Divan vs Ottoman Bed: Which Is Better for Storage?
If storage capacity is your number one priority, the ottoman bed wins. A lift-up ottoman base turns the entire space beneath your mattress into one deep storage compartment, while a divan can only store within its built-in drawers. But raw capacity is not the whole story: divans are generally cheaper, quicker to open day to day, and easier for children or anyone with limited mobility to use. Below we break down storage capacity, ease of access, room layout, price and what actually fits inside each type, so you can choose the right storage bed for your UK bedroom with confidence.
What Is a Divan Bed?
A divan is a fully upholstered bed base, usually supplied in two parts, that the mattress sits directly on top of. Any storage comes from drawers built into the sides of the base. Most divans are available with two or four drawers, and larger sizes sometimes offer split configurations such as two standard drawers plus two continental drawers. The base sits low to the floor with a neat, tailored look, and the drawers simply slide out horizontally when you need them.
What Is an Ottoman Bed?
An ottoman looks like an ordinary upholstered bed from the outside, but the entire mattress platform lifts up on gas-lift pistons to reveal one large storage cavity underneath. The piston-assisted mechanism supports the opening, and the base stays raised on its own while you organise what is inside. Ottoman beds generally open from the side or the foot end, so you can pick the version that suits your room layout.
Storage Capacity: The Ottoman Wins Outright
This is the biggest difference between the two designs, and it is not close. An ottoman uses the full footprint of the bed as a single, uninterrupted storage zone — headboard to foot, side to side. A standard double ottoman can offer around 1,000 litres of storage space, roughly equivalent to a small wardrobe or a large chest of drawers, and ottomans are widely considered to offer up to four times the storage of drawer-based alternatives.
A divan, by contrast, stores only within its drawers. The centre of the base is taken up by the drawer carcasses and cross supports, so a meaningful chunk of the under-bed space is effectively wasted. Drawers are perfectly useful for a few sets of bedding, but they cannot compete with an ottoman for sheer volume.
What Fits Inside Each One?
The storage style you need should really drive your decision. As a rule of thumb:
- Divan drawers suit everyday items: clothes, spare bedding, towels, books and the bits you reach for regularly. The compartmentalised layout keeps things organised.
- Ottoman bases swallow bulky and seasonal items that drawers cannot take: winter duvets, spare pillows, suitcases, seasonal clothing, children’s toys and storage boxes. It is one big open cavity, so awkward shapes are no problem.
Many households effectively split the difference — drawers for daily clothes and an ottoman-style compartment for the seasonal overflow.
Ease of Access: Drawers Are Quicker
For everyday convenience, the divan has the edge. Its drawers glide open with one pull and push shut just as easily, which makes them ideal for items you reach for daily. An ottoman requires you to lift the whole mattress platform. Modern gas-lift systems make this smooth and assisted, but it still takes more effort — particularly with heavier mattresses, where the lift mechanism has to work harder. If you plan to open the storage daily, this difference matters.
Divans are also the more practical choice for children and for anyone with limited mobility, who may find pulling a drawer simpler and safer than lifting a bed base.
Room Size and Layout
Room layout often decides this choice before anything else, especially in smaller UK bedrooms:
- Divans need side clearance — around 60cm on each side with drawers — for the drawers to open fully. If the bed sits tight between two walls, against a radiator or under a low window, some drawers may be awkward or impossible to reach.
- Ottomans lift vertically, so they need no extra floor space at the sides to access the storage. This makes them the stronger choice for narrow rooms, box rooms and beds pushed against a wall. The trade-off is headroom: the platform rises high, so check there is enough space between the fully opened bed and the ceiling — low ceilings and sloping eaves can be a problem.
For tight side clearance, an end-lift ottoman (which opens from the foot) is usually the best fit; side-lift versions suit wider room layouts.
Price and Practicality
Divans are generally the more affordable storage bed, while ottomans usually cost more because you are paying for the gas-lift mechanism and the extra storage volume. Assembly is another practical difference: divan bases typically arrive in two parts and go together quickly, whereas ottomans are more involved to put together and harder to move once in place.
Both designs support a mattress well. Divans often come with solid or sprung base options, while ottomans use a solid platform base that sits on the lift frame.
One more practical tip: measure your room — and the doorways and staircases the bed must travel through — before you order. Ottoman bases are bulkier to manoeuvre than a divan’s two-part base, and tight UK hallways and Victorian staircases have humbled many a delivery. If the ottoman you want cannot comfortably get upstairs, a divan base in two easy sections may simply be the safer buy, regardless of which storage style you prefer. And whatever you choose, keep the assembly instructions and fixing kit somewhere safe — you will want them again when you move house or redecorate.
Divan vs Ottoman Bed: Side-by-Side Comparison
| Feature | Divan Bed | Ottoman Bed |
|---|---|---|
| Storage capacity | Moderate — limited to drawer size and number | Large — the whole under-bed cavity |
| Best for storing | Everyday items: clothes, bedding, towels | Bulky or seasonal: duvets, suitcases, pillows |
| Ease of access | Excellent — drawers slide out instantly | Good — gas-lift assisted, but more effort |
| Clearance needed | Side space for drawers to open | Headroom above the bed for the lift |
| Bed against a wall | Some drawers may be blocked | Works well against walls |
| Child and mobility friendly | Yes — simple pull-out drawers | Less ideal — lifting takes effort |
| Assembly and moving | Quick, usually two parts | More involved, heavier to move |
| Price | Generally more affordable | Generally more expensive |
The Verdict: Which Storage Bed Should You Buy?
Choose an ottoman bed if maximising hidden storage is your priority, you need somewhere for bulky or seasonal items, your bedroom is narrow, or the bed will sit against a wall. Browse our ottoman beds to see the full range — the Aerial Bed, for example, pairs a light contemporary design with a full gas-lift ottoman base and piston-assisted opening.
Choose a divan bed if you want quick, effortless access to everyday items, you are working to a tighter budget, or children or older relatives will be using the storage. Our divan beds come in a full range of fabrics and colours — the Burbury Divan Bed even gives you the choice of practical drawer storage or a full ottoman lift base in one design.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are ottoman beds better than divan beds?
For storage capacity, yes — an ottoman’s full under-bed cavity holds far more than divan drawers. For everyday convenience, ease of use and budget, divans have the edge. The right choice depends on what you store and how often you access it.
How much storage does an ottoman bed actually have?
A standard double ottoman can offer around 1,000 litres of storage — roughly the size of a small wardrobe or a large chest of drawers. Divan drawers hold a fraction of that in comparison, since the centre of the base is taken up by the drawer structure.
Can you put any mattress on an ottoman bed?
Most mattress types are compatible with ottoman bases, but mattress weight matters. Heavier mattresses make the gas-lift mechanism harder to operate, so check the base’s guidance before buying. Pocket-sprung mattresses are a popular choice for ottomans that get opened regularly.
Do ottoman bed lift mechanisms break easily?
Gas-lift pistons are designed for repeated, long-term use. Like any moving part, they benefit from occasional care, but a well-made ottoman base should open and close smoothly for years.
Is a divan bed good for a small bedroom?
Divans have a compact footprint, since the base matches the mattress size exactly. The catch is the drawers: they need around 60cm of side clearance to open fully. If there is no space beside the bed, an ottoman — which lifts vertically — is the better small-room choice.
Browse Storage Beds at Beds and Beyond
Whether you need the deep, full-base storage of an ottoman or the quick everyday convenience of a divan, shop all beds at Beds and Beyond. Every bed is handmade to order at our Dewsbury, West Yorkshire base, with free UK delivery on orders over £100 — so wherever you are in the UK, your new storage bed arrives without the delivery headache.
