How Flat Sharers Can Choose the Perfect Bed

For flat sharers, the right bed is the one that fits a modest room with clear space around it, stores the things that cannot live in shared areas, and is solid enough to survive a move or two. In most shared flats, that points towards a small double or a standard double with storage underneath, a supportive headboard for sitting up, and a frame that goes together and comes apart without fuss. Our modern small double fabric beds UK collection is a sensible place to start if your room is tight but you want more than a single.

Beyond that, the choice comes down to how you actually use the room. When you share a flat, your bedroom is rarely just a place to sleep. It is where you work, unwind, take calls and keep almost everything you own. Seeing the bed as part of a wider room plan, alongside the rest of our modern bedroom furniture UK sale range, helps you avoid a frame that dominates the space.

Measure the Room Before You Measure the Bed

Shared flats often have one generous bedroom and one or two smaller ones, and the smaller rooms tend to come with awkward features: a radiator under the window, a door that opens inward, a chimney breast or a sloping ceiling. Before looking at frames, sketch the room on paper and mark these fixed points. Note where the sockets are, because you will want a lamp and a phone charger within reach of the pillow.

As a working rule, aim to keep around 60cm of clear floor along at least one long side of the bed, and at its foot if a wardrobe or drawers sit opposite. That is roughly the space needed to walk comfortably, open a drawer and make the bed without climbing over it. If you cannot keep that clearance with a double, a small double will usually give it back.

Remember that frames are larger than the mattress they hold. A bed described as a double takes a 135cm by 190cm mattress, but the frame itself may add several centimetres to the width and considerably more to the length once a headboard and footboard are included. Always check the external dimensions listed on the product rather than the mattress size alone.

Single, Small Double or Double

Standard UK mattress sizes are a helpful reference point. A single is 90cm by 190cm, a small double is 120cm by 190cm and a double is 135cm by 190cm. A king size, at 150cm by 200cm, is rarely practical in the box rooms common in shared flats, although it may suit the larger main bedroom.

A single makes sense in the smallest rooms, or where the bedroom doubles as a study and floor space matters more than sleeping width. For most adults sleeping alone, a small double feels noticeably more generous without eating into the room. A double is worth it if you share the bed regularly or if the room is a comfortable size, but ask yourself whether those extra 15cm come at the cost of a desk or a chest of drawers.

Think, too, about the next flat. Many people in shared housing move every year or two, and a small double or double is more likely to suit the next room than either extreme. A frame that works across a range of room sizes is a wiser long term choice than one picked purely for the current layout.

When the Bedroom Is Also the Living Room

In many shared flats the communal lounge is small, used by everyone or has been turned into another bedroom. That means your own room carries much of the load of daily life, and the bed often becomes the main seat.

If you expect to read, watch films or work on a laptop from bed, a tall, padded headboard makes a real difference. Upholstered headboards are kinder to your back than slatted wooden ones, and a fabric finish softens the look of a small room. Choose a fabric with a tight weave in a mid tone, such as grey, taupe or a muted green, which will hide everyday marks better than pale linen.

A low profile frame can also help a small room feel more open, because it keeps the eye line clear. The trade off is less space underneath, so balance a lower silhouette against your storage needs.

Storage That Replaces the Shared Cupboard

In a shared flat, the hall cupboard and kitchen shelves are already spoken for. Suitcases, winter coats, spare bedding and sports kit all have to live in your room. This is where the bed can do a lot of quiet work.

An ottoman style frame lifts on gas struts to reveal the full base as storage, which suits bulky items you only need occasionally. Drawer beds give easier daily access but need clearance at the side to pull the drawers out, so check that a wardrobe or radiator will not block them. For extra storage at the foot of the bed, or somewhere to sit while pulling on shoes, our modern ottomans UK range adds capacity without needing another tall piece of furniture.

Whichever option you choose, think about weight. If the lift mechanism or drawers are going to hold heavy items, check that the base is designed for it and that the slats or platform are sturdy enough to cope.

Bedside Space in a Narrow Room

A small room still needs somewhere to put a glass of water, a book and a phone. Squeezing a full width cabinet beside the bed can block a walkway, but going without one usually means the floor becomes a shelf.

Slim bedside units with a single drawer, or compact designs that sit close to the bed, are usually the answer. Our bedside cabinets UK sale include narrower options suited to tight layouts. If space is extremely limited, a wall shelf at mattress height can do the same job, provided your tenancy allows fixings.

For more on fitting a bedside piece into a compact room, our guide to bedside cabinets for small UK bedrooms walks through clearances and placement in more detail.

Built to Move

Few flat sharers stay in one place for long, so the bed has to handle stairwells, narrow landings and the occasional van. Frames that arrive flat packed and assemble with a clear set of fixings are much easier to take apart again. Look for metal bolts into threaded inserts rather than screws driven straight into chipboard, as these hold up better when the bed is assembled more than once.

Keep the fixings, instructions and Allen key in a labelled bag taped to the underside of the base. It sounds small, but it saves a great deal of frustration on moving day.

If you are moving into a top floor flat or a converted Victorian house, measure the stair turns before ordering. Ottoman bases and solid headboards are typically the largest single components, and these are the parts most likely to get stuck on a tight landing.

Shared Walls and Quiet Nights

Living with others brings sound into the picture. A bed that creaks or knocks against the wall can disturb a flatmate on the other side, particularly in conversions where partition walls are thin.

Solid frames with a firm slat system or a platform base tend to be quieter than lightweight designs. Check that the slats are held in place by caps or brackets rather than resting loosely, and tighten the bolts a week or two after assembly, as joints often settle. Pulling the bed a couple of centimetres away from the wall, or fitting soft pads behind the headboard, stops the knock that travels through plaster.

If the room allows it, place the headboard against an external wall or the wall you share with a corridor rather than a flatmate’s bedroom. It is a small change that makes living together noticeably easier.

Making It Work with the Rest of the Room

A bed rarely stands alone. In a small shared room it needs to sit comfortably alongside clothes storage, perhaps a desk and a mirror. Keeping finishes consistent, such as a grey fabric bed with white or light oak storage, makes the room feel calmer and more spacious.

Clothes storage deserves the same planning as the bed. If a wardrobe is already provided by the landlord, you may only need a compact chest. Our article on whether you can fit a chest of drawers in a small UK bedroom is useful for working out what will sit happily alongside the bed.

Before You Order

Check the tenancy first. Some furnished lets already include a bed, and you may need to agree with the landlord whether the existing frame can be stored or removed. Confirm the exact external measurements against your sketch, think through the route from the front door to the room, and decide whether storage or seated comfort matters more to you day to day.

You will find our full range of beds, storage and bedroom pieces at Furniture in Fashion, with free delivery to most UK mainland postcodes.

Frequently Asked Questions

What size bed is most practical for a shared flat?

For most single adults, a small double gives comfortable sleeping width while leaving room for storage and a walkway. A double is better if you share the bed or have a larger room.

Are ottoman beds a good idea in a rented room?

Yes, provided the frame can be taken apart for moving. They offer a large amount of hidden storage, which is valuable when shared cupboards are limited.

How do I stop my bed knocking against a shared wall?

Leave a small gap between the headboard and the wall, add soft pads to the back of the headboard and retighten the frame bolts after the first couple of weeks.

Should I buy a bed if my room is already furnished?

Speak to your landlord first. If the existing bed is uncomfortable or too large, many landlords will agree to store or remove it, but it is best to have that agreement in writing.