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6 best double beds: Give your boudoir a boost with a new brass, velvet or wooden frame

Dive into one of these stylish models for the perfect slumber

Ali Howard
Tuesday 16 January 2024 11:48 GMT
<p>From wooden headboards to metal frames, there’s something for everyone here</p>

From wooden headboards to metal frames, there’s something for everyone here

Our Top Picks

It’s said we spend a third of our lives in bed – and for some of us significantly more if we factor in all those deliciously lazy Sunday mornings. So it’s vital we get it just right when purchasing.

In terms of which style to choose, that’s a matter of taste. Some 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 head and footboards that claim significant extra inches of 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.

How we tested

We put a range of double beds to suit every taste, space and budget to the test, looking for quality of craftsmanship and materials, ease of self-assembly where appropriate, great design and of course, comfort. All the beds in our roundup 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 Virginio double bed: £999, Sleep8.uk
  • Best for boudoir glam – The Luxury Bed Company Jasmin double bed: £1,099, Theluxurybedcompany.com
  • Best for affordable design – John Lewis & Partners Anyday swirl metal bed frame, double: £299, Johnlewis.com
  • Best wooden bed – Get Laid Beds the deco bed, double: £661, Getlaidbeds.co.uk
  • Best for a Scandi look – Silentnight Montreal wooden bed frame: £289, Silentnight.co.uk
  • Best for vintage lovers – The Original Bed Co Blyth brass bed frame, double: £1,319, Obc-uk.net

Sleep.8 virginio double bed

Sleep.8 Virginio double bed.png
  • Best: Overall

Oozing modern glamour is Sleep.8’s virginio double bed with its plush headboard complete with Chesterfield style buttoning. Yet in strict squares rather than diamonds, the shaping reflects the boxy form of the bed itself and we loved this juxtaposition of cosy and angular.

The bed frame boasts all-over upholstery, save for its chic, low metal legs. It comes in a huge range of colours from the neutral milk to the lively brisk, and in a comprehensive choice of fabrics, from hard-wearing textured weaves to plush velvets. This one 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 options to assemble the virginio as you sit back and watch, and will even recycle your old bed.

  1. £999 from Sleep8.uk
Prices may vary
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The Luxury Bed Company Jasmin double bed

The Luxury Bed Company Jasmin double bed.png
  • Best: For boudoir glam

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 faux leathers 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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John Lewis & Partners Anyday swirl metal bed frame, double

John Lewis & Partners Anyday swirl metal bed frame, double.png
  • Best: For affordable design

Proving that high style and affordability can go hand and hand is John Lewis & Partner’s swirl bed from the brand’s enticingly purse-friendly Anyday range. This one’s all about the Deco-inspired shaping of the headboard with its pleasing curves and parallel lines. The double bed is made from a strong and sturdy powder-coated steel and boasts supporting sprung slats for comfort. We loved its slimline silhouette, which, despite the jet black hue, doesn’t overwhelm even a smaller bedroom. In fact, the look is kept light and airy. Simple self-assembly is required and the bed will suit a mattress of any depth, given its tall headboard. It’s worth noting that the swirl bed looks particularly stylish against a brightly painted wall.

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Get Laid Beds the deco bed, double

Get Laid Beds the deco bed, double.png
  • Best: Wooden bed

Another brand that takes 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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Silentnight Montreal wooden bed frame

Silentnight Montreal wooden bed frame, double.png
  • Best: For a Scandi look

This is a fresh and modern take on a classic from Silentnight. The double bed frame is made from a mix of ethically sourced pine and oak, scoring points on sustainability. Simple in design, the bed features a sprung slatted mattress base, an integrated slatted headboard and it boasts attractive natural wood accents top and toe, which contrast with the main painted body, giving it a chic, Scandi-like appeal. The frame arrives ready for self-assembly, but that’s straightforward enough and once put together, the bed feels nice and sturdy with no creaking heard. Best of all, of course, is the affordable price.

Unfortunately, the double bed has since sold out, but the single is still available to purchase – ideal if you’re revamping a child’s or guest bedrooom.

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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 lovers

If you love vintage furniture, this is a brand that allows 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, or lack thereof.

There’s also the option of a headboard only bed, but we think the Blyth really comes into its own complete with headboard and footrest with its 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.

The bed itself is just £1,299 but it’ll cost around £20 to get it delivered to your door.

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The verdict: Double beds

We loved Sleep.8’s Virginio double bed for its modern glamour aesthetic. This is a well-crafted furniture piece that looks and feels more expensive than it is. The huge choice of fabrics and materials made us feel like we were getting a bespoke product at half the price.

We were also impressed with John Lewis & Partners’ Andyday swirl 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, or to get you through the colder months try one of the best electric blankets

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