Divan Bed - What are Divan Beds?

Years ago beds were made from piles of feathers, straw and animal skins, evolution has today’s modern beds looking so very different, with beds ranging from bunks to four posters and even divans. However many people ask ‘what are divan beds’ and what makes them so different to an ordinary bed?

What are Divan Beds?

A divan bed consists of two separate parts; the base and the mattress. The divan bed base consists of a sturdy wooden frame which looks like a deep hollow box. This base can contain springs or have a hard flat top and is covered with fabric which is usually either cotton or damask and matches the mattress cover.

The space inside this box base is what makes a divan bed so very useful. As the base is basically just a large wooden frame, it has been specially adapted so that it can contain up to four drawers or compartments along the sides. The end of the bed can also contain either a drawer or slide compartment. Sometimes the top of the base can be lifted up in order for the inside to be used for storage.

The divan’s base usually comes in two or more separate pieces and clip together to form a sturdy bed base. This makes a divan bed wonderful for houses with narrow hallways and entrances, as many houses do not have large enough front doors to take a full bed frame. But with a divan bed the various components can be taken into the house one by one and then assembled in the bedroom.

The divan base either has casters attached for ease of moving the bed around, or wooden legs which attach to the base bottom raising it from the floor as in a more traditional style bed. When the mattress is placed on top of the divan bed base the divan bed is then complete.

Divan beds come in a variety of types and styles; memory foam beds, hypoallergenic beds, pocket sprung beds and back care beds. Plus for those who have back problems or who require firm support there are orthopaedic divan beds. 

What Makes a Divan Different from an Ordinary Bed?

A divan bed differs from an ordinary bed due to the fact that it traditionally has no end boards, nor any frame supporting it. The base of the divan bed helps reduce wear to the mattress and absorbs shock providing a firm flat support structure for your mattress. It literally consists of a box base which supports the mattress and an optional headboard.

Divans come in a choice of soft or hard types. Platform tops are hard and provide more support to your back than the softer sprung types as they do not yield so much when you place your weight upon them. Sprung edge bases meanwhile offer a softer luxurious feel which gives that much more. And resembles the divan chairs with their cushions and padding. However the exact extent of support will be determined by the type of mattress that you choose to top your divan bed.