​Will Your New Bed and Mattress Fit Upstairs?

There is nothing more frustrating than waiting patiently for your brand new bed to be delivered and then finding that it won’t even fit through your front door. But imagine struggling with your new bed through one door after another with a staircase or two thrown into the mix and realising (after all that effort) that it won’t even fit in the bedroom it was intended for. Now THAT has to be a worst-case scenario if ever we’ve heard one.

So, make sure that this doesn't happen to you! With our measuring guide, you can ensure you pick an option that will save you from stress and exertion. Scroll on to find out exactly how to measure your space before you purchase a new bed or mattress.

How to make sure your new bed or furniture will fit in a room

Before splurging on a new bed, mattress, or piece of furniture, you need to think about how and where this item will fit. And doing this before you place an order will ensure that the delivery process goes as smoothly as possible.

Here are a few things to consider before purchasing a new bed, mattress, or piece of furniture:

1. Assess the accessibility. Check for low ceilings, narrow hallways or banisters or your stairs that could cause a problem during the delivery of your new item.
2. Consider any tight corners. If your bed, mattress, or furniture will need to navigate any tight or awkward spaces, be sure to verify the measurements to ensure that your purchase will actually fit.
3. Check door widths. And this doesn’t just apply to the door your purchase will need to fit through to enter your bedroom of choice. It’s also important to measure your front door to make sure the item will make it successfully into your home.
4. Read the fine print on a product listing. Not all furniture is flat packed. And so, knowing whether your item is arriving assembled or flat-packed is essential. If purchasing ready-assembled bedroom furniture, there is more prep needed before you buy. But with flat-packed furniture, you’ll need to assemble your furniture when it arrives.
5. Assess the room you’re shopping for. In particular, when buying a storage bed you’ll confirm there is enough space for the drawers to open on either or both sides of the bed. And when buying wardrobes, it’s essential to make sure you have enough height in the room too. This is especially important when shopping for dormers, loft rooms, and oddly shaped spaces.

Choosing your new bed

Picking out a bed isn't a decision that can be solely made on the colour or style. You also need to consider what size bed frame or divan base will actually fit into your bedroom. It may seem obvious but, a king size bed will not fit in the box room. And equally, a single bed frame will not fill the space as much as you might have liked in a generously sized bedroom.

So, what size bed frame is the right fit for your bedroom? Read on to find out.

Standard bedroom sizes

By now, you have probably been in enough bedrooms to understand that there is no standard size for bedrooms in the UK. That said, for a room to be classed as a bedroom suitable for a person aged 10 or above, it must be a minimum of 6.51 m2 (1). This equates to a floor space of roughly 3m x 2m which will adequately accommodate a single bed.

It’s also worth noting that a smaller room will still accommodate a single bed but, if it’s not at least 6.51m2 in size, it won’t be classed as a bedroom.

How much space do you need to have on either side of a bed?

In short, when it comes to the amount of space you need to have around a bed, there is no right or wrong answer. You have the freedom to be as generous or restrictive with the free space in your bedroom as you please. So, if you’d prefer maximise your sleeping space, feel free to put a double bed in a small bedroom! As long as the footprint of the space can accommodate the furniture you’re buying, you’re free to do as you please in your own home.

But, considering your bed measurements is essential if you’re buying a storage bed. Most of our ottoman beds lift open from the bottom of the bed frame, so you’ll need to ensure that there is room to stand at the foot of the bed to be able to access the storage. And, some of our ottoman beds lift open from the left or right side. If this is the case for a bed you’repurchasing, you’ll need to make sure there will be adequate space for you to stand next to your bed and access the hidden storage.

And divan beds with storage drawers will require enough space to allow you to pull out the drawer fully. Some feature storage drawers on both sides too. If this is the case with your new bed, you’ll need to ensure there is enough room to access the storage on both sides. Start by measuring your bedroom. This will help your work out what size bed will fit. And then, find out how big the storage drawers are and how far they pull out. Add this extra length or width to the length or width of your bed to get a final measurement. And finally, check that these “new total measurements” can be accommodated by your intended bedroom.

Another handy feature offered by many of our divan bases is the 2+2 drawersoption. In this design, the 2 drawers that are at the head of the bed are smaller (approximately half-size when compared to the standard sized divan drawers). This is so that you can accommodate bedside tables or cabinets alongside your storage-savvy bed in even the tightest of spaces.

How can I check what bed size I have now?

To find out what sized bed you’re currently sleeping on, start by measuring from top (where your head lies) to the bottom of your bed frame (the feet end) to get the length. Then measure from side to side to ascertain the width.

The UK has standardised mattress sizes (2) which are as follows:

• Small Single mattress: 75cm x 190cm
• Single mattress: 90cm x 190cm
• Small Double mattress: 120cm x 190cm
• Double mattress: 135cm x 190cm
• King Size mattress: 150cm x 200cm
• Super king mattress: 180cm x 200cm

And if you want to find out the height of your current bed so you can figure how it compares to a new oneyou’re considering, measure upwards from the floor to the top of the bed frame. Another measurement that could also come in handy is the one from the floor to the bottom of the bed frame. This will give you an indication of you how much space you have underneath the bed.

How to check whether your furniture will fit upstairs

At Bensons, some of our furniture (including our divan beds) will be delivered partly or fully assembled. This means, you’ll need to check if you can any said ready assembled furniture will actually fit up the stairs without causing any damage to the furniture or your home.

So, if you want to know whether your furniture or bed will fit upstairs, you’ll need to measure the width of your staircase. Do this by measuring from the handrail to the wall as this indicates the maximum width of something that will fit up the stairs. It’s also important to measure the width of your landing and any hallways the new furniture will need to navigate en route to its new home to confirm it will fit through. You’ll also need to measure the height of your banister too. This is a measurement you’ll potentially need should you have to lift your new furniture over it.

And, if you have a lift in your building, you’ll need to measure the height and width of the lift doors while they’re open. You’ll also need to check the depth of the lift itself.

A note on mattress manipulation

You may be tempted to manipulate your new mattress in order to get it to the room of your choice. This is something we strongly advise against. Folding, bending or twisting your mattress in any way to get it to its destination has the potential to disrupt its internal structure. The fillings can become displaced which could result in the mattress not being as supportive as it should be.

At Bensons, we stand by our stance on mattress manipulation. And if you request that the mattress be manipulated upon delivery, our delivery team have a strict protocol they must follow. This includes signing a mattress manipulation waiver.

The waiver states that future warranty claims can only be honoured whereby proof of a manufacturing fault can be provided and claims for any damage caused during delivery as a result of manipulation will be rejected. This is purely because we at Bensons believe that mattress manipulation should be avoided wherever possible. Let’s face it, who wants to buy a product only to have its integrity comprised before its first use?

If you have a particularly tight journey to your bedroom, a rolled mattress is a great alternative you may want to consider.

Sleep Better with a Bensons for Beds Bedroom

If the time has come to invest in a new bed or some stylish bedroom furniture you’ll find everything you need online or in your local Bensons for Beds store. Not only will you find a wide range of mattresses to suit every sleeper in store and online but bed frames and bases, bedding and beyond.

To place an order or to pick the brains of our experts call into your local showroom or contact our customer service department on 0808 144 6160.

Sources:

1. https://commonslibrary.parliament.uk/does-the-law-set-a-minimum-bedroom-size-in-england/
2. UK mattress sizes: bed and mattress size guide - Which?