A UK king size bed measures 150cm wide by 200cm long, which is 5ft by 6ft 6in. That refers to the mattress. The bed frame itself will be larger, usually adding between 5cm and 15cm to each dimension depending on the design, so a king size frame typically occupies around 160cm by 210cm of floor space.
It is worth knowing that a UK king is not the same as a US king, which is 76in by 80in, roughly 193cm by 203cm. If you are buying bedding online from an international seller, that difference will catch you out.
The mattress dimensions are standardised across UK retailers, so a king size mattress from one supplier will fit a king size frame from another. Duvet sizes for a king are typically 225cm by 220cm, and fitted sheets are made to 150cm by 200cm with a pocket depth that varies by mattress thickness.
Compared with a double at 135cm by 190cm, a king gives each sleeper an extra 7.5cm of width and both an extra 10cm of length. That length matters: at 200cm, a king suits anyone approaching 6ft or taller, where a double can feel short.
Our king size options run across every material, from modern king size fabric beds UK sale to timber and gloss finishes, all built to the same 150cm by 200cm mattress standard.
90cm by 190cm. Suits children’s rooms, box rooms and guest spaces.
120cm by 190cm. Sometimes called a three quarter bed. A useful compromise for a room too small for a full double.
135cm by 190cm. The most common UK size and still the default in most new build second bedrooms.
150cm by 200cm. Noticeably more comfortable for two adults, particularly with the extra length.
180cm by 200cm. Generous, but demands a large room and specialist bedding.
The step from double to king is the one most couples notice. The step from king to super king is more about the room than the sleepers.
As a working minimum, a king size bed needs a room of about 3.4m by 3.2m to allow access on both sides and space for a wardrobe door to open. Below that, the bed will fit but the room will feel tight and one side may need to sit against a wall.
Plan for 60cm of walking space on each long side and at least 90cm at the foot if there is a wardrobe or chest in front of the bed. Remember that wardrobe doors need clearance: a hinged door needs its own width in front of it, which is why modern sliding wardrobes UK are often the practical choice in rooms where a king is the priority.
Measure the route into the room as well as the room itself. King size divan bases come as two halves precisely because a single 150cm base will not turn on most UK staircases. Bed frames arrive flat packed, so the constraint is usually the mattress, which is bulky and only semi flexible. Check doorway widths, stair turns and landing space before ordering.
Two king size beds with the same mattress can take up very different amounts of floor.
Slim metal frames add the least, sometimes only 3cm to 5cm per side. Upholstered frames with padded side rails can add 10cm or more each side, plus a headboard depth of 10cm to 15cm. Wooden frames with substantial posts sit somewhere in between. Ottoman and storage beds are usually close to the mattress dimensions in plan but need front or side clearance to open.
TV beds and beds with integrated storage lift the base height, which affects how the room reads more than its footprint. In a room with a low window sill, a tall base can look odd.
Always work from the stated external frame dimensions rather than the mattress size when planning a layout. Our product listings give both, so you can tape out the true footprint before ordering from the king size wooden beds UK sale range or any other collection.
A larger mattress means more weight, which places more demand on the base. Check the slat spacing on any frame you are considering: for foam and hybrid mattresses, slats should be no more than 7cm apart, and a centre support rail with at least one central leg is essential at king size. Without it, the mattress will sag along the middle over time.
Depth affects bedding rather than fit. A 30cm deep mattress needs deep fitted sheets. It also raises the sleeping surface, which is worth thinking about if the bed sits under a sloping ceiling.
Two sleepers with different firmness preferences sometimes choose zip and link mattresses, which are two singles joined. At king size these are 75cm each, which is narrower than a standard single, so they must be bought as a matched pair. Our modern mattresses UK sale selection covers pocket sprung, memory foam and hybrid constructions in king size.
A king suits couples who want more space than a double provides, taller sleepers who need the extra 10cm of length, and anyone who shares a bed with children or pets in the morning. It suits master bedrooms in mid terrace and semi detached houses, where the main bedroom is often around 3.5m square.
It is less suitable where the room is under about 3.2m in either direction, where access to the room is genuinely restricted, or where the bedroom needs to accommodate a desk or nursery furniture as well.
If you are between sizes, consider what the room has to do beyond sleeping. A double bed in a room with a comfortable chair and a decent wardrobe often works better than a king in a room where you have to edge past the mattress. Full bedroom layouts and matching pieces are available across the collection at Furniture in Fashion, with free delivery to most UK mainland postcodes.
Duvets for a UK king are 225cm by 220cm. Flat sheets are around 275cm by 275cm. Pillowcases are standard size in the UK, unlike the US where king pillows are longer, so a UK king bed takes ordinary pillows, usually two side by side with room to spare.
When shopping internationally, convert carefully. A listing described as king may be a US king at 193cm wide, which will overhang a UK frame considerably, or a European king which varies by country. Always check the centimetre measurements rather than the name.
Dimensions describe whether a bed fits. They say very little about whether the room still works once it is in place, and that is usually the part people regret. A king size bed is 15cm wider than a double, which sounds trivial until it is taken out of the walking space on one side rather than shared between both.
Start with the side of the bed you get out of most often and protect that route first. If one person always leaves the room before the other, give that side the wider clearance and push the tighter side towards the wall. Bed making is the other daily task worth thinking about, because tucking a fitted sheet at 150cm requires enough room to walk the length of the mattress rather than reach across it.
Bedside tables that suited a double often look undersized beside a king, because the headboard is wider and taller and the proportions shift. Aim for a cabinet roughly level with the top of the mattress and around 40cm to 50cm wide, which reads correctly against a 150cm bed without stealing the clearance you need. Wall lights or clip on reading lamps are worth considering where the surface area is genuinely tight, since they free the whole cabinet top.
The single most common planning error at king size is forgetting that a hinged wardrobe door needs roughly 60cm of clear arc in front of it. Measure that arc from the wardrobe, not from the wall, and check it does not land on the mattress. Where the numbers refuse to work, sliding doors remove the problem entirely and let the bed sit closer, which is why they suit master bedrooms where a king or larger bed dominates the floor plan.
Storage under the bed is the other lever. A king ottoman or drawer base holds enough bedding and out of season clothing to let you choose a smaller chest of drawers, which buys back the floor space the bigger mattress consumed.
The mattress is 150cm by 200cm, or 5ft by 6ft 6in. Frames add roughly 5cm to 15cm per side.
No. A US king is about 193cm by 203cm, considerably wider. Bedding is not interchangeable.
Around 3.4m by 3.2m for comfortable access on both sides. Smaller rooms will accommodate the bed but with restricted circulation.
15cm wider and 10cm longer. The added length is often the more valuable difference.
Yes. A centre rail with at least one central leg is necessary to prevent sagging and to support the mattress properly.
Usually, though it depends on stair turns and landing space. Divan bases at king size come in two halves for exactly this reason.
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