Storage Beds: Built-In Under-Bed Drawers that Reclaim Bedroom Floor Space
Storage beds convert the unused footprint beneath your mattress into smooth-gliding footboard or side-rail drawers, adding the capacity of an extra chest of drawers without taking up another inch of wall space.
In primary bedrooms with compact closets, downtown apartments, or kids and guest rooms where a second dresser will not fit, a storage bed is the smartest spatial upgrade you can make. Built-in drawers keep extra linens, seasonal sweaters, pillows, and shoes organized and dust-free right beneath the mattress.
At Furniture Fair, our storage bed collection includes footboard-drawer panel and sleigh beds, side-rail storage platform beds, upholstered storage frames, and solid hardwood designs in Twin, Full, Queen, and King sizes.
"Here is what I tell people looking at a storage bed: check where your nightstands and bedroom door sit before you fall in love with side rails full of drawers. Footboard drawers pull straight out into the open end of the room, while side-rail drawers need clearance beside the bed so you are not bumping into your nightstand. Since the drawer deck supports your mattress directly, you skip buying a box spring entirely."
Doug Miller, Fairfield Furniture Fair Expert
Understanding Storage Bed Quality & Construction Tiers
Typically features engineered wood or rustic pine frames with two footboard or side drawers, open cubbies, or bookcase headboards for compact bedrooms.
Two-drawer footboard or side-rail layouts
Smooth roller or ball-bearing drawer glides
Platform slat decks that eliminate a box spring
Better: Solid Wood & Dovetail Drawer Storage Beds
Typically features kiln-dried hardwood and veneer frames with deep dovetail drawers, full-extension metal glides, and finished or felt-lined drawer interiors.
Dovetail drawer boxes that resist pulling apart
Full-extension steel ball-bearing drawer slides
Wood panel, sleigh, or upholstered headboard options
Best: Heirloom Solid Hardwood Storage Suites
Typically features solid hardwood frames with cedar-lined or dust-proofed storage drawers, heavy-duty undermount glides, and custom finish options.
Solid kiln-dried hardwood construction
Cedar-lined or sealed snag-free drawer bottoms
Reinforced center platform support architecture
How to Plan Your Room Layout for a Storage Bed
Check these three measurements before choosing between footboard and side-rail drawer designs:
Allow 24 Inches for Drawer Pull-Out Clearance: Measure at least 24 inches beyond the footboard or side rails to make sure you can pull the drawers all the way open and crouch comfortably in front of them.
Check Nightstand Depth with Side-Rail Drawers: Some side-rail storage beds place two drawers toward the foot of the bed so the space next to the headboard stays clear for a nightstand, while others run drawers the full length of the rail.
Consider Thick Rug Pile Height: If you place an area rug under your bed, check the clearance between the bottom edge of the drawer front and the floor so deep-pile rugs do not catch when opening the drawer.
Test footboard and side-rail storage bed drawers in person at a Furniture Fair showroom.
Most storage beds are engineered with a built-in platform slat deck that rests directly above the drawer enclosures, allowing you to place your mattress directly on the bed without needing a box spring. Always check individual product details, as a few sleigh beds with footboard-only drawers still use a low-profile foundation.
Footboard drawers pull out into the open walkway at the end of the bed, so they never conflict with wide nightstands on either side of the headboard. Side-rail and trundle drawers maximize total capacity with two to four drawers, provided your nightstands leave clearance for the side drawers to open.
A two-drawer or four-drawer storage bed provides roughly the same cubic storage volume as a three-drawer bachelor chest or small dresser, making it ideal for spare sheet sets, winter blankets, sweaters, and bedrooms with limited wall space.
Because under-bed drawer housings occupy the interior cavity beneath the mattress, most storage beds cannot accommodate a drop-in adjustable base unless your adjustable base is specifically rated as a zero-clearance model that sits flat on top of a platform deck.
Yes. When you choose our full-service in-house delivery, our uniformed Furniture Fair delivery crew brings your storage bed into your bedroom, assembles the headboard, drawer boxes, and platform deck, levels the frame, and removes all packaging.
Need help getting it home? Furniture Fair offers convenient delivery through our own in-house delivery team, making it easy to enjoy your new furniture with confidence.
