Your bedroom is a place of refuge, where you retreat at the end of every day. It’s a place for rest, relaxation and rejuvenation—so naturally, you want it to feel as comfortable as possible.

But there’s a big difference between a cozy bedroom and a cramped one. Before you begin thinking about designing your master suite with furniture, mattresses, rugs and curtains, you need to consider the centerpiece of the room: your bed.

Choosing the Right Size Mattress Size

1. If your mattress is too big, it will make the bedroom feel crowded and small. You’ll have less room for other crucial furniture, like dressers, and less space for getting around the room comfortably.
2. If the mattress is too small, it will make the bed itself look tiny and thus less cozy. Not to mention: a smaller mattress will leave less room for stretching out in bed, especially if sleeping with a partner.

So, what size mattress is right for your space? It all depends on the size of the room. Here’s how to measure.

Determining Mattress Size by Room Size

While you may already have your heart set on a huge king bed, you need to be sure it fits your space. This is why it’s important to measure your bedroom to determine the length of each wall.

Use a tape measure to measure both the length and width of your bedroom. If your bedroom has unique angles, be sure to measure each wall, so you can determine where your bed can be placed. You’re going to want a minimum of 22 inches of walking space around the bed, in addition to space for other furniture.

With that mind, here are some recommended room clearances for each mattress size:

• Twin: 99″ x 105″ min clearance
• Full: 114″ x 105″ min clearance
• Queen: 120′ x 110′ min clearance
• King: 136″ x 110′ x  min clearance
• California King: 132″ x 114″ min clearance

How big is each mattress? See our sizing guide

Be sure to also consider the location of the bedroom door. You don’t want it to swing into the bed.

Now that you’ve picked the perfect mattress size, it’s time to design the rest of the room for maximum comfort.

Here are some key design tips:

• Measure before you add more furniture. Dressers, chests and nightstands can quickly eat up a lot of wall space. After accounting for your bed, measure your remaining space to help you determine which other furniture will fit. You can then use those measurements to find the perfect-size pieces for your space.
• Soften the space with rugs and window treatments. Add color and sound-absorbing softness to your bedroom by placing an area rug beneath the bed, as well as curtains on the windows.
• Boost comfort with accent chairs and chests. If you have extra room to play with, you can enhance the comfort value even further with an accent chair, a low-sitting slipper chair or a chest at the end of the bed (great for storing extra blankets and pillows).