The Importance of Bed Height for Comfort

Bed height is one of those details people rarely think about until something feels off. Too low, and you feel like you’re folding yourself into the mattress. Too high, and climbing in becomes a small daily performance. Height influences posture, circulation, and even the overall balance of a bedroom. Designers know this. Architects know it too. The vertical dimension of a bed shapes how a room behaves - how air moves around it, how light hits it, how the body responds when transitioning between standing and resting.

At Furl, bed height is part of the engineering process long before upholstery or fabrics enter the conversation. A storage bed that lifts to 1.7 metres needs a stable base; a frame that holds deep storage up to 40cm must still feel natural to climb into. Height isn’t cosmetic, but rather functional comfort disguised as proportion.

modern bedroom with gray walls, wooden floor, comfortable king size bed and window with countryside view

Your Body Responds to Height Instinctively

Sitting on the edge of the bed should feel almost unconscious. If your knees fold too sharply because the bed is low, or if your legs dangle slightly because it sits too high, your body registers the imbalance. Over time, this affects how comfortably you transition into sleep. The act of getting into bed becomes effort - small, but accumulating. A well-calibrated height lets the body move in one clean line. You sit, you turn, you lie back - and nothing strains.

The Ideal Height Isn’t the Same for Everyone

There’s no universal measurement that suits every body or every room. Taller people naturally prefer a higher frame; shorter sleepers often feel more stable with a mid-height design. Age, mobility and personal routine do their own influencing. What matters is the alignment: feet should reach the ground comfortably when seated, and the transition from sitting to standing should feel steady. This is why storage beds come into their own. They allow for subtle height variation depending on the base depth chosen. Our models at Furl, for instance, range from shallower lifts (around 22cm of storage) to deeper bases that create a more elevated profile.

Height Affects How the Room Feels

A low bed can make a bedroom feel airy and pared back, but it can also make the vertical plane seem underused. A higher bed creates presence - structure - but risks overwhelming smaller rooms if the frame is bulky. Proportion is everything. In rooms with tall ceilings, a slightly elevated bed helps ground the space. In compact rooms, mid-height frames maintain equilibrium without chopping the room in half. The upholstery matters here too. Soft, fabric-wrapped bases (like Furl’s) prevent higher beds from feeling heavy, because the materials absorb light rather than reflecting it.

beautiful modern bedroom

Storage Beds Change the Geometry Entirely

When it comes to the storage vs traditional bed designs debate, it’s difficult to deny that traditional frames provide limited control over height. Storage beds, however, are built differently. The depth of the storage cavity determines how high the surface sits. Our deeper storage options - up to 40cm - offer substantial internal space without compromising comfort. The lift mechanisms are calibrated so the mattress height still aligns with natural sitting posture.

And because the frame replaces external storage furniture, the rest of the room gains openness, which visually offsets the additional height. The result is a bedroom that feels more intentional, not more crowded.

Height Influences Sleep Quality More Than You’d Expect

Comfort isn’t only about the mattress. It’s about how easily you enter the restful state your body needs. When a bed is at the wrong height, your muscles stay slightly engaged as you settle or rise. That micro-tension carries into the night. A bed at the right height lets you drop into sleep without transition strain. It sounds small, but it isn’t; over months and years, the difference becomes meaningful. Your body prefers frictionless routines, and bed height shapes the very first and very last movement of every day.

Practicality Matters Too

Changing sheets on an extremely low bed becomes a kind of floor-level yoga. High beds - especially those with deep mattresses - can make sheet corners a challenge to reach. Mid-height designs offer the best of both worlds. They’re tall enough to prevent strain, yet grounded enough to feel stable as you move around them. Storage beds, because they’re designed for regular lifting, often sit at a height that supports daily use without awkward bending or reaching.

Designers Use Bed Height as a Visual Tool

Rather than simply being functional, bed height also dictates how other elements behave. A tall headboard paired with a low bed creates drama; a medium-height bed with a wall-mounted headboard creates elegance. A high bed in a narrow room can make the ceiling feel lower, but a high bed in a large room can anchor the space beautifully. It’s all relational. Furl’s headboards, which can be mounted at any height, make it easier to control the proportions between wall space and mattress level. You’re designing a composition, not just placing a bed.

Don’t Underestimate the Emotional Element

A bed that sits at the wrong height feels subtly “off”, even when you can’t explain why. Too low and it feels juvenile. Too high and it feels imposing. The right height creates a sense of ease - an almost subliminal equilibrium. You approach the bed and your body doesn’t hesitate. You wake and the day doesn’t start with a physical adjustment.

Why Height Deserves More Attention

Ultimately, the right bed height supports your body, shapes the room, and creates a smooth daily rhythm. It changes small things that, collectively, transform how a bedroom feels. And when you’re choosing a new frame - especially one designed to replace bulky storage furniture - it’s worth paying attention to how the height will support your habits and your space. Furl’s beds designed with extra storage offer that balance: engineered proportions, generous internal space, and upholstery that settles naturally into any room.

Related Products

David Norman

David Norman is the founder of Furl, a UK-based furniture brand known for redefining how people live with space-saving, design-led storage beds and sofa beds.

With almost two decades of hands-on experience in product design, manufacturing, and brand strategy, David has built Furl into a trusted name among urban professionals seeking calm, clutter-free homes. His work has been recognised for its innovation and craftsmanship, with features in publications such as Yahoo Finance and The Telegraph.

David continues to lead Furl’s creative direction, developing furniture that solves real-world problems without compromise.

Got Questions? Lets Talk!