Most people measure the bed and forget to measure everything around it. A bed that technically fits the room can still leave you squeezing past a radiator, unable to open a wardrobe door, or unable to get the bed up the stairs in the first place. This guide walks through the measurements that actually matter, in the order you should take them, with room-size guidance for each UK bed size.

Why the bed size is only half the measurement

A bed is a fixed block in the room, and a headboard adds depth and height on top of the mattress dimensions. Around it you need space to walk, make the bed, open drawers and doors, and, if you choose storage, space for the storage to open. Planning for all of this before you order avoids the two most common problems: a bed that is too big for the room, and a bed that cannot be delivered.

Step 1: Measure the room and mark the obstacles

Measure the width and length of the wall where the bed will sit, then note everything that limits the layout:

  • Radiators, skirting boards and sockets on the bed wall
  • Window sills and the height of any window behind the headboard
  • The swing of the bedroom door, wardrobe doors and chest of drawers
  • Sloping ceilings or chimney breasts that limit headboard height

Sketch the room on paper and mark each item with its measurements. It takes ten minutes and saves a lot of guesswork.

Step 2: Allow walking space around the bed

A common rule of thumb is to leave around 60 to 70cm (about two feet) of clear floor on each side of the bed that you will use, and roughly the same at the foot if there is a door or wardrobe there. If you want to sit on the edge of the bed to put on shoes, or you have a bedside table, allow more. The list below gives a rough guide to minimum room widths for each size with 60cm on both sides.

  • Single (3ft, 90cm wide): around 2.1m minimum room width
  • Small Double (4ft, 120cm wide): around 2.4m
  • Double (4ft 6, 135cm wide): around 2.55m
  • King size (5ft, 150cm wide): around 2.7m
  • Super king (6ft, 180cm wide): around 3m

If the bed sits in a corner or against one wall, you only need the clearance on the open side, so a larger bed becomes possible in a smaller room. Standard UK mattresses are 190cm long, or 200cm for king and super king, so add the mattress length, the headboard depth and about 60cm at the foot to check the length of the room too.

Step 3: Think about height as well as floor space

A headboard changes how a bed looks and how much wall it covers. Check where any headboard would reach against windows, shelves, radiator pipes and sloping ceilings. Our upholstered headboards come in a wide range of styles, so you can pick one that suits a window sill or a sloping roof. Check each product page for its exact dimensions.

Step 4: Plan the storage you will open

Storage affects the layout more than people expect. Drawers on a divan bed need clear floor to pull out. An ottoman bed lifts from the foot or the side, so decide which side has the room to open it. If the foot of the bed is close to a wall or a door, a side lift can work better; if the sides are tight, an end lift is usually the better choice. We explain the difference in our guide to what to store in an ottoman bed.

Step 5: Check the delivery route

This is the step most people skip. Measure the front door, hallway width, the turn at the bottom and top of the stairs, and the bedroom doorway. A bed is delivered in parts, but a base or a mattress can still be awkward in a narrow stairwell. If your access is tight:

Our delivery team is a two-person crew who carry the bed to the room you choose. You can read the full terms on our delivery information page.

Step 6: Test it on the floor

Before you order, mark the bed on the floor with masking tape or lay cardboard where the mattress will sit. Add a tape line for the headboard. Then walk around the space, open the wardrobe and the door, and stand where the bedside table would go. If anything feels tight, drop to a smaller size or change the layout. It is much easier to fix at this point than after delivery.

A quick checklist before you buy

  • Room width and length, plus obstacles and door swings
  • At least 60cm of clear floor on each used side of the bed
  • Headboard height against windows, shelves and sloping ceilings
  • The direction your storage will open (drawers, end lift or side lift)
  • Front door, hallway, stairs and bedroom doorway for delivery
  • Mattress size that matches the bed, so base and mattress fit together

Three layouts to try before you decide

Most bedrooms fit one of three layouts, and trying each on paper shows quickly which bed size works.

Bed centred on the longest wall

This is the classic layout, with a bedside table either side. It looks balanced and gives access on both sides, but it needs the most width. Use the width figures above, add 40 to 50cm per side for a bedside table, and check you can still open the door fully.

Bed in a corner or against one side wall

Pushing one long side against a wall frees a lot of floor, and it is the most common solution in small rooms and children’s rooms. The trade-off is that one person has to climb in over the foot, and making the bed is harder. If two people share the bed, a corner position is rarely practical. For a single sleeper in a box room, it can turn a single or Small Double bed into a very workable layout.

Bed under a window or a sloping ceiling

This works in loft rooms and bays, but check the headboard height and how the window opens. A low, smooth headboard is easier to live with than a tall winged design. A taller design is better on a flat wall where it can make a statement.

Mistakes people make when measuring

  • Measuring from the skirting board, not the usable floor. Skirting, radiators and cable runs reduce the space you really have.
  • Forgetting the door swing. A door that opens onto the foot of the bed and hits it is the most common layout error.
  • Ignoring the headboard depth. A thick, padded headboard can take several centimetres of room length, which matters in a tight space.
  • Not allowing for bedding. A thick duvet and throw hang over the sides, so the bed looks wider than the mattress.
  • Skipping the delivery route. A base that does not turn the corner at the top of the stairs is a disaster on delivery day.

A worked example

Take a typical UK double bedroom measuring 3.2m by 3.5m, with a door in one corner and a window on the opposite wall. A king size bed is 1.5m wide, so with 60cm on each side the room needs 2.7m of width, and the 3.2m width allows about 85cm on each side. The bed is 2m long plus a 10cm headboard, which leaves 1.4m at the foot for a chest of drawers or blanket box. A super king bed at 1.8m wide would leave only about 70cm each side, which is workable but tighter. This is the sort of quick calculation that stops a bed from dominating a room.

What if the room is very small?

In a very small room, the answer is usually a smaller bed with storage, not a larger one with a cramped layout. A Small Double bed with an ottoman base often gives more usable space than a double with a wardrobe squeezed in. Choose a slim, smooth headboard and a light fabric colour. If the room is narrow, put the bed on the short wall, which can leave a clear walkway along one side.

Take photos and keep your notes

Photograph the room, the stairs and the doorways, and keep your measurements on your phone. If you contact a retailer with a question, such as whether a split base is needed, these details let them give a precise answer. For more on delivery planning, our delivery information page explains what our delivery team provides.

Common questions

Can I fit a king size bed in a small room?

Sometimes. A king size bed needs about 2.7m of width with 60cm each side. If one side of the bed is against a wall, you can manage with much less. Mark it on the floor to check.

What size is a UK double bed?

A standard UK double is 4ft 6 (135cm) wide and 190cm long. A Small Double is 4ft (120cm) wide.

Do I need to leave space for an ottoman bed to lift?

Yes. The base lifts from either the foot or the side, so leave enough clear floor and headroom for the platform to rise. Check which direction suits your room before you choose.

Once you know your measurements, browse our full range of handmade beds, from divan sets to ottoman storage beds. Every bed is handmade in the UK, with free delivery to mainland UK in 5 working days and a 3-year warranty.