Which is best, the high or low bed?

While a bed at waist height has practical advantages, some people prefer a high bed to jump into or a low bed to crash out on. It’s a matter of personal taste, but both beds have pros and cons you need to consider.

This guide will discuss high and low beds to help you decide the best.

Let’s jump in!

High beds

High beds are best suited to traditional spaces and more oversized bedrooms, where the increased height doesn’t make the room feel cramped. More elevated beds can also furnish a sense of luxury, which is why they are so common in hotels.

A practical advantage to high beds is mobility; with older adults, getting into a low bed can be impossible without falling. High beds (waist height) let a person get into bed without straining themselves, making life easier.

High beds take up more vertical viewing space, making small spaces feel smaller and darker. A way around this is to choose a bed frame with no footboard, like a divan, or a metal bed frame with a bar/post footboard.

If you want a divan bed or ottoman bed, it’s important to note that the bed will always be high because space is needed for the storage area under the base.

High bed advantages

• Traditional style
• Aids mobility
• Fills large spaces

Disadvantages

• It makes small spaces feel smaller
• A bit old-fashioned

Low beds

Low beds are ideal for smaller bedrooms because they take up less vertical space and lift the eye line, making the room feel more significant than it is.

The rise of low beds happened in the 80s’ fuelled by the futon sofa bed, which unlocked floor space and enabled easy living. Today, low beds are used in modern interior design to soften areas and feel more dynamic.

The eye is drawn upwards by dropping a bed down, and the impression of a larger area is guaranteed because there is more space to see.

Low beds are an excellent choice for young people, but they can grow tiresome for people with a bad back due to the height of getting out of bed.

Low bed advantages

• Modern style
• Welcoming vibe
• It makes small spaces feel bigger

Disadvantages

• Reduced mobility
• No built-in storage
• It can seem a bit too youthful

Your mattress also plays a role in bed height!

When discussing bed height, let’s not neglect the role your mattress plays.

Mattresses tend to run from 10cm to 25cm thick, and there is a perceptible difference in the feel of a bed and its height across these thickness ranges.

Some luxury mattresses are up to 35cm thick, so you can only imagine the height difference between this and a 10cm mattress.

Generally, thicker mattresses are more luxurious than thinner mattresses, but mattress technology also plays a role. Mattresses with springs tend to be thicker than pure foam mattresses because the springs require room to travel.

You can change the height of a bed by choosing a thinner or thicker mattress, giving you a high degree of adjustability in how your bed feels. Should you want a higher or lower bed or need a new mattress, size up or down.

Matching bed height to your interior design

High beds lend themselves best to traditional and rustic interior designs. Examples include farmhouse style, cottagecore, eclectic and nautical. A high bed provides a solid focal point and is adjustable in various colours.

Low beds are best for modern and relaxed interior designs. Examples include Scandinavian, urban, contemporary, industrial and bohemian. A low bed draws the eye to these interior styles and creates a sense of space and openness.

Whatever interior design style floats your boat, try to match your bed to it. After all, in bedrooms, the bed is always the focal point.