Buying guide · Bedroom

Choosing a mattress size

Six sizes, and the right one depends on three things: who sleeps in it, how tall they are, and the wall it goes against. The dimensions below are the US standard; the bed frame adds 2 to 5 inches each way.

SizeMattressRoom, aboutWho it suits
Twin38″ × 75″7 × 10 ftOne child or one adult under 6 ft; bunk beds and daybeds.
Twin XL38″ × 80″7 × 10 ftOne tall sleeper; two make a split king on an adjustable base.
Full54″ × 75″10 × 10 ftOne adult who spreads out, or a teenager. Tight for two.
Queen60″ × 80″10 × 10 ftTwo adults in a standard bedroom. The most common size.
King76″ × 80″12 × 12 ftTwo adults who want room, or parents with a child who visits at night.
California king72″ × 84″12 × 12 ftTall sleepers: four inches longer and four narrower than a king.

Queen: the default for two

At 60 by 80 inches a queen gives each of two adults 30 inches, the width of a crib mattress. It fits a 10-by-10 room with a nightstand each side. If one of you is over 6 ft 2, look at a king or a California king instead; the extra length matters more than the width.

Queen mattresses

King or California king

A king is 16 inches wider than a queen: two twin XLs side by side, which is why a split king works on an adjustable base. A California king trades 4 inches of width for 4 inches of length, for sleepers over 6 ft 4. Both need a room about 12 by 12 feet and a wall of 10 feet or more once nightstands go in.

King and California king

Full and twin for one

A full gives one adult 54 inches, more than a queen gives each of two. A twin is the size for a child’s room, a bunk bed or a daybed, and a twin XL is the same width with the length of a queen for a tall teenager or a dorm.

Twin and full

Match the bed you have

A mattress and a bed frame share a size name but not dimensions: the frame’s outside measurement is the mattress plus the rails and headboard, usually 2 to 5 inches each way. Measure the inside of the frame if you are keeping it, and tell us the frame model if you are buying both.

Beds in every size

Asked in the showroom

What are the dimensions of a queen mattress?
60 inches wide by 80 inches long. A full is 54 by 75; a king is 76 by 80; a California king is 72 by 84.
What size room does a king bed need?
About 12 by 12 feet, with a wall of at least 10 feet for the bed and two nightstands.
King or California king?
King for width (76 by 80), California king for length (72 by 84). Choose California king when a sleeper is over 6 ft 4.
Do two twin XL mattresses make a king?
Yes. Two twin XLs side by side are 76 by 80 inches, exactly a king. That is how a split king on an adjustable base works.

Tell us the room and we find the furniture: your personal designer, or call (925) 325-8537.

More guides

  • Furnishing a new-construction home, room by room — Moving into a new build in Brentwood, Tracy, Manteca or Elk Grove? The order to buy in, the measurements to take at the walkthrough, and the sets we deliver and set up across Northern California.
  • Living room furniture for a small apartment — Furniture for a living room under 200 square feet: sofas under 80 inches, pieces that do two jobs, and the measurements that keep the room open. From our Northern California showroom.