A UK double bed measures 135cm wide by 190cm long, which is approximately 4 feet 6 inches by 6 feet 3 inches. This is the standard double size across British retailers and the size all UK double bedding is cut to fit. Shared between two adults, it gives each person 67.5cm of width.
That last figure is worth pausing on, because it is narrower than a single bed at 90cm. The double remains the most common bed size in British homes, not because it is generous, but because it fits the rooms most houses actually have.
British sizes run in clear steps. A single is 90cm wide, a small double is 120cm, a standard double is 135cm, a king is 150cm and a super king is 180cm. All are 190cm long except king and super king, which extend to 200cm.
The small double at 120cm, sometimes called a three quarter bed, sits between single and double. It suits a teenager’s room or a narrow guest room where a full double will not fit, though bedding choice at that width is more limited than for a standard double.
Moving up from double to king gains 15cm of width and 10cm of length. For couples who find 135cm tight, the additional length often turns out to be as valuable as the width, particularly for anyone approaching 6 feet tall.
Be careful with the term queen, which is not a UK size. Where British retailers use it, they generally mean a 150cm king. Imported beds described as queen may measure around 152cm by 203cm, so check the centimetre figures rather than the name.
Mattress width tells you only part of what you need to know. Frames add to it: side rails and upholstery typically take the external width to between 140cm and 150cm, and upholstered frames sit at the wider end.
For circulation, allow 60cm to 70cm on each side you walk down, and around 60cm at the foot if you need to reach a door or wardrobe. With access on both sides, that means a room roughly 2.7 metres wide by 2.5 metres deep as a working minimum, before any storage furniture.
Many British second bedrooms come in a little under that, which is why doubles are so often placed with one side against a wall. It works acceptably in a guest room. In a main bedroom shared every night, it means one person climbing over the other, which becomes wearing.
Mark the footprint out with masking tape before ordering, using the external frame width. Then open the wardrobe, pull out the bottom drawer of the chest and walk from the door to the window. Five minutes of that reveals problems no floor plan will show you.
Frame choice affects the look of the room and the support under the mattress. Wooden frames read structural and are robust, metal frames keep visual weight low, and upholstered frames soften the bed and integrate the headboard into one piece.
Slat spacing is the specification to check. Gaps of 75mm or less suit foam and hybrid mattresses, since wider spacing lets the material bow between slats and can affect a guarantee. Sprung mattresses tolerate a little more. A centre rail with a supporting leg is worth having at double width, particularly on solid wood frames.
Divan bases offer a different set of advantages. Platform tops give firm, even support, sprung edge bases add give, and drawer bases turn the space beneath into storage. Our modern double beds UK sale range covers frames and bases with slat spacing and external dimensions listed for each. Upholstered options across our modern double fabric beds UK selection suit rooms where you want the bed to read softly.
Double mattresses are all 135cm by 190cm, but depths vary considerably. A basic foam mattress might be 15cm deep while a deep pocket sprung model can exceed 30cm, and a topper adds more again.
Depth changes the finished height of the bed, which has knock on effects. It determines whether a headboard still sits high enough above the pillows, whether bedside cabinets remain at a usable level, and how easy the bed is to get in and out of.
Measure from the floor to the intended mattress top before choosing bedside furniture. Keeping the cabinet top within roughly 50mm of the mattress top makes a lamp and a glass of water genuinely reachable. Our modern bedside cabinets UK sale range lists heights so this can be matched properly.
Access is rarely a problem at 135cm, though a deep sprung mattress can still be awkward on a tight Victorian staircase. Rolled foam and hybrid mattresses sidestep the issue entirely by arriving compressed in a box.
UK double bedding is made for a 135cm by 190cm mattress. A double duvet is typically 200cm by 200cm and fitted sheets are cut to 135cm by 190cm with a stated pocket depth.
Pocket depth is the detail that trips people up. A sheet rated for 25cm will not stay on a 32cm mattress with a topper, and the corners will lift during the night. Check the total depth including any topper before buying.
Pillows sit neatly two across at this width, using standard UK pillows of 50cm by 75cm. There is no need for the three pillow arrangement that wider beds often require.
Where the bed takes most of the floor, the surrounding furniture has to work harder. Slim bedside cabinets of 40cm to 45cm keep walkways clear, and a tall narrow chest of drawers stores as much as a wide low one while using less floor area.
Wardrobe doors are the usual conflict. Hinged doors need clear swing space, which a double bed often occupies, so sliding doors are frequently the better answer. Our modern sliding wardrobes UK sale range is designed for exactly this situation.
Under bed storage is the other route. An ottoman base lifts to reveal the full footprint of the bed, which comfortably holds bedding, luggage and out of season clothes. Our modern ottoman beds UK sale selection covers double size, and at Furniture in Fashion we publish full dimensions across bedroom ranges so you can plan the whole room together rather than fitting furniture around a bed after it arrives.
The mattress measures 135cm wide by 190cm long, roughly 4 feet 6 inches by 6 feet 3 inches. Frame external widths are usually 140cm to 150cm depending on the design.
It is workable, though each person has 67.5cm of width, which is narrower than a single bed. Restless sleepers and taller adults often find a king at 150cm by 200cm more comfortable.
A small double is 120cm wide against 135cm for a standard double, with the same 190cm length. It suits narrow rooms, though bedding availability is more limited.
Around 2.7 metres by 2.5 metres allows access on both sides once external frame width and walkways are included. Narrower rooms work if one side sits against a wall.
It will not fit properly. King bedding is cut for a 150cm mattress and will hang unevenly on a 135cm double. Buy UK double bedding and check the fitted sheet pocket depth against your mattress.
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