A lack of bedroom storage creates an awkward problem: the largest piece of furniture in the room the bed can occupy a significant amount of floor space while doing little more than supporting a mattress. Adding wardrobes, drawers or storage boxes may solve the clutter problem, but it also takes up even more usable space.
An ottoman storage bed solves that problem by turning the space underneath the mattress into a large, concealed storage compartment. Instead of pulling out drawers from the sides, you raise the mattress platform itself. A hinged frame and gas-assisted lifting system take much of the effort out of lifting, allowing you to reach almost the entire area beneath the bed. Major UK bed retailers describe the same basic principle: the mattress and supporting base rise together to expose storage roughly across the bed's footprint.
That sounds straightforward, but understanding how the mechanism actually works can help you use an ottoman bed more safely, select an appropriate mattress, and decide whether this style of storage bed suits your bedroom.
The Mechanism That Makes an Ottoman Storage Bed Work
At first glance, an ottoman bed looks much like an ordinary upholstered bed. The important difference is hidden inside its frame.
Rather than having a permanently fixed mattress platform, an ottoman has a movable mattress base connected to the surrounding bed frame by hinged lifting mechanisms. Gas struts, sometimes called gas springs or gas pistons, are mounted between these moving and fixed parts. Assembly diagrams for ottoman beds show these components positioned on both sides of the frame so the platform rises around its hinge points in a controlled arc.
Adeline Waterson's current ottoman storage bed collection uses this gas-lift approach. Its models, including the Milford, Florence, Westminster, Worcester, and others, are designed so the mattress can be raised to reveal concealed under-bed storage.
Gas Struts Provide Lifting Assistance
The component doing most of the interesting work is the gas strut.
A gas spring is a sealed cylinder containing pressurized nitrogen. When its piston rod moves into the cylinder, the available space for the gas decreases, increasing pressure and storing energy. That pressure creates a force that helps push the rod outward again.
Applied to a bed, this means the gas struts help counteract the weight of the mattress and mattress platform as you raise them.
They do not normally lift the entire bed base automatically. You begin the movement by pulling the platform upward, and the mechanism provides assistance as it travels. Happy Beds' technical instructions explicitly note that the lifting mechanism assists with the mattress's weight rather than lifting the mattress entirely for the user.
Think of it in the same way that gas struts help hold open a car boot: you still start the movement, but you do not have to support the full weight throughout the opening process.
Hinges Control the Direction of Movement
Gas pressure alone would simply try to extend the struts. The hinges and metal lifting arms determine where the mattress platform actually goes.
As you lift, those arms guide the platform through a controlled path. In an end-opening ottoman bed, the platform generally pivots upward from one end. With a side-opening model, the pivot point is positioned differently so storage is accessed from the side.
This distinction matters when planning a bedroom. A side-opening ottoman can be useful where access around the foot of the bed is restricted, while an end-opening design works well when you have clear standing space beyond the footboard. Dreams recommends considering precisely this relationship between opening direction and available bedroom space.
What Happens When You Open and Close the Bed?
Using an ottoman storage bed should become a simple part of everyday life once the mechanism is set up correctly.
To open an end-lift design, for example, you typically stand near the foot of the bed and raise the mattress platform using its intended handle or lifting point. As the platform begins moving, the gas struts extend and provide increasing support, allowing the mattress and base to rise together. The hinge assembly controls their path. Once open, the storage compartment underneath becomes accessible.
Closing reverses the process. You apply controlled downward pressure to the mattress platform, compressing the gas springs until the base returns to the bed frame.
This also explains something that surprises many new owners: a newly assembled gas-lift bed can initially feel quite stiff. Manufacturer instructions note that new gas lifts may require several opening and closing cycles before their operation feels more settled. The mattress should normally be installed before testing because the system is designed to operate with mattress weight acting against the struts.
The mattress therefore forms part of the operating system rather than simply sitting on top of it. Different mattress weights and depths can affect how much assistance the mechanism appears to provide.
For that reason, never assume that difficulty closing a newly assembled ottoman automatically means that its pistons are faulty. First check the manufacturer's instructions, make sure the correct mattress is in position, and verify that every component has been installed correctly.
Why Ottoman Storage Is Different From Ordinary Under-Bed Storage
The practical advantage of an ottoman bed is not simply that it has storage. It is how efficiently that storage uses the bed's existing footprint.
Beds with drawers require space beside the frame for each drawer to extend. Loose under-bed boxes usually require similar clearance and may leave areas toward the center difficult to reach. An ottoman lifts the sleeping surface away instead, potentially giving access to a much larger continuous storage area without requiring another chest or cabinet in the room. Dreams describes ottoman storage as extending across roughly the full mattress area, while Adeline Waterson similarly positions its designs around large concealed storage compartments beneath the mattress.
That makes the design particularly suitable for bulky items that do not need to be reached several times a day, such as:
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Spare Duvets, Pillows, Blankets, And Bed Linen;
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Seasonal Clothing, Coats, And Shoes;
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Suitcases And Travel Bags;
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Spare Towels And Other Soft Household Items;
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Neatly Contained Keepsakes Or Bedroom Accessories.
There is also a visual advantage. When the bed is closed, its storage mechanism disappears. A model such as Adeline Waterson's Westminster Ottoman Storage Bed presents itself as an upholstered bed with a padded headboard; the gas-lift storage remains concealed beneath the mattress until required.
For a smaller bedroom, that can be more useful than simply maximizing storage volume. It allows the room to remain visually uncluttered without filling the remaining floor area with additional furniture.
Safe Operation and Simple Maintenance Matter
Because an ottoman mattress platform is heavy and moves above an open storage compartment, the lifting mechanism should be treated as a functional mechanical system rather than as an ordinary hinged lid.
Safety deserves particular attention. In 2024 an English coroner issued a Prevention of Future Deaths report after a fatal accident involving an ottoman-style gas-lift bed. One of the two pistons was found to be defective, allowing the mattress platform to descend unexpectedly while the user was leaning over the storage area. The coroner specifically raised concern about the risk created when gas-piston bed mechanisms fail.
That does not mean properly functioning ottoman beds are inherently unsafe. It does mean owners should take unusual movement, damaged components, or failure to remain open seriously.
Common manufacturer instructions recommend several sensible precautions:
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Use the bed only with its mechanism correctly assembled. Do not operate it with missing, worn, loose, or damaged components.
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Keep children away while opening or closing the base. Children should not operate the lifting mechanism or enter the storage compartment.
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Keep hands clear of hinges, struts, and moving arms. These are pinch and compression points.
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Operate the platform evenly. Some manufacturer instructions advise using two hands and avoiding pulling one side downward independently because uneven loading can damage the base or mechanism.
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Do not overload the storage area or stand inside it. The compartment is intended for storage, not to support a person.
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Stop using the lift if it behaves abnormally. A platform that suddenly drops, twists, catches, or no longer remains properly supported should be inspected rather than forced.
Gas springs themselves are sealed, pressurized components. Gas-spring manufacturers describe them as closed systems and advise against opening or attempting to dismantle them; replacement of a faulty component should follow the bed manufacturer's guidance.
The surrounding bed hardware deserves attention too. Periodically checking that accessible screws and fixings remain secure can help prevent unwanted movement in the frame.
Is an Ottoman Storage Bed Right for Your Bedroom?
An ottoman bed makes the most sense when maximum hidden storage is more valuable to you than frequent drawer-style access.
Consider a typical UK spare bedroom that also needs to store winter bedding and suitcases. Adding a large chest of drawers may reduce walking space. Storage boxes underneath a conventional bed can work, but accessing the box against the far wall may involve moving other boxes first. An ottoman allows the mattress platform to move out of the way so the storage area can be approached from above.
Before choosing one, however, think about three things: opening direction, mattress compatibility, and how often you need the stored items.
The opening direction should suit the room layout. The mattress must fall within the specifications given for the particular frame because its weight affects the lifting action. And while an ottoman is excellent for substantial storage, something needed several times every morning may still be easier to keep in a bedside drawer or wardrobe.
For shoppers considering Adeline Waterson specifically, the company's ottoman range combines upholstered bed designs with concealed gas-lift storage, with different styles and UK bed sizes available across the collection. The Westminster product page, for example, lists standard UK mattress compatibility and describes its mattress platform lifting to reveal the storage compartment underneath.
In other words, the best ottoman bed is not simply the model offering the largest compartment. It is one whose mechanism, mattress, opening direction, bedroom clearance, and storage habits all work together.
Conclusion
An ottoman storage bed works by combining three straightforward elements: a hinged mattress platform, gas-assisted lifting struts, and a concealed storage area underneath. You begin lifting the mattress base, the gas springs reduce the effort required to move and support its weight, and the hinge mechanism guides the platform upward so the storage compartment can be accessed. Closing the bed compresses the struts and returns the platform to its normal sleeping position.
That mechanism is what makes an ottoman different from ordinary under-bed storage. Instead of designing storage around the bed the bed itself becomes storage.
For space-conscious UK bedrooms this can be particularly effective because it uses floor area that has already been committed to the bed rather than demanding additional room for cabinets or fully extended drawers. Adeline Waterson's Ottoman Storage Beds apply this principle across upholstered designs intended to combine everyday sleeping space with concealed storage.
The important point for the future of this category is that storage capacity alone should not define a good ottoman bed. Smooth operation, correctly matched lift components, convenient access, sturdy construction and safe long-term use are equally important. A well-designed ottoman should make its mechanism almost unnoticeable during normal sleep then make the space beneath the mattress genuinely useful whenever you need it.
FAQs
How does the gas lift on an ottoman bed work?
Pressurized gas struts assist the movement of the hinged mattress platform. They reduce the effort needed to raise and support the mattress and base while you access the storage underneath.
Why is my new ottoman bed difficult to push down?
New gas struts can initially feel stiff, and the mechanism is normally designed to operate with the mattress fitted. Several controlled opening and closing cycles may help the system settle. Always follow the instructions supplied with your particular bed.
Can you use an ottoman bed without a mattress?
The mattress platform can physically exist without one, but you should not assume the lifting mechanism is intended to be operated that way. Manufacturer guidance for gas-lift ottomans commonly instructs users to fit the mattress before operating the lift.
What should you store inside an ottoman bed?
It is particularly useful for bedding, seasonal clothing, towels, suitcases, shoes, and other items that benefit from being hidden but accessible. Do not exceed the storage-base limits specified by the manufacturer.
Are side-opening and end-opening ottoman beds different?
They use the same broad gas-assisted principle but pivot in different directions. Side-opening designs are useful when access at the foot is limited, while end-opening designs can work well when there is clear space beyond the footboard.
