Platform Beds

Platform Beds: Contemporary, Traditional, Transitional, Platform & Japanese

Platform beds contain a foundation composed of horizontal wooden or metal slats or panels meant to support a mattress without the need for box springs and are characterized by their low profile appearance.

With its emphasis on minimalism, an Asian-inspired ''less is more'' aesthetic, along with a trend towards the usage of natural materials, the modern-day platform bed is a product of early 20th century design in the U.S. and Europe.

There are commonly five types of platform beds: contemporary, traditional, transitional, storage, and Japanese style.

Contemporary platform beds feature straight edges and solid colors and can contain microfiber and leather upholstered headboards that can be used as backrests.

Traditional platform beds are known for their mission style design that accentuates simple lines and flat panels meant to emphasize the wood grain, namely oak, maple or ash woods.

Transitional platform beds, much like the name implies, are a combination of contemporary and traditional beds, combining the best features of the contemporary bed, like the upholstered headboards, with the more subdued styles of the traditional variety.

Platform storage beds are beds with drawers under the bed frame. These drawers can either be found under the side rails or incorporated into the bed's footboard.

A more recent entrant into the platform bed space is the Japanese platform bed. Much like standard platform beds, they have a low profile with a platform that makes a box spring unnecessary. What makes them unique, however, is either their design or the composition of the frame. Some Japanese platform beds, rather than the having a standard hardwood or plywood frame, use traditional tatami mats, straw mats used in Japan for sleeping. Others simply contain a pagoda-like finish, referencing the East Asian buildings known for their tiered towers with multiple leaves commonly used for religious functions.

Available in full, queen or king platform bed variations, platform beds are at once practical and aesthetically pleasing.