I'm a bigger guy, about 6'3" and 270, and I'm finally replacing a queen that's way too small. My partner and I are stuck between a standard king and a California king. I know Cal king is longer and narrower, but I can't figure out which tradeoff matters more when one of the sleepers takes up a lot of room. What actually pushed you one way or the other?
Bed Sizing
How do you decide between a king and California king?
At 6'3" I'd lean Cal king just for the length. Standard king is 80 inches long, same as a queen, and that's not much extra foot room for someone your height.
Width was the dealbreaker for us. Cal king is 72 inches wide vs 76 for a regular king. Four inches doesn't sound like much until you're both trying to find elbow room. I'd measure the room first, though. Ours barely fit a Cal king and the walking space got tight.
Do you sleep on your back or side? If you're a back sleeper, foot room matters less than shoulder room. Side sleeper at your weight, the extra width helps more.
we went Cal king because my husband is 6'5" and a standard king had his feet hanging off the end. It solved that problem completely. But now the bedding is annoying. Sheets cost more and fewer stores stock them in person.
Bedding was something I hadn't considered at all. Does it really make a difference, or is it just a matter of ordering online?
Ordering online is fine, the bigger issue is if you ever want to buy a comforter in a store on short notice. Also check your bedroom doorway and stairwell. That's the part people forget. A king mattress does not bend like a box spring.
Second the stairwell warning. We had to take a window out for ours. Funny in hindsight, not at the time.
One thing nobody has said: if you two ever want a kid or a dog in the bed, the narrower Cal king starts feeling crowded fast. We switched back to a king for that reason.
That's a good point about pets. Our two cats have decided the middle is theirs regardless of mattress size, so honestly I'm not sure width matters as much as we think.
Leaning toward the standard king based on the width comments. My feet don't hang off the queen, so the length probably isn't my real problem. Thanks for the reality check on the stairwell too.