9 Ways to Style an Ottoman Storage Bed in a Premium Apartment

An ottoman storage bed is one of those rare pieces that changes how you live. It isn’t just furniture - it’s a way of reclaiming space, bringing calm to the most personal room in your home. When chosen well, it balances the visual weight of a premium interior with a quiet practicality that feels effortless.

Few do this better than Furl. The British company, based in Nottingham, has spent nearly two decades perfecting handcrafted ottoman beds that pair generous hidden storage with elegant design. Each one is made to order, available in an array of fabrics, and fitted with precision lift mechanisms that open smoothly to reveal up to 40cm of under-bed space - the deepest on the UK market. In a compact apartment, that kind of engineering is transformative.

Still, even the most beautiful storage bed deserves styling that elevates it. These nine design ideas will help you turn your ottoman bed into the centrepiece of a premium, functional bedroom - one that feels serene, intentional, and timeless.

Air Storage Bed
clean and simple bedroom in a luxury apartment

1. Layer with Texture, Not Clutter

Luxury isn’t about filling a room - it’s about creating depth. Pair a fabric ottoman bed with contrasting materials: linen sheets against a velvet headboard, a wool throw over crisp cotton bedding. The goal is subtle tension - soft against structured, matte against sheen. This keeps the eye engaged without the space feeling crowded.

Choose a restrained colour palette and let texture carry the visual interest. For instance, Furl’s tailored upholstery in pebble-hued chenille or wool can anchor the scheme, while light oak bedside tables and brushed brass accents lend warmth.

2. Use Height to Create Balance

In small apartments, it’s easy for a bed to dominate the visual field. To offset that, play with height. A tall upholstered headboard - something Furl allows you to customise to your preferred height - adds grandeur and vertical balance, especially in rooms with low ceilings.

Pair it with low-slung side tables and wall-mounted lights rather than bulky bedside lamps. This keeps the silhouette airy and sophisticated, creating a sense of proportion that feels tailored rather than tight.

3. Choose Symmetry to Anchor the Space

Symmetry brings calm. Two bedside tables, matching lamps, perfectly centred artwork - these elements frame the bed and give the room a sense of quiet order. In smaller rooms, symmetry also tricks the eye into perceiving more width.

If your apartment layout doesn’t allow for perfect balance, mirror the visual weight instead - a plant on one side and a sculpture on the other, for example. The key is to make the bed feel grounded within the architecture of the room.

4. Keep the Palette Tonal

Premium interiors rely on tonal cohesion. That doesn’t mean everything has to match - rather, each shade should blend seamlessly into the next. Think oyster, mushroom, and taupe layered with soft white and graphite accents.

A tonal scheme lets your ottoman bed blend into the architecture rather than dominate it. Furl’s range of custom fabrics - from cool neutrals to deep, smoky blues - makes this easy to achieve. It’s worth ordering a few fabric samples to test how the colours shift under your apartment’s natural light.

5. Add Statement Lighting

Lighting defines atmosphere. A single pendant light can feel harsh in a bedroom, so layer your sources - wall sconces for reading, warm-glow pendants for ambience, and a concealed strip behind the headboard for subtle drama.

If your bed features a tall or sculptural headboard, highlight it. A downward-facing sconce or integrated LED strip draws the eye upward, adding a soft architectural glow that enhances texture and shape.

6. Integrate Smart Storage Solutions

Even the most spacious apartment benefits from clever storage. Ottoman beds already conceal a remarkable amount of space beneath the mattress - perfect for out-of-season clothing, spare bedding, or luggage - but they can be part of a larger storage system.

Pair your bed with floating shelves, built-in wardrobes with matte fronts, or a sleek bench at the foot of the bed. When everything has its place, the room feels lighter. The real luxury is not just in how a bedroom looks, but how easily it functions day to day.

bedroom with warm lighting in a luxury apartment
Low Storage Bed

7. Treat the Headboard as a Design Feature

A beautifully designed headboard can act as the visual anchor of your entire room. Furl’s ottoman beds allow you to select from a range of headboard designs - from minimalist panels to tall, tufted styles - or even go without for a more architectural effect.

You can use this moment to express your apartment’s personality. A channelled velvet headboard adds quiet glamour; a linen slipcover gives a lived-in, organic feel. If your style leans modernist, a wall-mounted upholstered panel that extends beyond the bed can make the space appear wider and more considered.

8. Soften the Edges with Rugs and Curtains

In premium apartments - often defined by hard surfaces and clean lines - softness matters. Place a large rug under your ottoman bed that extends at least 60cm on either side. It frames the bed beautifully and absorbs sound, creating a cocooning feel.

Opt for natural fibres like wool or jute in subtle patterns. Curtains, too, play a crucial role. Floor-to-ceiling drapes in a light, neutral fabric elongate the walls and soften acoustics. For continuity, echo your bed fabric in the curtain tone - it creates quiet harmony.

9. Accessorise with Restraint

High-end styling is about confidence in simplicity. Choose one or two hero accessories - perhaps a sculptural bedside lamp, a statement artwork, or a single piece of greenery - and let them breathe.

Over-accessorising small bedrooms makes them feel chaotic, not luxurious. Think about how hotels design their rooms: every object has intent. Even your bedding can serve as an accessory - crisp white with a charcoal border, or flax linen with visible weave, speaks volumes without shouting.

The ottoman bed, by design, already simplifies your environment. Keep everything else just as purposeful.

The Case for Investing in a Furl Ottoman Bed

There’s a reason interior designers and architects choose Furl for premium apartments and boutique projects. Every product is built in Nottingham by skilled craftspeople who understand the relationship between structure, material, and space. Their storage beds lift effortlessly thanks to gas-assisted or electric mechanisms, offering the deepest storage in the UK market.

But what sets Furl apart is how seamlessly these technical features merge with design integrity. Each bed is available in dozens of fabrics, fully customisable dimensions, and optional bespoke headboards. Delivery and assembly are handled in-house, meaning access challenges - narrow hallways, tight stairs - are never a concern.

For a premium apartment, that blend of precision, luxury, and longevity is invaluable. It’s furniture that grows with you - practical, yes, but also deeply beautiful.

Final Thoughts

A well-styled ottoman storage bed is more than a convenience; it’s a statement of intent. It says you value calm, order, and design that earns its place.

Whether your apartment is a compact city studio or a penthouse suite, an ottoman bed offers the rare combination of space and stillness. Choose a handcrafted design, layer it thoughtfully, and let it define your room. Because in a premium home, true luxury isn’t found in excess - it’s found in the details you hardly notice, but could never live without.

FAQs

1. How do I stop an ottoman bed from feeling too heavy in a small bedroom?

Balance visual weight with lightness elsewhere. Keep walls pale, add reflective surfaces like mirrors or brushed metal, and opt for slimline side tables. Raising lamps and art slightly above headboard height also creates lift, drawing the eye upward rather than letting the bed dominate.

2. What kind of flooring works best under an ottoman storage bed?

Solid wood, luxury vinyl, or low-pile carpet all work beautifully - but if you want effortless movement when lifting the bed, a hard surface or rug with firm backing is ideal. Avoid thick shag rugs beneath the frame, as they can interfere with the lift mechanism and prevent smooth closure.

3. Can I pair an ottoman bed with statement wallpaper?

Absolutely - the key is proportion. Use wallpaper behind the bed only (a feature wall) and keep the rest of the room neutral to maintain balance. Textural prints like grasscloth or soft geometrics pair particularly well with upholstered headboards, creating a layered but cohesive look.

4. How can I make an ottoman bed feel warmer and more inviting in winter?

Think layers and light. Swap summer linens for brushed cotton or wool, and add a quilted bedspread for weight. A warm-toned bedside lamp - amber or soft gold - instantly makes the room feel cocooned. If your apartment runs cool, consider adding thermal curtains in a tonal shade to retain heat without visual bulk.

5. What are some creative ways to style the wall above an ottoman bed?

If your bed has a tall headboard, choose narrow artwork or a linear wall light to echo its geometry. For lower headboards, a large abstract piece or even a floating shelf with sculptural objects works well. Avoid overcrowding; one strong focal point brings more serenity than a gallery wall in small spaces.

6. Should I match my ottoman bed fabric to my curtains or contrast them?

Either can work - what matters is tone. Matching fabrics create unity and a soft, hotel-like feel. Contrasting textures (for example, a linen bed with velvet drapes) add dimension while still feeling deliberate. Just keep both within the same tonal family so they flow naturally in daylight.

7. How can I stop under-bed storage from becoming chaotic?

Use low-profile storage bags or fabric boxes, and label everything by season or purpose. Store the least-used items furthest back. A quick rule: if it’s under the bed, it should either be soft (textiles) or neatly packed - no random clutter. A clear system makes accessing storage quick and satisfying.

8. Can ottoman beds work in rooms with slanted ceilings or alcoves?

Yes - they’re ideal. A side-opening ottoman bed makes the most of tight or awkward spaces where a traditional end lift might hit the ceiling. Many manufacturers, including Furl, can customise dimensions to fit snugly beneath eaves or between built-in wardrobes for a tailored look.

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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.