Where to Place a Bed in Your Bedroom

Whether you’re giving your current bedroom a makeover or moving into a new house, picking a bedroom design can feel overwhelming. What should be exciting and dreamy might start to feel like a nightmare. If this sounds like you, stop and take a deep breath. It doesn’t have to be this way!

Your bedroom is your sanctuary, and your bed is arguably the most important part of your home. It’s where you go to recharge and get a good night’s sleep, both of which are necessary if you want to maintain good health and keep up with everything life throws at you. And you deserve to have a bedroom layout that supports you.

This guide explores seven different bed placement options for every room. We’ve also highlighted some quick tips, feng shui tips, and answers to commonly asked questions, so you can put this dilemma to rest.

Where Should a Bed Be Placed in a Bedroom?

Deciding where to place a bed in a bedroom doesn’t need to be a headache, but you should give it some thought. After all, your bedroom should be your home’s most comforting, personal room. The same is true if you’re designing a guest room.

It might be easier if there was one perfect bed position, but every home is different. The ideal spot to place your bed depends on things like window and door placement, room size, bed size, and radiator placement. And don’t forget to consider what makes you feel most comfortable when you fall asleep at night!

Below, we’ve outlined seven options to help you find the perfect spot to put your bed.

1. Centered Perpendicular to the Door

Placing your bed in the center of the wall, perpendicular to the door, often works well for small bedrooms. Perpendicular lines intersect at a 90-degree angle, which means positioning the head of the bed against one of the two side walls in the room. Then, when the door opens, it’ll open towards the side of the bed.

For privacy (and feng shui), you might want to avoid the option with the most direct line of sight from the door to the bed. With most floorplans, this placement will ensure that you have room for nightstands on either side of the bed and enough space to walk around the bedroom.

This position is often seen in guest bedrooms, which usually don’t have as much room as master bedrooms. And since guest bedrooms aren’t always occupied, the lack of privacy is less of an issue — if you choose a decorative bed frames or blanket for the guest room, it allows you to show it off.

2. Off-Center Facing the Door

Placing the bed off-center with the headboard against the wall opposite the door is a popular option for both large and small rooms. This positioning allows a bigger piece of furniture (like a wardrobe or bookshelf) to fill the larger space on the more exposed side of the wall, which is often more practical. For example, you might set up a desk on the larger side for a private home office.

You’ll still have some room on the other side of the bed, allowing you to set up a nightstand and maintain a smooth footpath. This is similar to the best bed position in feng shui, known as the “commanding position,” from which you can see the door, but you’re not directly in front of the doorway. It’s also favored in feng shui because it allows for a smooth flow of energy throughout the room.

If you live in a bustling household, this position provides a bit of privacy because it interrupts the direct line of sight from the doorway. And if you have a bathroom door in your room, keeping the bed away from the door might be necessary.

3. Centered Facing the Door

This position places the bed centered on the wall directly opposite the door. It allows for a symmetrical layout with matching bedside tables on either side of the bed, which can make positioning home decor (like artwork above the bed) easier. And since your bed is the room’s focal point, it makes sense to place it in the center.

Depending on the placement of the door in your bedroom, this might leave your feet directly facing the door. But a centered position will usually place the bed off to one side for a less direct line of sight. This layout is ideal in feng shui, hitting that commanding position again and promoting positive energy flow.

4. In Front of the Window

Placing the bed in front of or under a window isn’t always the best position, but sometimes it’s the only option. And the most important thing about doing your own interior design is working with what you have!

A tall headboard will block out some of the natural light with your bed in front of a window. But not having a headboard would leave you leaning on the window when you sit in bed, which isn’t safe.

You might opt for a low headboard that lets you see outside when the curtains are open to let in as much natural light as possible. Or, for privacy and warmth, a tall headboard can protect you from drafts and make you feel more secure at night.

5. Diagonal

Diagonal bed placement can work well with some larger bedrooms. You’d place the headboard in the corner of the room, leaving a triangle of space behind it. This position allows you to place a floor lamp or a corner nightstand behind the bed, creating a nice spot to keep your gadgets. And you can hang artwork on both walls behind the bed.

Corner bed placements can create an eclectic feel in the bedroom while leaving more of the wall space exposed for other furniture. In addition, a diagonal bed will instantly stand out as the focal point of the room, and if you want something unexpected, this is one of the least common placements.

6. On the Same Wall as the Door

Placing your bed on the same wall as the door is an excellent way to keep your bed out of sight of the doorway. And that’s important if your bedroom door opens to look directly at the living room or another frequented area of the house.

In addition, this position can provide a nice view of the window if it faces the door, although you’ll likely want some heavy drapes to keep the sunlight out in the morning. And if you have a small room with fixed elements like a radiator on the opposite wall, it might be your only option.

7. As an Island

If you have a more oversized bedroom, you can position your bed as an island, in the center of the room, or slightly off-center. This placement allows you to place furniture around the room’s perimeter without being obstructed by the bed frame. For those who love the urban jungle look, this position can allow you to place a plant stand or shelves behind your bed so that you’re surrounded by house plants as you sleep.

Some headboards might require the support of a wall, but if you’re shopping with this layout in mind, you can pick a bed frame that’s up for the job! After all, this position creates a definite resort atmosphere, and a statement headboard could be just the thing to finish off your design.

This positioning creates a nice flow of air and positive energy through the space. In addition, it’s a modern look that works well with a good platform bed, which already has an island-like appeal. And if you’d like to add a rug, you can pick a large enough size to have padding on all four sides of the bed.

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Tips for Placing a Bed in a Bedroom

Regardless of which position you choose for your bed, these tips will help you finetune the layout for your space.

Try to Keep Space on Both Sides of the Bed

You’ll want to allow space on both sides of the bed, especially if you share it with your partner. Aim for around 20” -24” on either side to provide enough room for a nightstand and a spacious footpath. In feng shui, making the space equal on both sides of the bed is said to allow an even balance of your yin and yang energies.

Don’t Obstruct Doors or Windows

It’s essential to place your bed in a way that doesn’t obstruct the doors or windows — maintaining easy access to windows and doors is a must for fire safety. It also allows for good airflow around the room while making cleaning easier!

Avoid Facing Your Bed Towards Direct Sunlight

It might be unavoidable, or maybe you prefer a nice view out of your window when you’re in bed, but facing your bed toward direct sunlight can be jarring in the morning. No one wants to be blinded by harsh sunlight first thing in the morning, and at certain times of the year, that’ll be unavoidable. If it’s the only option, a set of light-blocking curtains might be ideal.

Aim to Have the Bed in the “Commanding Position”

In feng shui, the commanding position allows you to face the door without being directly in line with it. It’s considered good feng shui because it keeps you out of the direct path of energy when you open the door, but you can still see the door directly while sitting in bed.

Avoid Sleeping Directly Opposite the Door

Feng shui experts warn placing your bed directly opposite the door, with your feet facing the doorway. This is sometimes called the “coffin position” — it’s believed to be bad luck because it mimics the position of a body being carried out of the door in a coffin. On a practical level, if your door is drafty, this position can create a chill at night and cause headaches for some people.

Follow Feng Shui Bed Placement

Feng shui offers several recommendations for bed placement. Here are a few to keep in mind if you’d like to feng shui your bedroom:

Place the bed in a commanding position and avoid the coffin position (see above)
Position your headboard against a solid wall
Avoid positions with bedroom or bathroom doors opening up directly facing the bed
Don’t place your bed against a wall with a toilet on the other side
Keep equal space on both sides of the bed
Avoid sloped ceilings and beams in your bedroom

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FAQs About Where to Place a Bed in Your Bedroom

Which is the best direction for your bed to face?

The best direction for your bed to face comes down to personal preference. For example, many people like to position their bed so that they’re facing the door but not directly in front of it — this way, you can see the doorway, but you’re not immediately visible to anyone who walks by.

As for actual bed direction, some evidence suggests that orienting your head to the south and your feet to the north might promote better sleep quality, but more research is needed as other studies have found no difference in sleep quality. According to CDC, more than 1 in 3 Americans are sleep deprived and if your bed placement is not improving your sleep quality, consider trying smart sleep gadgets, such as smart mattresses and pillows.

Here are some other points you might want to consider:

A position that keeps your bed a bit away from the window can prevent drafts while letting in more natural light.
A position with your bed facing a window might interfere with your sleep by exposing you to direct sunlight.

Why shouldn’t you sleep with your feet facing the door?

According to feng shui principles, sleeping with your feet facing the bedroom door is known as the coffin position and is viewed as the worst possible position. This is because it resembles how you carry the deceased out of a doorway, which leads to the belief that it’s bad luck or can attract negative energy. So, if you want to feng shui your bedroom, you might want a different placement.

However, if you don’t mind sleeping this way (and it doesn’t put you in the path of a cold draft), go for it! Your comfort and preference should matter more than anything else when designing your bedroom. Remember, feng shui is not a science — it’s an art form that considers how you interact with your environment to make your home more comfortable.

Which is the best headboard to use for a bed that is against the window?

If your bed is against a window, you’ll want a solid headboard to lean against when you’re sitting in bed. Glass isn’t as safe or sturdy as a solid wall, and if your headboard isn’t sturdy, it might hit the window or put pressure on it over time.

Since sleeping with your headboard against the window can leave you feeling exposed, you might want a wingback headboard and an upholstered bed frame for extra privacy and warmth. This design has panels on either side of the headboard that encloses the bed’s headspace. A wingback design also offers more protection against cold air.

On the other hand, if you want to avoid blocking natural light, you might prefer a low headboard that stays out of the window. A platform bed frame can help keep things low, too, since it only requires a mattress and no box spring.

Is your bed supposed to face the door?

Sleeping with the foot of the bed facing the door has pros and cons that extend beyond your bedroom’s layout and floor plan. On the one hand, when you’re sitting in bed, facing the door allows you to be more aware of who is walking past or coming into your space. And on the other, it can create a lack of privacy because anyone walking by or in the door will be able to see you just as easily.

Consider what makes you feel more comfortable and experiment with your layout. You can always rearrange your bedroom if you don’t like your current setup.

Written by

Shelby Golding

Shelby Golding is a Colorado-based writer/editor with over a decade of experience. She has a college education in interior design and enjoys woodworking in her free time.