A queen size bed is 152cm wide, or 60 inches, and 203cm long. That is the standard queen used in the United States, Canada and much of the rest of the world. In the UK, the size is not part of the official bed range at all: our equivalent is the king size at 150cm wide by 200cm long.
So if you have read that a queen is 60 inches across and are shopping in Britain, the size you want is a UK king. The difference between them is roughly two centimetres in width and three in length, which is small enough that most people would never notice it lying down but large enough to matter for bedding.
British bed sizing evolved separately from American sizing, and our range runs single, small double, double, king and super king. There is no official queen tier in between.
The confusion arises because some UK retailers borrow the word queen loosely, occasionally applying it to a small double at 120cm or using it as a marketing term for anything between a double and a king. That is why relying on the name is risky. The centimetre measurements are the only reliable guide.
If a product page lists a queen and gives no dimensions, treat that as a reason to ask rather than assume. Two beds both described as queen can differ by more than thirty centimetres in width.
Setting the sizes side by side makes the decision straightforward. A single is 90cm by 190cm. A small double is 120cm by 190cm. A double is 135cm by 190cm. A king is 150cm by 200cm. A super king is 180cm by 200cm.
The step from double to king gives you fifteen extra centimetres of width and ten of length. Split between two people, that width works out at 75cm each on a king against 67.5cm each on a double. The extra length is often the more welcome change, especially for anyone over about 185cm tall, since everything below king size stops at 190cm.
Going from king to super king adds another thirty centimetres of width, which is a genuine jump. Bear in mind that super king bedding is less widely stocked and typically costs more.
A 150cm wide bed needs a room that can carry it without swallowing the walkways. Allow at least 70cm of clear space on each side you intend to use, rising to 90cm where a wardrobe door has to open, plus around 60cm at the foot to pass through comfortably.
In practical terms that means a room from roughly 3 by 3.4 metres upward handles a king comfortably with access on both sides. Smaller rooms can take one, but usually at the cost of pushing the bed against a wall or losing the space for a chest of drawers.
Measure the delivery route before ordering. King mattresses are bulky and, unlike smaller sizes, they are much harder to flex around a tight stair turn. Most king frames arrive flat packed, but check, and pay attention to the landing width in older properties where the stairs turn twice.
This is the most common casualty of queen versus king confusion. UK king fitted sheets are cut for a 150 by 200 mattress. An imported queen fitted sheet made for 152 by 203 will be slightly loose on a UK king, and a UK king sheet on an imported queen mattress will be tight at the corners and may pull off.
Duvets follow their own logic. A UK king duvet is 225cm by 220cm. Duvet sizing is about coverage rather than matching the mattress exactly, so plenty of couples use a super king duvet on a king bed to stop the nightly tug of war.
Mattress protectors and toppers are the least forgiving items because they are usually fitted. Check the stated dimensions and, if your mattress is deep, check the pocket depth too. A deep hybrid or pillow top mattress will defeat a standard depth fitted sheet within a couple of nights.
With the size settled, the frame style determines how much of the room the bed appears to consume. A low frame with a slim headboard leaves more visible wall and makes a room read as larger. A tall padded headboard adds comfort for sitting up but visually fills the wall.
Upholstered options within our modern king size fabric beds UK sale range give the softest finish and suit a room where the bed is the main feature. If you prefer natural materials, the modern king size wooden beds UK selection tends to have a stronger presence and heavier rails, which slightly increases the external footprint.
Storage deserves consideration at this size. A king bed covers a large area of floor, so an ottoman or lift up frame recovers space that would otherwise be dead. In a bedroom without built in cupboards that void can hold spare bedding and out of season clothing.
Because the bed itself is wide, the pieces around it should be restrained. Slim modern bedside cabinets UK sale preserve the walkway better than deep ones, and a taller narrow chest works better than a wide low one when floor area is short. At Furniture in Fashion we list full external frame dimensions across our modern beds UK sale range so you can plan the layout accurately, with free delivery to most UK mainland postcodes.
People who have moved from the United States or bought bedding while abroad often try to use genuine queen sets on a UK king, and the results are mixed. A queen fitted sheet is 152cm by 203cm against a king mattress at 150cm by 200cm, so the sheet is very slightly generous and will usually work, though it can wrinkle a little at the corners.
The reverse is the problem. A UK king fitted sheet stretched over a true American queen mattress will be two centimetres short in width and three in length, and on a deep mattress those small deficits are enough to pull the corners loose during the night.
Duvet covers are more forgiving because they hang rather than grip. An American queen duvet cover measures around 229cm by 229cm, noticeably wider than the UK king standard of 225cm by 220cm, so it simply drapes further down the sides. If you have a set you like, it will almost certainly be usable.
Pillowcases are where the mismatch is most obvious. American standard pillows are shorter and squarer than the long British pillow, so UK pillowcases sag on them and American cases will not accommodate a UK pillow at all. Pillowcases are cheap, so replace those locally and keep the rest.
Width and length get all the attention, but depth changes how a king bed feels to use every day. Modern pocket sprung and hybrid mattresses commonly run between twenty five and thirty five centimetres deep, considerably more than the mattresses most bed frames were originally designed around.
A deep mattress on a high frame produces a bed that is genuinely awkward to get into, particularly for anyone with reduced mobility. As a rough guide, the top of the mattress sitting somewhere between sixty and sixty five centimetres from the floor suits most adults, because it allows you to sit on the edge with your feet flat.
Check the frame’s internal depth as well. Some upholstered king frames have a deep side rail intended to hide the mattress edge, and pairing that with a shallow mattress leaves the bedding sitting in a recess that looks unfinished.
For two adults sharing every night, the honest answer is usually yes, provided the room can take it without blocking a door or a wardrobe. The additional 15cm of width and 10cm of length over a double reduces the amount of contact and disturbance between sleepers, which is what most people are really buying.
For a single sleeper, a king is a luxury rather than a necessity, though it is very pleasant if the room allows. For a guest room used occasionally, a double is often the more sensible use of space.
Where the room cannot spare the width, resist the temptation to force it. A larger bed in a room that cannot accommodate it creates daily friction: awkward bedmaking, blocked drawers and a door that will not open fully. Fitting the bed to the room remains the better approach.
Almost. A queen is 152cm by 203cm and a UK king is 150cm by 200cm. The difference is negligible for sleeping but does affect fitted bedding, which is cut to precise dimensions.
Fitted sheets will be slightly loose but generally usable. Duvet covers are more variable, so check the stated centimetre dimensions rather than the size name before buying.
It is usually loose marketing language rather than an official size. The term is sometimes applied to a small double at 120cm wide. Always confirm the measurements in centimetres.
Around 3 by 3.4 metres allows comfortable access on both sides and at the foot. Smaller rooms can take one, but expect to sacrifice a walkway or some storage.
At 200cm it is ten centimetres longer than a double, single or small double, all of which are 190cm. That extra length is often the main reason taller sleepers upgrade.
Most UK beds are either 190cm or 200cm long. Singles, small doubles and doubles measure…
A king bed in the UK has mattress dimensions of 150cm by 200cm, which is…
A standard size single bed in the UK has a mattress of 90cm by 190cm,…
A queen size bed is approximately 150cm by 200cm, which is 5ft by 6ft 7in…
Double beds are 190cm long in the UK, which is 6ft 3in, and that length…
An American queen size bed measures 152cm by 203cm, or 60in by 80in, while Australia…
This website uses cookies.