HNC

I have been told not to take bedroom furniture to Germany. I have a king bed and was told that it woudl not fit in an apartment inn Germany. So I wonder if the full size beds in USA are the same in Germany. Does anyone have any advice about furnishing an apartment in Germany? I will first be in Schweinfurt and later in Grafenwoer.

jamikins

This may help

http://www.overstock.com/guides/inte...nversion-guide

annhig

assuming you're coming from the US wouldn't the shipping costs outweigh the cost of buying new? Beds don't cost a huge amount in europe and you can make sure of getting one that fits if you buy after you're arrived.

your king-size bed might fit, but if it's just you, do you need a 6ft wide bed? most european doubles are about 4'6" wide and we all manage just fine.

you may even find that an apartment that is already furnished.

Christina

Well, it depends on the size of the room, of course, I don't understand otherwise. And certain furniture that is large may not be able to fit in due to narrow stairs or something, but this is true everywhere. It isn't just beds, try getting a grand piano in.

And it also depends what you mean by the bed, is it your mattress issue that is one piece or what? Because the bed itself is obviously able to be dissembled (I presume) and the only limitation are the size of the room where you put it.

Full size beds are about the same size in Europe, typically 140 cm there which is almost the same as our double or full size. Germans tend to have 2 mattresses instead of one big one for larger beds, that's all.

Carlux

Beds in France (and presumably in Germany) are either 140cm.(double), 160 cm (queen) or 180 - usually two 90 cm beds together for king.

swandav2000

Hi HNC,

You also need to consider that closets are usually not included in most German bedrooms; you have to buy them, and they are huge. I would say that, yes, trying to fit a US king-size bed and a closet or two in an average apartment will be a tight fit.

It sounds like you may be military. If that's so, won't you be housed on post? And if you're housed on post, the bedrooms will be the size you're used to.

s

WeisserTee

"most european doubles are about 4'6" wide and we all manage just fine."

We had a double in the UK and didn't like it -- basically, each adult has about as much mattress width as a three year old would get in his toddler bed.

In Belgium, we had a 160 cm -- felt larger than a U.S. queen to us, but smaller than a king. We now have a 180, which is sort of king-sized.

What's your housing budget (are you talking about cheap student accommodations or will you have a job with a decent salary)? FWIW, we've spent time in the homes/apartments of most of our German relatives and none of them have a double bed. Their bedrooms are large enough to easily handle a 160 or 180 cm bed. Our personal experience is that master bedrooms in the UK are smaller than in Germany, Belgium, and Switzerland -- which probably explains for the popularity of double beds there.

bilboburgler

A king in Europe is a queen in US

nytraveler

Average houses and apartments have rooms smaller than usual in the US. And very few people in europe have king size beds (they often call queen king size). Unless you know in advance where you will be living it doesn;t make sense to ship a lot of furniture that may not fit.

Also - you need to be aware that in europe many apts don;t have closets (you are expected to provide wardrobes instead of the usual master walk-in) - and many places come not only without appliances but also without cabinets. Also many appliances are tiny - esp fridges - the 6 ft plus side by side is very rare.

BigRuss

<<most european doubles are about 4'6" wide and we all manage just fine. >>

Yeah, and you manage in 700 sq ft flats. Doesn't mean the OP wants to do so.

nytraveler

Also - if you bring a US bed you may have trouble finding lines to fit it - sizes are NOT the same. And bed/household linens in europe are very expensive versus the US.

annhig

<<most european doubles are about 4'6" wide and we all manage just fine. >>

Yeah, and you manage in 700 sq ft flats. Doesn't mean the OP wants to do so.>>

i thought that travel was supposed to broaden the mind, BigRuss.

<<We had a double in the UK and didn't like it -- basically, each adult has about as much mattress width as a three year old would get in his toddler bed. >>

surely a 4'6" wide bed is big enough for one person? we're talking about a 6-12 month trip here. Germany, surprise surprise, is going to be different from the USA.

WeisserTee

"surely a 4'6" wide bed is big enough for one person? we're talking about a 6-12 month trip here."

This is the OP's first post and we don't know if he/she is single or not. Of course it's big enough for one person. For two...well, not everybody agrees with you on that point.

"Germany, surprise surprise, is going to be different from the USA"

Germany is also going to be different from the UK. German estate agents tend to be less likely to show you a room the size of a shoebox and proclaim it a "spacious double". We've spent a lot of time in Germany, staying in the apartments and homes of our relatives/friends and the bedrooms have usually been large enough to accommodate a king. Nonetheless, I would suggest leaving the king behind, and getting a 160 cm bed, which is not huge for one and comfortable enough for two.

quokka

Traditional standard bed sizes hereabouts are 1.00 x 2.00 metres or 0.90 x 2.00 metres for a single. A double = 2 of such singles pushed together will fit into any "parents" bedroom. Whether there is enough space left for a wardrobe, that's another question.

Dukey1

We also do not know if this is someone who is having furniture shipped and someone else is paying for it. And given the locations this person has mentioned I am inclined to believe they are either working for the DOD or are on Active Duty.

One answer is that it obviously depends on what size your housing accommodation is. Not every bedroom in Germany is the same size.

LSky

While not every bedroom is the same size, why let your choice of housing be dominated by a bed?
The amount of time and money spent to accommodate a bed might be better spent enjoying the country.

Dukey1

Because great sex is great sex!

BigRuss

<<Germany is also going to be different from the UK. German estate agents tend to be less likely to show you a room the size of a shoebox and proclaim it a "spacious double". >>

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA.

<<The amount of time and money spent to accommodate a bed might be better spent enjoying the country.>>

Annhig, Lsky: the OP isn't traveling, he's relocating. He's not trying to "broaden his mind" with the lovely experience of sleeping in the American equivalent of a kiddie bed for a week.

And some traveling shows that the grass is plenty green just where you live (especially if you have some for yourself).

jamikins

It may not be an issue of whether the bed will fit into the room but am issue of whether you can get a bed that size into the flat or bedroom - the stairs may be too tight or the hallways too tight to move a bed that size into the flat or room.

It's best not to ship something like this, I' wait till you get to Germany.

In London many places only rent furnished so there will already be a bed there. I have bo idea if this is the case in germany. There are so many unknowns!

nytraveler

Um, typically the actual wooden bed is disassembled (they don;t deliver them assembled) and mattresses can bend. And if they are using one of those metal frames they can be turned on the side.

The real issue is the size of the room.