Beds in Edinburgh: The Complete Guide to Buying a Bed in the City

Edinburgh is one of the most beautiful cities in the world, and its homes are among the most distinctive, from the elegant Georgian terraces of the New Town, a UNESCO World Heritage site, to the historic tenements of the Old Town and the regenerated waterfront of Leith. Those grand, high-ceilinged rooms call for a particular kind of bed, and the city’s mix of period flats, student lets and family homes means there’s no single right answer. Whether you’re in a New Town townhouse, a tenement flat or a suburban family home, the right bed makes the most of an Edinburgh bedroom.

This guide covers everything you need to know about buying beds in Edinburgh: the styles that suit the city’s homes, especially its lofty period rooms, how to choose the right size, the storage options that make flat living easier, and how delivery works across the city. At JustBed, we deliver a full range of quality upholstered beds throughout Edinburgh and the Lothians.

Understanding Edinburgh homes and bedrooms

Edinburgh’s housing has a character all its own, defined by its magnificent Georgian and Victorian architecture, and the bed that suits a grand New Town flat is different from the one that fits a modern apartment.

At the heart of the city is the New Town, whose elegant Georgian terraces and crescents, in areas like the West End, Stockbridge and around the great squares, are among the finest period homes in Britain, known for their high ceilings and generous proportions. The historic Old Town, with its ancient closes and tenements, offers homes full of character, while across the city, handsome Victorian and Edwardian tenement flats fill sought-after areas like Marchmont, Bruntsfield, Morningside and Leith, again with those generous ceiling heights. Add the modern developments of the regenerated Leith waterfront, the family homes of suburbs like Corstorphine and Cramond, and a large student population around Marchmont and Newington, and Edinburgh’s housing is as varied as it is beautiful.

What sets Edinburgh apart, like Glasgow, is those ceiling heights. Its Georgian townhouses and period tenements often have generously tall rooms, which opens up possibilities, especially for statement beds, that a lower-ceilinged home can’t accommodate. In a city this grand, it’s an opportunity well worth making the most of.

The best beds for Edinburgh homes

Edinburgh’s mix of grand Georgian homes, period tenements and modern flats means different beds suit different homes, and the city’s high ceilings make some options especially rewarding. Here’s our guidance.

For Edinburgh’s grand New Town townhouses and larger Georgian homes, with their high ceilings and generous proportions, a tall wingback or an Ambassador bed is a superb choice, since the height fills the wall and creates a commanding, hotel-style focal point that suits the elegance of a period room. This is where Edinburgh homes have a real advantage: those lofty rooms are made for a statement bed. The tall, padded headboard also brings warmth and shelters the bed from the draughts a period property can have.

For the city’s many Victorian tenement flats in Marchmont, Bruntsfield and beyond, an upholstered wingback bed suits the high ceilings beautifully, while an ottoman base adds valuable storage, since period tenements rarely have built-in wardrobes. In the modern apartments of the Leith waterfront, an ottoman storage bed makes the most of a more compact bedroom. And in the family homes of the suburbs, a king or super king storage bed offers the sleeping space and storage a busy household needs.

Getting the bed size right

Edinburgh’s generous period rooms and its more compact modern flats call for different sizes, so it’s worth choosing carefully. Here are the standard UK sizes:

In a spacious New Town or tenement bedroom, there’s often room for a king or even a super king, making the most of those generous proportions, while a double suits a more compact modern apartment or student room. Remember, too, that Edinburgh’s high ceilings mean you can go tall with the headboard as well as generous with the size, without the room feeling cramped. Whatever you choose, leave room to walk and make the bed on at least one side, and measure your access carefully, since the classic tenement stair and the townhouses of the New Town can involve narrow, turning staircases. Many of our divan and ottoman bases split into two halves precisely to make delivery up a traditional Edinburgh staircase far easier.

Storage beds: valuable in an Edinburgh flat

While Edinburgh’s period flats are known for their generous room sizes, they’re often short on one thing: built-in storage. Georgian townhouses and Victorian tenements rarely have fitted wardrobes, and modern apartments can be tight on space, which makes storage beds one of the smartest buys in the city. A storage bed turns the space under the bed into valuable room for bedding, clothes and clutter, easing the pressure on limited wardrobe space. Ottoman beds offer the most storage, a single large cavity beneath the lift-up mattress, and need no floor clearance, while drawer divans give quick, everyday access. In a period flat, that hidden storage helps a characterful home stay tidy without cluttering its lovely proportions; in a modern apartment, it keeps a compact bedroom clear. Either way, a storage bed makes an Edinburgh flat more organised and comfortable to live in.

Fabrics and styles for Edinburgh bedrooms

Edinburgh’s grand Georgian homes, period tenements and modern flats alike suit a considered, stylish bed, and the fabric you choose sets the tone. Velvet is the natural choice for a rich, luxurious, hotel-style look that flatters the generous proportions of a New Town or tenement bedroom beautifully, and modern polyester and performance velvets are hard-wearing and easy to clean. For busy or family homes, an easy-clean faux leather or a stain-resistant performance fabric handles everyday spills and wear with ease. Wingback and buttoned designs bring cosiness and a grand, considered presence well suited to Edinburgh’s period homes and high ceilings, while cleaner upholstered beds complement modern Leith apartments. Deep, muted shades like navy, emerald and grey age best and look rich in a period room’s tall proportions, making them a safe, sophisticated long-term choice for an Edinburgh bedroom.

Making the most of Edinburgh’s high ceilings

Edinburgh’s Georgian and Victorian ceilings are a genuine gift, and it’s worth choosing a bed that takes advantage of them, since a bed that would look right in a standard-height room can look a little lost beneath a lofty New Town or tenement ceiling. A tall, upholstered bed is the answer. A wingback bed with a high headboard, or a commanding Ambassador design, fills more of the wall and gives the bed the presence those grand rooms deserve, drawing the eye upward and creating an elegant, hotel-suite focal point. Where a low-ceilinged home would make a tall headboard feel cramped, an Edinburgh period room carries it effortlessly. Pair that height with rich velvet and a considered, restrained scheme, and a bedroom in one of the city’s fine period homes can look genuinely spectacular. It’s one of the few situations where you can go as tall and bold with the bed as you like, so if you have those high ceilings, it would be a shame not to make the most of them.

Beds for Edinburgh’s cold winters and festival lets

Edinburgh winters are long and cold, which makes warmth and cosiness genuinely worth considering, particularly in the city’s period flats, since grand Georgian and tenement rooms can have cold external walls and large, sometimes draughty sash windows. An upholstered wingback bed is a real asset here, its tall, padded headboard and wrapping wings sheltering the head of the bed from draughts and adding a snug, enveloping warmth, while a plush velvet finish brings extra softness and warmth to a room. Edinburgh is also a great festival city, and many owners let their flats to visitors during the Fringe and other events; for a short-term let, a bed needs to look impressive and stand up to guests, so a smart, hard-wearing upholstered bed with an easy-clean finish is a sensible choice, keeping the flat both stylish and practical.

Delivery of beds across Edinburgh

We deliver throughout Edinburgh and the surrounding Lothians, from New Town townhouses and West End flats to tenements in Marchmont, Bruntsfield and Leith, and the suburbs beyond. Because so many Edinburgh homes are period flats accessed via a traditional stair, or townhouses with narrow, turning staircases, many of our divan and ottoman bases are designed to split into two sections, making them far easier to carry up a classic Edinburgh stair or into a modern apartment lift. When ordering, it’s worth measuring the staircase and the flat’s doorways in advance, particularly in older period properties where access can be tight. Accurate delivery details help everything go smoothly. Once your bed is in place, whether a tall statement piece for a grand New Town room or a storage bed for a modern flat, it will quickly feel right at home.

Why choose JustBed for beds in Edinburgh

At JustBed, we understand what Edinburgh homes need: tall, statement beds that make the most of the city’s magnificent Georgian and tenement ceilings, storage that eases the shortage of built-in wardrobes, and cosy, well-padded designs for its cold winters. Our range spans commanding wingback and Ambassador beds, storage-smart ottoman and divan designs, and easy-clean options, all in quality velvets and fabrics and every UK size. With reliable delivery across Edinburgh and the Lothians and bases built to handle traditional period staircases, buying a bed in Edinburgh is simple and stress-free. Browse the range and order online for delivery across the city.

Frequently asked questions about beds in Edinburgh

What’s the best bed for a New Town or Georgian home in Edinburgh?

A tall wingback or Ambassador bed is ideal for a grand New Town or Georgian home, since its height fills the wall and suits the high ceilings and generous proportions, creating an elegant, hotel-style focal point. An ottoman base adds valuable storage too.

Do you deliver beds across Edinburgh?

Yes, we deliver throughout Edinburgh and the surrounding Lothians, from New Town townhouses to tenements in Marchmont, Bruntsfield and Leith and the suburbs. Many bases split in two to make delivery up traditional period staircases easier.

Why do tall beds suit Edinburgh homes?

Edinburgh’s Georgian townhouses and period tenements are known for their high ceilings, which comfortably carry a tall headboard that would look cramped in a lower-ceilinged room. A tall wingback or Ambassador bed fills the wall and makes the most of those grand proportions.

Do Edinburgh period flats need storage beds?

Often, yes. For all their room size, Georgian townhouses and Victorian tenements rarely have built-in wardrobes, so storage is frequently in short supply. An ottoman or drawer divan turns the space under the bed into valuable storage for bedding and clothes.

Which beds keep an Edinburgh bedroom warmer?

Upholstered beds, particularly wingbacks, help keep a bedroom cosier. Their padded headboards and wrapping wings shelter the bed from draughts and take the chill off the cold external walls and sash windows common in Edinburgh’s period flats during the long winter.

Can a bed be delivered up a tenement or townhouse staircase?

Yes. Many of our divan and ottoman bases are designed to split into two halves, making them far easier to carry up the narrow, turning staircases of a traditional Edinburgh tenement stair or New Town townhouse.