Every bedroom is missing something. In a downtown condo, it is usually space: nowhere for the spare duvet, the winter sweaters, or the suitcase that lives in the hall closet and falls out every time the door opens. In a family home, it is often comfort: a place to sit up with a book, a headboard that does not dig into your back, a room that feels soft and quiet at the end of a long day. Two of the most popular bed styles answer those two needs. A storage bed gives you room. An upholstered bed gives you softness.
This guide is for anyone weighing the bed frames Calgary furniture stores have on their floors and wondering which of the two belongs in their room. Instead of listing every style, it walks through how each type works, what it asks of your room and your routine, and when a bed that combines both is worth it. By the end, you should know which one fits the way you live, not just the way the bed looks in a photo.
Start With What Your Bedroom Is Missing
Before you compare frames, stand in your bedroom and ask two simple questions. First, where does everything go? If the closet is full, the dresser drawers barely close, and bins are stacked in a corner, your room is short on storage, and a bed that holds things underneath may solve more problems than any other piece of furniture could. Second, how do you use the bed besides sleeping? If you read, scroll, watch shows, or have coffee in bed on Sunday mornings, you will feel the difference a padded headboard makes every single day.
Most people lean clearly one way once they answer honestly. A couple in a one-bedroom apartment with a small closet will probably get more from storage. A family with a spacious primary bedroom and a walk-in closet may care far more about comfort and a softer look. If both answers point to a real need, that is a sign to look at beds that combine the two, which we cover further down. Writing down your answers before you shop keeps you from being swayed by a beautiful display that does not solve your real problem, and it makes comparing the bed frames Calgary showrooms display much quicker.
Drawers or Lift-Up Storage: How Each Type Works
Storage beds come in two main designs, and they suit different habits. Drawer beds have two to four drawers built into the side rails or the footboard. They are ideal for things you reach for often, like spare sheets, pyjamas, or workout clothes, because you can open a drawer without moving anything. The catch is clearance. Each drawer needs enough open floor beside or in front of the bed to pull out fully, so a drawer bed pushed close to a wall or a dresser can lose much of its usefulness.
Lift-up beds, sometimes called ottoman or gas-lift beds, work differently. The whole mattress deck rises on gas-assisted hinges to reveal one large compartment underneath. That space swallows bulky items like suitcases, winter duvets, and seasonal clothing, and it needs no extra floor space to open, which makes it a smart choice for tight rooms. It is less convenient for daily use, though, since you lift the mattress each time. A good rule of thumb is to keep everyday items in drawers and seasonal items in a lift-up base. Some beds also add a bookcase headboard with shelves or cubbies, which keeps books, chargers, and glasses within easy reach without a nightstand. Knowing which type suits your habits quickly narrows down the storage bed frames Calgary stores offer.
What to Store Under Your Bed, and What to Keep Elsewhere
A storage bed works best when it holds the right things. Calgary households swap a lot between seasons, so under-bed storage is a natural home for summer clothes in winter, heavy sweaters and flannel sheets in summer, spare duvets and pillows, holiday linens, and luggage. Bedding for the guest room fits well too, since you will only reach for it a few times a year. Store textiles in breathable cotton bags or bins with lids rather than sealed plastic, and add a cedar block or two to keep them fresh.
Some things belong elsewhere. Heavy items like books in bulk or boxes of paperwork make drawers hard to open and put extra strain on the runners. Anything you need daily, such as your work clothes, is better in a dresser than under a lift-up deck. Avoid storing anything that could leak, like cleaning products or paint, under a mattress. And if you have young children, keep small items and anything breakable out of low drawers they can open themselves. Treat the space under the bed like a well-organized closet, not a catch-all, and it will stay useful for years.
Upholstered Beds: Comfort for Reading, Lounging, and Quiet Rooms
An upholstered bed wraps the headboard, and often the side rails and footboard, in padded fabric or leather. The most obvious benefit is comfort. You can sit up against a padded headboard to read or watch a show without stacking every pillow in the house behind you. Tall headboards in particular create a cozy, enclosed feeling around the bed, which many people find calming at the end of the day and a pleasant place to wake up in the morning. Upholstery also softens the look of a room, adding texture and warmth that a bare wood or metal frame cannot.
There are practical benefits too. Padded headboards absorb a little sound, which helps in apartments with thin walls or in a bedroom next to a busy family room. In a Calgary winter, a bed against an exterior wall can feel chilly, and a padded headboard adds a welcome buffer between you and that cold surface. Upholstered beds come in a wide range of shapes, from simple rectangles and gentle curves to channel-tufted and wingback designs, and in fabrics from linen and velvet to leather. That variety makes it easy to find one that suits a calm, neutral room or adds a bold note to a quieter space. An upholstered headboard often becomes the heart of the bedroom, the first thing you see when you walk in. A minimalist modern bed with a low, clean-lined headboard suits a calm, contemporary room, while a luxurious wingback or a curved, tufted design brings a unique style and an inviting, hotel-like feel. Because upholstered beds blend modern design with classic shapes, one can sit comfortably beside an antique dresser or a sleek glass nightstand. It is one reason upholstered designs make up so many of the bed frames Calgary shoppers fall for in person.
Living With Fabric in the Bedroom: Care, Pets, and Dust
Bedroom upholstery has an easier life than a family room couch, but it still needs a little care. Headboards collect dust, hair products, and skin oils over time, especially where your head rests. A quick vacuum with an upholstery brush every week or two, and spot-cleaning any marks as soon as you notice them, keeps the fabric looking fresh. Check the cleaning code on the fabric before using any cleaner, and if you tend to read in bed with damp hair, a darker or textured fabric will hide the wear better than a pale, smooth one.
Pets are worth thinking about too. Cats often treat a padded headboard like a scratching post, and dogs who jump on the bed can leave hair and muddy marks on the side rails. Tight, flat weaves and performance fabrics hold up far better than loose or looped textures, and leather or faux leather can be wiped clean in seconds. If anyone in your home is bothered by dust, choose a fabric that is easy to vacuum and keep up with regular cleaning, or consider a leather or faux leather headboard, which does not trap dust the way a soft, deep pile can.
Bed Frames Calgary: Matching the Style to Your Room Size
Room size often decides the question before style does. Storage beds shine in smaller rooms, condos, and kids' bedrooms, where every square foot counts and a separate dresser may not fit. Upholstered beds, on the other hand, usually take up more space than they first appear to. Thick padded side rails and a deep headboard can add several inches to each side and to the length of the bed, so measure the full outside dimensions, not just the mattress size. A wingback or tall tufted headboard also needs wall height and clear space, so it can look crowded under a low window or a sloped ceiling.
For a smaller room, a queen bed frame Calgary condo owners choose often works best as a lift-up storage bed, since it needs no extra floor space to open and frees the closet for everyday clothes. In a larger primary bedroom, a king bed frame Calgary homeowners pick for a calm, hotel-like feel is often upholstered, with a tall headboard that anchors the room. Either way, use painter's tape to mark the bed's full footprint on the floor, including drawer clearance if you are considering drawers. It is the simplest way to compare the bed frames Calgary stores carry against the room you have.
Planning a Queen Size Bed With Storage or Upholstery
The queen size bed is the most common choice for couples and guest rooms, and it is where the storage-or-upholstered decision gets most interesting. A queen mattress measures about 60 by 80 inches, or roughly 5 feet by just under 7 feet, while a king runs about 6 feet 4 inches by 6 feet 8 inches. On a queen, side drawers are shorter than on a king, so many designs fit two drawers per side or a pair set into the footboard. A lift-up queen base offers one generous compartment that holds a surprising amount, from luggage to a complete set of spare bedding for every bed in the house.
Upholstery adds to the footprint in ways a bare frame does not. Padded rails and a thick headboard can make a queen bedframe several inches wider and longer than the mattress itself, which matters in a room that also needs space for nightstands and a dresser. Look inside the drawers too. Drawer boxes made from solid wood such as pine or birch tend to hold up better over years of opening and closing than thin particleboard. Details like these are what make a bed comfortable to live with, not just to look at, so it is worth measuring twice and checking the construction before you commit.
Can You Have Both? Upholstered Storage Beds
You do not always have to choose. Many upholstered beds now hide storage underneath, either as drawers set into padded side rails or as a lift-up base beneath a fabric-wrapped frame. For a small primary bedroom where you want softness and space in one piece, an upholstered storage bed can be the best of both. It keeps the room looking calm and tailored while quietly holding the things that would otherwise clutter your closet or corners.
There are a few trade-offs to weigh. Combination beds are heavier and bulkier, which matters when you move or need to get the bed up a narrow staircase. Fabric on drawer fronts sees more handling than fabric on a headboard, so it may show wear sooner unless it is a durable, easy-to-clean weave. Lift-up mechanisms on upholstered beds should feel smooth and controlled, so test them in person and make sure the deck stays open securely while you reach inside. If those boxes are ticked, a combination bed can be one of the most practical choices for a busy household that wants both comfort and order. For many couples, a queen bed frame Calgary stores offer with padded sides and a lift-up base hits the sweet spot between size and storage.
Do You Need a Box Spring With a Storage or Upholstered Bed?
It depends on how the bed is built. A platform bed frame supports a mattress without a box spring, because its slats or solid deck do the job a box spring once did. Most storage beds work the same way, since the drawers or lift-up compartment sit directly beneath a solid or slatted deck. Adding a box spring on top of a storage base would raise the bed noticeably and, on a lift-up design, add extra weight every time you open it, so it is rarely recommended. Many upholstered beds are also built as platforms, with slats hidden inside the padded rails so the mattress rests right on them.
Traditional bed frames are different. Some upholstered and classic wood designs, including many sleigh and four-poster beds, use side rails with only a few cross supports and may need a box spring for proper support. Basic adjustable metal frames, often made with heavy-duty steel and designed for tool-free assembly, are built to hold a box spring and mattress together. A box spring can also help prolong the life of some innerspring mattresses and adds height, which some people find more comfortable. Always check the bed's specifications and your mattress warranty to see whether a box spring is needed, so your new bed is ready for a good night's sleep from the first night.
Where a Platform Bed Frame Fits Into the Decision
Platform beds sit somewhere in the middle of this choice, and they come in both styles. A simple platform bed with legs leaves the space underneath open, so you can slide in low storage bins of your own. That gives you flexible storage without the extra weight and cost of built-in drawers, and you can reorganize the bins whenever your needs change. Many platform designs also come with an upholstered headboard, which gives you some of the softness of a fully upholstered bed with a lighter, simpler look.
When you browse the platform beds Calgary shoppers see in most showrooms, look at how much clearance sits under the frame and whether bins in that height are easy to find. Low-profile platforms leave little room underneath, so they suit people who have storage covered elsewhere. Taller platforms with open legs work well for anyone who wants storage without committing to drawers. If you like a clean, modern look, comparing platform beds Calgary furniture stores offer with and without an upholstered headboard is a good way to find a middle ground between pure storage and full upholstery.
Bed Frames Calgary: A Storage or Upholstered Checklist
Before you visit the stores that carry bed frames Calgary families trust, keep this checklist on your phone:
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Decide what your bedroom is missing most: space, comfort, or both.
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List what you would store under the bed, and whether you need it daily or seasonally.
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Choose drawers for everyday items and a lift-up base for bulky, seasonal ones.
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Measure the floor space beside and in front of the bed for drawer clearance.
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If you read or watch TV in bed, test how a padded headboard feels against your back.
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Check the full outside dimensions of upholstered frames, not just the mattress size.
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Ask about the fabric's cleaning code and how it holds up to pets.
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Consider an upholstered storage bed if you need both softness and space.
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For a platform bed, measure the clearance underneath if you plan to use bins.
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Mark the bed's footprint on the floor with painter's tape before you buy.
Let Us Help You Choose the Right Bed at Showhome Furniture's Calgary Showroom
At Showhome Furniture, we have been helping Calgary families furnish their bedrooms since 1987, and the storage-or-upholstered question is one we talk through often. In our showroom, you can open drawers, lift storage decks, and sit back against padded headboards to feel the difference for yourself. Our team can help you work out which fabrics suit a home with pets or kids, whether a combination bed makes sense, and whether a king bed frame Calgary couples love will still leave enough clearance for drawers in your room.
Many of our beds can be customized, so you are not limited to what happens to be on the floor that day. More than a third of what we carry is hand-made in Canada, alongside pieces from trusted American and European manufacturers. Book a free design consultation, bring your room measurements, a few photos of your bedroom, and a list of what you would like to store, and let us know how you use your bed day to day. One of our designers will help you find the bed that gives your room the space or softness it is missing.
Visit Showhome Furniture in Calgary
Showhome Furniture is located inside North Hill Centre at 1616 14th Avenue NW, Calgary, in a 70,000 square foot showroom where you can try storage and upholstered beds side by side. We are open Monday to Saturday from 10am to 6pm, closed Sundays, and our free design consultations run Monday to Saturday from 10:30am to 5:30pm.
We offer delivery through a trusted third-party partner, including white glove service and old furniture removal, so your old bed can leave the same day your new one arrives. In-store pickup is also available. Every purchase includes a one-year manufacturer warranty, with an optional Guardsman five-year protection plan for extra peace of mind. With over 5,300 Google reviews and a 4.9-star average, our customers can tell you what it is like to shop with us.
If you are comparing bed frames Calgary families can live with for years, book a free design consultation and let our team help you decide whether storage, upholstery, or both will fit your home best.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is a storage bed or an upholstered bed better?
Neither is better for everyone. A storage bed suits rooms that are short on closet and dresser space, while an upholstered bed suits people who read or relax in bed and want a softer look. If you need both, an upholstered storage bed combines the two.
What is the difference between a drawer bed and a lift-up storage bed?
A drawer bed has drawers built into the side rails or footboard, which are easy to open daily but need floor clearance. A lift-up bed raises the whole mattress deck to reveal one large compartment, which suits bulky seasonal items and needs no extra floor space.
How much space do I need beside a drawer storage bed?
You need enough open floor for each drawer to pull out fully, plus room to stand or kneel in front of it. Measure the drawer depth and check it against the space between the bed and the nearest wall or furniture.
Are lift-up storage beds hard to open?
Most use gas-assisted hinges that do much of the lifting for you. Test the mechanism in person to make sure it feels smooth and that the deck stays securely open while you reach inside.
What should I store under my bed?
Seasonal clothing, spare bedding, holiday linens, and luggage are ideal. Store textiles in breathable bags or lidded bins, and keep heavy items and anything you need daily somewhere else.
Are upholstered beds hard to keep clean?
Not if you keep up with light care. Vacuum the headboard with an upholstery brush every week or two, spot-clean marks quickly, and check the fabric's cleaning code before using any cleaner.
Are upholstered beds a good choice for pet owners?
They can be, with the right fabric. Tight, flat weaves, performance fabrics, and leather or faux leather resist claws and hair far better than loose or looped textures.
Do upholstered beds take up more space?
Often, yes. Padded rails and a deep headboard can add several inches to the overall width and length, so always measure the full outside dimensions rather than just the mattress size.
Can I get a bed that is both upholstered and has storage?
Yes. Many upholstered beds include drawers in the side rails or a lift-up base under the frame. They are heavier than standard beds, so plan ahead if you have a narrow staircase.
Is a platform bed good for storage?
A platform bed with legs leaves open space underneath for your own storage bins, which offers flexible storage without built-in drawers. Low-profile platforms leave little room underneath, so check the clearance first.
Where is Showhome Furniture located in Calgary?
We are inside North Hill Centre at 1616 14th Avenue NW, Calgary, in a 70,000 square foot showroom.
What are Showhome Furniture's store hours?
We are open Monday to Saturday from 10am to 6pm and closed on Sundays.
How do I book a free design consultation at Showhome Furniture?
Book a free design consultation with one of our certified designers, available Monday to Saturday from 10:30am to 5:30pm. Booking ahead is recommended, and bringing your room measurements and a list of what you want to store helps us make the most of your visit.
Does Showhome Furniture deliver beds in Calgary?
Yes. We offer delivery through a trusted third-party partner, including white glove service and removal of your old furniture. In-store pickup is also available.
Does Showhome Furniture offer financing?
Yes, through Fairstone, with six-month and twelve-month no-interest, no-payment plans available. Terms should be confirmed at the time of purchase.
