Bedroom Layout Ideas: Where to Put the Bed

Where to put the bed

The best spot for a bed is the longest wall without a window or door, opposite or diagonal from the bedroom door. Designers call this the "commanding position": you can see who's coming in, but you're not lying in a straight line with the doorway.

• Headboard against a solid wall. It feels more secure and gives you room for nightstands and lamps.
• Under a window only if you must. It can be drafty, blocks light, and makes curtains hard to reach. If you do it, use a low headboard.
• Not on the same wall as the door. You won't see who's coming in, which feels unsettling.
• Centered on the wall, unless the room is small — then pushing one side against the wall can free up valuable floor space.

The clearance numbers

Bed sizes for planning: a twin is about 38 x 75 inches, full 54 x 75, queen 60 x 80, king 76 x 80, and California king 72 x 84. Add a few inches for the frame.

Bedroom layouts by room shape

Small bedroom (under 10 x 10)

Push a full or queen bed against the longest wall and skip one nightstand in favor of a wall-mounted shelf or sconce. Use under-bed storage and a tall, narrow dresser instead of a wide one. More in small bedroom ideas.

Square bedroom

Center the bed on the wall opposite the door, with matching nightstands on both sides. Put the dresser on the door wall or a side wall. Symmetry looks great in square rooms.

Long, narrow bedroom

Place the bed on one of the long walls, not at the end, so it doesn't feel like a hallway. Use the leftover end for a reading chair, desk or vanity — a second "zone" makes the room feel designed.

Primary bedroom with a sitting area

Bed on the main wall, then a pair of chairs or a small loveseat near the window with a side table between. Put a bench at the foot of the bed to connect the two zones.

Bedroom with lots of windows and doors

Find the wall with the most uninterrupted space, even if it's not the longest. A bed in front of a window works if you use a low headboard and curtains that still close.

Nightstands, dresser and desk

• Nightstand height: within 2 inches of the top of your mattress, usually 24 to 30 inches tall.
• Nightstand width: 20 to 28 inches for a queen; don't let them crowd the walkway.
• Lamps: the bottom of the shade should sit near eye level when you're sitting up in bed. Wall sconces free up nightstand space.
• Dresser: opposite the bed or on a side wall. A TV above it should be centered on the bed, not the dresser.
• Desk: near a window for daylight, facing into the room rather than the wall if you have space.
• Bench: at the foot of the bed, about 2 to 4 inches shorter than the mattress width on each side.

Bedroom layout mistakes

• A bed too big for the room. If you have to turn sideways to get to the closet, size down.
• A rug that's too small. It should stick out at least 18 inches on each side of the bed. See the rug size chart.
• Mismatched heights. A tall headboard with tiny nightstands looks off balance.
• Too much furniture. A bedroom should feel restful. If a piece isn't used daily, it can probably go.

Try a new bedroom layout on your own room

A bed frame is heavy and a mattress is worse. Before you move them, take a photo of your bedroom and upload it to DecorIn. You'll see your real bedroom — same walls, same windows — in a new style. Like the bedding but not the lamps? Change just that one thing. Pair it with a calm color palette and good lighting, and you've got a bedroom that actually helps you sleep.

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