Bedroom Layout: Where to Put Your Bed (and Everything Else)

A good bedroom layout starts with the bed. It is the largest piece of furniture in the room, and once it is in the right place, everything else falls into place around it. Here is how to plan it.

Bedroom layout step 1: choose the wall

In most rooms the best place for the bed is against the longest solid wall, with the headboard against the wall and the foot of the bed facing into the room. That gives you space on both sides and a clear view of the door, which most people find restful.

Try to avoid placing the bed:

• Directly under a window, where draughts, early light and curtains get in the way.
• Where it blocks a wardrobe door or a drawer from opening fully.
• Right next to the door, where it is the first thing you bump into.

Step 2: leave space to move

Allow about 60cm along every side of the bed you walk past. Couples need access on both sides, so a double, queen or king should not be pushed against a wall. In a child’s room or a spare room, a single or three-quarter bed against the wall frees up floor space for play or a desk. Our bed sizes guide gives the dimensions of each size.

Step 3: plan plugs and lighting

Check where the plug points are before you decide. A bedside lamp and phone charger on each side are much easier when the bed is near a plug. Ceiling lights look best roughly over the centre of the floor space, not over the headboard.

Step 4: use the space under and around the bed

Storage close to the bed keeps the rest of the room clear:

• A storage base hides linen and seasonal clothes under the mattress. Flip top and Premier storage bases lift up from the top, so you do not need extra floor space for drawers to open.
• A blanket box with drawer at the foot of the bed adds storage and a place to sit.
• A headboard anchors the bed visually and gives you something to lean against.

Step 5: balance the room

Once the bed is placed, put the heaviest pieces, such as the wardrobe or a chest of drawers, on the opposite or adjacent wall so the room does not feel lopsided. Keep the path from the door to the bed clear. A rug under the lower two-thirds of the bed softens the room and ties it together.

Shared and children’s rooms

When two children share a room, bunk beds free up half the floor space. Our article on bunk bed safety explains what to check.

Measure before you move anything

Draw the room on paper with its doors, windows and plug points, then try the layout there first. Our guide to measuring your room for a bed shows what to measure.

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