Divan Beds Guide

Like so many things, divan beds found their start in the UK. Of course, they weren’t always known as divan beds. For years they were known as a term familiar to many of us – box springs. Over time, as beds became more sophisticated and the technology that goes into mattresses improved, box springs became much more than a simple wooden frame with springs. With the development of metal frames, specialized springs and padding and a wide variety of fabric coverings, box springs evolved into decorative pieces of furniture.

Box springs continued to improve in comfort, appearance and functionality over the last 50 years.  Unfortunately for retailers, however, whenever a customer heard the term “box spring”, he saw the product as low-end regardless of how finely crafted the box spring was. And so was born the divan bed.

A couple of retailers in the heart of London’s furniture district decided to start calling their box springs “divan beds.” Granted, their box springs were very high end and much more than just an economical bed piece. They were selling elegant beds that were highly functional, customizable and practical. However, at the heart of all their beds was the box spring. One of the retailers came up with the idea when his mother-in-law visited their store and and called one of their beds “simply divine.” And that got him to thinking… divine… divine comfort… divine bed… ahh!… divan bed! And the rest, as they say, is history.

Great story, eh? If only it were that romantic. In actuality, there was no retailer with a famous mother-in-law. Divan beds, though, do have their roots in the traditional box spring. They are similar to the traditional box spring in that they are made of a base with the mattress resting on top of it. That is about as close as they get to the original beds however.

Today’s divan beds come in a wide assortment of sizes (double divan beds, for example), comfort levels, finishes and storage options. These innovations were driven both by bed manufacturers, but also by linen retailers and mattress manufacturers who greatly benefited from the increase in divan bed sales.

Divan beds are most popular in the UK. In fact, the UK is the only European market where divan beds are sold. You would have to go to America or Australia to find other countries that sell divan beds on a large scale. However, given the fact that so many retailers have an online presence today, you could easily purchase no matter where you live. But the shipping and handling cost might cost you the same amount as the bed. Ouch!

If you know anything about divan beds, you know that you can find one to meet anyone’s needs. They come in every size and offer a myriad of storage options. And that’s before we even get to colors, finishes and upholstery choices! So how do you pick the best divan bed for you?

Size

The first matter to consider is the size of your bed and the greatest deciding factor in the size of your perfect bed is the size of the room you will put it in. For example, if you’re redoing your 10-year-old son’s room, then it makes the most sense to pick a nice, practical single divan bed. It will give your youngster plenty of room to get his nightly zzz’s without crowding the rest of his furniture. Or you if you wanted to spruce up a guest room, a double divan bed is all it takes.

Generally speaking, divan beds come in the following standard sizes:

• Micro Single – 2′6″ ( 76cm x 190cm)
• Single – 3′ (90cm x 190cm)
• Super Single – 4′ (122cm  x 190cm)
• Double – 4′6″ (135cm x 190cm)
• King Size – 5′ (150cm x 200cm)
• Super King – 6′ (180cm x 200cm)

Storage Options

One of the main reasons people decide to purchase a divan bed is because of the built-in storage options they offer. Depending on how you configure your storage options, you can quite literally double the storage available in your room simply by choosing the best fit for you. Typically, the divan bed base can be configured to hold drawers or built-in cabinets. You just need to choose what’s best for you.

Many people like to store their linens in their bed. For them, the best solution is usually to go with a set of drawers, whether it’s a couple of large side by side drawers or a set of four stackable drawers. Either solution provides perfect storage space for all your sheets, pillows and extra blankets.

Others like to use the storage space for more stackable items, such as books, cd’s or dvd’s. For them, cabinet options are usually best. These solutions typically consist of exposed shelves in the base of the bed. They’re also great for storing children’s toys.

Finishes

The other major deciding factor is the finish of the bed. This is the best way to a divan bed your personal touch. For a traditional look, try a simple pine finish. It’s classic, easy to maintain and durable. Of course you could also go for a more elegant look with an iron frame and a fine upholstery, such as velvet or suede. There really are no limits when it comes to the finishes of your divan bed.

And if you really want to give it that divan feel, be sure to add your favorite cushions to spruce it up.

In the end, all the choices come down to need and personal choice. Choose a bed that fits your room and meets your needs. There is no space that isn’t perfect for a divan bed.

Recently, I was in the market for new bedroom furniture and during my search for the perfect bedroom setup I kept hearing about divan beds. Everyone kept talking about them, but nobody could tell me just what makes a bed, a divan bed. But after a lot of research and a lot of explanations I found out exactly what they are. I decided to put together this site to save others the trouble that I went through.

So… what are divan beds? Well, first off, they are some of the most popular beds in the UK.  (So that’s why nobody here in Los Angeles could tell me much about them!) They are practical beds that consist of just the base and mattress. The main benefit of a divan bed is its storage options. Typically, the base of the bed will include a set of built in drawers. This incredibly handy storage feature maximizes your living space without sacrificing the bed’s aesthetics.

Divan beds do not include a headboard. They are simply placed against a wall or a corner of a room. Most people use cushions and pillows to give the bed a personal touch and additional comfort. If you prefer a headboard, one can be easily added to the base like most other beds. Another popular option and very cool idea is to mount the headboard directly to the wall and place the bed in front of it. This is a particularly handy option if your bed has castor wheels, as it can easily slide away which makes fixing the bed a snap each morning!

Divan beds are available in a wide variety of sizes to accommodate any room’s dimensions, from compact single (very tiny!) to super king (very large!) They are also equipped to handle nearly every type of mattress, from simple coil spring mattresses to custom memory foam mattresses.

If it’s not obvious already, the beauty of divan beds is their almost limitless customization possibilities.  You could go dorm style and get a simple single divan bed on wheels with one drawer. Or you could create a spa-worthy king size oasis with a pillow top memory foam mattress, custom drawers and a suede headboard. Because of their customized options, divan beds are often ordered online and can either be delivered or, in some cases, picked up at the manufacturer’s warehouse.

For additional information about divan beds, please have look around the site and if you have any questions, please feel free to contact us. In the near future we’ll have recommendations for where to buy cheap divan beds.