The right TV bed for your space is the largest frame that still leaves you a clear walkway around the foot with the screen raised, faces a wall rather than a window and has a socket within easy reach. Start by measuring the room and the external dimensions of the frame, not just the mattress size. Then decide on storage and upholstery based on how you use the room day to day.
A TV bed brings the television into the bedroom without a wall bracket or separate stand, which makes it useful in rooms of every size. Our range of modern TV beds UK covers frames from small double to super king, and our wider modern bedroom furniture UK sale collection helps you complete the room. This guide sets out a clear process for choosing one that fits comfortably and works the way you expect.
Draw a simple plan of the room. Mark the door and the way it swings, the windows, radiators, sockets and any fixed features such as a chimney breast, a built in wardrobe or a boiler cupboard. Note the ceiling height, and if part of the ceiling slopes, record where the slope begins.
This plan becomes your reference for every decision that follows. It shows you which walls are available for the headboard, where the television would face and how much space remains for other furniture.
A TV bed is longer than a standard bed because the footboard houses the television and lift mechanism. The headboard and upholstered side rails add to the size as well. Check the external length and width in the product details and use those figures in your plan.
Mark the outline on the floor with masking tape. Walk around it, open the wardrobe doors and the bedroom door, and stand where you would be when making the bed. This quick check often reveals problems that numbers on paper do not.
Suits box rooms, teenagers’ rooms and single sleepers who want more width. It keeps floor space free in compact bedrooms and works well as a guest bed for one.
Fits most average UK second bedrooms and many main bedrooms in flats and terraced houses. It suits couples for occasional use and single sleepers who like space.
A comfortable choice for couples in a main bedroom with room to walk around three sides. Check that bedside tables still fit on both sides once the frame is in place.
Best for large bedrooms where generous space remains around the bed. Check access carefully, as the boxes are larger.
The foot of the bed needs space for someone to walk past with the television raised. The side you get in and out from needs room to stand comfortably. If both sides are used, allow similar space on each. Consider wardrobe doors and drawers too: they need room to open without catching the bed.
If you are torn between two sizes, the smaller one with comfortable clearances usually feels better to live with than the larger one squeezed in.
Position the bed so the television faces a solid wall rather than a window. Glare from daylight makes viewing harder and can be tiring in the evening as the sun sets. If the only available layout puts the screen facing a window, choose blinds or curtains that control light well.
Think about viewing distance too. The screen rises from the footboard, so it will be roughly the length of the bed away from you. Check the maximum screen size the lift bracket accepts and choose a television that feels comfortable at that distance.
The TV lift and the television need power, ideally from a socket close to the foot of the bed. If you use an aerial, a streaming device or a soundbar, plan how those cables will reach the footboard. Many TV beds include internal routing that keeps wires tidy and out of the way.
Avoid running leads across walkways. If the only socket is on the far side of the room, consider whether the bed could face a different way.
In rooms with sloping ceilings, measure the height at the foot of the bed so the raised screen has clearance. If the bed has lift up storage, check that the platform can open fully without touching the slope. If the headboard will sit beneath a window, make sure it does not block the sill or interfere with opening the window.
Storage depends on your room and your routine. A gas lift base offers the most capacity and needs no extra floor space to open, which suits compact rooms. Side drawers are more convenient for everyday items but need clear floor space beside the bed. A frame with no storage is simpler and leaves space beneath for slim boxes.
If the bed takes on bulk storage, you may be able to manage with fewer other pieces, which frees floor space in a smaller room.
Fabric frames feel warm and soft, and they come in many colours and textures. Faux leather is easy to wipe and looks crisp in a modern room. Velvet and crushed velvet add richness and catch the light. Think about children, pets and how often the room is used when choosing.
In small rooms, lighter colours make the bed feel less dominant. In larger rooms, a deeper colour can anchor the space and give it character.
Check whether the frame suits a particular mattress depth. A very deep mattress can raise the sleeping height and affect how the headboard looks above it. On beds with gas lift storage, the weight of the mattress also affects how the struts behave. Our mattresses UK sale range lists construction and depth, which helps you choose a good match.
With the bed placed, add other pieces around it. Bedside tables, a wardrobe and perhaps a chest of drawers are usually enough. Keep the foot of the bed clear for the television, and choose pieces that suit the bed’s colour and finish.
If you need more hanging space, sliding door wardrobes work well where the bed sits close to the wardrobe wall, since hinged doors need extra clearance. Our modern wardrobes UK range includes both styles.
In a small room, our article asking whether a chest of drawers fits in a small UK bedroom is useful when deciding what else the room needs. For larger beds, our guide to UK king size bed dimensions for frame, mattress and room explains the clearances worth planning for.
A bed is usually one of the longest lasting pieces of furniture in a home, so it helps to think a few years ahead. If you may move, a size that suits most bedrooms, such as a double or king, gives more flexibility than a super king. If a partner may move in, a small double could feel tight before long.
Consider how your television habits might change too. If you plan to upgrade the screen, check that the lift bracket accepts larger sizes than the one you own now. A neutral upholstery colour is also easier to carry into a new scheme if you redecorate.
TV beds arrive flat packed, but the footboard box containing the lift can be large. Measure doorways, stair widths and any tight turns. In flats, check the size of the building’s lift. Assembly takes place in the room, ideally with two people.
Plan the room, mark the frame footprint, choose a size with comfortable clearances, face the television away from windows, plan sockets, check the ceiling, decide on storage and upholstery, match the mattress and then complete the room around the bed. Following those steps in order makes the decision far more straightforward. You can explore TV beds and coordinating bedroom pieces at Furniture in Fashion, with free delivery to most UK mainland postcodes.
Enough to walk past comfortably with the television raised. Mark the frame on the floor and test the walkway before ordering.
Yes. The footboard contains the lift and television, so the frame is longer than a standard bed of the same mattress size.
Ideally towards a solid wall rather than a window, to reduce glare and make viewing more comfortable.
A gas lift base usually works best, since it uses the space beneath the mattress without needing extra floor area to open.
Each frame lists a maximum screen size and weight for its bracket. Check these details before choosing your television.
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