How To Choose The Right Size Bed

Choosing the right size bed and mattress is one of the most important decisions you can make for your home and for your sleep quality. Having enough sleeping space, while maintaining the bedroom space you need for everything else, is essential for finding balance between daytime and nighttime harmony.

In order to help you work out which bed size is right for you, we have put together a guide on picking the right size bed, going through UK bed sizes and mattress dimensions, helping inform your purchase. Read on for lots of advice that will help you sleep comfortably in a new bed.

Bed Sizes Explained

First things first, we need to outline the dimensions of the various bed sizes available in the UK to initially inform your bed size requirements. Mattress size is used for these sizes as some beds take up more space with extra elements.

Single Bed Dimensions – A standard single bed in the UK is 190cm long and 90cm wide. In imperial measurements, a single bed is 6ft3″ long and 3ft wide.

Small Double Bed Dimensions – A standard small double bed size in the UK is 190cm long and 120cm wide. This equates to 6ft3″ long and 4ft wide in imperial measurements.

Double Bed Dimensions – A double bed size is 190cm in length and 135cm in width, which mean a double size bed is 6ft3″ and 4ft5″ in imperial measurements, respectively.

King Size Bed Dimensions – A king size bed in the UK is 200cm long and 150cm wide in metric terms. If you prefer imperial measurements, a king size mattress or bed is 6ft6″ by 5ft.

Super King Size Bed Dimensions – A super king size bed 200cm by 180cm, which is equivalent to 6ft6″ long and 6ft wide in imperial measurements.

As you can tell from the guide above, there is a significant difference in the various bed frame and mattress sizes which can have an effect on the floor space in a bedroom. But know you know what each bed frame size actually means, we can discuss the two most important factors which will determine what size bed you should buy – the size of the sleeper and the size of the bedroom.

Matching Your Height To The Right Bed Size

The Right Size Bed For Children

Parents can often struggle determining what size bed their child needs as they grow up, with many simply assuming buying a double bed once the child is well into adolescence is the sensible thing to do. But as we have seen above, a double bed is not actually any longer than a single bed, meaning growth in height does not necessarily mean somebody needs a bigger bed.

Potentially a more financially-considerate change would be to move them from a single to a small double (sometimes known as a queen size bed) as they move through the teenage years, giving them more sleeping space and helping them feel more like an adult.

When Is Double The Right Size Bed?

Put simply, a double size bed is the right size bed and mattress for two adults, offering enough width for two people to sleep comfortably. At over six foot in length, double beds offer more than enough length for adults of the average height in the UK, which is just over 5ft8″ for men and 5ft3″ for women.

Double beds are the most popular size beds and mattresses in the UK, often just seen as the standard size bed for a couple. That said, a standard double bed actually only offers each occupant around 2ft3″ in width, which is less than you would give a baby in a cot bed. Because of this, many couples are turning to king size beds if they have enough room.

The Right Size Bed For Tall People

If you are six foot tall or over, we recommend upgrading to a king or super king bed. This is because it is advisable to have around 10cm of extra length on top of the height of the tallest occupant in a bed. This will offer extra leg room and ensure you will never have your feet hanging off the end of the bed.

King and super king beds are 10cm or 3 inches longer than double beds, offering that necessary extra space for taller people. Additionally, the added width afforded by a king size bed (15cm) or a super king size bed (45cm) compared to that of a double can offer couples much more space to get a good night’s sleep, preventing bumping into one another.

The Right Bed Size For Your Room Size

Now you know what bed sizes are right for different sized people, you now need to consider which bed size is right for the room you’re furnishing. The least thing you want is to be cramming a large bed into a room which simply doesn’t have the space and having buyer’s remorse.

Let us first outline the average sized bedrooms in the UK before recommending bed and mattress sizes for your space.

Average Master Bedroom Size – The master bedroom, often the one used by the adult couple of the household, is roughly 14ft by 16ft on average, offering 224 square feet of floor space.

Average Secondary Bedroom Size – A secondary double bedroom tends to offer 10ft by 12ft in width and length, totalling 120 square feet, which is a significant difference to the master.

Average Guest Room Size – A double guest room tends to the offer the same space as a secondary double, giving around 120 square feet of floor space.

Average Single Bedroom Size – A single bedroom is the smallest of our list, around 10ft by 10ft on average, or 100 square feet. Often, a single bedroom is a kids’ bedroom, small guest room or walk-in wardrobe.

What Bed Size For A Master Bedroom?

Assuming your master bedroom is the largest in the house, you will be able to enjoy the largest sized bed in this room. You need to choose a bed frame which allows for ample space on either side for each occupant to comfortable move around, while also providing space elsewhere for essential furniture like wardrobes, drawers, storage space and a dressing table.

If you’re lucky enough to have a master bedroom around the average size of 224 square footage, you should be able to fit a king or super king bed and still have enough space for everything else. You’ll really feel the benefit in choosing these larger bed frames which are the same length but wider.

If you can afford the space to the sides of the bed, plumping for a super king size bed will offer as much space as possible and provide a luxurious sleep every night. If not, a king bed and mattress will still give both sleepers lots of space.

Of course, a UK double is the most popular size for a reason. As modern homes get smaller and smaller, master bedrooms shrink too, meaning perhaps only a double bed offers the room within your bedroom that you require for everything else.

What Bed Size For A Secondary or Guest Bedroom?

Choosing a bed size for a secondary or guest bedroom that may not be used that often can be tough. Secondary rooms are often used by children who have reached adulthood or friends and families visiting the home. If, like the standard sizes listed above, you have 120 square feet in this room, a double bed is probably the pick of the various bed frames available.

At just over 6 feet in length and 4ft5″ in width, a double bed is a happy medium between offering sleepers ample space while maintaining the floor space you want in your secondary room for other items.

If the bed is often used by two occupants, remember to consider space each side of the bed to make things easier for either sleeper to get in and out of the bed. If the bed is only regularly used by one person, pushing the bed to one corner will open up more space in the room for your furniture and general breathing space.

You can secure extra space in such a bedroom by choosing innovate bed frames like ottoman beds, trundle beds or folding beds. Read our guest bed ideas guide for more information.

What Bed Size For A Single Bedroom?

The right bed size for a single bedroom is, naturally, a single bed (or twin bed). Offering as much length as a double bed but just 3 feet in width, single beds are suitable for comfortably sleeping one person, whether that’s one of your children or a visitor.

If your single bedroom has a little more space than the average 100 square feet, you could consider a small double bed to give the room’s occupant a little more space in stretch out.

Another way to offer a little more sleeping space in smaller bedrooms is to consider a folding bed or day bed, both of which take up the space of a single bed while folded or tucked away, but then extend to give the sleeper much more room at nighttime.

We also recommend a single ottoman bed frame for single bedroom with little space, often called a box room. Choosing an ottoman bed here will mean you can open up some bonus under-bed storage which is easy to access, even when the bed is pushed up to the wall to maximise space for other furniture.

Summary Of Our Bed Size Comparison Guide

We hope that by reading our guide on choosing the right size bed, you will be in a better place to make an informed buying decision here at Home Treats UK. We’ve taken you through the various bed sizes available and what they actually mean in terms of space available, before assessing the sized bed frames for different sized people and rooms.

Feel free to get in contact for more information on the right bed and mattress for your needs.