In a bedroom without free wall space, the size of TV bed you need is the largest one that still leaves a comfortable walkway at the foot end and along at least one side once the full frame is in place. For most UK bedrooms that means a double, with a king size reserved for rooms that have generous floor area, and a small double for compact rooms or single sleepers. The key is measuring the external frame, not the mattress, because a TV bed is longer than a standard bed of the same size.
Many bedrooms simply have no wall where a television would sensibly go. Windows, sloping ceilings, radiators, chimney breasts and wardrobe runs all compete for the same space. A TV bed solves that by keeping the screen inside the footboard. Our range of modern TV beds UK includes several mattress sizes, and choosing the right one starts with understanding your floor rather than your walls.
In a typical bedroom, a television sits on a stand or bracket opposite the bed. When there is no usable wall opposite, that option disappears. The screen has to come from somewhere else, and the foot of the bed is the natural place.
That has a knock on effect on size. Because the TV lives in the footboard, the bed itself becomes the entertainment unit. You gain floor space by not needing a separate stand, but the frame itself is longer. It is a trade worth making in most rooms, as long as you measure for it.
Standard UK mattress sizes give you the base measurements to work from:
A TV bed frame adds width on each side through the upholstered rails, and length at both ends through the headboard and the footboard housing. The exact additions vary from design to design, so the external dimensions in the product details are the figures that matter. The same applies to everything else you plan to place around the bed, so check the measurements of any pieces from our bedroom furniture UK sale range alongside the frame.
Measure the length and width of the room at floor level. Then subtract anything that permanently takes up floor area, such as a chimney breast, fitted wardrobes or a radiator that projects into the room.
Without a TV wall, the headboard wall becomes your main decision. It should be solid, ideally free of radiators, and away from the door swing. Under a window is possible if the headboard is low enough not to block light or the handles.
Leave space to walk past the foot end and along at least one side. Around 60 to 70cm is a commonly suggested comfortable walkway, though in a compact room you might accept a little less on one side if the other side is generous.
The screen rises vertically from the footboard, so check there is nothing directly above the foot end, such as a low sloping ceiling or a shelf, that would get in the way. In loft bedrooms this matters more than floor area.
Use masking tape to mark the external footprint of the bed on the floor. Walk around it, open the door, open drawers and wardrobe doors. This is the most reliable test you can do, and it costs nothing.
Suited to box rooms, compact guest rooms and single sleepers who want a little more space than a single bed offers. A small double TV bed leaves more floor around it, which matters in a room where there is no wall for storage either.
The most common choice for couples in average sized UK bedrooms. It offers enough width for two people while still leaving room for bedside tables and a walkway in most modern homes.
Worth considering if your room has a generous floor area or if you are replacing an existing king size bed. The extra width and length are noticeable, so measure carefully. In a room with sloping ceilings, check that you can stand upright at the side you get into bed.
Suited to large master bedrooms only. If the room has no free walls, windows or slopes probably take up much of the perimeter, so a super king may make access difficult.
Once the bed is in place, storage becomes the next challenge. Without a long wall for a run of furniture, look for pieces that work in alcoves, beneath windows or in corners.
Sliding doors are a practical answer where a hinged wardrobe would clash with the bed. Our sliding wardrobes UK need no swing space, which can free up valuable centimetres at the side of the bed. A tall, narrow chest is another useful option, as it stores a lot while taking up little floor. Browse our modern chests of drawers UK for slimmer designs, and read our advice on fitting a chest of drawers in a small UK room before you commit.
If you are weighing up a larger bed, our guide to UK king size bed dimensions for frames and rooms explains clearly how frame and mattress measurements relate to the space you have.
A bay window often takes up most of one wall and leaves the others broken by doors and radiators. Placing the headboard on the longest unbroken wall and letting the foot end face into the room usually works best. The bay itself can hold a small chair or dressing table, keeping the floor around the bed clear.
Sloping ceilings reduce usable height towards the eaves. Position the headboard under the lower part of the slope, where you will be lying down, and keep the foot end where the ceiling is highest so the screen can rise without obstruction.
In a long, narrow bedroom, the bed often has to sit across the width. Check that the external length of the frame leaves space to pass at the foot end, because that walkway may be the only route through the room.
Older houses sometimes have bedrooms with one door to the landing and another to an ensuite or cupboard. Map every door swing on your floor plan, and keep each one clear of the frame and of the screen when it is raised.
Whatever the shape of your room, a simple sketch drawn to rough scale on squared paper helps. Mark walls, windows, doors and sockets, then cut out a paper rectangle matching the external size of each bed you are considering and try it in different positions.
With no TV wall, the bed is likely to sit away from the usual socket positions. Check where the nearest socket is in relation to the foot end. A surge protected extension lead along the skirting is a neat solution if it is not directly accessible.
Viewing distance in a TV bed is set by the length of the frame. Most people sit up against the headboard, so the screen will be roughly a bed length away. Stay within the maximum screen size stated for the lift, and remember that a modest screen at close range can feel larger than it sounds.
Measured carefully, a TV bed can turn a room with awkward walls into a comfortable, practical bedroom. You can explore every size at Furniture in Fashion.
It varies by design, because the footboard houses the lift and screen. Always check the external length in the product details rather than relying on the mattress size.
It can, if the headboard is low enough not to block light or window handles. Check the headboard height against the sill before deciding.
Not always, but it often leaves limited space for walkways and bedside tables. Mark the footprint on the floor first to see how the room feels.
Yes, as long as there is enough headroom above the foot end for the screen to rise fully. Measure the ceiling height at that point before choosing a size.
Often, yes. In a room without free walls, dropping from a king size to a double can create space for a slim chest or wardrobe, which may make the room far more practical day to day.
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