More Divan bed info
Sealy Divan Bed - Dunmail
Divans came to Europe around the middle of the 18th century and were fashionable from 1820 to 1850. All boudoirs of that generation had divans. They could even be found in coffee-houses.
A standard or traditional couch is designed with three seat cushions, cushioned arms or sides and a cushioned back. A divan has three seat cushions, but in most cases has a very low back with no padding. Instead, large pillows are thrown on top and arranged as necessary. With many pillows decorating the divan, the furniture became a piece of both luxury and comfort. This association and large size is perhaps what has led the divan to move from being a couch to becoming a bed.
A divan bed is designed to maximise cushioning and support. It consists of a mattress supported upon a divan base. A headboard is usually attached to the top of the bed, but many people still maintain the old fashion ‘couch’ style of the bed by having a frame around three sides of the structure.
The main premise of a traditional divan bed is that it can operate as a couch during the day and a bed by night. Cushions play an important part of this. Although a mattress fulfils the comfort function, large cushions can act as a camouflage and transform the appearance of the divan going from day into night. The biggest difference between a divan bed and an ordinary bed is that the divan bed does not have a wooden or metal frame supporting it- it simply looks like a large mattress attached to a base.
When buying bed linen for a divan many people opt to purchase a valance to cover the bottom ‘box’ part of the bed. These box areas are often used as storage space, most modern models come with in-built drawers which can be very useful.
Divan beds offer many advantages over other mattress and base combinations. The option of a sprung base can change the way a mattress feels and offer a wider range of soft/firmnesses/degrees of support to suit your needs. The abscence of a bed-frame means divans optimize space and can be decorated to fit in with the style of any room. Divan bases provide useful storage when space it at a premium.
Most Divan bases often come fitted with 2 or 4 drawers. Continental-sized drawers give space for bedside furniture to be placed next to the divan and still allow access to storage. Some models have end drawers, allowing easy access to storage if the room is very narrow. The Ottoman divan base allows you to lift up the top of the divan so that the whole of the divan base can be used as storage.
Storage is a key factor in any bedroom as you may not have a room which is big enough for a wardrobe, or you need that little bit of extra storage to keep your spare pillows and blankets in.
Divan beds come in all different sizes; small single, single, large single, small double, double, kingsize or superkingsize. Some bed manufacturers also offer continental sizes. These are slightly larger or smaller than the usual standard sizes. This allows you to get the perfect size bed for whatever your needs. Whether you just need a standard single bed for you or your child, or something with a little more room for you or you and your partner, divan beds will have a size that will cater to your requirements.
Divans also offer different base options. Most bases come on castors for easy maneuverability, however, if you don’t require castors, some divan bases come on legs allowing for extra storage space under the base itself. The top of the divan base also has various options. For example, the standard top is a platform top, which is just a solid top base on which the mattress sits. However, you can also purchase a sprung edge top, which is a layer of springs in the top of the divan to give you a higher level of comfort and prolongs the life of your mattress.
At Archers Sleepcentre, we know how stressful buying the perfect bed can be! With bedsteads you have to buy the bedstead and then buy the mattress to go with it. More convieniently, with divan beds, most come as sets with a mattress included and with options for different storage. Most divan beds come with matching fabric to give you a sense of style as well as practicality.