A UK single bed measures 90cm wide by 190cm long, which is approximately 3 feet by 6 feet 3 inches. This is the standard single size across British retailers and the size all UK single bedding is made to fit.
Two variations exist and are worth knowing about. A small single, sometimes called a narrow single, measures 75cm by 190cm and is used where space is very tight. A long single or single extra length runs 90cm by 200cm, which suits taller teenagers and adults. Neither is as widely stocked as the standard 90cm by 190cm.
British bed widths run 75cm for a small single, 90cm for a standard single, 120cm for a small double, 135cm for a double, 150cm for a king and 180cm for a super king. The single is the narrowest full size in common use.
Length is the detail people overlook. Singles, small doubles and doubles are all 190cm long, while king and super king move up to 200cm. A tall teenager in a standard single may run out of length well before they run out of width, which is where the 200cm long single earns its place.
It is also useful to know that two 90cm singles placed together measure 180cm, matching a super king. This is the basis of zip and link beds, which give the flexibility of two singles or one large bed in a guest room.
Singles suit children’s bedrooms, box rooms, loft conversions, spare rooms and shared rooms where two beds are needed. British second and third bedrooms are frequently under 3 metres in one dimension, and a 90cm bed leaves usable floor space where a double would not.
For circulation, allow around 60cm to 70cm down the side you use, and roughly 60cm at the foot if a door or wardrobe needs reaching. With the bed against one wall, a room of about 2.5 metres by 2.5 metres accommodates a single with a wardrobe and a bedside table reasonably comfortably.
In a narrow box room, placing the single lengthways along the longest wall usually gives the best result. It keeps the walkway clear and leaves one end free for storage or a desk.
Because the span is narrow, single frames rarely need a centre rail, though slat spacing still matters. Gaps of 75mm or less suit foam and hybrid mattresses, while sprung mattresses tolerate slightly wider spacing.
Storage is often the deciding factor in a small room. A divan base with two drawers holds a surprising amount of bedding and out of season clothing. Guest beds with a pull out second mattress beneath give two sleeping spaces from one footprint, which is useful in a room that doubles as a study.
Bunk beds use vertical space rather than floor space, and standard UK bunks take 90cm by 190cm mattresses. Check the maximum mattress depth for the top bunk, since a mattress that is too deep reduces the safety height of the guard rail. Our modern bunk beds UK sale listings state the recommended depth for each model.
For a straightforward single, our modern single beds UK sale range covers wooden, fabric and metal frames with dimensions listed for each.
Standard single mattresses measure 90cm by 190cm. Depths vary widely, from around 15cm for a basic foam mattress to 30cm or more for a deep pocket sprung model, and depth affects both the sleeping height and the bedding you need.
For children, a medium firm mattress with good ventilation is usually the sensible choice. Very soft mattresses offer little support for a growing frame, while extra firm adult mattresses are rarely necessary at lighter body weights.
For an adult using a single as their main bed, the same considerations apply as for any size: back and front sleepers generally suit medium firm to firm, while side sleepers do better with medium to medium firm and a contouring comfort layer.
Access is rarely a problem at this width. A 90cm mattress goes up almost any British staircase without difficulty, which is one practical advantage of the size.
UK single bedding is made to fit a 90cm by 190cm mattress. A single duvet is typically 135cm by 200cm and fitted sheets are 90cm by 190cm with a stated pocket depth.
Check the pocket depth against your mattress, particularly if you use a topper. A deep single mattress with a topper can easily exceed a 25cm pocket, and the sheet will lift at the corners.
If you have a long single at 200cm, standard single fitted sheets will not fit and you will need sheets made for the longer length. This catches people out when replacing bedding for an older bed.
In a small room the furniture around the bed does most of the work. A slim bedside table of 35cm to 45cm wide is usually the right scale beside a 90cm bed, and keeping the top within roughly 50mm of the mattress height makes a lamp and a glass of water genuinely usable.
Vertical storage helps where floor area is limited. A tall narrow chest of drawers holds the same volume as a wide low one while occupying less floor, and a wall mounted shelf frees the bedside surface. Our modern wooden chest of drawers UK sale range includes narrower designs suited to box rooms.
Wardrobe choice deserves thought in a tight room. Hinged doors need clear swing space in front, which a bed often occupies. A single door or sliding wardrobe avoids that conflict, and our modern 1 door wardrobes UK selection is worth looking at for narrow rooms. For children’s rooms, coordinating pieces across our modern childrens furniture UK sale range keeps a small space looking calm rather than assembled piecemeal.
If the room can take 120cm rather than 90cm, a small double is worth considering, particularly for a teenager who will grow into it or a guest room where two people may occasionally stay.
Weigh it against what you lose. The extra 30cm of width usually comes from the walkway or from the space a chest of drawers would occupy. In a room under about 2.7 metres wide, the single often gives a more usable room overall.
Bedding availability is another practical consideration. Single bedding is stocked everywhere, while small double bedding at 120cm is less widely available and the choice of designs is narrower. At Furniture in Fashion we list full dimensions across every bed size so the comparison is straightforward.
The mattress measures 90cm wide by 190cm long, roughly 3 feet by 6 feet 3 inches. Frame external dimensions will be slightly larger depending on the design.
A standard single is adequate for one adult, though anyone approaching 6 feet tall may prefer a long single at 200cm for the additional legroom.
A small or narrow single is 75cm wide rather than 90cm, with the same 190cm length. It suits very tight rooms, though bedding choice is more limited.
Around 2.5 metres by 2.5 metres works comfortably with the bed against one wall, a bedside table and a wardrobe. Narrower rooms can still work if the bed runs along the longest wall.
Two 90cm singles measure 180cm together, which matches a super king rather than a double. Zip and link beds use this arrangement to convert between two singles and one large bed.
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