The average adult grows in the night by as much as two centimetres. During the day the spine is compressed; at night it is given the chance to straighten and recover.
Ergonomic studies show that couples sleep better in a bigger bed – before trials only 15% said they would buy a larger than standard bed. After the trial 50% said they would.
By the time we are 50 we’ll each have spent some 16 years in bed. So, if you are going to spend all that time there, why not make the most of it?
16 other countries have bigger average bed sizes than Britain. Top of the league are Belgium, Greece, Holland, Iceland, Finland and Switzerland where most people sleep in a roomy 160cm by 200cm bed. By contrast we Brits still have to put up with an average bed size of 135cm by 190cm.
The average person tosses and turns some 60 to 70 times a night – so you want to put as much space between you and your partner as possible to reduce the disturbance factor.
A standard double bed (135cm/4ft 6in) gives each person just 2ft 3in of space – less than a baby in a cot.
This is an extract from "A DOZEN REASONS WHY YOU NEED A BIGGER BED" by The Sleep Council, The Sleep Council is a non-profit organisation, limited by guarantee and funded by bed manufacturers, retailers and suppliers.

Choosing Your Bed The bed is the heart of the room. It is the focal point, and it attracts full attention of the eyes. That is why the feeling you want to create in the room depends mainly on the feeling that you create in the bed. Our collection is designed with only one desire: to bring romance and harmony to your bedroom. So you can choose safely any piece, and the result will always be the same: romance and harmony. The bed is a form of self-_expression. It reflects your style, personality and ever-romantic heart. We hope you choose our beds for this important creation of your own. The bed is a symbol of love, witness to your dramas and happiness, it will know your passions and secrets, so we believe it has to be made with noble materials and crafted with pride. We create our beds to last for generations and to hold a lifetime of memories.

Prepare a Room Plan A room plan answers the overall questions of what you want done and how you plan to accomplish this. The plan takes into consideration questions like these: “Who uses the bedroom?” “What purposes does the bedroom serve?” Is the bedroom a quiet repose and sanctuary that serves to perform the traditional bedroom functions or is the bedroom a multi-functional room that also includes a sitting area, an exercise center, a home office, a bathroom, and a TV/media center? The bedroom should reflect the personal style of the occupant and iron beds should reflect that style as well. To help determine the size of the iron bed and the other bedroom furnishings, a floor plan should be developed. The floor plan can be drawn to scale on graph paper and furniture templates can be created that are drawn to the same scale as that used in the floor plan. The floor plan will allow you to move the bedroom furniture on paper and experiment with different options. If you don't want to bother with paper, you can also find online tools to help you design your bedroom.

Consider Color, Pattern, and Texture

Color and pattern are used to create the atmosphere or mood of the bedroom and can be chosen to relax or stimulate. Warm colors can make the room seem more intimate and cozy and cool colors can make the room seem more spacious and elegant. Because bedrooms are a place of serenity and rest, a calming color scheme may be considered. However, different people react differently to colors so the the color scheme should be one that reflects the personal preferences of the occupants. Create a color pallete of several of your favorite shades that are close in color, highlighted with a couple of accent colors to begin testing your personal color scheme.

Pattern also sets the mood of a room and can be used in wallpapers, canopies, bedding, dressing table linens, curtains or floors to contribute to the style of the room. The colors used in the room should be harmonious with the patterns and the different colors and pattern should be tested together to find a combination that is harmonious and balanced. Textile patterns should be tested in position - in the actual spaces where they will be used to see the effect they will create.

Texture, like color and pattern can enhance the mood of a room. Create contrast between the textures used in the room to create interest. There should be a balance between smooth and rough, hard and soft, and shiny and dull surfaces.

Dressing the Iron Bed

Our designer iron beds are works of art that serve as the focal point of the bedroom. The way the iron bed is dressed will be a main factor in the appearance of the bedroom. The color scheme of the room will be a factor in selecting bedding for the room. What atmosphere do you want to create in the bedroom? Do you want the bedroom to be elegant, warm, intimate, and restful? A restful bedroom that shelters you from the worries of everyday life will emphasize an atmosphere of calm and peace. For example, a classic style creates a look of times gone by when life was less hurried. This atmosphere will be one of serene elegance. The color scheme will influence the atmosphere of the room since color affects our mood. Warm colors used in a room can make it seem cozy and intimate, whereas cool colors may be more soothing and restful. Because people react differently to different colors, the choice of a color scheme is a personal one that should reflect the preferences of the occupant. The bedding can give you an opportunity to experiment with colors, patterns and textures to help create the atmosphere you choose and the bedding can be changed as your interior style changes. Sheets, pillows, bedspreads, and dust ruffles should coordinate with you color scheme and style to help to set the mood of the bedroom. With canopy beds, canopies can be added to increase drama and interest. Floral patterns can easily mix with solids and stripes to create interesting effects. Decorative pillows and shams can be added to mix color and texture.

Design Your Walls and Ceilings

The bedroom is probably the only room in the house where you might actually spend some time looking at the ceiling. Consider adding a mural or decorative ceiling medallion to add interest to the ceiling.

The walls usually provide the background for your room design although they can be a made into a focal point of the room as well. Walls provide the largest surface area of the bedroom and they can be painted, papered, tiled, paneled, or covered with tapestries depending on your personal preferences.
For example, with a traditional wall design the wall is broken into 3 areas and each area is decorated differently: The lower part of the wall is paneled, a mid height chair rail is painted, and then the top of the wall is papered. A more contemporary wall design would be to paint or paper the entire wall area with a single muted color or design so that the wall serves as a backdrop for the other bedroom furnishings such as the iron bed which serves as the focal point of the room. Simple painting is the easiest, quickest, and most economical way to set the atmosphere of the bedroom. Interest can be added to a painted wall by using special effects to create textures such as sponging, ragging, and combing. Patterns can be added to a painted wall by using stenciling or stamping. Wall papering is an efficient method of applying a regular pattern to a wall. There are an almost unlimited number of styles, colors, patterns, and textures of wallpaper to aid you in creating the atmosphere of your bedroom. When selecting wallpaper, consider size of the room and proportion the pattern on the paper to the size of the room you’re decorating. A tiny pattern should be used in a small bedroom and a larger pattern can make a large bedroom look better proportioned. Before purchasing the wallpaper, try out a sample and tape it to the wall of your bedroom to see how it looks in the room. The paints and wallpaper should be coordinated with the other colors and fabrics in the room to reflect the character you are creating in the room. Other options besides painting and wallpapering include mirrors, paneling, tapestries, and murals. Mirrors can make a small room look larger. Paneling can be used to add a look of richness or a rustic look to the room. The wall can become a focal point of the room by adding a tile mural or tapestry to the wall. Marble can be added to walls and floors to create a formal setting in the bedroom. To get ideas for decorating your bedroom walls, consider visiting home decorating websites that specialize in wall coverings including wallpapering, wall murals, wall accents, painting, wall tiles, architectural wall finishes, and more.