Bedrooms are incredibly important. They’re where we rest and rejuvenate and escape from the stresses of everyday life. And one of the keys to creating a restful and rejuvenating space is to make sure you’ve got all the major items arranged in a way that’s pleasing to the eye. A bedroom that’s cluttered and out of proportion won’t do the trick. But don’t worry, these issues are easy to avoid. Here’s a quick list of standard bedroom measurements to help you out.

Mattress Sizes

Standard North American sizes are as follows:

• Twin 39” x 75”
• Twin XL 39” x 80”
• Full (Double) 54” x 75”
• Queen 60” x 80”
• King 76” x 80”
• California King 72” x 84”

You can also have custom mattresses made, say, if you have an antique bed frame with an unusual size, but keep in mind that you’ll have to get custom sheets as well.

Bedroom Furniture

Headboards –Four feet tall is a pretty good standard so that you can still see it when the pillows are standing up. Anything lower can get hidden. But when it comes to height you can really go as high as you want. It all comes down to personal taste. Just know that a tall headboard will definitely become your room’s focal point.

Nightstands – Generally speaking you want the top of your nightstand to be in line with or just below the top of your mattress. The majority of nightstands measure 26” – 28” high, but if you have a particularly tall mattress or bed frame you might need something higher. As far as width goes it depends on the size of your bed and your room. You want it to be in proportion so it doesn’t look too small or totally overwhelm the space. And make sure there’s enough surface area for a lamp, an alarm clock, a place to put down a drink, and anything else you may need.

Dressers – A typical six-drawer rectangular dresser measures 60″ wide, 20″ deep and 30″ high. If you need something taller a tall chest or armoire might be a better choice. Ultimately you want something big enough to hold the everyday items you need easy access too. If space is an issue in your bedroom consider using two small dressers as night stands.

Bedroom Area Rugs

If you’re putting an area rug in your bedroom there are a few things you need to keep in mind.

• Rugs should go under the bed and extend approximately 36” all around all sides (except the back as it’s usually against a wall). The rug can either stop at the front of the nightstands or the back, but keep in mind that your nightstands should have all four legs either on or off the rug.
• If you have a queen size bed the ideal rug size is 8’ x 10’. If you have a King the ideal rug size is 9’ x 12’.
• If the above standard bedroom measurements for rugs don’t work due to the size of your room consider using a runner on either side of the bed so you have somewhere soft to put your feet down. You can also put one along the foot of the bed.

Bedroom Lighting

Overhead – Most bedrooms have an overhead fixture to offer general light. To determine the best size add the length and width of the room together, then substitute inches for feet to indicate the diameter of a ceiling fixture that will be visually appropriate for your room. So for example, in a 10’ x 12’ room you’ll want a fixture approximately 22” in diameter.

Bedside – As a general rule you want something approximately 24” to 27” tall. But remember that the size of the lamps isn’t nearly as important as where the light shines. So you may have to adjust in order to make it work best for your room. Ideally you want something you can adjust either by swivelling or moving its arm. And make sure they have decent shades so you don’t see the bulb.

I hope this list of standard bedroom measurements helps you in your decorating adventures. And remember, these “rules” aren’t meant to stop you from doing what you want, or controlling how you decorate, they’re simply guidelines to help you create a balanced space.

Any other measurements you can think of? Feel free to add them in the comments!