T&C Tried & True: An Upholstered Bed That Doesn't Break the Budget

"Hearst Magazines and Yahoo may earn commission or revenue on some items through these links."

Here at T&C, we pride ourselves on our discerning eye for quality. With Tried & True, our editors will give you an inside look at the pieces they simply cannot live without.

You may not know it, but winter is the best time of the year to buy bedroom products, bedding and linens. The top companies in the category, as well as many department stores, offer promotions for their best wares right as the year gets underway, making otherwise cost-prohibitive investments finally affordable. And a bed, and your bedroom environment, should be an investment. Good sleep, after all, is worth its weight in gold. Among the brands with seasonal sales is The Inside, the home furnishings label acquired in 2022 by the online decorating service Havenly. For the past year, I’ve had its Modern Platform Bed in a guest bedroom. First, I was intrigued by its price (starting at $1,489) and its clean, no-fuss design. Having now lived with it, I can also attest to its comfort and durability, and so have my guests. Mostly, we’ve all slept very well.

The Inside was founded six years ago during the latter part of the direct-to-consumer boom that disrupted all manner of industries, from eyewear (Warby Parker) to sleep products (Casper). Naturally, furniture was next in this evolution, and in good time. Shopping for home products can be a time-consuming process, not to mention costly. The measurements, the swatches, the endless decisions about every little detail—they can add up. Suddenly, the e-commerce revolution streamlined things, giving shoppers a menu of bespoke preferences at the click of a button. A number of companies emerged from this period, including Interior Define, which is now a decade old and eventually also came under the Havenly umbrella. The Inside sells products for every room in the house, and, in a signature innovation, each is available to upholster in a slew of fabrics from established makers like Scalamandré, CW Stockwell, and Old World Weavers.

It was that flexibility that first drew me to The Inside. And then there was also the convenience of service. When I was on the market for a guest bedroom bed, I wanted to add to cart without too much trouble, the way I shop when I’m on Mr. Porter. On The Inside’s site, products are filtered by room, category and material. Beds, for instance, can be further broken down by frame and/or fabric. I was interested in the Modern Platform, which has a relatively low platform height at 13 inches and a similarly sensible headboard that measures 37 inches. Another selling point is that it’s designed with slats. No box spring necessary here.

Next order of business was selecting upholstery out of 90-plus options—I ordered seven fabric samples, including Talc Linen, Olive Linen, Husk Linen, and, for some pattern, the Sand Odalisque. In a bedroom with lots of color, the bed itself needed to blend in without calling too much attention to itself. In the end, the cozy taupe of the Husk Linen won out—it helped that it’s both kid and pet-friendly— and an order was placed for a king bed with brass legs.

The lead time was expected to be four weeks, and it did not disappoint, arriving at the appointed time in two easy-to-assemble boxes. The Inside has a 30-day return policy, but I didn’t need to take advantage of it. The Modern Platform lived up to its promise, with a contemporary aesthetic that suited the room's sensibility and sturdy materials that made for a fine product and a great night’s sleep.

You Might Also Like

• 12 Weekend Getaway Spas For Every Type of Occasion

• 13 Beauty Tools to Up Your At-Home Facial Game