How Big Is a King Size Bed?

Author: James Higgins

UK AND IRELAND'S FAVOURITE BED SIZE

King size beds are now the most frequently purchased bed size in the UK, recently eclipsing the classic and popular double bed.

 

With people and homes getting bigger, it makes sense to make the most of that sleep space!

 

Of course, the increase in size comes with a higher price. But can you really put a price on high quality sleep if it helps you perform, look and feel your best?

 

KING SIZE BED KEY QUESTIONS AND INFORMATION

 
  • What size is a king size bed?
  • How big is a king size bed?
  • How wide is a king size bed?
  • How long is a king size bed?
  • Is a king size bed right for me?
  • Other king size bed considerations?
  • Ethical Bedding Company king size dimensions

 

WHAT SIZE IS A KING SIZE BED?

Well, this depends which country you are in!

 

For the purposes of this article, we will be looking exclusively at king size beds in for the UK and Ireland market.

 

American and European beds have different sizes again, but we will cover those in a separate article.

 

The standard size for a king size bed in the UK and Ireland...

 

In cm: 150cm x 200cm

 

In feet: 5' x 6'3"

 

HOW HOW BIG IS A KING SIZE BED?

'How big' is an open ended question...

 

A king size bed is easily big enough for two adults to sleep in comfortably, possibly with one person doing a mini starfish. Or for one adult in full starfish mode, and possibly a large dog...

 

The 150cm width allows for 75cm per person, which is enough for a comfortable nights sleep for most couples.

 

75cm is also the width of a standard pillowcase (75cm x 50cm), meaning that your pillows will rest neatly on your bed without being too large or too small.

 

King size beds have become the new norm or minimum for most couple sharing a bed regularly.

 

HOW WIDE IS A KING SIZE BED?

As per the above, a standard UK and Ireland king size bed is 150cm wide (5 feet).

 

Typically, this is enough for most couples to sleep comfortably but this depends how you are used to sleeping.

 

HOW LONG IS A KING SIZE BED?

As per the above, a standard UK and Ireland king size bed is 200cm long (6 feet 3 inches).

 

The 95% percentile height for a male in the UK is 6' 1", which would still leave 2".

 

You have to go up to the 98% percentile to breach the 6' 3" of a king size bed, but even then you could sleep at a slight angle or snuggle in!

 

IS A KING SIZE BED RIGHT FOR ME?

King size beds have dethroned the 'double' or standard size bed for couples sharing a bed. In fact, they are often the preferred choice for solo sleepers too, due to the extra space and comfort that help aid a great nights sleep.

 

King size is now the most popularly bought bed in the UK and Ireland by some distance, and the gap is growing.

 

Only if you are taller than 6' 3" and are finding that a super king or an emperor size bed is too small, should you look for something bespoke. It'll be a lot more expensive to buy the bed itself, but also to dress in high quality bed sheets.

 

OTHER KING SIZE BED CONSIDERATIONS?

Before you go ahead and replace your old double bed with the king size, it's important to consider how the bed with fit into your bedroom. And indeed, if you are buying a solid divan frame, whether or not it will fit up your stairs!

 

Large beds in small rooms can dominate the space too much. Likewise, small beds in large rooms can sometimes feel lost and look out of place.

 

A bed which takes up somewhere between 30-35% of your bedroom often looks best, although this is often quite difficult to achieve in practice depending on cupboards and other storage units. For a king size bed, this would mean a bedroom size of approximately 4.5m x 6m which would be a large bedroom and doesn't account for other bedroom furniture.

 

Sensibly, you should aim to have walking space of at least 70-80cm between the sides of the bed and the nearest wall, window or bedroom furniture. For reference, a standard corridor width in the UK is 90cm, so this will be plenty of space to move around your bed comfortably and enjoy your bedroom. 

 

ETHICAL BEDDING COMPANY KING SIZE DIMENSIONS

Unfortunately, we don't make beds or mattresses... yet!

 

We can however help you expertly dress your king size bed with perfectly fitting and incredibly comfortable organic bedding. Please check our size charts before purchasing and note that all our fitted sheets are 34cm (13 inches) deep, meaning that they fit 99% of beds snugly with our super strong elastic.

 

Bed Sheets

Product Size Duvet Cover Fitted Sheet Flat Sheet

Double

200 x 200cm

79 x 79"

140 x 190cm

55 x 75"

230 x 275cm

91 x 108"

King

225 x 220cm

89 x 87"

150 x 200cm

59 x 79"

275 x 275cm

108 x 108"

Super King

260 x 220cm

102 x 87"

180 x 200cm

71 x 79"

305 x 275cm

120 x 108"

Emperor

290 x 235cm

114 x 87"

200 x 200cm

79 x 79"

320 x 290cm

126 x 114"

Pillowcases

Pillowcase Style Pillowcase Size

Regular Pillowcase

(Included with all Fitted Sheet and Duvet Cover sets)

50 x 75cm

20 x 30"

Super King Pillowcase

(Not included in bedding sets)

50 x 90cm

20 x 36"

Large Square Pillowcase

(Not included in bedding sets)

65 x 65cm

26 x 26"

 

Want to find out more about bed sizes? See our Ultimate Bed Size Guide.