How Do You Select a Bed?

Selecting a bed comes down to four decisions made in order: the size your room can genuinely take, the mattress support your body needs, whether you require storage underneath, and the frame material that suits how the room is used. Get those four right and the aesthetic choices become straightforward.

Most people approach it the other way round, starting with a frame they like the look of and working backwards. That is how bedrooms end up with a beautiful bed that blocks a wardrobe door or leaves no room for a bedside table. Measuring first is less exciting but saves considerable trouble.

Start With the Room, Not the Bed

Measure the width of the room at its narrowest point, not the widest. Chimney breasts, boxed in pipework and deep skirting all reduce the usable span. Note where the door swings, where radiators sit and how far window sills project.

Then work out your circulation space. You want 60cm to 75cm of clear floor on every side you need to walk down. Subtract that from your room width and what remains is the maximum bed width you can comfortably use. In a 3m wide bedroom with access on both sides, that leaves room for a double or a king, not a super king.

UK standard sizes give you five options: single at 90cm, small double at 120cm, double at 135cm, king at 150cm and super king at 180cm. Length is 190cm for single and small double, and 200cm for double, king and super king. Sleepers over 6ft should look at the 200cm sizes or seek out extra long frames.

One useful trick is to mark the footprint on the floor with masking tape and live with it for a day or two. Walking around the outline tells you more about whether a size works than any measurement on paper.

Choosing the Mattress Before the Frame

The mattress determines sleep quality far more than the frame does, which is why it deserves the first real decision. Support is not the same as firmness. A supportive mattress keeps your spine in a neutral line, and the firmness that achieves that depends on your weight and sleeping position.

Side sleepers generally need more give at the shoulder and hip, so medium tension suits most. Back sleepers do well on medium firm, which supports the lumbar curve without flattening it. Front sleepers usually prefer firmer support to stop the hips sinking and hollowing the lower back. Heavier sleepers need firmer support at any given position, lighter sleepers less.

Construction affects how the mattress behaves over time. Pocket springs work independently, so movement transfers less across the bed, which matters for couples with different routines. Open coil is a simpler unit and moves more as one piece. Memory foam contours closely and holds heat more, while latex offers a springier response and runs cooler. Hybrids combine springs with foam or gel layers.

Whatever you choose, the mattress and base need to be compatible. Slatted bases should have gaps of no more than 7cm to support foam properly, and sprung slats add a small amount of flex that suits pocket sprung mattresses well. Our modern mattresses UK sale range lists the recommended base type for each model.

Do You Need Storage in the Bed?

In homes without a loft, garage or spare room, the space under the bed is too valuable to waste. There are three main approaches, and they suit different rooms.

Ottoman lift up bases give you the whole area under the mattress as one open cavity, accessed by lifting the base on gas struts. They hold bulky items such as spare duvets and suitcases. The trade off is that you need clear floor at the foot or side for the base to swing up, and the bed must be empty of clutter to open it.

Drawer bases divide the space into two or four pull out drawers. Access is easier for everyday items and does not require clearing the bed, but each drawer needs its full depth of clear floor in front to open. In a narrow room, side drawers can be impossible to use.

Open leg frames offer no built in storage but let you slide low boxes underneath, and they make a small room feel lighter because you can see floor beneath the bed. Where storage is not a concern, this is often the better visual choice.

Frame Materials and What They Suit

Fabric upholstered frames absorb sound and soften a room, which suits bedrooms with hard flooring or minimal soft furnishings. Weave matters as much as colour: a flat linen look reads calm, a chunky boucle adds texture, and velvet catches light. Our modern fabric beds UK sale selection covers low profile and tall headboard styles.

Wooden frames bring warmth and age well. Solid oak and walnut suit period homes and rooms with natural materials elsewhere, while painted and light wood finishes work in smaller or darker bedrooms. Wood also tends to be the quietest option over years of use, provided the joints are properly bolted rather than glued.

Leather frames wipe clean and hold a crisp line, which appeals in households with children or pets. Metal frames are the slimmest in profile and often the lightest to move, useful in rented properties or rooms that change function.

High gloss finishes reflect light, which genuinely helps in a small or north facing bedroom, though they show fingerprints and need occasional wiping.

Headboards, Height and Getting In and Out

Headboard height is a proportion question. Tall headboards suit high ceilinged rooms and give a focal point where there is no other feature. In a loft room with a sloping ceiling or under a window, a low headboard avoids blocking light and awkward angles.

Bed height affects daily comfort more than most people expect. A mattress top around 55cm to 65cm from the floor lets most adults sit on the edge with feet flat, which makes getting up easier. Very low platform beds look striking but are harder to rise from, and very high divans with a deep mattress can feel like a climb.

Also check the height against your bedside cabinet. The cabinet top should sit roughly level with the mattress top so you can reach a glass or a lamp switch without stretching. It is a small detail that becomes obvious once it is wrong.

Practical Checks Before You Order

Measure your access route, not just the bedroom. Note the doorway width, the tightest staircase turn and the landing space for pivoting. Frames arrive flat packed, but mattresses often do not. A rolled mattress solves tight access neatly since it arrives compressed.

Check the assembly requirement. Most frames need two people and an hour or so. Look for bolted joints rather than cam fixings on larger beds, since bolts can be retightened if the frame develops a creak.

Finally, think about the rest of the room as a set. A bed chosen in isolation can clash with existing wardrobes and drawers. Matching collections remove that risk, and our modern bedroom furniture sets UK sale range groups coordinating pieces together. For individual items, browse the wider bedroom furniture UK sale collection. At Furniture in Fashion you can shop modern furniture for every room with free delivery to most UK mainland postcodes.

Frequently Asked Questions

What should I decide first when choosing a bed?
Start with the size your room can take once you allow 60cm to 75cm of walkway on each side you use. Everything else follows from that.

How firm should my mattress be?
It depends on your sleeping position and weight. Side sleepers usually suit medium, back sleepers medium firm and front sleepers firm. Heavier sleepers need firmer support at any position.

Is an ottoman bed better than a drawer bed?
Ottomans hold bulkier items and use the full footprint, but need clear space for the base to lift. Drawer beds are easier for daily access but need clear floor in front of each drawer.

How high should a bed be?
A mattress top of roughly 55cm to 65cm from the floor lets most adults sit with feet flat, which makes getting in and out easier.

Can I use any mattress on a slatted frame?
Check the slat gap. Gaps over 7cm can allow foam mattresses to sag between slats. Pocket sprung mattresses are more tolerant but still benefit from closer spacing.