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I’d love to find a platform bed frame with some drawer space that doesn’t look like a cargo container parked in my bedroom. Something with drawers big enough to really hold stuff so I wouldn’t necessarily need a dresser. I love the Blu Dot Modu-licious bed, but it’s way too pricey for me. My ideal bed frame would be wood — no upholstery — with a modern or mid-century/Scandinavian design (a.k.a. clean and simple), and cost no more than $1,000 (but hopefully less).
You’re right: Lots of bed frames with storage underneath can look chunky and inelegant. But you don’t have to sacrifice aesthetics for function (or vice versa) when looking for a twofer, as your quintessential Blu Dot frame suggests; it’s streamlined and smart, with drawers that don’t look like they’re made for a kid’s room (or a college dorm). Luckily, there are several affordable options that look pretty similar — or at least channel the spirit of the Modul-licious — that could work for you. (I’ve done my share of research on bed frames in the past, including consulting interior designers on some of their favorites here, so I know a thing or two about them.) Below, nine modern wooden platform beds with drawers that are (mostly) under $700 (with one splurge-worthy option, because you suggest you might spend a little extra on the right piece).
This one’s no fuss. The simple platform bed frame has three pullout drawers on one side, all of which have plain fronts (no handles or notches) and sit flush side by side.
Here’s another bed frame with drawers that’s as straightforward as they come, but for even less money. It has one drawer on each side of the bed near the footboard, each of which have flush inlaid handles. I like that the bottom of the footboard has a slim cutout — it’s a nice little touch that makes the frame look a bit more handcrafted.
I know, I know, you’ve probably already scoured Ikea as a matter of course. But just because it’s obvious doesn’t mean it can’t deliver. So, in case you missed it, the Nordii bed frame has a lot to like, but perhaps my favorite details are the notched drawer handles. They’re very similar to the ones on the Blu Dot Modu-licious frame, which, like this one, also has six drawers (three on either side), ensuring none of that precious underbed real estate goes to waste. The bed frame itself is also unassuming — just a clean-lined platform that doesn’t call too much attention to itself. If you want to add a bit more oomph, for $549, you can get the Nordii bed frame with a headboard — and that headboard offers even more storage, in the form of two boxes and two shelves that you can position where you please for a customizable nightstand of sorts. Both bed frames are also available in black in addition to the white shown.
The Malm looks a bit more robust, but I thought I’d include it because the bed frame’s silhouette looks closest to that of the Modu-licious, with a tall, square headboard and a boxy base. Instead of smaller individual drawers, the Malm has one giant storage compartment beneath the mattress, making it easier to stash bulkier items like pillows, comforters, and other irregularly shaped things (along with any clothes). This design does make the storage a bit less easy to access — you have to lift the platform the mattress is on to get to it — but there’s a video on the product page that shows just how seamless the frame’s open–and–soft-close mechanism is. It’s available in a black-brown as shown, as well as in white.
This more affordable Malm bed frame actually has drawers, but only two, making its underbed storage slightly less generous in size than the two frames above. (Still, if you’re a minimalist, its two ample-sized drawers may be all you need.) There’s something about the gray finish that’s quite soothing, too.
Hear me out: While at first glance this bed frame may look a little DIY, I kind of like the way it incorporates open storage cubbies rather than drawers. It has three square cubbies on either of the long sides, plus two more square cubbies and a larger rectangular one at the foot of the bed. The frame comes with four storage baskets that fit inside the square cubbies, which you can choose to use or not. Of course, the cubbies’ sizes limit what you can stash in them, but their open design allows you to organize (and store) other things you might want on display, whether books or even your nicer clothes. And anything you don’t want people to see can get tucked in one of the baskets.
A bit pricier and more elevated (style-wise) than the above South Shore bed frame, this one channels the same spirit, with eight open storage cubbies lining its base. Made of kiln-dried rubber wood, its weathered finish gives the frame a rustic feel, but the simple, clean lines still give it enough of that minimalist, modern look you seek. This frame also has open corners (the blanket in the photo slightly obscures them), making it a bit more interesting-looking and space-maximizing. Although it’s towards the top of your price range, the current sale price makes it a bit of a better deal.
The Floyd platform bed is bare-bones and modular and therefore easy to put together (you’re essentially putting planks of wood together using clamps). You can get a headboard, or not, and you can also add underbed storage to one side or both. Storage ups the price by $280 per drawer (the bed frame starts at $650) — so adding one drawer puts this very close to splurge territory — but the drawers are designed to leave space beneath them, which, as the product copy notes, keeps you from dragging dust bunnies around whenever you open or close them. The drawers are made with durable cotton canvas and powder-coated steel supports, and can hold up to 80 pounds each. While they’re on the slim side at five inches high (I’m not sure they alone can replace a dresser, sadly), even with the drawers, the bed has an airy feel — which can’t really be said of the options above. You can choose from two finishes (less-expensive birch or spendier walnut) and also between white or black hardware on both the bed-frame clamps and the drawers.
If you like the idea of a platform bed with storage that sits on legs as opposed to a flat base, you should consider this frame from Brayden Studio that costs about the same as the basic Floyd frame without storage. The outturned legs are definitely a mid-century modern element, and they give what’s otherwise typically a stodgy piece of furniture a little bit of breathing room — while still incorporating storage. This has three drawers on one side, plus clearance underneath, meaning you could theoretically slip a bin or two below the frame for even more storage. In addition to the “cappuccino” color shown, it’s also available in a distressed-gray finish.
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