Ottoman Beds | UK-Made Lift-Up Storage | JMH Beds 

An ottoman bed gives you back the single largest patch of wasted space in the house: the floor under your mattress. Lift the base on its gas struts and there’s a full-length compartment sitting there, ready for suitcases, spare duvets and everything else that’s currently stacked in the corner of the room. We build all 33 designs in this collection ourselves, in our UK workshop, in sizes from small single 2ft 6in through to super king 6ft.

JMH Beds is family-run. We’re not reselling someone else’s mechanism with our name stuck on the label. We assemble these bases, fit the struts and upholster the headboards, which is why we’re happy to stand behind them.

Why an Ottoman Bed Beats a Chest of Drawers

The maths is simple. A double ottoman gives you somewhere around a cubic metre of storage, and it costs you no floor space at all, because the bed was already there.

• Full-length capacity. No dividing panels, no drawer walls. One open compartment, the size of the bed.
• It handles bulky things. Suitcases, travel cots, winter coats, Christmas boxes — items that never fit a drawer.
• Nothing on show. Close the base and the room reads as tidy, not as storage.
• Assisted lifting. The gas struts carry the weight of the base and the mattress, so opening it is a one-handed job.
• It stays put once open. The struts hold the base steady while you load and unload.
• Works in narrow rooms. Unlike a drawer divan, you don’t need clear floor space at the sides.

What’s in the Ottoman Beds Collection

Headboard Designs

Thirty-three models, covering most tastes and most rooms:

• Isabella Wing – the showpiece. A tall winged headboard that wraps the corners of the bed and anchors a large master bedroom.
• Chesterfield Sleigh – deep buttoning and a scrolled top, for period homes and traditional schemes.
• Knightsbridge, Cambridge and Carlton – panelled and upright, smart without shouting.
• Beaded Dior and Beaded Victoria – fine crystal detailing worked into the seams.
• Dior, Chelsea and Arizona – clean lines, well suited to new-builds and smaller rooms.
• Allure and Isabella – softer shaping with neat piping, our steadiest sellers.

Fabrics

Plush velvet, crushed velvet, chenille and a linen-look weave, in shades running from oyster and silver through to steel grey, navy, charcoal and black. Crushed velvet catches the light and suits a room you want to feel a bit glamorous. The linen weave hides marks better, which matters if children treat the bed as a trampoline.

Sizes and Lift Direction

Small single 2ft 6in, single 3ft, small double 4ft, double 4ft 6in, king 5ft and super king 6ft, all cut to standard UK mattress sizes.

Most of our bases are built as side-lifting, which suits the majority of bedrooms. If your bed sits in an alcove or tight against a wall, an end-lift may work better — ring us before ordering and we’ll tell you honestly which way round makes sense for your layout.

How Much Headroom Does an Ottoman Bed Need?

This is the one thing people forget, so it’s worth saying plainly. The base swings up on an arc, so you need clearance above the bed for it to open fully — roughly 1.2 metres above mattress height for a side-lift. That’s fine in a standard room. It’s not fine directly under a sloping attic ceiling or beneath a low window.

If your ceiling is low, a divan bed with drawers will serve you better. We’d rather tell you that now than have you find out on delivery day.

When an Ottoman Storage Bed Is the Right Call

Customers usually come to us for one of these reasons:

• The flat has no loft and no garage. Very common in city rentals and modern apartments. The bed becomes the storage.
• The spare room does three jobs. Guest room, office and dumping ground. A bed with lift-up storage clears the visible clutter in one go.
• The wardrobe’s overflowing with seasonal clothing. Summer things live under the bed from October, and swap over in April.
• You’ve got a baby on the way. Cots, prams and stacks of clothing appear from nowhere. So does the need for somewhere to put them. (When they’re older, our kids’ beds with ottoman storage do the same job in their room.)
• You’re downsizing. Fewer rooms, same possessions. Storage has to come from somewhere.

Made in the UK, Sold Straight to You

Every base in this range is made in our own UK workshop, and that shows up in the details that matter most on a lifting bed.

The frames are built from kiln-dried timber, so they hold their shape rather than twisting over time — important, because a warped frame is what makes a lifting base bind or sit crooked. We match the strut strength to the size of the bed, so a super king isn’t running the same hardware as a single. And the upholstery goes on by hand, which is why the piping runs straight and the buttons sit where the design meant them to.

Because we manufacture rather than import, we can also sort problems properly. A replacement strut or a spare panel is a phone call, not a twelve-week wait on a container.

Ottoman or Drawers? A Straight Answer

Both store well. They just suit different homes.

An ottoman suits you if you’re storing bulky, occasional things, you’ve got the headroom, and you’d rather have one big space than four compartments.

A drawer divan suits you better if your ceiling is low, you need daily access to what’s inside, or you want to reach something without moving the duvet.

If airflow is a concern — you run a warm bedroom, or you’ve had condensation under a solid base before — have a look at our slatted ottoman beds instead. Same storage, better ventilation for memory foam and hybrid mattresses. Several models come in all three versions, so you can compare the Allure and Allure slatted side by side.

If storage is the whole point of the purchase, it’s also worth a look at our storage boxes, which pair neatly at the foot of the bed.

Our Ottoman Bed Sale, Payment and Delivery

On offer now. There’s a sale running across the collection at the moment, so if you’ve been putting off the purchase, the timing’s good. It’s worth checking the full bed range too, since the offers run across it.

Finance. Spread the cost with 0% finance, or use Klarna, Clearpay or Snap Finance at checkout. PayPal, Apple Pay and the usual cards are all fine.

Delivery. We deliver nationwide, from Cornwall to the Highlands, wrapped and protected in transit. Full details are on our delivery information page.

Add a mattress. Our mattress range is cut to fit these bases exactly, so you’re not left with a gap at the edges.

Warranty. Every bed comes with a 1-year warranty against manufacturing faults.

Browse the Ottoman Beds and Get in Touch

Take your time with the collection — filter by size and price, compare the headboards, and think about which wall the bed will sit against before you choose the lift direction. Our ottoman beds are built to last a good deal longer than the sale price suggests.

Want to see how they look in real bedrooms first? Our customer gallery is full of photographs sent in by people who’ve had one delivered.

If you’re weighing up two models, or you’re not certain your ceiling height works, get in touch — ring us on +44 7534 269866 or email info@jmhbeds.co.uk, Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm. You’ll get someone who knows the beds because we make them, and a straight answer either way.

FAQs

How much storage does an ottoman bed give you?

Roughly the footprint of the bed itself. A double gives you around a cubic metre — enough for two large suitcases, spare bedding and a stack of seasonal clothing.

Is an ottoman bed hard to lift?

No. The gas struts carry most of the weight of the base and mattress, so it opens with one hand and holds itself open while you load.

How much ceiling clearance do I need?

Allow about 1.2 metres above the mattress for a side-lifting base to open fully. Ring us if you’re near that limit.

Can I choose which side the base lifts from?

Get in touch before you order. We’ll advise on side-lift versus end-lift based on where the bed sits in your room.

Do the beds come with a mattress?

You can add one when selecting your options, or browse the mattress range separately. Ours are cut to fit these bases exactly.

Will a heavy mattress affect the mechanism?

We match strut strength to bed size, so the base is set up for a mattress of the right weight. If you’re planning to use a particularly heavy mattress, tell us and we’ll check.

Is an ottoman bed safe with children in the house?

The struts hold the base securely open, and it takes deliberate effort to lower. As with any lifting furniture, keep children clear while you’re opening or closing it.

Are these ottoman beds really made in the UK?

Yes, built, assembled and upholstered in our own workshop rather than imported and relabelled.

How is the bed delivered and assembled?

The base arrives in sections with the headboard separate. Two people can put it together comfortably, and instructions are included.

What happens if something goes wrong?

Ring us. We’re a family business and we made the bed, so putting things right is far simpler than chasing a faceless retailer.