How to choose a bed

A bed is the foundation of healthy sleep, and this is where a mistake costs the most: a poor base shortens the life of the mattress, and the wrong size makes the room cramped every day. To choose well, consider five things: size, mechanism and storage, frame and base, headboard and upholstery, and the manufacturer. We go through each one using furniture from the MeBelle factory.

Step-by-step guide

1. Work out the sleeping area and room size. Double beds are usually chosen for a 160 × 200 or 180 × 200 cm mattress, small doubles for 140 × 200. Leave 70 cm on each side for easy access — the room should then be at least 300 and 320 cm wide respectively. MeBelle makes beds for any mattress size, including non-standard ones.
2. Choose a lift-up mechanism and storage compartment. A gas lift raises the whole sleeping platform together with the mattress and opens a storage compartment across the full area of the bed. It holds bedding, duvets and seasonal items — a good option for flats without a walk-in wardrobe. If you don't need storage, a bed on legs (easier to move and to clean under) or one with pull-out drawers for partial storage will do.
3. Check the frame and base. A reliable base means a sturdy frame (solid wood or moisture-resistant melamine-faced chipboard) and an orthopaedic slatted base made of bent plywood, which spreads the load evenly and extends the life of the mattress. This is what separates a bed that lasts 10+ years from one that starts creaking after a couple of seasons.
4. Choose the headboard and upholstery. An upholstered headboard with deep buttoning or vertical panels makes reading in bed comfortable and becomes a focal point of the interior. For durability, choose hard-wearing fabrics such as velour or basket-weave fabric (rogozhka); for families with children, choose easy-care fabrics with a protective treatment.
5. Order from the manufacturer in your size. At the factory you can order a bed to the exact dimensions of your bedroom and choose the fabric and mechanism, instead of fitting the room around a standard catalogue size. MeBelle is a full-cycle factory: 24-month warranty, free storage of your order at our warehouse for up to 6 months, delivery across Ukraine.

Common mistakes when choosing a bed

1. Confusing the bed (frame) size with the mattress size. A 160 × 200 mattress does not mean a 160 cm frame — with the side panels and decorative piping, the bed frame is almost always 5–8 cm wider. If your aim is “so it fits between the wardrobe and the wall”, measure the overall dimensions of the specific model, not the mattress size.
2. Not allowing for clearance on each side when planning the room. 70 cm is the minimum needed to make the bed and walk past without turning sideways. In a room narrower than this margin, the bed will have to be pushed right up against the wall on one side — check whether that works for you before you order, not after delivery.
3. Choosing a gas lift without checking the storage height. The depth of the storage compartment under a gas lift varies between models. If you plan to keep suitcases or boxes of seasonal shoes there, check the exact height in the model's specifications rather than judging by eye from the photo.
4. Ignoring the type of base under the mattress. A solid sheet of chipboard instead of slats stops the mattress from “breathing” and halves its lifespan. Orthopaedic bent-plywood slats are the standard for a well-made bed, and that is what to check before buying — not the upholstery colour.
5. Choosing a tall upholstered headboard without checking the window sill and sockets. A headboard taller than the window sill blocks the lower part of the window and some of the light. Before ordering a tall model, measure the room — see our guide “How to measure for furniture” for details.

Frequently asked questions about choosing a bed

In short

• Size — to fit the mattress, not the other way round; +70 cm on each side when planning the room.
• Mechanism — a gas lift with storage for flats without a walk-in wardrobe, legs for easy cleaning.
• Frame and base — solid wood/moisture-resistant melamine-faced chipboard + orthopaedic bent-plywood slats.
• Headboard — hard-wearing fabric, height checked against the window sill line.
• Manufacturer — ordering from the factory gives you an exact size and a warranty.
• Mattress is chosen separately, to your size — for firmness and filling, see our guide “How to choose a mattress”.
• Not sure about the room size? Use our guide “How to measure for furniture”.