So, you’ve decided on the design of your bed, you’ve picked your favourite timber and even chosen the perfect bedding to go with it – but something you might not have given that much thought to is the size of the bed you are going to order with us. It’s easy just to think that because your existing bed is a king size, then your new base should be too – however it can be a little more complicated than that and definitely something you should carefully consider before we put your bed into production.

British made solid wood Tibet bed made from Maple
Maple tibet wooden bed with alpaca throw for a Scandinavian Bedroom look
Tibet a chunky modern solid wooden bed shown here in Oak
Camden handmade bed in solid oak
It is possible to add a Footboard to our classic wooden Zanskar Bed as shown here.
organic eco friendly mattress

The Footprint of Your Bed Base:
Lets start with the overall footprint of the beds in our collection, and consider the implications by taking a look at two popular beds in our range – the Zanskar and Tibet. At a glance these two beds may look very similar and in some ways they are – tall headboards, high clearance under the base – but they do differ in one important way: your mattress will sit on top of the frame with the Tibet, but within it with the Zanskar. It may seem like a small point to make, but this difference changes the overall footprint of the base and this can have a knock-on effect as to which bedside tables you can fit with your bed or even whether the bed could fit in the room at all. A standard UK king size Tibet bed is 150cm wide and 207cm long, whereas a Zanskar is 157cm wide and 213cm long. They both fit the same size mattress (150x200cm) but take up differing spaces in the room.

If you’re considering a bed like the Oregon, which has a very wide frame (see below), it’s really worth mapping out the space it will take up on the floor (maybe with some masking tape?). It will help you work out the ideal size for the room, and if you can also accommodate bedside tables and still have enough floor space. You’ll find the overall dimensions of each bed in our collection on our website and they’re well worth taking a look at.

Loft style bedrooms, the low wooden platform bed, the Oregon shown in Walnut wood
Oregon a low solid wood loft style bed available to order in a choice of wood
Oregon bedside table in maple designed to go with our Oregon platform bed
A closer detail view of the headboard joint for the hand-made Oregon platform style solid wood bed
Side view of our Kyoto bed in Oak. Available to order in a choice of solid wood and a range of sizes.
under-bed drawers can be made to match the wood of your bed frame
Our hand made Kyoto low platform bed comes in a range of bed sizes
Kumo a Japanese style low wooden bed here in Pine stained Wenge

Amending the Design to Accommodate Your Mattress
Are you thinking of purchasing a new bed base but keeping your existing mattress? Its always worth taking the time to measure the width, length and depth of your mattress – and passing this information on to us when you order your bed.
As we make each bed base to order alterations can always be made to accommodate non standard mattress sizes. Our beds are made as standard to accommodate a mattress of approximately 20cm in depth (many of the photographs on the website show beds with a 20-25cm mattress) and to standard metric UK sizes e.g. 135x190cm for a double, 150x200cm for a king size etc. Other companies may work to imperial measurements which can add a couple of centimetres onto the overall dimensions of the mattress. Some mattress companies make mattresses mainly for the continental or US markets, these sizes are different again. As every bed is made to order we can usually tailor your bed to fit non-standard mattress sizes.

Using a very deep mattress can obscure the headboard on the majority of our designs, and cause the mattress to overhang on upholstered frames, but this can be easily avoided in most cases by letting us know in advance that changes need to be made to the base. We can increase the mattress gap in the headboard panel – this raises the position of the headboard on taller legs – which will ensure that the beautiful timber you have chosen will not be covered by the mattress, duvets and pillows when the bed is dressed. How much variation we can offer depends on the specific design, please get in touch for more information.


It is worth pointing out however that such changes to the headboard cannot be made to the Japanese style beds in our range such as the Kyoto, Kumo, Kobe and Oregon. As the headboard is attached to the side and centre rails (not supported by legs), there is no mattress gap. We can typically add 5cm to these headboard panels, but for a larger panel we would recommend buying a frame without a headboard, and wall mounting a large panel instead. Call us to discuss your options or to learn more about any associated costs of these customisations.

A closer view of the optional attached side tables on our hand made low Kulu wooden platform bed
Our Kulu bed is a solid wooden platform style low bed with optional shelf tables attached
Japanese style Kumo bed - shown in wenge stained solid Pine - side view
A closer view of the cherry Oregon low platform bed headboard
Kobe a low platform style bed here Pine and without the optional headboard
side view of the mid-century style Bloomsbury bed

Changing the Bed Size?
When changing your bed base, you may be tempted to go up a size, say from a king size to a super-king, and if you have the space there is no reason not to do this. Before you make this decision though, it is worth thinking about the effect this change will have on your storage options in the room. Will you have enough space for bedside tables? Could you pull out under-bed storage with a bed that is at least 30cm wider than your existing base? Many of our customers – when upgrading the size of their bed – order the base alone to begin with and when it has been constructed in the room then consider adding tables and drawers. It can help you choose which bedside table will look best in the available space.

One of the benefits of choosing a bed base or bedside table from Natural Bed Company is that any of the items made at our Sheffield workshops can usually be adjusted to suit your needs. These items are made to order and can be tailored to your specifications (just please note a bespoke item is more of a commitment as it can’t be easily exchanged if you change your mind – take a look at our terms and conditions here).

Frequently Asked Questions

Why does bed base size matter?

The frame design affects the overall footprint of the bed, not just the mattress size — so it can change how much space you have in your room.

Is the bed base always the same size as the mattress?

Not always. Different designs can make the overall bed slightly larger than the mattress it holds. That said, if you have a king size mattress, you should order a king size bed as the area where the mattress sits will be the same.

Can I use my existing mattress?

Yes. Just let us know the exact measurements and we can usually tailor the bed base to fit.

Does mattress depth matter?

It can. A deeper mattress may cover more of the headboard, but we can often adjust the design to suit.
This is especially important if you are ordering an upholstered headboard, as not fitting snuggly into the mattress gap can force the mattress to overhang at the bottom of the bed.

Are all bed styles adjustable?

Most are, but with limits. We’ll advise on the best option if adjustments aren’t suitable.

Should I size up to a larger bed?

If you have the space, it can be a great upgrade — but we recommend measuring carefully first.

Do you offer bespoke sizes?

Yes, many of our beds are made to order and can be tailored to your requirements.

Can I see the beds in person?

Yes — we have a wide range on display in our Sheffield showroom. We might not have the exact bed you are looking for, but we should have something similar.

We have a wide range of beds on display in our Sheffield showroom, each in standard UK king size, along with examples of our own bedside tables, plus the Black Lotus and Ethnicraft ranges. We’ve heard from customers many times about how helpful it can be to see the beds before placing an order so wherever possible, I would always recommend coming to see us if you are unsure on which bed to choose. We are open Monday-Saturday 10am-5:30pm and would love to see you.