For most bedsits, a small double TV bed is the right size. It takes a 120cm by 190cm mattress, sleeps one person comfortably and two at a squeeze, and leaves enough floor for a desk, a chair and a route to the kitchen area. In a very compact bedsit a single TV bed may be the only size that works, while a standard double only makes sense when the room is unusually wide and the bed can sit against a wall without blocking a door or a cupboard.
The real answer depends on your floor plan, so the rest of this guide shows you how to measure, what each size actually takes up and how to keep the room usable once the bed is in. You can compare the shapes and finishes in our modern TV beds UK collection as you go.
In a bedsit the bed is not just somewhere to sleep. It is the sofa, the reading spot and often the place you eat when friends visit. It also takes up the largest share of the floor. Choose one size too big and you lose the space for a table. Choose too small and the room may work on paper but feel uncomfortable every night.
A TV bed earns its place here because it removes the need for a separate TV stand. In a room where every piece of furniture competes for the same few square metres, losing a stand frees up a corner. The screen also disappears into the footboard when you are not using it, so the room feels less cluttered.
Take a tape measure and a notepad and record the following:
Next, mark the bed’s external footprint on the floor with masking tape. Use the frame dimensions from the product page, not the mattress size. A TV bed is longer than a standard bed because the footboard houses the lift, and the headboard adds depth at the other end. Seeing the outline on the floor is the quickest way to judge whether the room still works.
A single takes a 90cm by 190cm mattress. It suits the smallest bedsits and anyone who sleeps alone and values floor space over width. Single TV beds are less common, and the narrower footboard limits the screen size the lift can hold, so check the maximum carefully if you have a larger television.
A small double, sometimes called a four foot bed, takes a 120cm by 190cm mattress. For one person it feels generous. For two it is cosy but workable for occasional use. It is the size we suggest most often for bedsits because it balances comfort with floor space, and the footboard is wide enough for a sensible range of screen sizes.
A standard double takes a 135cm by 190cm mattress. It is comfortable for two people every night but needs a room with real width. In a bedsit it usually works only when one long side of the bed can sit against a wall, which means one person climbs in from the end or the far side. Think carefully about whether that suits you before choosing it.
Once the tape outline is down, check the space around it. You need enough floor at the foot for the screen to rise and for you to walk past. You also need room to pull out a desk chair, open the wardrobe door and reach the window. If any of those are blocked, try the next size down or a different position.
As a guide, a clear path of around 60cm lets one person walk past comfortably. Less than that and the room starts to feel tight. In a bedsit you may accept a narrower gap on one side if the bed is against the wall, but keep the main route from the door clear.
Where you put the bed matters as much as its size. A few layouts work well in most bedsits:
Whichever layout you choose, plan the socket position first. The lift needs mains power, and a trailing extension lead across the floor is a trip hazard in a small room.
Storage is usually the biggest challenge in a bedsit. Some TV beds include drawers or an ottoman base, which can hold bedding, out of season clothes and bags. If you choose one, check that drawers can open fully without hitting other furniture.
The rest of the room should work just as hard. Our modern bedroom furniture UK range includes compact wardrobes, slim chests and bedside units sized for smaller rooms. Tall, narrow pieces use height rather than floor, which helps a lot in a bedsit.
A single bedside unit is often enough. Our compact bedside cabinets UK include narrow designs with a drawer and a shelf, which give you somewhere for a lamp, a phone and the TV remote without crowding the walkway.
If you are not sure a TV bed is worth it, compare it with a standard frame plus a TV stand. A regular small double fabric beds UK frame is shorter, so it takes less length. But once you add a stand for the television, you lose a corner or a stretch of wall that could hold a desk or shelving.
The TV bed combines both into one footprint. For many bedsits that is the more efficient use of space, especially if you mainly watch from bed. If you mostly watch from a chair across the room, a standard bed and a slim stand may suit you better.
Many bedsits are rented, and landlords often do not allow brackets on the walls. A TV bed solves that neatly because nothing needs fixing. It is also easy to take with you when you move, although it is worth checking that it will fit through the doors and stairs of your next home too. For more ideas on keeping a rented space flexible, our article on TV unit ideas for a rented UK flat offers useful layouts.
A smaller bed can still feel restful. A good mattress makes more difference than an extra few centimetres of width. Choose one that suits your sleeping position and check that its depth matches what the frame recommends.
Keep bedding light and layered so the bed looks neat during the day. A fitted sheet, a duvet in a calm colour and two or three cushions turn it into comfortable seating. Store spare pillows in the ottoman or a drawer so they are not piled up on the floor.
When you cook, sleep and relax in one room, the bed is exposed to steam and cooking smells in a way it would not be in a separate bedroom. Open a window or run the extractor while cooking, and try to keep the head of the bed away from the hob. Pull the duvet back for a while each morning so the mattress can air, and vacuum the upholstery regularly. A fabric with a tight weave or a wipe clean finish makes this routine quicker.
Most TV beds arrive flat packed in several boxes, which helps on narrow stairs. The headboard is often the largest single panel, so measure the tightest turn against its dimensions.
When you are ready, Furniture in Fashion offers free delivery to most UK mainland postcodes, which makes it easier to plan a move into a new bedsit.
It works for two people occasionally, but it is snug for nightly use. Couples who share every night may prefer a double if the room allows.
A single or small double often will. Mark the full frame outline on the floor first, since TV beds are longer than standard beds.
Yes. Placing one long side against the wall saves floor space and lets the bed double as seating during the day.
Yes. The lift and television both need mains power, so position the bed close to a socket and route the cable safely.
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