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Super King Beds

There's a version of this decision that's simple: the room is large enough, you're buying new, and the question is just whether to go king or super...
There's a version of this decision that's simple: the room is large enough, you're buying new, and the question is just whether to go king or super king. But for most couples who end up here, it's more specific than that. They're in a king and they sleep reasonably well, but one of them is still consistently aware of the other during the night. Not kept awake. Just aware. The faint disturbance when the other person shifts position, the warmth that migrates across the middle of the bed, the slight recalibration at 3am when someone gets up for a glass of water and comes back. A super king at 180cm wide gives each person 90cm, which is more than a standard single gives one person sleeping alone. That margin is enough to mean ordinary sleep movement on one side genuinely doesn't register on the other.
The frames here are upholstered fabric beds in super king size, drawn from the same beds collection as the rest of the range. The same headboard styles, the same base options, the same quality of construction, at the largest standard UK size. A super king is a considered purchase and it asks something of the room in return, so it's worth being clear-eyed about whether the bedroom can carry it properly before you commit. Finance is available on many frames, subject to status.
We deliver nationally across the UK, with frames typically arriving within 7 to 14 days. Our Manchester showroom is open if you'd like to see super king frames in person before buying. The scale of a super king frame is genuinely difficult to gauge from photographs alone, and for a purchase this significant it's often worth the trip. Get in touch at any stage if you have questions before you order.

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What's in this collection

The super king frames here are upholstered fabric beds covering a range of headboard heights and styles, including tall 70 and 72-inch headboard designs that make a particularly strong impression at super king width. At 180cm, a high headboard super king frame is the largest statement piece you can put into a bedroom, and in a room that can carry it, it reads as genuinely considered rather than simply large.

Some frames are available with an ottoman storage base, where the mattress platform lifts on a gas-assist mechanism to open a large storage compartment beneath. At super king size, the storage volume of an ottoman base is substantial. If under-bed storage is part of what you're buying for, the ottoman beds collection covers how the mechanism works and what clearance the lift direction requires. For frames in velvet upholstery, the velvet beds collection covers that material in more detail.

What 180cm actually means in practice

A UK super king is 30cm wider than a king and 45cm wider than a standard double. The 30cm over a king divides to 15cm per person, which sounds modest stated that way. The more useful way to think about it is in total personal space: in a king each person has 75cm, in a super king each person has 90cm. Ninety centimetres is wider than a standard single bed. Most adults sleeping alone in a single never encounter the edges of it. That's what each person has in a super king.

What that means practically is that ordinary movement during sleep, turning over, adjusting a pillow, stretching out, stops registering on the other side. There's enough space between the two sleeping positions that the bed stops being a shared surface in any meaningful sense and becomes two adjacent ones. For couples where one person is a restless sleeper, runs significantly warmer than the other, or simply moves a lot during the night, that change in dynamic is noticeable from the first week.

It matters more in some situations than others. Couples who tend to sleep close together and neither moves much may find a king perfectly sufficient and a super king simply more room than they use. Couples where one person consistently disrupts the other with movement, or where different sleeping temperatures are an issue, are the ones who tend to feel the difference most clearly. Neither outcome is a failure of the smaller bed; it's just that different households need different things.

Planning a room around a super king

A super king frame is 180cm wide and 200cm long. With 60cm of clearance on each accessible side and 90cm at the foot, the practical minimum room width to carry a super king comfortably is around 300cm. Room length, assuming the bed sits across the shorter dimension, needs to be around 290cm. Those are workable minimums, not generous ones. A room at exactly those dimensions will fit a super king, but it won't feel spacious around it.

The width is the dimension most people misjudge. A bedroom that felt open with a king can feel substantially tighter with a super king, because the additional 30cm of bed width takes 15cm off the available clearance on both sides simultaneously. If one side of the bed is against a wall, that loss lands entirely on the accessible side and can reduce a comfortable walkway to a squeeze.

Before ordering, mark out the 180cm by 200cm footprint on the floor with tape and walk around it with wardrobe doors open. Check that you can get into the bed from both sides, access any drawers or wardrobes, and move around the room without the bed dominating every line of movement. If it works on the floor, it'll work with the frame in place. If anything feels tight in the simulation, it'll feel tighter with the bed actually there.

One additional point: a super king mattress requires super king bedding. Fitted sheets, duvets, and mattress protectors in king size won't fit a super king. It's a minor consideration but worth knowing before you order, so you're not replacing your entire bedding set as a surprise after delivery.

Spreading the Cost

Finance is available on many of our super king beds, subject to status. A super king frame alongside a super king mattress represents a significant combined purchase, and spreading the cost over time is a practical option. Details are available on the website and we're happy to talk through the options before you order.

Why buy from Shawcross

We're a Manchester-based furniture retailer with a physical showroom, and we deliver nationally across the UK. For a super king, visiting the showroom before you buy is particularly worthwhile. The scale of a 180cm frame with a tall headboard in a real room is something photographs consistently underrepresent, and for a bedroom where this frame is going to be the dominant piece of furniture for years, knowing how it actually looks and feels in three dimensions is worth the trip.

You're welcome to come in without any obligation. Give us a call beforehand to confirm whether a specific frame is currently on the showroom floor, and we're happy to help with room planning, size decisions, or frame comparisons at any stage before you order.

Super King Bed FAQs

How big is a super king bed?

A UK super king mattress is 180cm wide and 200cm long. The bed frame itself will extend a little beyond the mattress on all sides, so the total floor footprint of a super king frame is slightly larger. When measuring your room, always measure for the full frame dimensions rather than the mattress size alone.

The super king is the largest standard bed size in the UK. It's 30cm wider than a king, 45cm wider than a standard double, and the same length as a king (200cm) but 10cm longer than a standard double (190cm). The extra length over a double matters for taller sleepers and is worth noting if the bedroom has any built-in furniture or alcoves at the foot of the bed position.

What size room do I need for a super king?

To use a super king comfortably with access from both sides and clearance at the foot, you need a room roughly 300cm wide and 290cm long as a practical minimum. Those numbers come from the 180cm frame width, plus 60cm of clearance on each of two accessible sides. At the foot, 90cm of clear floor space allows you to move freely, open wardrobe doors, and access the room without the bed dominating every walkway.

Many standard UK master bedrooms are sized with a king in mind rather than a super king, and the 30cm of additional width can make a room that felt workable around a king feel noticeably tighter. Before committing, mark out the full super king footprint on the floor and walk around it. Open any doors or drawers that sit near the bed position and check that everything still functions. If it works with the tape on the floor, it'll work with the frame.

Super king or king: how do I decide?

Start with the room. If the bedroom genuinely can't carry a super king with comfortable clearance on both sides, the choice has been made for you and a king is the right answer for that room. A king with space around it is a better daily experience than a super king that leaves the room feeling closed in.

If the room can take either size, the decision comes down to how you sleep. A king at 150cm gives each person 75cm, which is more than adequate for most couples. A super king at 180cm gives each person 90cm, which is enough that ordinary sleep movement on one side stops registering on the other. If you and your partner tend to sleep undisturbed by each other, a king is likely sufficient. If movement, temperature differences, or restless sleeping means one of you regularly disturbs the other, the super king is the more practical answer.

The couples who are most satisfied with a super king are typically those where one person is a noticeably more restless sleeper, or where both people run different sleeping temperatures and naturally gravitate toward their own half of the bed. For couples who sleep close together and rarely notice each other's movement, the difference between a king and a super king is less felt.

Is a super king too big for most UK bedrooms?

For many UK bedrooms, yes, honestly. The average UK master bedroom is not designed with a super king as the assumed bed size, and a room that works comfortably around a king can become difficult to use properly around a super king. The 30cm of additional width sounds manageable, but it reduces the clearance on both sides simultaneously, and in a room that's already not generously proportioned it can tip what was a functional layout into one that involves stepping sideways every morning.

A super king is well-suited to a bedroom of genuine size, typically in older or larger properties, in converted spaces where the room dimensions are above average, or in newer homes with a dedicated master suite. In a standard semi-detached or terrace, the master bedroom is often borderline. The only reliable way to know is to measure carefully, mark out the footprint, and check the result honestly. If it's tight on paper, it'll feel tight in practice.

Do I need a specific mattress for a super king frame?

Yes, you need a super king mattress, which is 180cm by 200cm. King mattresses at 150cm wide and double mattresses at 135cm wide won't fit a super king frame. The sizing is standardised across UK retailers, so any super king mattress from any UK supplier will fit any UK super king frame.

Beyond the size, there's no requirement for a particular type of mattress. Standard sprung, memory foam, and hybrid mattresses all work with an upholstered fabric frame on a slatted or solid base. One practical point: super king mattresses and bedding are less widely stocked than king size, and the price point is typically higher simply due to the volume of materials involved. If you're buying a mattress at the same time as your frame, we carry mattresses alongside our beds. Get in touch if you'd like advice on which option suits your budget or sleeping preference.

How does delivery work, and can I see super king beds in person first?

We deliver nationally across the UK. Once your order is placed you'll receive a confirmation, and we'll be in touch closer to the time to arrange a delivery date that suits you. Super king bed frames are delivered in components and assembled in the room, so the width of the assembled frame doesn't affect access through the door or up the stairs. Delivery is typically within 7 to 14 days. If your property has a narrow staircase, a tight landing, or any access consideration worth flagging in advance, let us know when you order so the delivery team can prepare.

If you'd like to see super king frames in person before committing, our Manchester showroom is open and you're welcome to come in without any obligation. For a purchase this size, seeing the frame at full scale is genuinely useful. Photographs don't convey how a 180cm bed with a 70-inch headboard actually sits in a room, and it's the kind of thing that's worth knowing before rather than after delivery. Give us a call beforehand to check whether a specific frame is currently on the showroom floor.