A double TV bed is usually a sound choice for a former council flat, as long as you measure the bedroom around its radiator and window, check that the bed's largest component will clear communal stairwells and lifts, and choose a design that keeps the screen inside the footboard so you never need to drill into concrete or solid block walls. Many of these flats have well proportioned bedrooms, and a double gives two people enough space without overwhelming the room.
Flats built by local authorities from the post war years onwards make up a large share of homes across the country, and many are now privately owned or rented. They share some common features that shape how you furnish them. Our double TV beds UK range works well in these flats, and the guidance below will help you check the details before you order.
Bedrooms in council built flats were often designed with space standards in mind, so the main bedroom tends to be a practical size for a double bed with room to walk around it. Second bedrooms are usually smaller and may suit a small double or single better. A king size can fit in a larger main bedroom, but in many flats it leaves very little space for wardrobes and drawers.
A double strikes a balance. It is comfortable for a couple, generous for one person and leaves enough floor space for the storage you will need. If you are furnishing the whole room, our modern bedroom furniture UK range includes compact pieces sized for rooms like these.
A common layout in these flats places a wide window on the outside wall with a radiator directly beneath it. Doors are often positioned near a corner, and there may be a built in cupboard taking up part of another wall. That leaves a limited choice of positions for the headboard.
Measure the full external footprint of the TV bed you are considering, then mark it on the floor with masking tape in each possible position. Check that:
If the only workable position puts the side of the bed near the radiator, leave a small gap so heat can circulate and the upholstery does not warm excessively.
Many former council blocks are built from concrete, concrete panels or dense blockwork. Drilling into these walls to hang a television bracket can be hard work, and in some buildings there may be cables or pipes within the walls that are difficult to locate. If you rent from a council or housing association, alterations such as wall brackets may also need permission under your tenancy.
A TV bed avoids all of this. The screen rises from the footboard and lowers back inside it, with no fixings to walls at all. That keeps the room free of drill holes and makes it simple to move the bed if you rearrange or relocate.
Access is often the biggest practical consideration. Many blocks have communal stairwells with concrete stairs and tight landings, fire doors along corridors, deck access walkways or lifts of modest size. A TV bed arrives in several parts, and the footboard containing the lift is usually the bulkiest.
Before ordering, measure the narrowest door, the tightest turn on the stairs and, if there is a lift, its internal height, width and depth. Check your own front door and the hallway inside the flat too, since internal hallways in these flats can be narrow with turns into each room.
A small double is narrower than a standard double and can be a sensible choice for a second bedroom or for one person who wants extra space without the full width. For a couple, a standard double is the more comfortable option. If you are unsure, mark out both footprints and live with the tape on the floor for a day or two to see how the room feels.
If a TV bed does not quite fit the second bedroom, a standard upholstered frame may be easier to place. Our double fabric beds UK collection includes slimmer frames for rooms where every centimetre counts.
Many of these flats include a built in cupboard in the main bedroom or an airing cupboard off the hallway. These are useful, but they rarely provide enough hanging space for two people. A TV bed with an ottoman base gives you a large storage well beneath the mattress for bedding, luggage and seasonal clothes, freeing up the cupboards for daily use.
For hanging clothes, sliding door wardrobes save space because the doors do not swing into the room. Our sliding wardrobes UK sale range suits bedrooms where the bed leaves only a narrow gap in front of the wardrobe. If you need folded storage as well, our guide to chests of drawers in small UK bedrooms covers sizes that fit around a double bed. Any new piece still has to make the journey through the flat, so our article on average UK hallway sizes by property type is worth reading before you order larger items.
Flats built in earlier decades often have fewer sockets than modern homes, and they are not always where you need them. A TV bed needs power for the lift motor and the television, and possibly for a streaming device. Check where the sockets are before deciding which way the bed will face. Ideally, choose a position that allows the power lead to run along the frame to a nearby socket without crossing the floor.
If you must use an extension lead, choose a quality surge protected one and avoid running it under rugs where it could overheat or be damaged.
Concrete floors carry impact sound, such as footsteps and furniture being moved, to the flat below. A heavy bed placed on a hard floor without protection can transmit vibration. Felt pads or rubber furniture cups under the feet help, as does a rug beneath the bed. When assembling the bed, tighten every fixing properly so the frame does not creak or knock. With the screen at the foot of the bed, you can also keep the TV volume modest, which neighbours will appreciate.
Many former council flats are family homes or busy shared homes, so a practical fabric makes sense. Textured weaves in grey, stone or oatmeal hide everyday marks and pair well with the plain walls and simple joinery common in these flats. If the bedroom gets a lot of light through a wide window, a mid toned colour will show fading less than a very dark one.
Some flats of this era are prone to condensation, particularly in bedrooms on exposed sides of a block or where windows have been replaced with tightly sealed units. Large furniture placed hard against cold external walls can trap moist air behind it. Leave a gap of a few centimetres between the headboard and an outside wall, and avoid pushing the side of the bed tight against it.
The ottoman storage well is also worth a little attention. Store only clean, dry items, avoid packing it completely full and open it now and then to let air move. Opening the window for a while each morning, even in winter, helps keep the whole room drier and protects both the bed and the things you keep inside it.
In blocks with a concierge, a managing agent or a housing officer, it is sensible to let them know a large delivery is coming. Some buildings ask for lift protection or have set times for deliveries. Clear the route through your own flat beforehand, move rugs that could slip, and decide where the old bed will go if you are replacing one. Taking the old frame apart the evening before saves time and keeps the hallway clear.
The simple, rectangular rooms in these flats respond well to a calm scheme. Keep walls pale, add a rug to soften hard floors, and choose bedside cabinets with clean lines. A mirror opposite the window brings extra light into the room. With the TV hidden inside the footboard, the bed becomes a tidy, versatile centrepiece.
A double TV bed is a practical way to furnish a bedroom in an ex council flat, saving wall space, adding storage and avoiding drilling into solid walls. You can browse our full collection at Furniture in Fashion, with free delivery to most UK mainland postcodes.
In most main bedrooms, yes. Measure the external dimensions of the bed and check door, cupboard and radiator clearances before ordering.
Usually, as the bed arrives in parts. Measure the narrowest point and tightest turn of the stairwell, and compare them with the size of the footboard section.
A TV bed is freestanding and needs no fixings, so it does not usually count as an alteration. If you rent, check your tenancy terms if you are unsure.
Often, yes. A small double takes up less width and leaves more space for storage in compact rooms.
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