Beds

Bed Sizes
Several factors affect the size of bed you'll need. First, you need to take into consideration the size of the person or people who will sleep in it. King beds (California and standard) are the largest, followed by queen beds, full beds and twin beds. The dimensions of each size are as follows:

• California King Bed: 72 inches wide x 84 inches long
• King Bed: 76 inches wide x 80 inches long
• Queen Bed: 60 inches wide x 80 inches long
• Full Bed (or double bed): 54 inches wide x 75 inches long
• Twin Bed: 39 inches wide x 75 inches long (80 inches for extra long twin beds)

The other factor to consider when deciding what size to purchase is the size of the room. You need to have some space to walk around the bed, access your closet, change the sheets, etc. In a small bedroom, a full size bed would probably fit better and make the room look bigger than would a king size bed.

Bed Configurations
Your basic bed has a tall headboard on one end and a short footboard on the other end. In the middle is the frame whereon the mattress sits. Tall people might want to avoid a bed with a footboard, as it might make it difficult to stretch out. If you are a tall person who really wants a footboard, get a sleigh bed that curves out away from the top of the mattress.

Bed Construction
How much work are you willing to spend to keep your bed looking good? Different materials require different care. Wood beds are usually easier to clean and polish than some other common bed materials like powder-coated steel or brass. A metal bed won't be quite as susceptible to damage.

Night Stands
You can purchase a night stand with drawers, with doors, a combination of both, or with open shelves. It's all a matter of what you want. Just make sure you pay attention to the height of the bed side table. It needs to be tall enough that you can see and reach the alarm clock, lamp, etc, from bed. Ideally, you want the top of your night table to be about the same height as the top of your mattress.

Armoires
An armoire, also known as a wardrobe, can make a beautiful addition to a bedroom, even if the room already has a large closet. There are many different armoire configurations. The most common and basic configuration features a clothing rod behind double doors, along with a couple of drawers at the base. There are other, more complex types of armoires, however. For example, you can get what's known as an "entertainment cabinet" or "TV armoire," which has a place for a TV and stereo concealed behind the doors.

Armoires take up a lot of space, relatively speaking. Make sure you get one that isn't too big for the bedroom. You also might want to measure the door and make sure the dimensions of the armoire will allow for moving it in and out of the room.

Dressers and Chests
It's all in the drawers -- how many and how voluminous they are. Basically, the bigger the better when it comes to dressers and chests. If you're short on drawer space, you're stuffing the clothes in the drawers and forcing them shut. With more space in the drawers, you can avoid wrinkles in your clothes while allowing more air circulation.