Teen Room Dimensions and Buying Guide: Bed, Wardrobe, Desk

Short answer: in a teenager's room the bed size is 90×190 cm, 90×200 / 100×200 cm for teenagers who are still growing, and 120×200 cm (a "one-and-a-half") for rooms over 11 m². The desk should be at least 110×60 cm and 72-75 cm high, and the wardrobe 55-60 cm deep.

Teen room bed sizes: which for which age and how many m²?

As the bed grows there is no room left for the desk and wardrobe; that is why "let's get the biggest one" backfires. Two things decide it: the teenager's height and the space left in the room.

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The areas in the table assume the desk and wardrobe are also in the room. For what the sizes mean generally, see our article on single and double bed sizes.

What exactly does a "one-and-a-half bed" mean?

A one-and-a-half bed is 120×200 cm; the name describes its position rather than its size — wider than a single, narrower than a double. The reason it is so sought after is clear: a 90 cm bed feels narrow to a growing teenager, while a 140 eats the room.

• Who it suits: the end of high school and university age.
• Who it does not suit: use by two people; at 120 cm that is 60 cm each.
• Its hidden cost: finding 120×200 bedding is harder than for 90 or 160.

Setting up the room by age

The room is used for 8-10 years, and the need changes three times in that period.

• Primary school (6-10): play comes first; 90×190 is enough, and clear floor is worth more than a desk.
• Middle school (11-14): the desk becomes the main piece and needs more depth; the need for hanging space begins.
• High school and university (15+): the bed goes to 100×200 or 120×200, and hanging space overtakes shelf space in the wardrobe.

Desk dimensions

The most common mistake is buying a narrow desk; a studying teenager has notebooks, books and a screen on the desk at once.

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The test for correct posture is simple: feet flat on the floor, elbows meeting the desk at 90 degrees. There should be 27-30 cm between the seat and the desk top. As they grow, change the chair, not the desk.

A teenager's wardrobe: how many doors, what depth?

• Depth: if there is a hanging rail, the internal depth should not go below 55 cm; at 45-50 cm shoulders do not fit on a hanger.
• Hanging / shelf balance: a third hanging is enough at primary school age; after high school the ratio reverses.
• Door opening allowance: hinged doors need at least 60 cm in front, and 90 cm for comfortable use; if there is not, sliding doors are the only solution.
• Drawers: at least two; most of the mess comes from small items.

To plan the interior divisions see our wardrobe dimensions and interior layout guide, or if you are looking for a wardrobe on its own, the 4-door wardrobe model.

Laying out a small 8-10 m² teen room

The order is: bed first, then wardrobe, then desk. The bed's position is close to fixed; the desk is flexible.

• Bed: long side against the wall, in a corner; that leaves uninterrupted space in the middle.
• Desk: in front of or beside the window. For a right-handed person the light should come from the left, or their hand casts a shadow on the page.
• Wardrobe: on the same wall as the door; do not put a tall wardrobe on the window wall, it blocks the light.
• Circulation: at least 70 cm of uninterrupted walkway must remain in the room.

For placing furniture in a narrow room see how to fit a bedroom set into a small room, and for the area calculation, how many m² a room should be.

Bunk beds, high beds and under-bed storage

• Bunk beds: only if the room is shared by two children. At least 75-80 cm between the upper bed and the ceiling; the top bunk is not for under-sixes.
• High beds: not suitable in a room with a ceiling under 250 cm; they really come into their own below 8 m².
• Under-bed storage: the easiest gain. A drawer model needs 50-60 cm clear in front; with a box base there is no such problem.

Choices that will still work in five years

The parent's real question is not "is it nice" but "how many years will it last":

• A neutral body with changeable details. Let the character come from the bedding; a themed body dates in 3 years.
• A 200 cm long bed. A 190 means a complete replacement once they grow.
• An adjustable chair and a deep desk. A desk bought right lasts 10 years.
• A modular wardrobe. Shelves and rails should be able to swap places.
• A good body. The detail is in our article on the difference between MDF, chipboard and solid timber.

Five typical mistakes when measuring

• Measuring the wall at one point. Measure at three and use the smallest.
• Not counting the skirting board, sockets and radiator. They push furniture 3-8 cm off the wall.
• Mistaking the mattress size for the bed frame size. The outside of the frame adds on every side.
• Not drawing the door swing. Add the arc the door sweeps to your plan.
• Blocking the window. The room feels both dark and small.