DreamCloud Ottoman Storage Bed Review
A storage bed where the base lifts on gas struts, and the decision most people get wrong is not the bed.
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Verdict
A storage bed where the base lifts on gas struts, and the decision most people get wrong is not the bed. It is whether they need an end-lift or a side-lift, which depends entirely on the shape of the room.
Buy it if
You need storage more than floor space, and you have worked out which lift direction your room allows.
Avoid it if
You have a low or sloped ceiling, or you cannot lift comfortably. The mechanism needs clearance and some force.
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| Specification | Detail |
|---|---|
| Type | Ottoman storage bed |
| Mechanism | Gas struts |
| Lift direction | Check whether the model lifts from the end or the side |
| Storage | The full footprint of the bed |
| Critical check | Ceiling clearance, and strut rating against your mattress weight |
The scores
Good storage, with two checks that decide whether you will be happy.
Cheaper than a wardrobe and it uses space you already have.
Varies. A heavy modern hybrid on an underspecified base is where problems start.
Check the spacing against your mattress guarantee, which usually caps it at about 7.5cm.
The full footprint of the bed, more than any wardrobe in most rooms.
Gas struts work well and are the part that wears out.
The group's terms. Check what applies to furniture rather than mattresses.
End-lift or side-lift decides which room it fits
The check nobody makes
Ottoman bases lift either from the end or from the side, and they need clear floor space on whichever side they open from.
End-lift needs clear space at the foot of the bed and works in a narrow room where the bed sits between two walls. It is the better choice for a small box room.
Side-lift needs clear space along one long side and works where the bed sits against a wall at the head with room beside it. It gives easier access to the full length of the storage, which matters if you are storing long items.
Get this wrong and the bed will open into a wardrobe, a radiator or a doorway. Stand in the room and mime it before ordering, because it is not obvious from a product photo taken in an empty studio.
Ceiling clearance and strut rating
Measure before you order
Ceiling clearance. An ottoman base lifts to roughly vertical, so the raised end reaches well over two metres from the floor. In a loft room, under a sloped ceiling, or beneath a pendant light, it will not open fully or will hit something on the way.
Strut rating. Gas struts are specified for a weight range. Modern hybrids run 28 to 34 centimetres deep and a king can weigh 40 to 50 kilograms, well above what bases designed for older, shallower mattresses assumed. An underspecified base is heavy to lift, will not stay up reliably, and the struts fail early.
Weigh or check your intended mattress before ordering the base. This is the single most common reason people dislike an ottoman bed and it is entirely avoidable.
What to actually store under a bed
Everything under an ottoman base requires lifting the bed to reach, which shapes what belongs there.
Good: spare bedding, suitcases, winter coats, seasonal decorations, spare duvets. Things you want a few times a year.
Bad: anything you need daily, anything heavy enough to make the base harder to lift, and anything that needs ventilation. Under a bed is the least ventilated storage in a house, so damp-sensitive items and anything not fully dry will suffer.
One practical note: do not use it to store the old mattress or a rolled topper. The weight works against the struts every time you lift the bed, which is exactly what shortens their life.
A correction worth making
Commonly repeated, and wrong
Ottoman beds are compared on storage volume and finish, and two specifications determine satisfaction. The first is lift direction, because an end-lift and a side-lift need clear floor space in different places and only one will suit a given room. The second is the gas strut rating against mattress weight, since modern hybrids at 28 to 34 centimetres and 40 to 50 kilograms exceed what bases designed for older mattresses were specified to hold.
Should you buy it?
Yes if you need the storage, you have chosen the right lift direction for the room, and you have checked the strut rating against your mattress weight.
Check the struts are a replaceable standard size before ordering, because that is the difference between a frame lasting twenty years and becoming scrap in six.
Questions people ask
Should I get an end-lift or side-lift ottoman bed?
End-lift needs clear space at the foot and suits a narrow room where the bed sits between two walls. Side-lift needs clear space along one long side and gives easier access to the full length of the storage. Mime it in the room before ordering.
What should I check before buying an ottoman bed?
Ceiling clearance, because the base lifts to roughly vertical, and the gas strut rating against your mattress weight. Modern hybrids at 28 to 34cm and 40 to 50kg exceed what bases designed for older mattresses assumed.
What should I not store under an ottoman bed?
Anything you need daily, anything heavy enough to make the base harder to lift, and anything needing ventilation, since under a bed is the least ventilated storage in a house. Do not store the old mattress there: the weight shortens strut life.