Every bedroom needs four things: a bed frame, a mattress, somewhere to put clothes and at least one bedside table. Buy them in that order. The bed sets the size of everything else, storage clears the floor, and bedside tables can be matched once the bed is in. Mirrors, rugs and seating can wait.
- If floor space is tight: choose a bed that stores things, like the Fabulous Upholstered Storage Bed Frame with Drawer, before buying a separate chest.
- If you need clothes storage in a narrow corner: measure the gap, then look for a tallboy that stacks its drawers upwards on a narrow footprint in our chest of drawers and tallboys range.
- If you want pieces that match later: start with a range that spans the room, such as the solid acacia Jayden Bedside Table and its matching tallboy.
In this guide
Measure first: the room, the walls and the way in
Most of the bedroom regrets we hear about in the showroom start with a tape measure that never came out. Before you buy a single piece, write down four numbers.
- The bed wall. Measure the longest wall without a door or window on it. That is usually where the bed goes, and its width decides whether a queen or a king will fit with bedside tables either side.
- Walking space. Plan on about 60 to 70 cm of clear floor on each side of the bed and at the foot, so you can make the bed and walk past without turning side-on.
- Door and drawer swing. Note where the bedroom door, the wardrobe doors and any drawers open into the room. A tallboy that blocks the wardrobe door is a common mistake.
- The way in. Measure the front door, hallways, tight corners and any stairs. Large cartons have to get through every one of them.
Mark the bed's footprint on the floor with masking tape and live with it for a day. If the room feels tight on tape, it will feel tight with a bed in it.
Pieces in this guide
The bedroom furniture list, in buying order
You do not need to buy a whole room at once. Building it in stages spreads the cost and lets you see how you actually use the space before adding extras. Here is the list we work through with customers, in the order we suggest buying it.
Buy first: the essentials
- Bed frame. It sets the size of the room's layout and the height your bedside tables need to match.
- Mattress. Buy it in the same size as the frame. A queen frame takes a 153 × 203 cm queen mattress.
- Clothes storage. A built-in wardrobe, a tallboy or a chest of drawers, so clothes are off the floor from day one.
- One bedside table. Somewhere for a lamp, a glass of water and your phone. A second one can follow.
Buy next: the pieces that finish the room
- A second bedside table, if both sides of the bed are open.
- A dresser with a mirror, or a full-length mirror on the wall or the back of a door.
- Bedside lamps, so you are not relying on the ceiling light.
Buy later: the extras
- A bench or an accent chair at the end of the bed.
- A rug, artwork, cushions and throws.
- Extra storage such as baskets or a blanket box, once you know what still needs a home.
Browse the whole bedroom furniture range to see how the pieces sit together.
Choosing the bed frame and mattress
The bed frame is the largest piece in the room, so get it right first. Three questions narrow it down quickly.
What size? Size comes from the room and from who sleeps in the bed. If you are deciding between the two most common sizes for couples, our guide to queen vs king beds works through the measurements.
Does it need to store things? A storage bed earns its floor space in a smaller room. The Fabulous Upholstered Storage Bed Frame with Drawer has a pull-out drawer at the foot that runs on castor wheels, which suits spare linen and out-of-season clothes. It comes in five Australian sizes and a choice of fabric or black PU leather.
What look? Upholstered frames soften a room; timber reads warmer and more traditional. The Franco Fabric Bed Frame has a button-tufted headboard on turned wooden legs, a style that leans Scandi, Hamptons or coastal. For something simpler, the Falcon Grey Fabric Upholstered Bed Frame wraps the headboard, side rails and footboard in grey fabric with a cushioned headboard.
One practical point: all three of these frames have a wooden slat base, so the mattress sits straight on the slats with no box spring to buy. If you are pairing a specific foam or hybrid mattress, check the slat spacing with our team first. Compare more styles across our bed frames.
Storage and bedside tables
If the room has a built-in wardrobe, a tallboy or chest of drawers takes the folded clothes and frees the wardrobe for hanging. If it has no wardrobe at all, storage moves up to the top of the list.
Think about footprint as well as drawer count. The Majestic II Tallboy Grey has five drawers upholstered in a grey woven-look fabric over an MDF frame, and its product page lists it at 81 cm wide and 121 cm high, so it tucks into narrower corners. The Jayden Tallboy is solid acacia with four full-width drawers on a 100 × 50 cm footprint. Either way, a tall chest of drawers must be anchored to the wall before use, especially with children in the house. See more options in our chest of drawers and tallboys range.
For bedside tables, height matters more than looks. The top should sit roughly level with the top of your mattress, which is why it pays to buy the bed first. The Jayden Bedside Table is listed at 55 cm high with two drawers, and the Jack Bedside Table at 57 cm, both in solid acacia. Our guide on how to choose a bedside table covers height, width and storage in detail, and the full range is in bedside tables.
Your pieces do not have to match exactly. Keep two of three things consistent across the room (timber tone, colour palette or hardware finish) and it will look planned. A range that covers several pieces makes this easy: Jayden, for example, includes a bed, bedside table, tallboy and dresser with mirror.
Making a small bedroom feel bigger
A small bedroom does not need less furniture so much as furniture that does more and takes up less visual space.
- Size the bed to the room, not the other way round. In a smaller room a queen often leaves space for bedside tables and a walkway where a king would not.
- Put storage inside the bed. A foot-end drawer, like the one on the Fabulous, holds linen and bulky items without adding another piece to the floor.
- Choose pieces on legs. When you can see floor under a bed frame or bedside table, the room reads as larger. The Franco's turned wooden legs are a good example.
- Go up, not out. A tallboy uses height instead of floor area, and wall shelves keep surfaces clear.
- Keep the palette light. Pale walls and bedding bounce light around. Save bold colour for cushions or one piece of art.
- Add a large mirror. It reflects light and adds a sense of depth.
- Hang curtains high. Mounting the rod close to the ceiling draws the eye up and makes the walls feel taller.
Furnishing a rental bedroom
If you rent, buy for your next bedroom as well as this one. Floor plans change from rental to rental, so flexible, easy-to-move pieces go further.
- Pick a standard bed size. A queen fits most bedrooms and is easy to find bedding for wherever you move next.
- Prefer a slat base. A frame with built-in slats, like the Falcon, means one less bulky base to carry from place to place.
- Let the bed do the storing. A storage bed can stand in for a chest of drawers in a room without built-ins.
- Stay neutral. Grey, natural timber and black work with almost any landlord's paint and flooring.
- Ask before you drill. A tallboy needs wall anchoring, so check with your landlord or property manager about fixing it to the wall before it arrives.
- Measure every move. Check doorways, stairs and lifts at the new place before moving day, not on it.
If you would like to see a bed or tallboy before you buy, ask which of our five showrooms has it on display.
Bedroom furniture FAQs
What furniture do you need in a bedroom?
The essentials are a bed frame, a mattress, clothes storage (a wardrobe, tallboy or chest of drawers) and at least one bedside table. A mirror, lamps, a rug and seating are useful extras you can add over time.
What does a bedroom furniture package usually include?
A bedroom package or suite usually means a bed frame with matching bedside tables and a tallboy or dresser. Check each listing for exactly what is included, because bed frames are often sold as the frame only, with the mattress sold separately.
Should bedroom furniture match?
Not exactly. Keep two of three things consistent across the room, such as timber tone, colour palette or hardware finish, and mixed pieces will still look planned. Buying from one range is the simplest way to get a matched look.
Can you furnish a bedroom in stages?
Yes, and it often works better. Start with the bed frame, mattress, clothes storage and one bedside table, then add a second bedside table, a mirror and extras once you know how you use the room.
How much space should you leave around a bed?
Plan on about 60 to 70 cm of clear floor on each side and at the foot of the bed. That leaves room to make the bed, walk past and open bedside drawers without bumping into other furniture.
Is a tallboy a good choice for a small bedroom?
Often, yes. A tallboy stores clothes in height rather than floor area. A narrower one, such as a five-drawer tallboy around 81 cm wide, fits corners a wide dresser would not. Always anchor it to the wall.