Solid wood storage beds: drawers, lift-up frame or under-bed boxes?

In short: There are three ways to add storage under a bed. A drawer bed has built-in drawers, a storage bed with a lift-up slatted frame uses the whole space under the mattress, and rolling under-bed boxes upgrade a bed you already own. Which one suits you depends mainly on the free space beside the bed and on how often you need to reach your things.

Design 1: the drawer bed

In a drawer bed the drawers are part of the bed frame. Our solid wood bed Seattle takes up to four drawers in the 45 cm high version and up to eight in the 55 cm high version. The drawers run on ball-bearing slides and move easily even when loaded. Where no drawer is wanted, a side panel closes the frame. Seattle is available with or without a headboard.

The advantage: every drawer can be reached without moving the mattress or the slatted frame. That suits things you need often – bed linen, clothes, towels.

Dimensions of the Seattle

• Frame height: 45 or 55 cm, measured from the floor
• Recess depth: 13 cm – this is how deep the slatted frame and mattress sit in the frame
• Outer dimensions: sleeping area plus 8 cm in width and length
• Headboard height: 90 or 100 cm from the floor
• Widths below 120 cm and special sizes are made on request

Design 2: storage under the whole sleeping area

Here the bed frame is closed all round and the slatted frame lifts up. Our solid wood bed Gibraltar in the 2026 design is built for this: a plain frame without headboard and with a built-in base, so nothing lies on the floor. A slatted frame with gas springs opens the space under the mattress; the side-opening slatted frames of the “Kombi G” versions fit.

The advantage: the entire area under the bed is available, and you need no free space beside the bed. This is the right choice for narrow bedrooms and for things you rarely need – winter duvets, suitcases, guest bedding.

The solid wood bed Soreo by dormiente is also designed as a storage bed from the ground up, with a solid wood construction closed on all sides; you choose the storage modules when ordering.

Design 3: rolling under-bed boxes

If you want to keep your bed, slide solid wood under-bed boxes beneath it. The boxes by Rast stand on rubber-tyred castors and can be moved even when loaded. They come in half bed length (98 cm) and full length (197 cm), the standard height is 21 cm, and widths are available in 10 cm steps. You need enough clearance under the bed frame – measure the distance between the floor and the lower edge of the frame.

What to look out for

Space in front of the drawers

A drawer needs as much free room beside the bed as it is deep, plus room to stand. Measure the distance to the wall, wardrobe and radiator before you decide on the number of drawers. If one side of the bed stands against the wall, choose a side panel there.

Bedside table and head end

A bedside table standing on the floor blocks the drawer at the head end. A panel in that position or a hanging bedside table hooked onto the bed frame solves this.

Height of the sleeping surface

A 55 cm frame plus mattress gives a high sleeping surface. Many people find that comfortable for getting up; in low rooms or under a sloping ceiling the 45 cm version looks lighter.

Ventilation of the mattress

A closed base lets less air reach the underside of the mattress than an open bed frame. That is why a storage bed also needs a slatted frame and not a closed board. Fold back the duvet in the morning and open the drawers or the lift-up frame from time to time to air the bed.

Solid or glued from staves

Seattle is available in maple, beech, heart beech, oak, ash, cherry and walnut, as a solid wood bed or in a version glued from narrow solid wood staves. The glued version is especially stable in shape and costs less. More on the page solid wood beds and in our guide buying a solid wood bed.

Frequently asked questions

How many drawers fit under a bed?

For the Seattle up to four in the 45 cm high version and up to eight in the 55 cm high version. Drawers and panels can be combined freely on each side.

Can I see a storage bed before buying?

Yes. In our bed store in Berlin-Charlottenburg, Kantstraße 13, we show drawers, lift-up frame and wood types on the assembled bed and advise on dimensions and slatted frames.