I ditched my hydraulic storage bed to test Cozey’s new

Does Cozey’s reasonably priced, ultra-customizable storage bed live up to the hype? Here's my review of the Ara Bed system.

Article content We independently select everything we recommend. Buying through us may earn us a commission, which supports our work. In most of my editor-approved product reviews, I harp on the fact that I don’t have a ton of space in my condo.

While it can be tricky to figure it out, once you find the right furniture that looks good, optimizes storage and doesn’t annihilate your pocketbook — small living is not all that bad. Cozey’s Ara Bed system was poised to give me all of that, so I ditched my hydraulic storage bed and opted to choose and customize the bed that best fit my space. All said and done, I’m very pleased with both the bed and the Cozey Mattress I tested alongside it, and would recommend them — especially to anyone shopping for a starter bed for a new place or a spare room.

What: Cozey Ara Bed (Queen) Price: $995 CAD Where to buy: Cozey | Cozey Ara Bed Pros 👍 | Cozey Ara Bed Cons 👎 | | | Cozey Mattress Review: What is it like to unbox and sleep on? The mattress arrived first, but not before I prematurely had 1-800-GOT-JUNK pick up my old one.

When the scheduled Friday delivery didn’t in fact arrive at all, I ended up sleeping on the floor for one night and then on a slowly deflating air mattress the following two nights while my fiancé and I waited out the delivery that was hopefully arriving on Monday. I only have myself to blame; I definitely was a candidate for the Darwin Award on this one.

All that is to say, when the Cozey Mattress box arrived three long days later, we were chomping at the bit to rip open the box and get that thing unrolled. It was easy to place on our existing bed frame, as the bed wouldn’t arrive for a few weeks, and it worked just fine on a non-Cozey-made bed frame. This mattress expands to its full size and firmness within 24 to 48 hours after unboxing; however, it’s safe to sleep on it within a few hours of opening.

We waited 6-7 hours and had a wonderful, supportive sleep on our new mattress. It’s got a soft, cooling top layer, a supportive middle layer and a firm base underneath, all wrapped in a polyester cover. Additionally, the mattress is certified as low-emission, and it’s backed by a 15-year warranty and made in Canada.

I’ve now spent over 90 nights on the Cozey Mattress, and I give its medium-firm feel my seal of approval. I typically prefer a firmer mattress, but this one provides enough support that I don’t feel like I’m sinking. What: Cozey Mattress (Queen) Price: $695 CAD Where to buy: Cozey

What is the Cozey Ara Bed, and how does it compare to other modular storage beds? Cozey’s Ara Bed system might be the most customizable option on the market, offering a whopping 136 configurations. The choices span fabric (seven colours across four material types), size (full, queen or king), frame shape (rounded or squared), frame type (regular or storage), headboard style (five options, including none) and seam finish (regular, French or channel tufted).

The upholstered bed frame comes with fully removable covers, which aim to make washing or swapping them for different colours easy. These covers are machine washable and pet-friendly. The under-bed storage entails four wide, shallow drawers on wheels that hold more than they look like they should.

Given the number of options, there isn’t a directly comparable make and model of a bed system in Canada. If you know of one, let us know, and it will be added to the ‘to-test’ list. What’s it like to set up and start using the Cozey Ara Bed?

The Queen Ara Bed with storage arrived in a dozen different boxes, most of them large. Prepare your space for receiving these packages and keep in mind how much recycling you’ll be required to dispose of as well. Once I got my old hydraulic storage bed out of the way, assembly was very easy.

Cozey has easy-to-follow instructions online, and no tools are required for setup. Putting the headboard, frame and four drawers together took approximately three hours. Admittedly, my partner did most of the assembling, but I was taking cardboard to the recycling room in a steady rhythm to ensure we had room to build.

Everything was running smoothly until the final drawer; we realized a piece of it was missing, and two of the washers from the same box were glued together, which halted our progress. While it was disappointing to hit a snag and stop building so close to the finish line, Cozey was very helpful and quick to respond when I reached out and explained the drawer situation the following day, and promptly sent me out a replacement drawer. They also emailed me a return label so I didn’t have to deal with storing or disposing of the extra parts.

We repeated this process when I received the replacement drawer, which turned out to be for a twin bed by mistake. Again, the process of returning it and getting the correct-sized drawer shipped out was smooth and simple; it just took me longer to finish the bed than anticipated due to these two exchanges and delivery wait times. The missing drawer didn’t stop me from testing and enjoying the bed in the meantime; however, I was thrilled to have it put together and installed so I could finally make the most of the glorious hidden storage.

Delays aside, the bed looked and felt great. I have been sleeping on the bed frame for over 30 nights and can confirm the Flax Haven material is soft (not scratchy) but feels durable, which is great for us humans and our dog, who uses our bed as his indoor playground daily. My dog sheds a lot, and this material has held up amazingly against the fluff so far.

What are the best parts of the Cozey Ara Bed, and where did it miss the mark? I am a big fan of the sleek and modern look of the round headboard, square frame and Flax Haven warm taupe coloured material I landed on for this bed. The four drawers hidden underneath the bed have a deceptive amount of space — I was really impressed.

This bed is very easy to disassemble, and as someone who isn’t living in my forever home, this was a nice peace-of-mind feature for the future. This bed’s height is considerably lower than that of my previous one, which took me by surprise for some reason. Luckily for me, it looks great in my condo unit, and I don’t mind getting in and out of it.

The other thing to keep in mind before purchasing: make sure you have the clearance to open the drawers on either side of your bed. I did, but that’s because I used this bed as an excuse to purchase a pair of floating nightstands I’ve been wanting for two years. Who should buy the Cozey Ara Bed?

The Cozey Ara Bed is a great bed for someone moving into their first apartment or in smaller and transitional spaces. The easy disassembly makes it a no-brainer for people who know they’ll be needing to move down the line, whether you’re renting or you own. Optimizing storage without eating into the budget is another place where this bed excels, so if you need more places to stash your stuff (and who doesn’t?), this is a great option.

Anyone looking for a fully custom look without breaking the bank — this is the bed for you. The 136-configuration system means someone particular about aesthetics can get the bed they envision without having to go the bespoke furniture route. If you are a person who likes their bed higher up, this bed is not for you.

If you don’t mind a closer-to-the-ground feeling and are willing to plan your room layout around the drawers — should you go with the storage model, as I did — this one’s a good pick for you, too. Overall, I think the price and quality of these pieces from Cozey are aligned, and I would confidently recommend them to anyone in the market for a new bed or mattress. Curious about other Cozey products?

My team has spent countless hours testing pieces from this brand. Check out the other in-depth reviews we’ve written about Cozey’s items and whether they are a fit for you. Cozey Gaia Sofa Cozey Neptune Sofa-Bed Cozey Ciello Bed Cozey Altus Sofa Cozey Mistral Dining Set Why trust us: We research, test and vet

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