An interior redesign [1] client of mine was struggling with what size of bed to order for the master bedroom of her new condo. She and her husband were used to sleeping in a King but she was concerned it would be too crowded in the new room.
Before buying furniture, use tape on the floor to outline how it will fit. Something that looks great in a showroom, or on a paper plan, will feel totally different once you get it home!
Personally, I think it would be difficult for two adults used to the space of a King size mattress to go down to a Queen size. You have to decide whether you’d rather the room be crowded or the bed be crowded!
This is a personal choice of course, but here are some numbers to help guide you in deciding what bed size to order for what size room.
- Double mattress is 54″ wide x 75″ (or 80″) long
- Queen mattress is 60″ wide x 80″ long
- King mattress is 78″ x 80″
Note, these are the North America sizes (sizes are different in Europe, the UK and Australia).
You should plan on at least an extra 50″ total to allow for one night table on either side of the bed.
So if your room is 11 feet wide, technically you could squeeze a King bed with two night stands, but the room would look like it was all bed!
Even a Queen would be crowded, but if there’s a large walk in closet or the room is long and there is space for other furniture like a dresser at the other end, it will work.
If I were home staging [2] a room of this size, I would use a double bed. Decorating to sell is all about creating the right look, whether people would actually live in the space that way is another matter.
Generally speaking, unless you have a really big room, stay away from canopy beds, sleigh beds [3] and similar designs that take up tons of extra space at both ends of the bed. Visually they really dominate a space even if technically you can squeeze them in!
Learn more about how Six Elements can help you with home staging advice [4] and decorating or redesign advice [5].
Debra Gould, President Six Elements Inc.
Internationally recognized home staging expert Debra Gould is President of Six Elements Inc. [6] and creator of the Staging Diva Home Staging Business Training Program [7]. An entrepreneur for 20 years and author of Staging Diva Ultimate Design Guide [8], Debra has staged millions of dollars worth of real estate and uses her expertise to train others worldwide.