A good night of sleep starts with finding the right bed for your needs. When considering buying a Divan, ask yourself some practical questions before deciding. Think about the overall size – what would fit comfortably in your bedroom? Can you still walk around quickly or access your other furniture if you get this bed? And remember to figure out what type of mattress will provide the support and comfort you need.

#1 What Size Divan Do I Need?

Take the width and length of the room and think about how much walking around space you want to leave on each side of the bed. Adding underbed storage drawers can make the divan a bit taller, too, so account for that.

If you’re unsure between a double and a king, consider sizing up – the base is the same width as the mattress, so king-size divan beds have a similar width to standard double bed frames despite the mattress being wider. Plan for at least 100 cm width on both sides to give yourself enough room to walk comfortably.

#2 What Mattress Type and Depth Should I Get?

• Open coil mattresses use a standard, connected spring support. They’re generally affordable but don’t isolate motion as well, so you may feel your partner moving in the night.

• Pocket spring mattresses house each spring in its little fabric pocket for better motion isolation. So, fewer sleep disturbances!

• Memory foam contours closely around your body for pressure relief and support for aches and pains.

• Latex foam is a naturally derived material that is very durable and bouncy. It provides responsive support as you move.

As for mattress depth, you’ll see most range between 18-25 cm thickness, with thicker meaning you get more foam, padding and that cosy, plush feel.

Pictured: Giltedge Solo Memory 4FT 6 Double Mattress. Priced £249 (Save £250 on RRP) Available from Bedstar.

#3 What Are My Storage Options?

When selecting draw storage for your divan. It may also be worth considering ottoman storage options. Drawers directly integrated into the bed base keep clothing and linens easily accessible yet tucked from sight. Lift-top ottomans offer style and space for multi-purpose storage, using the entire underside of the mattress for storage. 

Evaluate access and capacity to determine which feature best fits your organising functionality. Ottomans have more storage but are more expensive than drawers.

Pictured: Giltedge Beds Side Opening 4FT 6 Double Ottoman Base. Priced £458 (Save £92 on RRP) Available from Bedstar.

#4 What’s the Best Bed Base Option?

You have several bed base options for use with your divan set, including Slatted Bases, sprung slatted bases or solid platform bases.

Slatted bases feature rows of wooden slats spaced closely to support your mattress. The spacing allows airflow underneath, which helps keep the mattress fresh. Slatted bases are affordable, customisable to your bed size, and can fold for easy moving.

Sprung slatted bases take the support one step further. Spring coils are incorporated into the framing, and the wooden slats are on top to provide extra bounce and shock absorption.

Solid platform bed bases offer an ultra-sturdy and supportive surface from solid wood, plywood, or MDF board. Like slatted bases, these provide full under-bed airflow and an option to customise the base height. 

Solid bases are heavy, stationary fixtures, but some can be dismantled for transport. Wooden bases may cost more but can also be an extension of your room decor.

#5 Do You Need a Fancy Headboard?

You don’t need an elaborate, pricey Headboard to coordinate with a divan bed. The clean lines of the platform base look great with simple headboard materials like wood boards or upholstered panels. Fancy ornate headboards can clash with a pared-down, contemporary style. Inexpensive, basic headboards are often a better fit.

Pictured: Giltedge Beds Visco Comfort 4FT 6 Double Divan Bed. Priced £366 (Save £132 on RRP) Free headboard, next day delivery, choice of colours. available from Bedstar.

Since they already have a sturdy base, a headboard is purely decorative. Divan beds can work fine without any headboard or with a simple, repurposed headboard. Some divans come with an integrated low headboard as part of the design. If you want to add a headboard afterwards, just ensure the holes for the headboard and divan base line up.

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