When buying a new bed, all advice says go for the biggest your space allows and the best quality your wallet allows. We spend a third of our lives – or more – in bed, so you want it to be as comfortable as possible. Choosing the size of your new bed doesn’t only depend on the size of you, although this is obviously important.
Bed size is based on mattress size but you must always keep in mind that bed frames are going to be slightly bigger than the mattress. Unless you have a very small or very large bedroom, you’ll be choosing between a double bed (135cm x 190cm; 4ft 6" x 6ft 3") and a kingsize bed (150cm x 200cm; 5ft x 6ft 6"). You need to think not just of the width, but of the length too. If you’re tall, you might need the additional three inches of the king and in general the bigger bed will give you a better night’s sleep. The standard double is a popular bed size in the UK but if you’re sharing, then you each have 67.5cm, which is about the same width as a cot mattress! A double does fit two people, but we say go for the king. But, the big question is, will it fit in your bedroom?
Interior designers will tell you that you should have a minimum of 30 inches (2ft 6” or 76cm) around the bed for bedside tables, easy movement and of course easy bed making. This is not a hard and fast rule, but your bedroom should be the bare minimum of 10ft x 12ft for a king size bed. But it isn’t just the overall size of the room you need to consider. What about the orientation of your bed, how do you want the bed placed in the bedroom, where is the door, where is the wardrobe, and how big are your bedside tables, dressers and other bits of bedroom furniture? And then the next question is, do you have room for a headboard and a tailboard?
If you want a kingsize bed in a smallish room, you probably won’t be able to have a bed with a head and tailboard. Most people like a headboard, but beds can be freestanding too. Divan beds are good for small rooms as they are basically the size of the mattress and the divan comes in two pieces, which are locked together. If you have a small house or flat, the divan frame makes for easy access, although slatted bed frames are usually assembled in place so aren’t the problem either. The main issue is whether the mattress will fit through doors, up stairs and/or round corners!
Mattresses feel soft when you’re lying on them but, because they provide support, they are not designed to bend. Before buying a kingsize or bigger bed, you’ll want to take measurements in your house and of the mattress. Measure the mattress from corner to corner diagonally, because the depth of the mattress is important when manoeuvring through tight spaces. If you want a big bed in a small house, a rolled mattress might be your best bet.
And, another tip is if you only need a new base and you’re buying another the same size as your old bed, it is best to buy a new mattress at the same time.
