Italian designer beds: the brands to know and the signature model of each

We spend more hours on the bed than on any other piece of furniture, yet we often choose it by mattress size alone. Italian designer bed brands start from a different question: what should the bedroom say?

Italian designer beds stand out for their headboard, frame and upholstery: that is where each brand leaves its signature, from Cattelan Italia’s floating frame to Gervasoni’s loose-covered Ghost bed. We have chosen twelve brands from the Arredare Moderno catalogue and, for each one, the model that best represents it.

At a glance

• Most recognisable for upholstered beds: Bonaldo, Gervasoni, Moroso, Désirée, Twils and Felis.
• For a pared-back design: MDF Italia’s Aluminium Bed and Cattelan Italia’s Marlon.
• For tailored, decorative workmanship: Cantori, Arketipo and Alivar.
• Before choosing a model, fix the mattress size, the frame’s footprint and the space you need to walk around it.
• Removable covers and under-bed storage are the two options that change daily use the most.

What makes a bed a designer bed?

Four things. The headboard, which sets the style of the room more than any other piece. The frame, meaning how the bed meets the floor: on legs, as a divan, on a base that seems to float. The upholstery, now often removable, in fabric, leather or velvet. And the functions: storage, lift-up base, pull-out second bed.

A designer bed is not necessarily bigger or taller. Often the opposite is true: brands take volume away from the frame to give importance to the headboard.

Italian designer bed brands to know

Bonaldo

The Fluff bed, designed by Mauro Lipparini, is all softness: a generous headboard with a layer of feather blend, a padded frame and bold proportions. It also comes with storage. Bonaldo’s catalogue ranges from the graphic Tonight beds to more sculptural pieces.

Gervasoni

The Ghost collection brings Gervasoni’s best-known language into the bedroom: an oversized removable cover that dresses the frame like a soft garment. The single Ghost 82 can include a pull-out second bed, ideal for guest rooms.

Moroso

The Lowland bed derives from Patricia Urquiola’s sofa of the same name: elementary, dynamic shapes, padded headboard and frame on a wooden structure, and a removable cover. A low, contemporary bed.

Désirée

The Ozium bed, by Roberto Gobbo with the brand’s design team, uses two large feather cushions as a headboard, with tone-on-tone topstitching. The cover is removable, in fabric or leather, on polished aluminium feet.

Cattelan Italia

The Marlon bed plays with an illusion: its wooden legs are set back, so the bed seems to be held up by the headboard alone. The headboard is fully upholstered in fabric, faux leather, nubuck or leather.

Tonin Casa

The Bull bed, designed by Andrea Lucatello, merges headboard and frame into a single soft volume with generous curves. Covers range from fabric and bouclé to faux leather and leather.

MDF Italia

The Aluminium Bed is for lovers of rigour: an anodised or lacquered aluminium frame, with or without headboard. No padding for show, just the precision of the profile.

Arketipo

The Windsor Dream bed by Manzoni and Tapinassi echoes the sofa from the same collection: diamond quilting created by buttons sinking into the padding, British elegance in contemporary proportions.

Cantori

The Portofino Plissé is upholstered by hand, with tailored workmanship, in pleated satin combined with velvet, fabric or leather. Available for 160×200, 180×200 and 200×200 bases, it is a classic statement bed.

Alivar

The Suite bed has a divan base framed by a steam-bent solid fir headboard, padded with goose down and covered in leather or fabric. An imposing yet welcoming bed.

Twils

The Giselle bed has a padded headboard with sinuous, enveloping lines and a wide choice of fabric categories: romantic without excess.

Felis

The Bowie Color bed is padded and has a removable cover, with piping in matching or contrasting colour outlining headboard and frame. The XL version, with a taller headboard, is available in small double and double sizes.

Upholstered, wooden or metal: which bed to choose?

An upholstered bed is the most common choice among design brands: comfortable to lean on, sound-absorbing and easy to personalise. It is worth it if the cover is removable. A wooden bed, or one with a wooden headboard, looks warmer and is easy to maintain. A metal bed, from MDF Italia’s aluminium to wrought iron, takes up less visual space and suits small bedrooms.

Sizes come first, though. Our guides to single bed sizes and how big a double bed is start from the mattress; for the whole frame, read about the real footprint of a 90×200 bed. If space is tight, consider the French-style double bed or American beds, and check the height of the bedside table. For brands across the whole home, see the best modern furniture brands.

Frequently asked questions

Which are the best Italian designer bed brands?

Among those we cover, Bonaldo, Gervasoni, Moroso, Désirée, Cattelan Italia, MDF Italia, Cantori, Alivar, Twils, Felis, Arketipo and Tonin Casa are among the most recognisable for designer beds.

Removable or fixed upholstery?

A removable cover can be washed and changed over time, so it lasts longer. A fixed cover has tauter lines but must be cleaned in place.

Can a designer bed have storage?

Yes, many brands offer their models with storage and a lift-up base, such as Bonaldo’s Fluff in the Open version.

How much space do you need around a bed?

Besides the frame’s footprint, you need comfortable passages on both sides and at the foot of the bed: measure them on the bedroom plan before choosing.

For more on the history of the bed as an object, see the Wikipedia entry.