Choosing a bed these days is complicated, we have moved away from divan beds in two sizes, and with the increasing popularity of contemporary beds with slatted bases (also called platform beds) from Europe we now have a dizzying array of styles, sizes and types to choose from.

We spend around a third of every 24 hours tucked away in our bedrooms, and so it’s crucial that the design choices made are the right ones. The size of your bed and type, are of paramount importance. Bigger beds will drown out a small room leaving no room for furniture, and smaller beds will get lost in a larger room. Taller beds (like four poster beds) are really only suitable for rooms with high ceilings, and contemporary beds tend to be lower giving an illusion of space and higher ceilings.

But it is in choosing a bed size to fit a mattress (or vice versa) where confusion really begins, trying to navigate through the beds on offer can be tricky, with misleading descriptions like the one I saw selling a double bed, when it is in fact a European double and will be far too big for your UK mattress.

Buying a mattress to fit your European or US bed is only part of it, however. You will also want sheets, however at present these are only really widely available in Euro King. Euro Double is not a widely produced bed, so sheets are more difficult to find.

So, UK bed sizes are -

Single                   90cm x 190cm (3′0″ x 6′3″)

Double                 135cm x 190cm (4′6″ x 6′3″)

King                      150cm x 200cm (5′0″ x 6′6″)

Super King          180cm x 200cm (6′0″ x 6′6″)

In addition the following size beds are available in the UK

European Double    140cm x 200cm

US Queen                    154cm x 206cm

European King         160cm x 200cm

Acceptable for children, and as guest beds too, single beds tend to find a use in every household. Guest bedrooms (and kids’ bedrooms) tend to be smaller spaces, where a larger bed would overly dominate. When you choose your single bed, try not to be tempted by a cheap mattress. Children need good back support at night as they grow up, and your guests will not thank you for an uncomfortable night’s sleep.

But the main bed in a house is usually anything from a double bed to a super king bed. However, most UK bedrooms (especially in city apartments) tend to only be large enough for a double bed. Double beds can be a little short for taller adults, and if a couple don’t sleep well together they can seem too narrow, but this is still the most popular size by far. Not made by Italian manufacturers choice of styles can be limited, unfortunately.

King size beds are becoming increasingly popular. Easily big enough for two, with that vital extra 10cm of length these are a more luxurious choice than a double, and are available in a large range of beautiful contemporary & traditional styles from Italian and UK manufacturers.

Finally, if space isn’t an issue and you want plenty of room to stretch out then consider a super king size bed. Super king beds are a standard size both in the UK & in Europe, so choice of styles is excellent at the higher end of the market especially, and sheets, mattresses etc are very easy to buy from the Continent as well as within the UK.

Most importantly, though, be sure that the bed you choose ‘fits’ the space it’s for. You should, for comfort’s sake, always opt for the largest bed you can, but be careful that the bed doesn’t occupy the entire bedroom. A super king sized bed might be supremely comfy, but it can also be a pain when trying to move around a crowded room.

It is also best to buy a new mattress at the time of buying a new bed if at all possible. If you put a new mattress on an old base unit, dust and dust mites will transfer up from the old base to the new mattress. Additionally, an old bed base will be worn and possibly misshapen, so a new mattress’s life-span will be markedly lessened. If any of the bed’s users suffer from back problems, you should consider alternative mattress and pillow fillings that may give additional relief from back pain.

DesignInteriorIdeas.com