Penelope Upholstered Ottoman Bed Frame

For those that are looking for a way to maximise their storage space in a room that does not have access to conventional storage, an ottoman could be the perfect option for you. I had a proper look at the Penelope in-store at Bensons for Beds because I wanted to see if it actually feels as premium as the photos make it look. Available in a variety of sizes and colours, this Penelope Upholstered Ottoman Bed Frame is both classy and elegant with a price point that may surprise.  

The Penelope will suit those with slightly larger rooms (to accommodate for double through to super king) who appreciate luxurious velvet materials and want the bed frame to be a pinnacle point of the room. Running my hand across the velvet, it felt soft and plush, but it will show marks if you brush it the ‘wrong’ way, so if you’re fussy about it looking perfect all the time, you’ll be straightening the pile now and again. It’s also the sort of fabric that will attract a bit of lint and pet hair, so keep that in mind if you’ve got a dog that thinks your bed is theirs.

The Penelope Upholstered Ottoman Bed Frame will be unsuitable if you want a budget frame or those who have smaller rooms and are unable to capitalise on the larger sizing of the frames. It’s a fairly chunky looking frame in the flesh, and in tighter rooms it can start to feel like it’s eating the space, especially once you factor in the clearance you’ll want for lifting the base.

From a competition and market position standpoint, the Penelope fits in the upper tier in both quality and price point. You really are getting what you pay for with this ottoman bed frame and while the pricing might be out of reach for many on a budget, those that are able to stretch to this price point will find a solid, stable and ultra-premium product. When I sat on the edge and shifted my weight about, it didn’t creak or feel wobbly, which is always the first thing I try on a display frame. That said, for this kind of money I do expect the finish to be spot on, and velvet plus everyday life can be a bit of a faff if you’ve got kids, pets, or you’re prone to catching it with a belt buckle or suitcase corner.

Owners mostly back up the look and the build. One called it ‘soft to the touch, but incredible build quality with zero creaks and squeaks!’ The storage gets a lot of mentions too, with another writing ‘Lovely ottoman bed, lots of storage and looks great!!’ Assembly is where the reviews split. Some found it easy, while others complain about all the screws arriving mixed together in one bag and instructions that one owner said ‘were really difficult to follow’. A few say the base is heavy to lift with a mattress on it, and a handful of the unhappiest reviews describe a frame that started to dip in the middle or make a metal-on-metal noise. Colour gets mixed reports as well: one owner said the bed is ‘exactly like the photo’, while a buyer who’d had two colours wrote that ‘both are nothing like the photos’. Damage on arrival comes up too. One owner had a replacement part sent out. Another wrote that they ‘wish they would sort out the damage side’. I’d still be checking the packaging and the corners of the upholstered panels as soon as it arrives, because once velvet is scuffed or snagged it’s not the sort of thing you can just ‘rub out’.