Where to buy a bed – I've visited more than 20 bedroom furniture stores to find the best places to buy a divan bed base, a storage ottoman, or a bed frame

If you're wondering where to buy a bed, I'm here to help. As Ideal Home's Sleep Editor, I've spent the last four years visiting bedroom furniture showrooms across the country, attending trade shows, and speaking to furniture experts to find out what makes a great night's sleep.

What I've learnt is that although finding the best mattress for your budget is vital, the bed you put under it matters too.

I've lain down on beds at John Lewis, IKEA, Habitat, Bensons for Beds, Dreams, and many more retailers, as well as self-assembling beds from IKEA, Simba, DUSK, and plenty more online-only stockists.

No matter if you're looking for a divan bed base, a storage ottoman, or a simple bedstead, this is my round-up of where to shop.

Quick list

Here's where to buy a bed at a glance; from high-street favourites to online-only brands.

• Argos: budget-friendly kids and adult beds
• Bensons for Beds: showrooms across the UK
• Darlings of Chelsea: upholstered bed frames
• Dreams: lots of styles and lots of showrooms
• Dunelm: huge selection but mostly online-only
• DUSK: online-only but extremely affordable
• Feather & Black: mid-range beds in-store and online
• Furniture Village: wide range of in-store options
• Habitat: online-only but very budget-friendly
• Happy Beds: wide selection but online-only
• IKEA: affordable flatpack beds you can collect in-store
• John Lewis: online and in-store
• Loaf: online and in-store
• Naturalmat: luxury handcrafted beds
• Next: wide range of UK-wide showrooms
• Oakfurnitureland: wooden and upholstered beds
• Simba: good value mattress and bed frame bundles
• Sofa.com: huge range of upholstery options
• The White Company: luxury upholstered beds

Best places to buy a bed

When it comes to where to buy a bed, it's not all about finding a style you love that's within your budget.

You may also want to factor in whether you can view your preferred bed frame in person before you buy, whether your chosen bed will be delivered to your bedroom or left at your doorstep, and whether there's the option to have someone with savvier DIY skills assemble it for you.

I've included everything you need to know about each retailer on my shortlist, below.

FAQs

What's the best type of bed?

There are several types of beds you can choose from; the main options being a divan bed base, an ottoman bed, or a simple bed frame or bedstead. You can find out more about each in our dedicated guides, but ultimately, no one type of bed is fundamentally 'best' or better than the other; they each offer their own unique attributes.

Which company is best for beds?

I've listed my recommended bed retailers above, including the average price range of beds available at each brand. Ultimately, the right choice of bed for you comes down to your budget and the style of bed you prefer.

You might prefer to buy from a retailer that has showrooms where you can view the bed before you invest, or you may be happy shopping online, but whichever option you choose, I would say that the best companies to buy from are those that offer a range of delivery options.

Beds are heavy, so look for retailers that offer delivery to your room of choice, and, if you know your DIY skills aren't up to scratch or that you'll struggle to build a bed on your own, it can also be well worth shopping with a brand that offers an assembly service for large furniture.

Does a bed base affect how your mattress feels?

Yes, your bed base can affect how your mattress feels. For instance, a solid divan bed base or slatted bed base will make your mattress feel firmer than a sprung divan bed base.

That means that bed comfort isn't all down to choosing between a memory foam, pocket spring, open coil, or hybrid mattress, the bed base underneath is part of the puzzle too.

What is the average cost of a bed?

On average, I would say you should budget between £500 and £1500 for a bed of decent quality.

A bed frame is usually the cheaper option, whilst a divan or ottoman bed generally costs more.

You can find very basic bed frames for around £150 for a double bed, or spend upwards of £5,000 on a bed made from higher quality materials and which offers more design options.