What Size Is Double Bed cm?

A double bed is 135cm wide by 190cm long in the UK. Those are the mattress dimensions, equivalent to 4ft 6in by 6ft 3in. If you are buying a bed frame, allow more: total width usually reaches 140cm to 150cm and total length 195cm to 210cm once side rails and a headboard are included.

Those two numbers, 135 and 190, are the ones to write down before you shop. Every UK double mattress, fitted sheet and frame is built around them. Where confusion creeps in is with imported beds, since a European double is commonly 140cm by 200cm and an American full is 137cm by 191cm. None of these three are interchangeable for bedding.

Double Bed Measurements in Full

Here is the complete picture in centimetres. Mattress width: 135cm. Mattress length: 190cm. Sleeping width per person for two: 67.5cm. Common mattress depths: 18cm to 30cm, with some pocket sprung and hybrid models reaching 35cm.

Duvet size for a double: 200cm by 200cm. UK standard pillow: 50cm by 75cm, with two sitting comfortably side by side across 135cm. Fitted sheet: 135cm by 190cm, with depth stated separately, usually 25cm for standard and 30cm to 40cm for deep.

Typical frame allowances: side rails add 3cm to 8cm of total width. A slim headboard adds around 5cm of length, a padded one 12cm to 18cm. A footboard adds roughly 8cm. Bed height varies widely, from 25cm for a low platform frame to 60cm or more for a divan with a deep mattress.

How UK Doubles Compare in Centimetres

Setting the sizes side by side makes the choice clearer. Single: 90cm by 190cm. Small double: 120cm by 190cm. Double: 135cm by 190cm. King: 150cm by 200cm. Super king: 180cm by 200cm.

The pattern is that length stays at 190cm through single, small double and double, then rises to 200cm for king and super king. Width climbs in steps of 30cm, 15cm, 15cm and 30cm. So the jump from double to king adds 15cm of width and 10cm of length, while the jump from double to super king adds 45cm of width.

For your room, the practical consequence is that upgrading from a double to a king requires you to recheck the length of the wall, not just the width. A 200cm alcove that took a double frame will not take a king frame, because the mattress alone is 200cm before the headboard is counted.

Measuring Your Room in Centimetres

Measure the wall where the headboard will sit, at skirting height and again at about 90cm up. Skirting boards commonly steal 1.5cm to 2.5cm per wall, which matters in a tight alcove. Note the position of radiators, sockets and light switches that will sit behind the bed.

Then measure the run for the length of the bed, allowing for the external frame dimension rather than the 190cm mattress. Finally, measure the remaining floor for circulation. Aim for 60cm to 70cm on at least one long side, and check that any wardrobe door or drawer front can open fully into the space that is left.

Lay masking tape on the floor at the full external footprint. Walking the outline for a day or two reveals problems no tape measure will: a door that will not open past the corner of the bed, a radiator that becomes unreachable, a drawer that opens straight into the mattress.

Our modern double fabric beds UK sale listings publish both mattress and external dimensions, which makes matching a bed to a measured space far more reliable than working from size names alone.

Choosing a Mattress by Depth

Depth is the measurement people forget, and it affects both comfort and bedding. A shallow mattress of 18cm to 20cm sits low and suits a divan base where overall height is already generous. A deeper mattress of 28cm to 35cm gives a more substantial feel and often contains more spring layers, but it raises the bed noticeably and demands deep fitted sheets.

If you are fitting a mattress into a frame with side rails, check how much of the mattress will sit above the rail. A deep mattress in a frame with high side rails can look sunken, while a shallow mattress in the same frame may sit below the rail line and make the bed awkward to get into.

Also account for a topper if you use one. A 5cm topper on a 30cm mattress means you need bedding rated for 35cm, and it changes the total bed height in the room.

Working Around Tight UK Spaces

British bedrooms come with quirks that centimetres expose. Chimney breast alcoves are often 130cm to 145cm wide, which is workable for a 135cm mattress on a divan base but not for a frame with wide side rails. Loft conversions limit standing height, so a low profile frame keeps the room feeling usable.

Where width is the constraint, the small double at 120cm buys back 15cm and often makes a room function properly. Where length is the constraint, a divan base is the most efficient answer, since its footprint matches the mattress closely and there is no headboard depth unless you add one.

Storage should be planned in centimetres too. Under bed drawer depth and ottoman lid clearance both need checking against your ceiling height and side clearance. In rooms where the gap between bed and wardrobe is under 60cm, sliding doors are the practical choice, and our modern sliding wardrobes UK sale range covers widths that suit narrow bedrooms.

Bedding, Pillows and the Finished Look

With the numbers settled, styling is straightforward. Two standard 50cm by 75cm pillows fill the 135cm width neatly. Adding a pair of larger square pillows behind them gives a fuller look against a tall headboard without needing wider bedding.

A 200cm by 200cm double duvet gives around 32cm of overhang each side of a 135cm mattress, which is enough to stay covered overnight. If one sleeper tends to pull the duvet, some households prefer a king duvet on a double bed for the extra generosity, though it will trail on the floor at the sides.

Bedside furniture works best when the top surface sits roughly level with the mattress top. Measure your finished bed height including the mattress and topper before choosing cabinets. Our modern bedside cabinets UK sale range lists heights so you can match them properly.

You can plan a full bedroom from one place at Furniture in Fashion, where all dimensions are listed in centimetres and free delivery is available to most UK mainland postcodes.

Converting Between Centimetres and Feet

British bed sizes are quoted in both systems, which is why the same bed appears as 135cm by 190cm in one listing and 4ft 6in by 6ft 3in in another. The conversion is straightforward once you know that one inch is 2.54cm and one foot is 30.48cm. A 135cm width divided by 30.48 gives roughly 4.43ft, which rounds to 4ft 6in in traditional sizing, and 190cm works out at just over 6ft 2in, usually described as 6ft 3in.

The rounding explains most of the confusion. Traditional sizes were set in feet and inches, then converted to metric and rounded to whole centimetres, so the two figures never match exactly. When you are checking whether a bed fits, use the centimetre measurement, because it is the one manufacturers work to and the one printed on mattress labels.

Bed Height in Centimetres

Height is the measurement most often overlooked, yet it shapes daily comfort more than width. Measured from the floor to the top of the mattress, a comfortable seat height for most adults falls between 55cm and 65cm, which allows you to sit on the edge with feet flat on the floor. A divan with a deep mattress can reach 70cm, which feels tall in a room with a low windowsill, while a low platform frame might sit at 40cm and suit a room with sloping ceilings.

Under bed clearance is worth measuring separately. Storage boxes are commonly 15cm to 18cm deep, so a frame with 20cm of clearance takes them comfortably and a frame with 12cm does not. Where clearance is limited, a base with built in drawers uses the space more efficiently than boxes ever will.

Frequently Asked Questions

What size is a double bed in cm exactly?

135cm wide by 190cm long for the mattress. Frames add roughly 3cm to 8cm of width and 5cm to 18cm of length depending on the headboard.

Is a double bed 140cm or 135cm?

A UK double is 135cm. The 140cm figure refers to a European double, which is also longer at 200cm.

What are double duvet dimensions in cm?

Usually 200cm by 200cm, giving about 32cm of overhang on each side of a 135cm mattress.

How much floor space does a double bed need in cm?

Allow the external frame size plus 60cm to 70cm of walking space on at least one long side, and enough clearance for wardrobe doors and drawers to open fully.

Does mattress depth change the bed size?

Not the width or length, but it changes the bed height and the fitted sheet depth you need. Add any topper thickness when choosing bedding.