A UK king size bed is bigger than a queen size bed. A king size measures 150cm wide by 200cm long (5ft by 6ft 6in), while a queen size, as sold in the UK, is generally 153cm wide by 203cm long in imported American sizing, or is used loosely to describe a bed sitting between a double and a king. The confusion comes from the fact that queen is not an official UK bed size at all. In British bedding standards the recognised sizes run single, small double, double, king and super king. Queen belongs to American and Australian sizing systems, which is why the comparison so often causes headaches.
So if you are standing in a UK bedroom trying to work out which bed gives you more room, king size is the larger of the two in every meaningful sense for British shoppers. It is 15cm wider and 10cm longer than a standard UK double, and it is the size most British homes step up to when a double no longer feels generous enough.
Queen size entered British vocabulary through American films, hotel listings and online shopping. When a UK retailer lists a queen bed, it usually means one of two things: an imported frame built to US measurements, or a marketing term for a slightly larger double. Neither is standardised here, which means the mattress you buy may not fit the frame you already own.
The practical risk is bedding. UK king size duvets, fitted sheets and mattress protectors are cut to 150cm by 200cm. An American queen mattress at 153cm by 203cm will fight a UK king fitted sheet, leaving corners that pop off during the night. If you buy a queen frame from overseas, you will likely need to source bedding from the same market, which becomes an ongoing cost rather than a one off inconvenience.
Our advice is straightforward: shop UK sizes. If you want more space than a double, choose a king. If you want considerably more, choose a super king. You will find a broad choice across our range of modern king size fabric beds UK sale, all built to British measurements so your bedding fits without compromise.
Understanding the full ladder of British sizes makes the king versus queen question much easier to settle. A single is 90cm by 190cm. A small double, sometimes called a three quarter, is 120cm by 190cm. A standard double is 135cm by 190cm. A king size is 150cm by 200cm. A super king is 180cm by 200cm.
Two details stand out. First, the jump from double to king adds length as well as width, going from 190cm to 200cm. That extra 10cm matters if either sleeper is above average height, because it is the difference between feet inside the duvet and feet hanging over the edge. Second, the width increase gives each person 75cm rather than 67.5cm. It sounds modest written down. In practice it is the point at which two adults stop feeling every movement the other makes.
This is where UK homes deserve honest treatment. Many British bedrooms, particularly in Victorian terraces, new build second bedrooms and city flats, were not designed around a 150cm wide bed. Before committing, measure the room and then measure again with movement in mind.
Aim for at least 60cm of clear floor on both sides of the bed and at the foot. That allows you to walk past without turning sideways, and it allows a fitted sheet to be changed without dragging the whole frame away from the wall. For a king size, that means a room of roughly 3m by 3.3m as a workable minimum. You can fit a king into something tighter, but you will feel the compromise every day.
Also check the route to the room. Staircase turns, loft hatches and narrow landings defeat more king size frames than floor space does. Divan bases split in two and travel easily. Solid wooden frames with one piece headboards are far less forgiving. If access is tight, look at our modern king size wooden beds UK, many of which arrive flat packed and assemble in the room itself.
If you have already decided a double is too small, the real decision is often king versus super king rather than king versus queen. A super king at 180cm wide is 30cm wider again, which is a genuine transformation for couples who sleep at different times or share the bed with children or pets in the early hours.
The trade off is the room around it. A super king needs a bedroom of around 3.3m by 3.5m to sit comfortably with walking space, and it dominates anything smaller. It also limits where bedside furniture can go. Before you upgrade, mark the footprint on the floor with masking tape and live with it for a couple of days. It is a five minute exercise that prevents an expensive mistake.
Storage is the other consideration. Larger beds swallow floor space that might otherwise hold a chest of drawers, so many people offset this by choosing a frame with built in storage underneath. Our modern ottoman beds UK sale lift the entire base on a gas assisted mechanism, giving back a full bed sized volume of storage without adding a single centimetre to the footprint.
Moving up a size affects more than the frame. A king size mattress is heavier and more awkward to turn, so if you prefer a mattress that needs rotating, factor in whether you can manage it alone. Many modern pocket sprung and foam mattresses are single sided and only need rotating head to foot, which is far easier.
Support underneath matters more at larger sizes too. A 150cm wide mattress needs a centre support rail with a leg, or a sprung slatted base designed for that width. Without it, the middle of the mattress will dip over time and the frame will start to complain. Any king size bed worth buying includes central support as standard.
On bedding, budget for new duvets, sheets and protectors when you change size. It is easy to overlook and it adds up. Buying two sets from the outset saves the scramble on wash day.
Choose a double if the room is under about 3m in either direction, or if the bed is mainly for one person. Choose a king if two adults share the bed nightly and the room can take it, because the added width and length are felt immediately. Choose a super king if the bedroom is genuinely spacious and undisturbed sleep is the priority.
Avoid buying a queen size in the UK unless you have a specific reason, such as replacing an imported frame. The bedding availability alone makes it more trouble than it is worth.
We stock a wide selection of contemporary bedroom pieces at Furniture in Fashion, so once you have settled on a size you can build the rest of the room around it. Pairing a new bed with matching storage often works out better than buying piecemeal, which is why our modern bedroom furniture sets UK sale are worth a look if you are starting a room from scratch.
No. A UK king is 150cm by 200cm. A US king is roughly 193cm by 203cm, which is closer to a UK super king in width but not identical. Always check measurements rather than relying on the name.
Not well. An American queen duvet is narrower than a UK king duvet, so it will leave the sides of the mattress exposed. Buy bedding in the same sizing system as your mattress.
Yes, though each person has 67.5cm of width, which is narrower than a single mattress. It works, but most couples notice the difference immediately when they move up to a king size.
They need central support running down the length of the base, usually a reinforced rail with at least one leg. This prevents the mattress sagging in the middle and is standard on properly built frames.
Around 3m by 3.3m allows a king size with usable walking space on both sides. Anything tighter and you will be squeezing past furniture daily.
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