Using a King Comforter on Queen Bed

Putting a king-size blanket on a queen bed can be a decorating triumph or a design faux pas. Whether it works well in your room depends on what you want to achieve. Though ultimately based on your personal tastes, understanding the size difference between a queen and king comforter can help you decide what will look best and provide the right level of warmth.

While ordering the same size as your mattress seems like the obvious choice, there are many reasons to use a king comforter on a queen bed. Maybe you’re trying to make use of an heirloom quilt, or you like the coziness of oversized bedding. Perhaps the blue duvet you’ve found in the perfect shade only comes in king. If you share a bed, opting for a bigger size also ensures everyone has enough of the blanket.

Queen vs. King Sizing

Mattress dimensions are fairly consistent among brands, but bedding in the same size can vary more than 10 inches in length and width. One king comforter may fit on a queen bed, while another pools on the floor. Checking a king-size comforter’s measurements against your mattress will help you select the ideal size.

Measuring the Mattress

Knowing the exact length and width of your mattress is helpful when shopping for bedding. However, you can use these common dimensions to get a general idea about fit:

Height is another important factor to consider. Mattresses range from a trim six inches all the way up to 18 inches thick for plush luxury brands. Differences in height have a big impact on how your bedding fits.

Taller-than-average mattresses require more fabric to reach across the top and down the edges, so your blanket may seem a little short on the sides if it’s on the smaller end of queen sizing. To complement a queen mattress, consider using an oversized queen comforter or smaller king bedding on a queen bed.

Checking Comforter Sizing

Taking a look at a king-size comforter’s dimensions before you buy is key, and it’s especially important when choosing high-loft bedding like fluffy blankets. The thick filling of a down duvet or puffy comforter tends to pull at the fabric, resulting in less coverage on the bed. In this case, a king-size quilt on a queen bed may be just what you need.

When shopping online, product specifications usually indicate the exact dimensions of the comforter. If you happen to shop in a store instead, look at the product labeling for the measurements.

How Does a King-Size Comforter Look on a Queen Bed?

Let’s assume that you have a standard height queen mattress and bedding in an average king size. How would that look? The answer may be different based on your decor preferences.

A king bed is the same length as a queen bed but about 20 inches wider. Since comforters should hang an equal distance from the ground on three sides, this can present an issue when sizing up to king bedding. A king comforter on a queen bed will fall close to the floor on the sides, but only a little below the mattress at the foot of the bed.

Should that stop you from using a king blanket? It’s really up to you, after taking into account your tastes and existing furniture. If your bed has a footboard or a storage bench placed at the end of it, a queen and king comforter may have a similar look. Without anything to block the view, the difference in proportions between the sides and bottom will be more obvious.

What is the Proper Length for Each Type of Bedding?

Whether you should use a king-size comforter on a queen bed may also depend on how much you care about design maxims. Decorators follow certain rules for sizing to create classically well-dressed beds. Sizing up for some bed linens may throw off these proportions, affecting aesthetics and comfort.

Many bed coverings fall at different distances from the floor. If you want to recreate the balanced, layered look you find in luxury hotels or decor magazines, knowing the suggested length for each type of blanket will help you pick between a queen or king size.

Duvets

A standard duvet includes a removable case and a soft insert. Duvets usually measure on the larger side of queen or king sizing. You can layer one over a quilt, fold it at the end of the bed or pull it up to cover the pillows. A duvet should hang down the sides and foot of the bed to cover the foundation.

The problem with putting a king duvet on a queen bed is that it may touch the floor on the sides. Thicker blankets like duvets draw the eye downward if they puddle on the ground. For fluffy bedding that seems light and airy, choose a duvet long enough to drape over the sides of the bed but short enough to avoid weighing it down visually.

Comforters

Another option for the top layer of bedding, a comforter features filling sewn inside a fabric case. The edges should hit either just below the mattress for a sleek look or cover around two-thirds of the foundation for a fuller, high-loft design.

When deciding how to choose a comforter, keep in mind that if the king size is much heavier, it might be less effective. Extra weight on the sides of a thick comforter tends to cause the filler to mat, which affects the blanket’s warmth.

Coverlets

Coverlets are soft, lightweight bed coverings with sides that fall a few inches past the foundation. They work as an inner layer over the flat sheet but under your main blanket. On a queen bed, the edges of a king-size version might peek out under the comforter, so you would need to tuck them beneath the mattress.

Bedspread

This large, decorative blanket should rest over the pillows and touch the floor on three sides. Although it’s less common to find bedspreads in contemporary decor, many vintage and heirloom quilts showcase this cut. Because it’s already oversized, a king bedspread on a queen bed will probably seem too big.

Quilt

Quilts are a middle-weight, medium-sized bed covering that can function as the outer layer of your bed or a bonus blanket underneath a comforter or duvet. These bed linens feature batting sandwiched between two layers of material and stitched in elaborate designs.

These blankets typically come in a more modern coverlet size that hits just below the top of the foundation or a classic bedspread style that kisses the floor.