A UK king size bed has a mattress measuring 150cm wide by 200cm long, which is 5ft by 6ft 6in in imperial terms. The frame around that mattress is larger again, typically 155cm to 165cm wide and 205cm to 215cm long once side rails, a headboard and any footboard are included.<\/p>\n
Those two figures do different jobs. Use 150cm by 200cm when buying bedding and mattresses. Use the frame dimensions when deciding whether the bed will fit a wall, clear a radiator or leave enough room to walk past the foot of the bed.<\/p>\n
The next size up is a super king, which measures 180cm wide by 200cm long. It gains 30cm of width over a king while keeping the same length. This is the point where many UK bedrooms run out of room, because a super king frame can be close to 195cm wide once upholstery is added.<\/p>\n
If you want more sleeping space and the room is not especially wide, a king is usually the more sensible upgrade. It gives each sleeper 75cm of width, compared with 67.5cm each in a standard double, which is a noticeable difference in practice without demanding a much larger room.<\/p>\n
A standard UK double is 135cm by 190cm. Moving to a king adds 15cm of width and 10cm of length. The extra length is the part people underestimate: it is the only common upgrade in the UK range that makes the bed longer, which matters if either sleeper is over roughly 6ft tall.<\/p>\n
The width increase changes how the bed sits in a room as well. A double often leaves generous space on both sides, while a king in the same room can reduce one side to a narrow walkway. That is why the room measurement, not the mattress measurement, should lead the decision.<\/p>\n
As a working guide, a king bed sits comfortably in a room measuring around 3m by 3.4m or larger. That allows roughly 70cm on each side of the bed and enough space at the foot to walk past or place a bench. In a room of 2.7m by 3m a king will physically fit, but one side will feel tight and the door swing needs checking carefully.<\/p>\n
Mark it out before you order. Masking tape on the floor set to 160cm by 210cm gives you the frame footprint, and walking around that outline for a day tells you more than any calculation. Pay particular attention to the side nearest the door, since that is the route you use every day.<\/p>\n
At king size the frame becomes a significant visual element in the room, so the material choice matters more than it does with a single. Upholstered frames soften the scale of a large bed and keep it feeling calm, which is why they remain the most popular choice at this size. Our king size fabric beds UK sale<\/a> range includes low profile designs for rooms with limited height as well as taller headboards for larger spaces.<\/p>\n Timber frames give a king bed a more grounded look and work well where the room already has wooden wardrobes or flooring you want to echo. You will find slatted and panelled designs in our modern king size wooden beds UK<\/a> collection. High gloss frames are the most reflective option and can lift a room that gets little natural light, though they show marks more readily.<\/p>\n Headboard height is not part of the standard size description, which surprises people. A king bed can have a headboard anywhere from around 90cm to over 130cm from the floor. Taller headboards suit rooms with high ceilings and give the bed presence, while lower ones are better under a sloping ceiling or beneath a window.<\/p>\n Check the height against anything on the wall behind the bed. Sockets, radiators and low window sills are the usual obstructions. If the bed sits under a window, a headboard that rises above the sill will block light and look awkward from outside as well as inside.<\/p>\n Depth varies from around 20cm on a simple sprung mattress to over 30cm on a pocket sprung model with a pillow top. Added to the frame, that determines your sitting height. Most people find a mattress top height of 55cm to 65cm comfortable to sit on and get out of.<\/p>\n Deeper mattresses also change how the frame looks. A 30cm mattress in a frame with low side rails will stand proud, which is fine on a slim modern frame but can look unbalanced on a deeply upholstered one. Depth figures are listed against every mattress in our mattresses UK sale<\/a> range so you can plan the finished height rather than discover it after assembly.<\/p>\n A UK king duvet is normally 225cm by 220cm, and a fitted sheet is cut for a 150cm by 200cm mattress. If your mattress is deeper than about 27cm, look for a fitted sheet with a deeper skirt or the corners will lift. Pillowcases are the same standard size as other UK bedding, though many people use four pillows across a king rather than two, which changes how the headboard is framed.<\/p>\n Be careful with imported bedding. An American king is 193cm by 203cm, so it is much wider and slightly longer than a UK king. Bedding sold for that size will be too large for a UK king mattress and will not sit properly.<\/p>\n The floor area under a king bed is close to three square metres, which is too useful to waste. Ottoman versions lift the whole base and hold bedding, seasonal clothing or luggage. Drawer versions are easier to open day to day but need clear floor beside the bed, and at king width that side space can already be limited.<\/p>\nHeadboard height and proportion<\/h3>\n
Mattress depth and bed height<\/h3>\n
Bedding for a king bed<\/h3>\n
Storage under a king bed<\/h3>\n