A Bench at the End of the Bed: Size, Height and Rug

What it is for

A bench at the foot of a bed is a place to sit while you dress, to lay out clothes and to put a bag down that would otherwise land on the bed. It also finishes a bed visually, especially a bed with a low footboard or none.

Length and height

A bench looks settled when it is a little shorter than the width of the bed, so the bed frames it. A bench longer than the bed looks like it has been borrowed from a hallway.

Height should be at or a little below the top of the mattress so it does not block the bed. Measure your bed and compare with the dimensions on the product page. Our furniture dimensions are given per piece on daybeds and benches.

Walking space

Leave enough room between the bench and a wall or wardrobe to walk past and open doors. If the foot of the bed faces a door or a wardrobe close by, a bench may make the room tight; two small poufs can give the same seat with more floor.

With the rug

A bedroom rug usually extends beyond the foot of the bed. If the bench sits on the rug, all its legs should be on it; if the rug stops short, keep the bench fully off. See the Raheem & Son guide to choosing a bedroom rug and our rug size guide.

A cane bench is light and lets the rug show through; an upholstered bench adds softness. Contrast with the rug's texture rather than matching it.

Care

Dust teak and cane regularly, use felt pads on hard floors, and move the bench a little every few months on a rug so the pile is not crushed in one place. See caring for cane and teak furniture.

Benches elsewhere in the home

A bench that does not fit at the foot of the bed often finds a home somewhere else. In a hallway it gives a place to sit while putting on shoes, with a basket underneath for the shoes themselves. Along one side of a dining table it seats more people than chairs in the same space, and it slides under the table when not in use. Under a window in a living room it adds seating without blocking the view.

Wherever it goes, the same checks apply: length relative to what it sits beside, height relative to what it sits next to, and a clear path around it.

Measuring, step by step

Measure the width of the bed frame, not the mattress, because the frame is what the bench sits against visually.

Measure the height from the floor to the top of the mattress.

Measure the distance from the foot of the bed to the nearest wall, wardrobe or dresser, and subtract the bench depth. What remains is your walkway; it should be comfortable to walk through and to open drawers or doors.

Compare all three with the bench dimensions on the product page before you order.

Choosing a style

A cane-backed or cane-seat bench is light and lets the floor and rug show through, which suits a small bedroom. An upholstered bench is softer to sit on and adds another texture. A bench with a back reads more like a seat; a backless bench reads more like part of the bed.

Match the wood tone to the bed frame or contrast it deliberately. Almost matching, a slightly different shade of a similar wood, tends to look like a mistake.

Alternatives to a bench

Two poufs side by side: softer, movable, and they leave a gap to walk through. See how to style a pouf.

A daybed: in a large bedroom, a daybed at the foot of the bed or under a window gives a place to read or lie down. See a daybed in the living room.

A low basket for blankets: if the main need is somewhere to put the throw at night, a basket may be all you need. See jute baskets.

Common mistakes

A bench wider than the bed. It sticks out past the frame and catches shins.

A bench taller than the mattress. It blocks the bed and looks like a barrier.

Half on the rug. Either all four legs on the rug or none.

Using it as a shelf. A bench piled with clothes stops being a seat. Give it one job: a place to sit, with perhaps a folded throw.

Ordering

Benches are made to order, usually in a few weeks (no fixed estimate yet), and ship free within India and to the countries we deliver furniture to. Furniture is not yet available for delivery to the UK or EU.