To measure up for a king size TV bed, start with the external dimensions of the frame rather than the 150cm by 200cm mattress, then measure your room, add comfortable walkways around three sides, check the height above the foot end for the TV lift, and measure every door and stair on the delivery route. If the frame plus walkways fits your floor and the boxes fit through the doors, the bed will work in the room.
A king size TV bed is a substantial piece of furniture. The extra width over a double is welcome for two sleepers, and the footboard housing makes the frame longer than a standard king. Taking twenty minutes with a tape measure before you choose from our king size TV beds UK range will save a great deal of frustration later.
A UK king size mattress measures 150cm wide by 200cm long. The bed frame is always larger. Upholstered side rails add width, the headboard adds depth at the top, and the footboard on a TV bed adds noticeably more at the bottom, because it has to hold the lift and the screen.
The product details for each bed will list external width, length and height. These are the figures to work with. Write them down for each design you like, since they can vary considerably between styles. A wingback headboard, for example, may add more width than a simple panelled one. Do the same for any pieces from our modern bedroom furniture UK range that will sit around the bed.
Measure the length and width of the bedroom at floor level, wall to wall. Then note the position and size of anything that takes up floor or wall space:
A simple sketch of the room with these features marked helps enormously when you start to try out bed positions.
Pick the wall the headboard will sit against. Ideally it should be solid, free of radiators and away from the door. Measure the length of that wall and check that the external width of the bed, plus any bedside furniture, fits comfortably along it.
Bedside cabinets matter here. Add their width to the bed width, plus a small gap either side, so the whole arrangement sits comfortably along the wall without crowding the corners or the door.
Once the bed is against the headboard wall, you need room to move around it. Allow a walkway along at least one side, ideally both, and across the foot end. A comfortable walkway is often suggested at around 60 to 70cm, though in a compact room you may accept a little less on one side.
The foot end deserves particular attention with a TV bed. You will want enough room to walk past when the screen is raised, and to reach anything stored at that end of the room. Remember that wardrobe doors and drawers need opening space too.
This step is unique to TV beds and is often forgotten. The screen rises vertically from the footboard. In most rooms ceiling height is not a concern, but in loft conversions, rooms with sloping ceilings or rooms with low beams or shelves, it is essential to check there is enough clearance above the foot end for the screen to rise fully.
Measure the height from the floor to the lowest point above where the footboard will sit. Compare it with the overall raised height listed for the bed, if given, or ask for this figure before ordering.
Using masking tape, mark the full external footprint of the bed on the floor in your chosen position. Then live with it for a day or two. Walk around it, open the door and wardrobes, and imagine getting into bed from each side.
This is the most reliable way to judge whether a king size works in your room. Numbers on paper can be misleading, and a taped outline shows you exactly how much space remains.
A bed that fits the room still has to get there. Measure the width and height of the front door, any internal doors on the route and the bedroom door itself. Measure the width of hallways and landings, and note any tight turns on the stairs.
TV beds usually arrive flat packed in several boxes, but the footboard section containing the mechanism can be one of the larger and heavier parts. Where box dimensions are listed, check them against your narrowest point.
The TV lift needs mains power. Check where the nearest socket is in relation to the foot end. If it is out of reach, plan a neat route for a surge protected extension lead along the skirting and under the bed, keeping it away from the moving parts of the lift.
Check whether the frame suits a particular mattress depth. A mattress that is too deep can sit awkwardly against the headboard, while one that is too thin can make the bed feel low. If you need a new mattress to go with the frame, our modern mattresses UK sale range lists depths alongside each size.
It is easy to collect a page of numbers and then forget which is which. Write each measurement next to a clear label, such as headboard wall length, bedroom door width or ceiling height above the foot end. Note that each figure is in centimetres, and round down rather than up, so any error works in your favour.
If two people will share the bed, measure together. One person can hold the end of the tape while the other reads it at eye level, which avoids the sag and drift that creep into long measurements taken alone.
Photograph your sketch and keep it on your phone. When you compare beds, you can check each external dimension against the room in moments, and you will have the access measurements to hand if you need to confirm box sizes.
Avoiding these few errors makes the difference between a bed that settles into the room and one that always feels slightly in the way.
Once you have the frame dimensions, the room plan, walkways, ceiling clearance and access measurements, you can compare designs with confidence. If a king size fits comfortably with good walkways, it is a generous choice for two people. If the margins feel tight, a double TV bed may give you a more comfortable room overall.
It can help to compare a king size TV bed with conventional frames too. Browsing king size fabric beds UK alongside the TV designs shows how much extra length the footboard housing adds.
For a deeper look at the sizing itself, our guide to UK king size bed dimensions for frames, mattresses and rooms covers the numbers in more detail, and our article on bedside table measurements for UK bedrooms explains typical widths and heights for the pieces either side. When you are ready, explore every size and style at Furniture in Fashion.
A standard UK king size mattress measures 150cm wide by 200cm long. The bed frame will be larger, so always check its external dimensions.
The footboard houses the TV lift mechanism and the screen when lowered, which adds length to the frame compared with a standard bed.
Only in rooms with sloping ceilings, low beams or shelving above the foot end. Check there is enough clearance for the screen to rise fully.
Around 60 to 70cm is commonly suggested as comfortable, along at least one side and across the foot end. Marking the footprint with tape helps you judge this in your own room.
Centimetres are the most practical, as UK bed and mattress sizes are usually listed that way. Using one unit throughout avoids mistakes when you compare designs.
Lamps frame the bed, add warmth and shape the mood of a bedroom after dark,…
Ottoman TV beds and Chesterfield TV beds answer different questions. An ottoman TV bed is…
Ex council flats are often well built, with solid walls, sensible room shapes and generous…
A rug can transform a bedroom, softening hard floors, adding warmth and framing the bed…
In a studio flat the bed is always on show, so where you place it…
Country cottages are full of character, but they are rarely generous with storage, and their…
This website uses cookies.