Why our sleep experts loved it
Got to experience this one in store, absolutely loved it. Price point incredible. The Hensby Side Drawer Bed Frame is one of those rare beds that looks three times the price. On paper it is a relatively simple upholstered frame with two drawers either side, but in person it feels like a bit of a steal. It offers an elegant, hotel style look with genuinely practical storage and an ultra solid base. If you are in the mid range and want something that feels like boutique hotel and not budget frame, give this one a look.
Design & Build The first thing that tips the Hensby into the more premium bracket is the styling. The tall headboard and matching footboard are finished with vertical stitched panels, which gives that tailored, interior designer feel without being too fussy. It works equally well in modern and classic bedrooms, which is half the battle when you are buying a big upholstered piece that will dominate a room.
There are two velvet finishes to choose from, Grey Velvet and Navy Velvet. Both are rich, matte velvets rather than shiny, which helps it look more expensive. The grey is soft and versatile, ideal if you have colour elsewhere in the room, while the navy has a moodier, boutique feel and would work well against lighter walls. Personally I prefer the grey velvet because it has that airy, expansive look and is easier to pair with different duvet covers over time.
Beneath the fabric you are getting a proper bed frame structure, not a flimsy metal click together base. The Hensby uses a sprung slatted system, with curved wooden slats set into a frame to support your mattress. That is fairly standard at this price, but it feels well specified here and should work with most hybrid and pocket sprung mattresses. You also get a five year guarantee on the frame from Bensons, which adds confidence it is built to last beyond one tenancy or a couple of house moves.
Assembly & Setup This is a flat pack upholstered frame, so be prepared to take up some time and floor space on delivery day. The components themselves are straightforward, usually comprising the headboard, footboard, side rails, central support and a bundle of slats. Bensons has an assembly service if you would rather not do it yourself, but with a screwdriver and a second pair of hands it should be doable if you are reasonably handy.
The slats are usually the most fiddly part, as each one needs to be clipped into plastic holders on the frame. The upside is that once the system is locked in, it usually feels very secure. Your in store experience backs that up too, as the frame feels really solid with no movement or wobble when you sit down or shift your weight, which is exactly what you want from a bed at this price.
As with any upholstered bed, it is worth thinking about access. The headboard is generously proportioned, so if you have tight staircases or low ceilings you might want to check the measurements or take a tape measure to the store before you commit. Once in place the bed has a substantial presence, particularly in king size, but it stops short of overwhelming an average UK bedroom.
Comfort & Practicality Comfort on a bed frame like this is mostly about how the base works with your chosen mattress. The sprung slatted system has a gentle flex to it, which means it can add a slightly softer, more forgiving feel to a firmer mattress and better support for lighter sleepers, while still feeling sturdy under heavier bodies. That upward curve in the slats also helps distribute weight more evenly across the bed, which is good news for the long term health of your mattress.
Edge support is better than you might expect from a cheaper fabric frame. The upholstered side rails feel solid when you perch on the edge, rather than hollow. Combined with that rigid outer frame, the overall impression is of a bed that stays put, even if you are a restless sleeper or share with someone who tosses and turns.
From a practical point of view, the Hensby is fairly low maintenance structurally. There are no moving gas pistons or ottoman mechanisms to worry about and the slats can be checked and dusted quickly during a bedroom clean. The only real compromise is the velvet upholstery, which while lovely to look at, will ask a bit more of you than a plain wooden frame.
Storage The key functional feature here is the pair of side drawers. Instead of giving you one huge drawer at the foot of the bed, the Hensby places a large drawer on each side, centred so they are easy to reach without moving bedside tables or contorting yourself. It is a clever layout that makes the most of under bed space, while still feeling like a normal bed frame, not a bulky ottoman.
Capacity wise, the drawers are ideal for spare bedding, seasonal clothes, towels or the sort of overflow items that always seem to land in the bedroom. They run on simple runners rather than complicated soft close mechanisms, which should help with long term reliability. If your room layout allows, being able to pull out a full depth drawer from either side makes everyday storage much less of a faff.
The main thing to be aware of is clearance. You will need enough space either side of the bed to fully extend the drawers, so if your bedroom is narrow or you have large bedside tables hard up against the frame, you might not get full benefit. In a typical double or king size room, though, they are a very handy way to claim back otherwise wasted space.
Cleaning & Care Velvet looks luxurious, but it is not the most forgiving finish in day to day life. The Hensby’s fabric will show dust, lint and pet hair more readily than a flat weave or a wooden frame, and it is likely to need regular vacuuming with an upholstery nozzle to keep it looking crisp. Spills are another consideration, as velvet can mark if liquid is left to soak in, so this is not the bed for eating messy late night snacks or letting children clamber up with juice cartons.
That said, if you are prepared to put in a bit of extra care, the pay off is a frame that absolutely looks the part. A quick once over with a lint roller or a soft brush will usually lift surface fluff, and occasional vacuuming keeps the pile fresh. It is a fair trade off: you get that plush, boutique feel, but you do have to accept it might be a pain to clean compared with a plain wooden model.
Everyday Use Day to day the Hensby feels like a very easy bed to live with. The tall, padded headboard is comfortable to sit up against for reading or scrolling in the evening, and it gives the whole bed an elegant, expansive feel even in the grey colourway. The frame feels reassuringly solid with no unwanted creaks or swaying when you get in and out, which adds to that overall impression of quality.
Ventilation is decent thanks to the slatted base, which allows air to circulate under the mattress rather than trapping heat. That is particularly useful if you have a deeper foam or hybrid mattress that can run warmer. The open space under the slats is mostly taken up by the drawers, but there is still some airflow around the frame and up through the base.
In terms of sizing, the range is deliberately tight: you can choose from double or king size, with no single or super king option. For most UK homes that will be absolutely fine, and the king in particular feels like the sweet spot for a master bedroom, offering a generous sleep surface without overwhelming the room. If you need something for a very small guest room or an especially large main suite, though, you may find the limited size options frustrating.
Value for Money At full price the Hensby sits in the mid range, but Bensons frequently runs promotions that bring the cost of a king size down significantly from the headline price. That is very competitive for an upholstered frame with integrated storage and a five year guarantee, and it feels like an absolute bargain when you factor in how expensive it looks in situ.
There are cheaper fabric frames out there, but many of them sacrifice either solidity or style. Here you are getting a frame that ticks the design box, offers genuinely useful storage and feels reassuringly stable when in use. If you are working to a budget but still want your bedroom to look finished, this is exactly the sort of piece that makes the room feel pulled together.
Who it suits This bed frame will suit you if you want a sleek, upholstered look with a bit of a boutique hotel vibe, but you do not want to spend designer money. It is particularly good for medium to larger bedrooms where you can make full use of the side drawers and give the headboard room to breathe. If you like the idea of a velvet bed and are happy to vacuum and lint roll occasionally, it is an easy yes.
It is also a strong option if you value a solid feel. The combination of a sturdy frame and sprung slats means minimal movement when you sit, roll over or share the bed, which is reassuring for couples and restless sleepers alike. Add in the practical side drawers and it becomes a very sensible choice for anyone short on wardrobe space.
Who it does not suit If you live with pets that shed heavily, young children with sticky fingers or you simply do not want to think about upholstery care, a velvet bed might not be the most practical choice. A wooden or faux leather frame will be far more forgiving in those scenarios. Equally, if you have a very narrow bedroom with furniture tight up against the bed, you may not be able to open the drawers fully, which undermines one of the Hensby’s main selling points.
Finally, if you are looking for a single, small double or super king frame, the limited size range means this simply will not work for you. You would need to look at other Bensons designs for more niche dimensions.
Final Verdict The Hensby Side Drawer Bed Frame feels like a bit of a hidden gem in the Bensons line up. It combines a smart, vertically stitched velvet design with genuinely useful side drawer storage and a surprisingly solid sprung slatted base. In person it looks and feels more expensive than it is, and the grey velvet option in particular has that calm, high end look that works in most schemes.
Yes, the velvet will ask a little more of you in terms of cleaning, and the size range is limited to double and king, but if those points are not deal breakers this is an excellent buy. For the money, it is an easy one to recommend as a stylish, practical frame that will instantly lift the look of a bedroom without punishing your bank balance.
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