Small Double bed size (UK)
A UK Small Double mattress is 120 × 190 cm (1200 × 1900 mm), sold as a 4ft bed: 4ft × 6ft 3in. It is the same length as a Double and 15 cm narrower. Which? also calls it a queen-size or three-quarter mattress, though it is much smaller than a US Queen. Shared by two, it gives each person 60 cm.
What we found
Sixty centimetres each is narrower than a Small Single
Two people on a Small Double get 60 cm each, 15 cm less than the width of a Small Single (75 cm) and 30 cm less than a Single. Which? puts it plainly: two adults will find it "pretty snug", but it suits a small bedroom, or one sleeper who likes room to stretch out.
The word "queen" means different sizes in the UK and the US. Which? uses "queen-size" for the 120 × 190 cm Small Double; a US Queen is 152.4 × 203.2 cm, 32.4 cm wider and 13.2 cm longer. Frame lengths also vary: IKEA UK says its 120 × 190 cm mattress suits both its Small Double frame and its MANDAL 120 × 200 cm frame, which takes a mattress 10 cm longer.
Which? and IKEA UK were read on 25 September 2026.
Small Double bed size in cm, feet and inches
| Unit | Width | Length | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Centimetres (label) | 120 cm | 190 cm | Which?, NBF, IKEA UK |
| Millimetres | 1200 mm | 1900 mm | Our conversion |
| Metres | 1.2 m | 1.9 m | Our conversion |
| Imperial size name | 4 ft | 6 ft 3 in | Which? ("approximately") |
| Imperial name, converted exactly | 121.9 cm | 190.5 cm | Our conversion |
| Inches (exact, from the cm label) | 47.2 in | 74.8 in | Our conversion |
| Inches as IKEA UK prints them | 47 in | 75 in | IKEA UK |
Metric size and imperial name: Which? and the NBF buyer's guide, checked 2026-09-24; IKEA UK read on 2026-09-25. In feet and inches, 120 × 190 cm is 3 ft 11¼ in × 6 ft 2¾ in. The surface is 2.28 m² (24.5 sq ft).
Small Double vs Double, for one sleeper or two
For one sleeper, a Small Double gives 30 cm more width than a Single in the same 190 cm length, which is why Which? suggests it for someone who likes room to stretch out. For two, a Double adds 7.5 cm per person, and a King adds 15 cm per person and 10 cm of length.
| Measure | Small Double | Double | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Width | 47.2 in120.0 cm | 53.1 in135.0 cm | +5.9 in+15.0 cm |
| Length | 74.8 in190.0 cm | 74.8 in190.0 cm | ±0 in±0.0 cm |
| Area | 3,534 sq in24.5 sq ft | 3,976 sq in27.6 sq ft | +442 sq in+12.5% |
| Area (m²) | 2.28 m² | 2.57 m² | +0.29 m² |
| Per person, two sharing | 23.6 in | 26.6 in | +3 in |
Both sizes: Which? and the NBF, checked 2026-09-24. See UK Double bed size and, one size down, UK Single bed size.
Length is the same on all three 190 cm beds. The National Bed Federation advises a bed 10 to 15 cm longer than its tallest sleeper, so a Small Double suits people up to about 175 to 180 cm (5 ft 9 in to 5 ft 11 in).
How small a bedroom can take a Small Double?
| Layout | Mattress only (120 × 190 cm) |
|---|---|
| Both sides and the foot750 mm each; Approved Document M 2.25b asks this in a home's principal bedroom | 2.70 m × 2.65 m7.16 m²; 8 ft 10¼ in × 8 ft 8⅜ in |
| One side and the foot750 mm each; Approved Document M 2.25c asks this in other double bedrooms | 1.95 m × 2.65 m5.17 m²; 6 ft 4¾ in × 8 ft 8⅜ in |
Walkway zones: 750 mm, from Approved Document M, Volume 1, paragraph 2.25. For this Small Double with both sides open, that is 120 + 75 + 75 = 270 cm wide and 190 + 75 = 265 cm long.
For comparison, the government's nationally described space standard sets the smallest double (two-person) bedroom in a new home at 11.5 m², at least 2.75 m wide (2.55 m for any further double bedroom). The Small Double and its walkway zones account for 7.16 m² of that, leaving about 4.3 m² in area terms; whether a wardrobe, drawers and the door swing fit depends on the room's shape.
What size sheets and duvet fit a Small Double?
Which? lists bedding for Single, Double, King and Super King beds, but not for the Small Double. A fitted sheet has to be made for 120 × 190 cm: a Double fitted sheet is 15 cm too wide. For the duvet, here is how the two nearest sizes Which? lists sit on a 120 cm mattress:
| Duvet | Size | Overhang each side (120 cm bed) |
|---|---|---|
| Single duvet | 135 × 200 cm | 7.5 cm |
| Double duvet | 200 × 200 cm | 40 cm |
Duvet sizes: Which? bed, sheet and duvet sizes, read on 2026-09-25. The overhang is our arithmetic. Pocket depth: fitted sheet pocket depth.
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Is a Small Double the same as a Queen?
Only in name. Which? uses "queen-size" for the Small Double, but the US Queen is 152.4 × 203.2 cm. None of the US or French sizes in our sources matches 120 × 190 cm; the nearest US size is the Full, 17.2 cm wider. See Queen bed dimensions.
| Market and name | Size | Compared with the Small Double |
|---|---|---|
| US Full | 137.2 × 190.5 cm54 × 75 in | 17.2 cm (6.8 in) wider, 0.5 cm (0.2 in) longer |
| French Double 140 × 190 | 140 × 190 cm55.1 × 74.8 in | 20 cm (7.9 in) wider, same length |
| US Twin | 99.1 × 190.5 cm39 × 75 in | 20.9 cm (8.2 in) narrower, 0.5 cm (0.2 in) longer |
Common questions
Is 120 × 190 cm a Small Double?
Yes. Which?, the NBF and IKEA UK all give the Small Double as 120 × 190 cm.
Is a 4 × 6 ft bed a Small Double?
A 4ft-wide bed is a Small Double, but its length is 6ft 3in (190 cm), not 6ft. A 4ft × 6ft mattress would be about 122 × 183 cm, 7 cm shorter, so check the length before you order sheets for it.
What is a 4ft bed called? And a 4ft 6in bed?
A 4ft bed is a Small Double. A 4ft 6in bed is a Double, 135 × 190 cm; see UK Double bed size.
Sources
- Target mattress size chart
- Which? UK mattress size guide
- National Bed Federation bed buyer's guide
- IKEA UK mattress size guide
- Which? bed, sheet and duvet sizes table
- National Bed Federation buyer's guide: "Size matters"
- Approved Document M, Volume 1 (2015, 2016 amendments), paragraph 2.25
- Technical housing standards: nationally described space standard (2015)
- IKEA France size guide
Sources are grouped by the market they are written for. Each figure was checked against its source on the date shown.