A standard UK double bed measures 135cm wide by 190cm long, which is 4ft 6in by 6ft 3in. That is the mattress size, and it has been the British standard for decades. The frame around it is usually 5cm to 15cm larger on each side, so a double bed typically occupies a floor area of about 145cm to 155cm wide by 200cm to 210cm long depending on the design.<\/p>\n
If you remember one pair of numbers when shopping, make it 135 by 190. Every double mattress, fitted sheet and bed base sold to British sizing works from those figures.<\/p>\n
Width is where a double is often misunderstood. At 135cm, two adults have roughly 67.5cm each, which is only slightly wider than a single mattress cut in half. It is enough for most couples, but it is tighter than people expect if they have only ever slept on hotel beds abroad.<\/p>\n
Length is the other consideration. A double is 190cm long, ten centimetres shorter than a UK king or super king. Anyone taller than about six foot will notice their feet reaching the end, and adding a thick mattress topper does nothing to fix that. If height is an issue in your household, a longer size is a better solution than a firmer mattress.<\/p>\n
Height from the floor varies widely and is rarely printed on the label of older beds. Low platform frames can sit as little as 25cm off the ground once the mattress is on, while divan bases with a deep mattress can reach 65cm. Neither is right or wrong, but the difference changes how easy the bed is to get out of, which matters for older sleepers.<\/p>\n
A single is 90cm by 190cm. A small double, also sold as a three quarter bed, is 120cm by 190cm. A double is 135cm by 190cm. A UK king size is 150cm by 200cm and a super king is 180cm by 200cm.<\/p>\n
The steps between these sizes are not even. Going from a single to a small double adds 30cm. Going from a small double to a double adds only 15cm. That is why a small double is such a useful option in box rooms: it gives most of the width of a double while releasing enough floor space to open a wardrobe door properly. Our modern small double fabric beds UK<\/a> range covers that size in upholstered finishes that suit smaller rooms.<\/p>\n A double bed works well in a room from around 2.7m by 3m upwards. That allows the bed against one wall with roughly 60cm of walking space on the other side and at the foot. Below that, you can still fit a double but something has to give, usually access on one side.<\/p>\n British bedrooms rarely come as neat rectangles. Chimney breasts reduce usable wall length, bay windows change where the headboard can sit, and loft rooms have sloping ceilings that make one side of the bed unusable for anyone over five feet tall. Measure at mattress height rather than at floor level in a loft room, because the slope cuts in exactly where your shoulders go.<\/p>\n Doors deserve a check of their own. An inward opening bedroom door needs a clear arc of about 80cm. If the bed sits inside that arc, the door will stop short and the room will feel awkward every time you enter it, no matter how well the rest is planned.<\/p>\n A double fitted sheet is cut for a 135cm by 190cm mattress, and depth is the detail to check. Standard sheets suit mattresses up to about 25cm deep. Deeper pocket sprung mattresses need a deep fitted sheet, otherwise the corners lift within a night or two.<\/p>\n Double duvets in the UK are 200cm by 200cm. Many couples prefer a king size duvet at 225cm by 220cm on a double bed, because the extra drop stops the covers being pulled off one side. It costs nothing in floor space and makes a genuine difference to sleep quality if you share with a restless partner.<\/p>\n The frame you choose changes the true footprint more than most shoppers realise. Wooden frames with posts or a solid surround add width at every corner. Upholstered frames add padding to the side rails. Metal frames sit closest to the mattress, which is worth knowing if your room is exactly at the limit.<\/p>\n Storage is where a double bed can earn its space back. Ottoman bases lift to reveal the full area under the mattress, which holds bedding, suitcases and seasonal clothing without needing another piece of furniture in the room. Drawer bases are easier to use day to day but hold less, and they need clear floor in front to pull out.<\/p>\n If the room has no space for a chest of drawers, an under bed solution is usually the better decision. Our modern ottoman beds UK sale<\/a> options show how much can be hidden in the same footprint you already have.<\/p>\n A double mattress fits a double frame, but the depth and firmness still need thought. A deep mattress in a frame with a low headboard leaves very little board showing above the pillows, which looks unbalanced. A slim mattress in a tall frame can leave the side rails standing proud, which is uncomfortable to sit on.<\/p>\n Slat spacing is another quiet detail. Sprung slats should sit no more than about 7cm apart to support a modern mattress evenly. Wider gaps let the mattress sag between slats over time, which shortens its life. Details like this are listed on every mattress in our modern mattresses UK<\/a> range so you can pair the two properly.<\/p>\n A double suits guest rooms, single sleepers who want room to spread out, teenagers moving on from a single, and couples in homes where a king size would block the room. It is also the most widely stocked size in Britain, which means the widest choice of frames, mattresses and linen, and the easiest replacements later.<\/p>\n Where it starts to fall short is with taller sleepers, couples who share with a pet, or anyone who wakes when their partner turns over. In those cases moving to a king size is a better investment than buying a more expensive double mattress. We list both sizes together across our modern double wooden beds UK sale<\/a> pages, and everything at Furniture in Fashion<\/a> includes full external measurements so you can compare footprints honestly before deciding.<\/p>\n Take three measurements rather than one. Measure the wall where the headboard will sit, measure the depth of the room from that wall to the opposite one, and measure the height of the window sill if the bed will sit beneath it. Those three figures settle almost every question about whether a double works.<\/p>\n Then mark the footprint on the floor with masking tape, using the external frame size rather than the mattress size. Walk the route to the door, open the wardrobe, and stand where you would put a bedside cabinet. A layout that looks tight on paper often feels fine in practice, and one that looks generous can turn out to block a door.<\/p>\n Do not forget the ceiling in loft rooms. Measure the height at the exact point where the sleeper’s head will be, since a slope that clears the mattress may still catch someone sitting up to read.<\/p>\n The most reliable position is centred on the longest uninterrupted wall, with clear floor on both sides. It looks balanced, it makes changing the bedding straightforward, and it allows a matching pair of bedside cabinets.<\/p>\n Where the room is narrow, pushing one side of the bed against a wall releases enough floor for a wardrobe with doors that open fully. This works well in single occupancy rooms and guest rooms, and less well where two people share every night.<\/p>\n Placing the bed under a window is common in older houses where the chimney breast takes the main wall. It is workable, though check that the radiator is not covered and that the curtains clear the mattress. A shorter headboard usually looks better in this position than a tall one, because it does not cut across the glass and block daylight.<\/p>\n The mattress measures 135cm by 190cm, or 4ft 6in by 6ft 3in. Frames add roughly 5cm to 15cm on each side.<\/p>\n For most couples it is, with around 67.5cm of width each. Light sleepers and taller adults often prefer a king size for the extra room.<\/p>\n A small double is 120cm wide against 135cm for a double, and both are 190cm long. The narrower size is useful in box rooms and loft bedrooms.<\/p>\n A double duvet is 200cm by 200cm. Many people choose a king size duvet instead for extra drop on each side.<\/p>\n Allow about 60cm on any side you need to walk along, and a similar clearance at the foot if there is a wardrobe or drawers on that wall.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" A standard UK double bed measures 135cm wide by 190cm long, which is 4ft 6in by 6ft 3in. It remains the most widely used bed size in British homes, and it is the size most bedroom furniture is planned around. The mattress figure is only…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":57996,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[22],"tags":[2389,1353,974],"class_list":["post-57995","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-bedroom-furniture","tag-bed-sizes","tag-double-bed","tag-small-bedrooms"],"acf":[],"post_mailing_queue_ids":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.furnitureinfashion.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/57995","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.furnitureinfashion.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.furnitureinfashion.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.furnitureinfashion.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.furnitureinfashion.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=57995"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.furnitureinfashion.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/57995\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.furnitureinfashion.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/57996"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.furnitureinfashion.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=57995"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.furnitureinfashion.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=57995"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.furnitureinfashion.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=57995"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}What Size Room Suits a Double Bed?<\/h3>\n
Bedding for a Double Bed<\/h3>\n
Frames, Bases and Storage<\/h3>\n
Matching the Mattress to the Frame<\/h3>\n
When a Double Is the Right Choice<\/h3>\n
Measuring Your Room Before You Order<\/h3>\n
Placing a Double Bed Well<\/h3>\n
Frequently Asked Questions<\/h3>\n
What are the exact dimensions of a UK double bed?<\/h3>\n
Is a double bed big enough for two adults?<\/h3>\n
What is the difference between a double and a small double?<\/h3>\n
What size duvet fits a double bed?<\/h3>\n
How much space should I leave around a double bed?<\/h3>\n