​Dressing Your California King Bed

Do you have a California king size bed? Contrary to popular belief, this type of bed is not the next size larger than the king bed. The term describes a bed that is six inches narrower and four inches longer than a regular king size bed. People choose them for a variety of reasons, e.g., their room is long and narrow, they are taller than average, or they sleep alone and don’t need a wide king bed. These beds do present a slightly different ratio and aspect than traditional queen or king size beds, and care should be taken to have the correct size coverings and pillows.

The Bedding for the Cal King Bed

Keeping in mind that the actual measurements of a California king bed are 72W x 84L Inches vs. a regular king bed 78W x 80L, here are some bedding tips, starting from the top:

Comforter. It can be a particular challenge to find a comforter to properly fit a California king size bed. At a typical department store you will find “oversized” king comforters that measure 106"x96" to 108"x98". This gives a typical king bed 28-30 inches of extra material to drape on the sides (14-15 inches on each side), but, by the time you and your partner get in bed and increase the height, the comforter will barely cover the top of the bed.

You can, however, use an oversized king comforter on a California king bed because you get the benefit of extra side coverage (about 3-4 inches extra per side). And for the foot length (84 inches), you will have approximately 12-14 inches of drape, assuming the comforter is pulled to the top of the bed and not slightly folded over.

This is why, for a Cal King bed, we recommend to use our extra large oversize comforter, also called colossal sized comforter that measures 120”x120”. DOWNLITE also makes a super king that measures 112 x 100 inches if you want a bit more, but not too much.

Sleeping pillows. Top quality pillows are an essential element to a good night’s sleep, and Downlite’s hotel pillows come in all the sizes, filling and density to match your needs. For your California King bed, you may consider two jumbo pillows or king pillows and two standard pillows size, and then adjust your comfort and taste with decorative pillows.

Decorative pillows. When in doubt, arrange pillows from biggest to smallest, back to front. Play with placement, color and patterns for a more casual look. Vary the sizes, colors and textures of decorative pillows, euro pillows and / or body pillows to create a variety of looks. For a more contemporary look, use a limited, contrasting color palette and fewer decorative pillows.

Blankets. Because of the dimensions, as with the comforter fitting your bed, you should favor an oversize king down blanket or a colossal king size blanket (at 120”x110”, the world’s biggest blanket, also called “the Marriage Saver”).

The Room

The key interior design elements include space, line, form, light, color, texture and pattern; keeping them balanced is the key to creating an aesthetically pleasing interior. Consider this balance as you look at your room as a scene, a palette of colors, a collection of shapes, and an ever-changing tableau, as the light moves across the room throughout the day and moonlit night.

In decorating, the “Rule of Three” means objects look better in groups of three. The easiest way to follow the Rule of Three is to make a focal point of a trio of more or less matching items in different sizes, i.e., three different sizes of the same type of object, such as vases, photo frames, or pillows. In the case of a bedroom, the focal point is naturally the bed and the variety of shapes and sizes of pillows.

If you would like personalized assistance or professional advice before ordering your bedding, you may contact our customer service representatives, and they will assist you in your decision-making.

Photo credit: Photo by Roberto Nickson from Pexels