To think that 4ft is an unacceptable bed size?

[LolaNova]

Staying with in laws. They are lovely, we all get on well, no complaints... apart from the size of the spare bed!

It’s so small! We are not especially large people. DH is tall (6’3) but as skinny as they come, I’m an average height 10-12. We spend all night trying to get comfortable. It’s even worse when the baby needs feeding and DH ends up with about 1.5ft of bed 😂

It’s not going to kill us and I know I’m being a princess but it’s got me wondering if any adults can manage in such a small bed long term?!

@DifficultBloodyWoman

A Queen is the smallest reasonable size for two adults. A King should be standard. A Superking is better

4ft is a ‘small double’ and not designed for two people.

Those size beds would not fit in many UK bedrooms.

@DifficultBloodyWoman

A Queen is the smallest reasonable size for two adults. A King should be standard. A Superking is better

4ft is a ‘small double’ and not designed for two people.

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

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.

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.

@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

@OrangeSharked ok, I was going on European sizes.

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.

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.

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.

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

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

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.

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

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.

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!

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

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.

Definitely not suitable for 2 adults even for occasional use

I think I am a MN outlier as we have a standard double at home (but I am short and DH is average height - both average build) and find it fine. I think a 4ft bed would be a bit too cosy long term and especially if co sleeping with a baby.
My DC still have single beds though (and I'm not planning on getting them doubles any time soon) so I'm not an average MN when it comes to beds or earnings, sadly

Me and dp are both over 6ft and sleep fine in our double. We've shared a single bed on many occasion too!

@NeedCoffeeToSurvive when you say you sleep in a Superman pose do you mean something like this? I'm trying to imagine that and the ironing board and you both having a comfortable night's sleep and I'm struggling!

In fact, no wonder you need the coffee!

I bought 4ft beds for my sons when they were about 12. Small bedrooms, growing teenagers, it was a good choice.

[quote giletrouge]@NeedCoffeeToSurvive when you say you sleep in a Superman pose do you mean something like this? I'm trying to imagine that and the ironing board and you both having a comfortable night's sleep and I'm struggling!

In fact, no wonder you need the coffee![/quote]
I sleep like that. One leg crooked up and my arm under the pillow with my head on top of it. Super comfy.

@giletrouge that's pretty close to how I sleep, combine Superman with the recovery position and you're there.