The first bed we got was a queen size....and we wound up putting it into one of our spare bedrooms. We then got a king size bed and I would never want to have anything smaller.

We're not really big people, I'm 5'6" and DH is only a couple of inches taller and neither of us is carrying much excess weight. I just like that yes, we can cuddle in a king if we feel like it but we can also have sufficient room to really stretch out and sleep without disturbing each other.

Dh and I would like to have two side by side king beds.
Although we are thin, I'm 6' and for some reason, like to lay diagonally on the bed. Dh doesn't like to be touched while sleeping and so a king is barely big enough for us.

I was not this way years ago and as we've aged, prefer more personal sleeping space.

DH and I have a queen bed and and I have no interest in anything bigger. We have stayed in multiple hotel rooms and beach houses with king size beds, and I find them so large that I feel like I'm sleeping alone. We are cuddlers, though, so I assume people who don't want to touch at all while sleeping would find a queen bed too tight.

We did change to a Tempurpedic mattress several years ago and we find that more comfortable than a traditional queen mattress, as movement really isn't transferred with a Tempurpedic - so if one of us gets up in the middle of the night the other is not disturbed.

I have the best of both. I was able to keep my queen bed but upgraded to an Olympic Queen mattress. We have really enjoyed it as far as personal space and I didn't have to get a new frame or headboard as you use a queen frame for it.

HOWEVER, they stopped making Olympic Queens not too long ago. I asked at the home show about it and one of the vendors said "no problem" we will special order it from our factory. Obviously it's more expensive but it wasn't outrageous.

We have a queen bed and I wished I could talk my husband into a king! We are in our early 30s, and both of us are pretty slim and my husband is only 6'. Still, I would appreciate the extra room when we are sleeping.
However, I am one of those people who does not like to be touched whilst I am sleeping (unless I'm really cold ;) ), so this undoubtedly factors into it.

Additionally, we have 2 small kids who like to come into our bed in the morning and someone is always getting kicked or complaining that they are being sat on, etc.

When our kids were babies, I really wanted the extra room. I would bring them in bed to nurse for night feedings, and sometimes we would all doze off and then we felt *really* cramped.

My lovely husband likes to cuddle though, and so he is loathe to give up our queen.

We have a king and sleeping in something smaller is hard. DH is a sprawler and I like my space. Add to that both dogs(yorkie and mini dauch) "have" to sleep with me(their choice) When DH is out of town, I can literally flip the edge of the corner back and the bed is made. When he is home, it looks like a tornado swept through and everything has to be straightened and adjusted.

If your happy with a queen then stick with a queen.:)

Bridge

We have a queen and it works well for us. As a matter of fact, for the past few years we were sleeping in a FULL bed until we had the money for a queen. Honestly I was fine with full size.

If you guys are happy with a queen size then I for sure wouldn't get a king just because it may sound like the normal thing to do. I think that bed your considering would look much better as a queen with the canopy.

"When he is home, it looks like a tornado swept through and everything has to be straightened and adjusted." -- This is my hubby, LOL. I can never figure out why his pillows are always half out of their cases in the morning. We have a full bed now (was my bed when I was single) and can't wait for our king bed to arrive. We have a 14 lb dog who likes to sleep sideways in the bed, so we need the extra room. But if it were not for the dog, I think a queen would be fine.

We got a king about 4 years ago, and LOVE IT. I thought everyone had king beds, except for us, so I'm surprised to see so many forum friends sleep in queens. Our bedroom has a similar layout to yours, 81" between windows, but we have the bed on another wall right now, so hubby can look out the window in the morning :>) My vote is for a King bed, possibly consider hanging sheers in the windows, and panels to the outside, you won't even notice it's covering trim.

Oh,and as for flipping the mattress, most of the new mattresses are not meant to be flipped, and you can't flip pillow-top mattresses, so that isn't an issue. Turning it is easy to do by one person.

I didn't read everything, but a couple of comments hit home with me: From forhgtv '...A king-sized bed is a hassle in lots of ways,...linens are more expensive. It's harder to make, the sheets are harder to iron....' Well I don't iron sheets (OMG! I know some of you do, though) but making the thing up does still irritate me after my queen. Our dog comes up when it's chilly and a king looks best in our rather large mbr. Otherwise I would have a queen, for sure. Yes, you can still cuddle in a king, but it requires more of a conscious effort, vs. simply being near one another naturally. I'm reminded of this in many hotel rooms with queens.
I also agree with this wise statement from les: ".....Honestly, I wouldn't buy a mattress based on what you might be doing 10 years from now. Life brings unexpected changes, and if we all tried to plan for all the possibilities, we'd be frozen with indecision." So true!

I am SO glad we have a queen. We have never owned a king sized but have slept in them in hotels and other people's homes. We both hate it...they are just way too big. DH is WWWAAAYY over there and neither of us likes the feeling of being in 2 beds. Get what you want now and worry about a different bed, possibly a king the next time you replace this bed. c,

We have slept on a queen size mattress (not the same one!)for 28 years. It works well for us. I'm 5'2 and hubby is 6'. We not snugglers while sleeping, but do tend to "roll" towards each other - often touching. One small pup sleeps with us - almost always planted near my feet. We have plenty of room. I do like a king also, and we have room for it in our bedroom. For some reason I think the queen looks better (proportion) and fits our needs.

tina

Have you done a floor plan to scale to see accurate circulation dimensions?
If you give me the dimensions and door/window location I can draw a floor plan in AutoCAD and place the furniture so you can make a better decision - it will be great if you can do a freehand sketch.

Right know, it looks to me like there are ways to conceal the bed overlapping the windows. In this moment your bedroom looks way too dark and the 3 color paint makes it to look chopped up. Once you paint it one lighter and refreshing color it will look bigger and serene even if the bed is a bit bigger.

When we got married we had a queen bed for a couple of years. We have had a king bed for almost 9 years. We are so happy with the king bed so do not give up just yet.

Had a queen bed for 30+ years of marriage. Then bought a king.... L O V E it. However - this is key in my thoughts: if you don't ever move to a king size bed, you don't miss not having one.

I think the same thing about microwave ovens -- you don't really miss it if you don't ever have one; but once you get one, you gotta have it.

Missmary, I felt the same way about tivo.

We went to a King a few years ago. We love it! One kind of interesting thing is that with today's mattresses, you don't flip them, they are built "top down". With a King, it is almost square, you can turn it 1/4 turn. This has helped a lot! We have a latex mattress so the "ruts" aren't a problem, but with the 1/4 turn every 2 or 3 months you can really tell a change for the better. If you have a Queen, then you could only turn it 180 degrees, which essentially just has you laying in your partner's "rut", if that makes any sense.

But if a Queen works for you, then it's fine and you should go for it. (Check out those Spring Free mattresses, they really are great)

We switched to a king sz. a few years It's not the comfort issue, it's great. We paid a lot for the mattress set, and it's really nice. What I hate is that it is SO hard to make up, change sheets, etc. I walk around that thing numerous times unmaking, and making it up! It also takes up too much space. I want so bad to switch back to queen sz. We are currently doing some remodeling, and I think I've almost talked my hubby in getting a queen once again!

I think the same thing about microwave ovens -- you don't really miss it if you don't ever have one; but once you get one, you gotta have it.

You got that right! Never used one until we did a kitchen remodel and needed something to cook with besides the toaster oven. I initially thought I'd get rid of it once the kitchen was done, but instead I made room for it in the pantry. It comes in handy a few times a week.

We have a queen-sized bed in our master bedroom -- really the only size that fits in the alloted space.

And we do use king-sized bedding -- which seems to work very well for us!

Jan at Rosemary Cottage

P.S. Les -- we are in the same boat -- when we moved into this house in 1993 -- it was supposed to be a "short term" stay! Life (and the economy) does throw many unexpected turns!

DH and I have always slept in a queen sized bed because that was what would fit best in our room. About the only real times I would wish for a king bed is to have one of our children sleep with us when they were little. Other than that, I don't think we've ever wished we had a larger bed. We recently replace our mattress and as part of testing out different mattress, DH did bring up how I would sometimes distrub his sleep if I was having a restless night; so we made that a priority when trying out new mattresses. Some mattresses are better than others and the higher end mattresses dampen the bounciess of one person shifting positions. The one we chose, Simmons Beautyrest Black, is very good in that way and so we don't have the problem anymore.

Now my brother strongly prefers a king bed because he is fairly tall (6'2") and appreciates the extra length of a king for sleeping.

One thing I would think about as you say your DH is a commercial pilot and no doubt is always shifting between time zones, how your choice of king vs. queen will affect your sleep. I think the times when I was disturbing my DH more was when he was returning from a business trip overseas and so had more trouble than usual settling in for a night's sleep. I do think you should place a higher priority on what is most comfortable...esp if your DH travels a lot and is shifting between time zones so that you do not disturb one another. With raising young children there are enough other reasons why we are awakened at night....

My husband is 5'5" and has always wanted a king-sized bed. Maybe he's got a Napoleon complex, I don't know. Anyway, he was holding out for same when I said, "Do you realize that if we get a king-sized bed, we will have to open and close the closet while kneeling on the bed?" We got the queen. I mean, if you have a cavernous bedroom, a king bed will help fill the space. If you are really big people or thrash around, get a king bed. Otherwise, it just sucks up valuable bedroom real estate and breaks the budget where sheets, etc. are concerned.

We didn't get a king sized bed until I was 45. I thought I'd died & gone to heaven! I can't imagine going back to a smaller bed. I love to stretch out & so does DH. He is too hot to cuddle with very long, he's like a furnace, too.

As far as the mattress, the going idea now is that the lifespan is 8 years or so, because they get filled with dust mites, dander, etc. So, you could change your mind in another few years. But we definitely ALWAYS buy a mattress you can turn, they wear better doing that. A pillow top is nice, but you can't turn them.

Like missmary, I was married for over 30 years with a queen-size bed. We were thrilled to get the king size - we have 2 large dogs, one of whom always sleeps crosswise -the other dog only comes up early in the morning. But I've always subscribed to this philosophy - the amount of room you will need to take up will always increase in proportion to the amount of room available - sort of like the amount of clothes per closet space ;-)

Helene

Getting a king this weekend and can not wait!!! We have a large room but even if it was small I'd squeeze that king in there! By the way, to those comments about the extra length for tall people liking a king- king and queen are the same exact length. 80 inches. The king is just wider not longer.

It really depends on both of you, how you sleep, what you are used to, and your preferences. You need to do what truly is best for both of you! Kings are great because you have more room if you toss and turn a lot in your sleep. But Queens are also great if the extra room just isn't a necessity

Congrats on the new King.

No bounce memory foam King bed for us here (74"x80") in our very small room!.. Dh is another blanket stealing, tossing and turning Furnace of a diagonal sleeper. I really considered 2 queens even if they had to be Bunk Beds. I was awakened by him nightly one way or another. The worst was that I was always rolling into his space and cooking! I'd get stuck to him. Yuck!!! He was fine with it.

It's not our sizes; we're 5'2" (me) and 5'10" (DH) it's the movement. No joke although it sounds like it could be part of one!

Even now the dogs have their own beds as no one else could sleep near DH. Our latest addition, Chilli the 4 month old kitten can't even fit with him there. DH rolls on him. I get a quarter of the bed but that's all I need.

I love love love the space and I'm not tossed around like flotsam when he bounces for hours on his 3/4 of the bed. I have put extra blankets within easy reach on my side of the bed so the blanket stealing of our king sized blankets has been solved too. His talking and gentle snoring in his sleep never bothered me so I sleep the night through for the first time in years, except for my leg cramps.

Maybe they're talking about the Cal King. It is narrower and longer at 72 x 84". :)

I think if you like a queen, go for it! Easier, cheaper, and better looking.

I personally like our king - great for snuggling kids and big dogs on sleepovers (and I'm hoping our new dog will want to sleep with us as a grownup too!). My sister and her husband and their two cats and their 75lb dog happily lived with a queen for years. Then they started sleeping on my king guest bed...now they have a king.

We even sleep with two separate double duvets (his light, mine heavier) and IT IS DREAMY! For everyone that has a spouse that moves around a lot - trust me, you will love separate blankets. We started when husband had undiagnosed sleep apnea and flopped around all night like a tuna in a net. I call it Scandinavian but it's just convenient.

(hotel in the alps)

We've never had a king size bed and have never had a desire for one. For over ten years we had a double (gasp!) When we got a third cat and moved to a house with a little bigger bedroom we got a queen. Until we moved again last year we've never had a bedroom big enough for a king. Now that we have the room we still have no desire for a bigger bed. We are relatively small people and there's plenty of room on the bed for all five of us.

Since I am past the half-century mark, I consider myself an adult-- on paper at least. DH and I have always had a double bed. When we got together, I had an antique bed that a double mattress was the right size for.

When we switched to a modern bed, we just stuck with that size even though our bedroom at the time was the size of a small grocery store. I just never wanted a bigger bed.

Now, if DH would tolerate the dog and cat sleeping with us, I might go up a size. But since he prefers an allergen free-zone in the bedroom, we are sticking with the double.

I think all the talk of a king is individual to THIS SITE. No one in my REAL life has one until they hit 70+ then all the aches and pains make a king more comfortable. I wonder if you could google how many queens/kings are sold per year? We have a queen..28 years of marriage, getting set to get a new mattress and it will be a queen.

I hate it when I respond to these five year old posts....

3katz, lol, you're right! I didn't even notice it was an old post. I'm sure the OP has decided on a bed by now!

We put a king size bed in a room that was really too small...and after a couple years we went back to queen size. I wonder what the minimum recommended space around the bed is for situations where you have a small room.

Love my king! Never had one until we inherited one in our downsized retirement condo. I am 5'2" and he is 5'9" and so its not size, its just that I move around a lot and I like my space. For 5 months a year I sleep in our lake house on a queen and I can't wait to get back to FL for my king :)

Had a queen - when we needed a new one after 20+ years, switched to a California king. When we needed another new one after another 20+ years, switched to a regular King. I can sleep in a queen (can barely sleep in a double -- that's only for one-night stays in motel rooms that have nothing else), but I much prefer the King.

DH won't go for the 2 comforter scenario. So I have spare blankets. :) It works for us. I just move the cats and cover up. :P Love old threads like this. They make for an enjoyable span the time read.

We started over 40 years ago in a full/double. Then to a queen and for the last 25 years, it's been a king. Its a very small master and the room is squished, really tight.

Dh is a light sleeper and never moves. You could draw a chalk line around him at bedtime and he will be inside the lines in the morning. He always used to complain how I kept him up all night long and he would bit-- and moan all the next day that he didnt get enough sleep and it was ruining his life. I hated the bedroom. Still do. But he sleeps in the den now. And I don't ruin his life any more.

The last ten years I have had severe obstructive apnea which has totally affected our lives. It finally got better in the last couple of years. But the insomnia remains.

So when we bought our new to us Arizona house, we have two wonderful, comfy queen beds in our large master with plenty of room to walk around. Dressers are in the huge master closet as is a desk/office area for dh. We each sleep on the edge closest to each other but now if he wants to complain, its not my fault! Never was.

Westsider40 that is simply a wonderful set up congratulations!

King bed only! A must, in fact. I have pain from complications of surgery and usually sleep more comfortably with one arm stretched straight out. If we didn't have the king, my husband would be sleeping on my arm! Or on the floor. :)

Queen bed only for me. Even at hotels I prefer them to kings.

I have a huge master with both a sitting area and a tea nook, so space is not an issue at all. I just hate hate hate feeling adrift five feet away from my partner in a king sized bed.

I love my king. He and I are all cuddle cuddle then not so much....too hot. We love our space where can touch. We do have queen at beach place and we don't sleep well

From the perspective of another commercial pilot’s wife, (me), take my word for it that a queen size works just fine, and has for 35 years. And my pilot, (who’s now retired), is 6’5” - yet we’ve always been comfortable and happy in our queen. It was plenty of room when he flew four days on four days off and I was alone, and now that he’s home every night we’re still not missing the expanse of a king. It’s fun when we travel, but prefer the coziness of a queen at home.

There are lots of lovely things you can do with a little extra space in your master bedroom instead of centering a bigger bed, like having a little sitting area or an exercise area in front of the window (if you're a yoga person). We sleep in a queen and for us the only thing that a King mattress has over a Queen is that if you and your spouse need very different mattresses you can do that with 2 twins under king sheets. We do need different mattresses (med-soft vs firm), but we still prefer sharing our Queen. A full would be fine too and is a little easier to change the sheets - but it's easier to buy sheets for a queen :). Good luck!

Old post

While it’s an old thread, it’s an interesting topic. I think for those of us who “sleep hot”—and there are many of us—a king size is better. I also remember an interview with Dick Clark who was asked the secret to his very happy marriage of 30+ years. He said “a king-size mattress”. 😀

I don’t think the 16 inch size difference between the width of the two would give you room for a sitting area or yoga space. But it every likely would give you more room to sleep, move around, In a queen you have about the same amount of space per person Width-wise as In a baby crib.

If you have the room for it King is always better! But just keep in mind its always harder to downsize once you’re used to it. we upgraded from Queen to King when I was pregnant with my second kid.. i was already feeling cramped with one kid kicking me.. fast forward to now Ive separated/divorced and I let ex hubby keep King bed but i got myself a Cal King out of wanting to keep the space i was used to and my littlest still bed sharing… my current home has small bedrooms and i am now considering downgrading to a queen to have more room in my master bedroom, but i dont want to give up all the room.. wish i didnt get used to it now, because my bed takes up most of the room 😭

We have always lived in older homes with the main bedroom being on the small size. My husband wanted a king bed really badly, but I pointed out that there would be absolutely no room to walk around the bed, so Queen it was. Neither of us moves around in our sleep, so we really didn't *need* a King. I think if you need the space in the bed, you would be willing to sacrifice being able to get around the bed in a smaller room. To each, his/her own.