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6 best double beds to give your boudoir a boost

These stylish designs will give you the perfect setting for peaceful slumber

Ali Howard
Wednesday 02 October 2024 14:16 BST
From wooden headboards to metal frames, there’s something for everyone here
From wooden headboards to metal frames, there’s something for everyone here (iStock/The Independent)
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It’s said we spend a third of our lives in bed – for some of us, it’s significantly more, if we factor in all those deliciously lazy Sunday mornings – so, when updating your bedroom, you’ll want to make sure you’re selecting one of the best double beds on the market.

In terms of which style to choose, that’s a matter of taste. Some people swear by a trusty divan, while others prefer the look of a traditional wooden bed frame.

What’s most important is the size. Even within the dimensions of a standard double, there are variations in height (you’ll need to think about depth of mattress, too), and some come with elaborate statement headboards and footboards that claim significant extra inches across your bedroom’s floor plan.

Most double beds come with sprung slats, which are made from a flexible wood and are designed to support the mattress and respond to our body weight as we shift around in bed. Others have fixed slats, which do make the bed feel extra sturdy but don’t offer that important flexibility.

Whether your current bed frame is on its last legs or you’re updating your bedroom style, keep scrolling to find the double bed of your dreams.

How we tested

You’ll never find us sleeping on the job... except when we’re testing the best double beds
You’ll never find us sleeping on the job... except when we’re testing the best double beds (Daisy Lester)

With options to suit various tastes and budgets, we put a range of double beds to the test. We looked for quality of craftsmanship and materials, ease of self-assembly (where appropriate), great design and, of course, comfort. All the beds in our round-up proved reliably sturdy and well-made, from the super plush and high-end to the surprisingly affordable.

The best double beds for 2024 are:

  • Best overall – Sleep.8 arina double bed: £1,599, Sleep8.uk
  • Best budget bed – Laura James Indy platform double bed: £79.99, Laura-james.co,uk
  • Best for a Scandi look – Dunelm elements eira bed frame: £269, Dunelm.com
  • Best customisable bed – Get Laid Beds the deco bed, standard double: £661, Getlaidbeds.co.uk
  • Best for vintage style – The Original Bed Co Blyth brass bed frame, double: £1,299, Obc-uk.net

Sleep.8 arina double bed

Sleep8 best bed frames 2024
  • Best: Overall
  • Sizes: Double, king, superking
  • Colours available: 15
  • Bed base: Lamella planks, lift mechanism
  • Why we love it
    • All-over upholstery
    • Deep support
    • Options for assemble upon delivery
    • The company will recycle your old bed

Oozing modern glamour is Sleep.8’s arina double bed, with its plush headboard complete with Chesterfield-style buttoning. The bed frame boasts all-over upholstery, save for its chic, low metal legs. It comes in a huge range of colours, from soft neutrals to bold dark shades. This bed has reliably comfy sprung slats and offers deep support for the mattress, whatever the depth. Scoring extra points is the brand’s white-glove delivery service, with the option to have the arina assembled for you, as you sit back and watch. The brand will even recycle your old bed for you.

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Laura James indy platform double bed

Laura James  best bed frames 2024
  • Best: Budget buy
  • Sizes: Single, double, king
  • Colours available: Black, grey, navy
  • Bed base: Metal frame, poplar bed slats
  • Why we love it
    • Easy to construct
    • Stylish design

This is an affordble, fresh and functional take from Laura James. The double bed frame is designed with an industrial-chic metal frame with 12 poplar slats offering comfort and support. Simple in design, the bed boasts 25cm of under-bed space for storage, while the frame itself is slimline without a headboard, making it a great choice for smaller spaces. It barely takes up any room, with the frame easy to construct (it took us less than 40 minutes). The attractive design is a plus, but best of all is the relatively affordable price. Costing less than £80 for a double, you’re not going to find a better quality bed frame at this price elsewhere.

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The Luxury Bed Company Jasmin double bed

The Luxury Bed Company Jasmin double bed.png
  • Best: For boudoir glam
  • Sizes: Single, double, small double, king size, super king, emperor
  • Colours available: 45+
  • Bed frame: Black board, side rails
  • Why we love it
    • Plush headboard
    • Huge range of fabric options
    • Cosy design
    • Option for storage base

Another double bed frame with a plush buttoned headboard is this luxurious number from a brand that says what it does on the tin. The Jasmin double bed brags a huge range of fabric options, including velvets and warming wools, and comes in a vast range of hues, from the neutral and earthy to the bright and unapologetically ostentatious.

What we loved most about this one was its tall and imposing bed head, with its floor-standing wings, which made us feel cosy and cocooned. Expect to pay quite a bit more if you want this one to transform into a lift-up storage bed, but it’s good to have the option. A positively regal number that demands centre stage in the bedroom.

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Dunelm elements eira bed frame

dunelm.png
  • Best: For a Scandi look
  • Sizes: Single, double, king
  • Colours available: Oak wood finish
  • Bed frame: Ash and ash veneer, MDF, plywood
  • Why we love it
    • Easy to construct
    • Good for small spaces

Proving that style and affordability can go hand and hand is Dunelm’s rustic wooden bed. Making a case for classic oak bed frames, it’s designed with a sprung slatted base that supports your mattress while ensuring all-night comfort. Arriving in flat-pack form, full assembly is required but even our DIY-challenged tester managed to construct the bed in around 45 minutes. Though the various nuts and bolts around the 12 wooden slats were a little fiddly, the instructions were straightforward.

The oak headboard boasts clean lines and will add Scandi minimalist style to your bedroom. We loved the bed’s slimline profile, which, thanks to its wooden hue, doesn’t overwhelm even a smaller bedroom. In fact, the look is kept light and airy, especially when paired with similarly neutral bedding.

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Get Laid Beds the deco bed, standard double

Get Laid Beds the deco bed, double.png
  • Best: Customisable bed
  • Sizes: Small single to super king
  • Colours available: 10
  • Bed frame: Solid wood
  • Why we love it
    • Customisable
    • Adjustable
    • Space-saving

Taking its design cue from the Art Deco era is Get Laid Beds. This wooden number boasts a beautifully smooth and gently curved headboard and has the option of a floating shelf that simply clips onto the side, in place of a nightstand. Of course, this is one for minimalists without a massive pile of paperbacks to get through but we loved the nifty space-saving idea.

Our deco bed is crafted from a wonderfully warming honey-toned solid oak but there are plenty of options when it comes to materials, from pine finishes complete with knots and character to other hardwoods, such as walnut, beech and cherry. This one comes with fixed slats as standard but, luxuriously, there’s the option of a motorised adjustable slat base, too.

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The Original Bed Co Blyth brass bed frame, double

The Original Bed Co Blyth brass bed frame, double.png
  • Best: For vintage style
  • Sizes: Double, king, super king
  • Colours available: Brass
  • Bed frame: Brass
  • Why we love it
    • Comfortable sprung slats
    • Option of storage

If you love vintage furniture, this is a brand that enables you to live out your Bedknobs and Broomsticks fantasies to the full. The Blyth is a beautifully handcrafted Victorian-style frame, made from genuine brass tubing and castings – unlike some cheaper metal counterparts with a “brass” coating. The bed boasts wooden sprung slats for comfort and comes in two height configurations, which is handy when thinking about both mattress depth and your own height.

There’s also the option of a headboard-only version, but we think the Blyth really comes into its own complete with headboard and footboard, thanks to the formal look and pleasing symmetry. Cleverly, the bed frame comes with the option of hidden storage drawers that seemingly float below the mattress, so as not to interrupt the clear floorspace underneath.

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The verdict: Double beds

We loved Sleep.8’s arina double bed for its modern-glamour aesthetic. This is a well-crafted furniture piece and the huge choice of fabrics and materials made us feel like we were getting a bespoke product. We were also impressed with Laura James’ metal bed, which proves that great design doesn’t have to cost the earth.

Now you’ve found a new bed, you may want to look for a new mattress to go with it

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