solo and Giltedge Beds Visco Support. Adding a mattress will save you around 20% versus buying separately.
- Bedroom size – Ottoman beds maximise storage space in small bedrooms where every inch counts. Their expansive under-bed compartment can hold bulkier items like off-season clothes or extra linens.
- Organisation needs – Divans allow easier organisation with separate drawers to allocate categories like socks, pants, accessories, etc. The single storage space of an ottoman can require some digging to find items.
- Budget – Ottoman beds typically cost around 25% more than divans due to their superior storage capabilities. But ottomans still provide excellent value.
- Mattress type – Both divan and ottoman bases work well with any mattress, like innerspring, latex foam, or memory foam. The comfort depends more on mattress choice, although slatted base ottomans are better for mattresses under 25cm to relieve some of the pressure on the mattress’s internal parts.
- Ease of access – Divans can permit storage access from both sides of the bed since the drawers are on each side. Lifting the mattress is required to utilise an ottoman’s storage, but gas lifts assist with this.
Making the right choice for you
If you’re working with a tiny bedroom, the ottoman’s expansive storage running the full length and width of the bed can help maximise every inch.
Those of you with a small budget will find a divan bed can provide excellent value without sacrificing much storage space with drawers. Additionally, they are visually identical to ottomans, so you won’t sacrifice style and good looks.
