To think that 4ft is an unacceptable bed size?

We have a 4ft small double due to bedroom size, if we had the room we'd probably have bought a standard double but we're happy with it. Both of us sleep comfortably without elbowing each other or being squashed, each have plenty of room, I'm 5'6' and a size 12, my partner is 5'10' and roughly the same size as me. We've had this bed for about 4 years and it's not a problem, I sleep in a superman pose and my partner sleeps like an ironing board so that might make a difference, if we both slept starfish I imagine we'd have issues.

A Queen is larger than a king, by a few inches.

According to My Bed Frames it's only 4' wide.

www.mybedframes.co.uk/blog/uk-bed-sizes-the-bed-and-mattress-size-guide/

I don't think there is a standard Queen size in the UK

In the "old days" a standard single bed was 3ft and a standard double bed was 4ft 6"
I think that in the last couple of decades beds have got bigger; most couplesnow insist on a king bed and many kids I know now sleep in a double bed (which I certainly don't remember any of my friends having in the 80s and 90s).

A 4ft bed was a non-standard size you would have struggled to get linen for; they've become more popular in recent years as a compromise for a small guest room or as a larger single (eg in Uni accommodation).

FWIW DH & I have slept in a standard 4ft 6" double for the last 25 years and it's fine because we're used to it. Our bedroom is pretty small and I would prefer to be able to open my wardrobe doors than have a bigger bed!

My fourteen year old son has one ,he loves so much more space then a single ,but no ,not really suitable for two adults ,we didn't buy him a standard double as his room isn't really big enough.

@Onairjunkie A Queen is larger than a king, by a few inches. depends where you live.

It's insane that two fully grown adults are ever expected to share a 4 X 6 foot bed, like ever, anyway! It is NOT conducive to a good night's sleep.

YANBU.

I think an oversized duvet helps if a bed might be too small

Myself and my fiancé are identical dimensions to you both and a bed that big would be too small for us! Even a double is too small for us, never mind a 4ft. Last time we had to share a double duvet led to 3am bickering. My body was only 85% covered by the duvet and he wanted more duvet, despite his body being completely covered

dp and I are quite happy in a small double, but we always sleep close together through the night. It doesn't matter what size bed we are in we are cuddled up together. I get that would drive some people crazy though.

I sympathise with you on this , my mil has a double bed at hers it’s Rock hard and I’m afraid of falling out of it. We have a king size bed as my dh is 6’7 and has very long legs he can’t sleep if he can’t bend his legs in bed.

My room is small and has a square taken put of it where it is over the stairs. I can just fit a 4ft bed in. Boyfriend stays over most weekends (although last night was the first visit since October!). Neither of us are particularly restless sleepers so it is fine, but I wouldnt like it 7 nights a week. We do both sleep on our sides, which probably helps. Used to have a single bed which was ok for us but definitely not for more than a weekend!
Think it depends on your sleeping styles as to whether 4ft is ok, if you sprawl then it's not a great idea. (I've always called a 4ft bed a queen though? So not sure if that is right now?).
Would avoid 4ft bed if we were staying away from home and paying for it, but staying with family or friends I wouldnt give it a thought.

@OrangeSharked ok, I was going on European sizes.

@Onairjunkie not really. An American/australian queen is the same as a British king. A European queen is slightly larger but based on bed width not mattress width so actually about the same size as a king. So it depends where the poster is from, because queens don't really exist in the uk as a large double

Reminds me of sleeping in my not-even-a-full sized single at uni with DP

I could do it for a couple of nights but not long term. They are more for teenagers, like a large single than a double.

DS and DD both have small (4ft) doubles. 2 adults can comfortably lay next to each other without touching but only so long as they both lay flat on their back with arms by their sides. If one or both want to curl up on their side it would get quite snug. I shared with (tiny) DD for a couple of nights when DH was ill without any problems, but wouldn’t want to share with anyone larger. I think it helps that she has a very good quality mattress so no roll together and you can sleep right up to the edges.

We opted for a regular 4’6” double for DSS as he’s a bit older and we could foresee a time when he’d have company

DH and I wouldn’t have anything smaller than a King but can cope on a decent double for a few nights if needed.

Goodness me, I’d not cope with that. I have an emperor-size bed and it’s just right. Neither my husband or me are very big but I like a huge acreage in which to sleep.

I doubt many couples choose a small double for the long term, they are usually for a single person or a spare room couple of nights thing.

I find a double comfortable when sharing a bed, and am perfectly happy in a single on my own. I am 5ft 5.

My DS13 has a small double. We literally just had a conversation about this as my sister and her husband are staying next week and we quite quickly ruled out them sleeping on his bed, just not practical and would so uncomfortable for 2 adults.

Yanbu. 4ft is fine for one person but not two unless their are borrowers!

Don't think I've ever shared one. It doesn't sound fun. I wouldn't make a fuss or complain but I would take along a secondary bed. Old fashioned canvas camp beds are surprisingly comfortable and not very wide at all so should fit on the floor. Or even just take a spare duvet and one of you sleeps on that if the floor space is really tight.

Nothing worse than not being able to get a good night's sleep ... and over several nights? Essential.

Couldn't do it.

For me it would depend if the 4ft was length or width