Queen bed frame no box spring required

Platform | Headboard | Wood | Mid-century modern | $$

This all-wood platform frame from Article — available in walnut in addition to the white oak (shown above) — is our pick for the best overall bed frame for its mid-century modern–inspired design that still manages to look timeless. It is made with solid and veneered American white oak and has a tall headboard that makes it feel a bit more distinguished than the more streamlined wood styles on this list. (You can also choose from a fabric or spindle headboard as well.) It’s recommended by interior designer Liza Curtiss, a partner at design studio Le Whit, who tells us that its “clean lines and warm color complement almost any style.” Another thoughtful design detail comes in the form of the bed’s tapered legs.

Platform | Wood | Traditional | $

If all you need is a wood platform base, this one, which Decorilla lead designer Devin Shaffer recommends, is a solid and affordable choice. Shaffer loves that it’s constructed from poplar wood and made in Athens, Georgia, “which means it will stand the test of time,” he says. He also likes this frame because it has “a price point for any budget” and even folds in half for easy, compact storage. Plus its rounded edges give the frame a softer look than your standard boxy platform bed. And because it’s unfinished, you can easily paint or stain it on your own.

Platform | Headboard | Wood | Modern | $$$

If you want another easy-to-assemble, no-tools-required option, consider Thuma’s platform bed, which Strategist deals writer Leah Muncy recommended after testing one. As someone who “despises assembling furniture so much” that she considered calling off an apartment move to avoid having to build a bed, Muncy was surprised to find that it took all of 20 minutes to put together the wood frame, whose construction is inspired by Japanese joinery. “The pieces fit together intuitively and seamlessly — there were no gaps or ill-fitting screws,” she wrote. “It stood upright without needing to be propped up, and the pieces held together once in place.” After sleeping on it for a few months, Muncy reports that it “hasn’t squeaked or tumbled like a Jenga tower.” The bed comes with an upholstered headboard (with a removable, washable cover) that simply slips into the leftover space between the frame, mattress, and wall.

Platform | Headboard and underbed storage optional | Wood | Modern | $$

This bed frame from Detroit-based furniture company Floyd is a minimalist, industrial take on the platform bed that Strategist editor Maxine Builder owns and recommends. It’s made up of three slats of plywood and metal feet that are held together by nylon ratchet straps — in other words, assembly requires no tools, just like the Thuma. And despite its straightforward assembly process, “it’s surprisingly sturdy,” says Builder. “We haven’t had to adjust it since putting it together about a year ago.” Plus it’s “super-easy to move yourself because it’s so lightweight,” she adds. It has a low profile, making it all the more unassuming, but if you prefer a bed that has a bit more going for it, Floyd makes it easy to do. It comes with the option to add a headboard and underbed storage drawers (albeit shallow ones) on either side (all sold separately).

This platform bed is as simple as our overall budget pick but doesn’t fold. It comes recommended by Tze Chun, the founder of Uprise Art, who has one in her guest room at her house upstate. She likes how the poplar wood is solid but light, and that the frame has an unfinished look and rounded corners. “For a super-affordable bed frame, the slat spacing is pretty tight, so it’s plenty of support for foam or spring mattresses,” Chun adds. “It has a minimalist, Scandinavian look to it without being from Ikea.”

Platform | Upholstered headboard | Wood | Mid-century modern | $$$

Here’s a simple wood platform frame that’s made more interesting by an upholstered headboard. RoomLift’s Megan Hersch recommends it, telling us its “modern aesthetic and strong lines” have a “masculine touch.” The low acacia frame has architectural elements like angular legs and slanted braces, which help support its cushy upholstered headboard. Shown in a polyester-linen blend, this frame also comes in a more expensive style upholstered in leather.

Platform | Headboard | Upholstered | Modern | $$$

For a bit of color and an unexpected silhouette, consider the Ava, a platform frame that comes recommended by interior design publicist Molly Schoneveld. It’s definitely a splurge, but she says that “this gorgeous emerald green velvet is such a refreshing change from so much gray over the past few years,” adding that “it can easily be accessorized in so many different ways that would make it work in a modern or traditional home.” The curving headboard features tailored channel detailing and slightly wraps around the top of the bed, creating a small nook of sorts, which seems super-cozy — and indulgent — for reading in bed. Modsy designer Lisa Spicer also loves this frame, saying that it’s “glam” in a way that “can really elevate your bedroom retreat while also being transitional enough to switch up throughout the years.” In other words, it’s an investment that can adapt to changing tastes and styles. She especially likes the “luxe velvet upholstery” and “little brass feet” — both are small but high-impact details that make this bed frame special.

Platform | Upholstered | Mid-century modern | $

If you’re into the idea of an unfussy platform frame but want one with a little more heft, try this upholstered frame that Shaffer also recommends. The mid-century modern–inspired style is also made of wood and features tapered, splayed legs, allowing it to “fit any space and nearly all styles,” he says. Plus the frame’s hardwood slats mean you can simply throw any type of mattress on top, foam included.

Platform | Upholstered | Modern | $$

For folks who prefer to fall, rather than climb, into bed, this super-low platform bed frame comes recommended by Curtiss. While the frame might cost as much as whatever mattress you put on it, Curtiss promises it is built to last. “Blu Dot offers a nice selection of durable fabrics, and their construction and quality are always dependable,” Curtiss promises. The solid hardwood frame has soft, padded rails and comes in several neutral colors in addition to the marine blue (shown above).

Platform | Headboard | Upholstered | Modern | $$

This platform frame can accommodate a box spring, but if you like the look of a low profile, you don’t need one. It’s also a bit of a splurge, but the fact that it’s contract-grade (meaning it can be used in commercial settings like hotels, as well as residential) gives it a leg up durability-wise. It comes completely upholstered on all sides and has a high-back headboard and metal legs, elements that Modsy’s VP of style, Alessandra Wood, calls “sleek with a touch of glam.” She also likes that you can customize the frame with a range of fabrics and patterns, but says the standard mineral-gray velvet it comes in is really quite soothing.

Platform | Headboard and footboard | Metal | Modern | $$

Iron bed frames can be another reasonably priced way to make a design statement in your bedroom. Spicer turned us on to this iron platform frame that doesn’t require a box spring, which she likes to use when decorating smaller bedrooms because “the low platform height gives the illusion of more open space.” She also likes how the frame’s “sleek metal lines lend themselves to an industrial vibe,” but notes they can easily be warmed up by adding wood nightstands on either side of it.

Platform | Headboard and footboard | Metal | Traditional | $$

This iron platform bed frame recommended by Modsy designer Yoan Walter has a softer, more traditional look thanks to its slender posts and slightly curving headboard and footboard. Walter calls it “a perfect, versatile piece of furniture that can adapt to many styles, like rustic, traditional, eclectic, or industrial.” It too can be used with or without a box spring.

Platform | Headboard and footboard | Metal | Art Deco | $$$

If you want to embrace the full drama that an iron frame can deliver, try this Art Deco–inspired model with a lovely arching footboard and headboard that incorporate oval motifs. It’s made of handcrafted, powder-coated iron; does not require a box spring; and comes recommended by Aimee Martinelli, a designer at Modsy. “The curved lines of the black iron are both on trend and timeless,” she says. “But for me, it’s all about the subtle gold details, which really make this bed special.”

Platform | Metal | Minimalist | $$

If you like the metal look but want something more minimal, consider a simple steel platform bed frame, like this one we heard about from Colony design-group founder Jean Lin. She calls the frame, which she has in her own home, her “price-conscious favorite.” Its steel base has been gold brushed, which gives it a softer — and more versatile — look. “The Keetsa frame is so straightforward in form and materiality that it works with nearly everything,” says Lin. “The bronze-hued finish dresses up earthen neutrals and tones down brighter palettes.” Plus, she adds, “it’s so affordable that it allows for a splurge elsewhere in the room.”

Platform | Metal | Modern | $$$

Room & Board’s Parsons bed has a steel platform frame with a bit more going for it (namely a footboard and a headboard). It’s the frame of choice for designer Anki Spets, the founder of AREA Home, who likes that the frame is made of powder-coated steel, a material she says is “quite sturdy and will last for a long time.” While made of steel, Spets points out the frame still has an “airy look” thanks to its streamlined design and the fact that you can see under it. Available in a range of 16 fun colors, she suggests not shying away from a bolder choice: “How about orange or onyx gloss?”

Platform | Headboard and footboard | Wood and cane | Traditional | $$$

Curtiss has one word for this platform frame — “striking” — and we tend to agree. It has panels of woven cane on its footboard and headboard that she calls “a more modern take on caning.” The frame is otherwise made of mango wood that’s been blackwashed, an effect that contrasts nicely with the “simple basket weave” of the caning, according to Curtiss, who says the bed “adds a depth of color and texture to any space.”

Platform canopy | Metal | Modern | $$

This one that Modsy designer Megan Huffman recommends certainly makes a statement, but “the streamlined aesthetic and matte black silhouette” keep it from feeling too heavy, she says. In fact, the box frame appears to hold the mattress aloft, as if it were floating. Huffman also appreciates that it’s “reminiscent of industrial designs” while still being a tiny bit glam, thanks to its “plated brass corners that add a subtle level of interest.” And for something so visually commanding, its price really can’t be beat.

Platform | Canopy | Metal | Modern | $$$

It’s on the expensive end of the spectrum, but this frame from Room & Board is great for those who want a canopy bed but don’t want the fustiness that comes with such a traditional silhouette. It’s arguably even more streamlined than the one from CB2, and comes recommended by Los Angeles–based designer Betsy Burnham, who notes that the boxy four-poster made of powder-coated steel has the simplest shape, with the only detail being a minimal backrest. Burnham says it has “great lines” and — because it comes in metal finishes as well as 16 fun colors (including pink, aquamarine blue, and canary yellow) — can “really fit into many different design schemes.” She adds, “We’ve used it in a guest room that had a more feminine palette and fabrics to balance things out and add modernity and linearity.” The fact that it’s locally made in Minnesota is another plus.

Platform | Wingback | Upholstered | Traditional | $$

For a bit more drama, try a wingback bed like this one, recommended by Schoneveld, that’s made in the U.S. with pinewood. It has a high wingback headboard that feels luxurious while still being modern, and she says its price is hard to beat. (We agree.) While it’s available in a few colors, Schoneveld prefers the navy (shown above) paired with crisp white sheets.

Platform | Wingback | Upholstered | Traditional | $$

Here’s another high wingback upholstered frame that comes recommended by interior designer Casey DeBois. It’s from the Inside, a direct-to-consumer furniture company that makes everything by hand in the U.S. DeBois especially loves the Inside for its selection of more than 100 fabric options, many of them featuring fun and unexpected patterns, including a collaboration with Scalamandré. Her favorite is the Blush Aviary fabric, a 100 percent cotton in a soft pink with a floral-and-bird pattern. “I love the Inside. It’s like getting a custom bed without the cost,” says DeBois.

Platform | Wingback | Upholstered and tufted | Traditional | $$$

If the popular tufted-and-upholstered style is what you seek, this is a great opportunity to get a very good version of it at a decent price. “For those looking to channel that five-star-hotel vibe, we love this affordable-luxe tufted bed from Pottery Barn,” says Allison Whitt of Design X Interiors, a San Diego hospitality-design firm. “It’s a timeless statement piece that instantly adds drama and depth to a room, and serves as the perfect backdrop for a decadent layering of pillows, bedding, and all things hygge.”

Platform | Storage-side tables | Wood | Modern | $$

While this one won’t necessarily save you space (it’s quite wide), it does come with nightstands that extend from the headboard on either side. “Designed by Mark Daniel of Slate Designs, the Andes Bed is always one of my favorites to use,” says Modsy’s Huffman. She likes its streamlined appearance and “gorgeous acacia veneer” — and, of course, its built-in shelves that can hold books, lamps, and other bedside essentials. She adds that hidden cutouts allow for convenient cord management. While they share a name, this Andes bears no obvious relation to the Andes platform style that appeared earlier on this list.

Platform | Underbed storage drawers | Wood | Modern | $$

This writer is also a fan of Ikea’s (even more affordable) Nordli platform bed frame with built-in storage, which I recommended to a reader who wrote in asking for an affordable dupe of Blu Dot’s Modu-licious bed. Like the Modu-licious frame, this one’s underbed storage drawers also have notched handles, a small detail that nevertheless stands out.

If you’re looking for the simplest, most affordable bed, you can’t go wrong with Zinus’s Mia metal platform frame, which stands out on Amazon for its nearly 25,000 positive reviews that call out its durability, ease of assembly, and room for underbed storage. Plus it looks nice. As one reviewer writes, “Aesthetically and functionally, the build of this frame is great. The exterior finish of each component is clean — no conspicuous, ugly welds on any visible component.”

For something with a bit more character, consider the Florence bed from Zinus, which I like for its classic, wrought-iron style that would look nice in a room that leans more modern-farmhouse. With more than 3,000 positive reviews on Amazon, it comes in white, gray, and black, and reviewers praise it for its value. “This bed is a massive upgrade over a common bed frame, yet the cost strangely isn’t that much more,” says one reviewer. Plus, they add, “It was simple to assemble, well built, and looks darn good in my bedroom.”