What Is California King Bedding?

Size

• California king bedding holds a bizarre spot among the progression of bed sizes. While twin, full, queen and king beds progress naturally from smaller to larger, the California king bed could be seen as either smaller or larger than a standard king, depending on how you measure. It's narrower than a standard king, but longer by the same margin. A California king mattress is 72 inches wide and 84 inches long. By comparison, a standard king mattress is 76 inches wide and 80 inches long.

Benefits

• A California king bed is a great choice for extra-tall people, since it's the longest mattress available in America. The 72-inch width is plenty of room for most couples, with a foot more width than a queen bed. It may be easier to fit into a bedroom than the wider king mattress, especially if you have a long, narrow bedroom.

Drawbacks

• You may have trouble maneuvering a California king bed into place, since it's so large and heavy. If you have a smaller bedroom, you'll probably have to make do with a queen bed. The major drawback of a California king bed is the difficulty of finding bedding for it. Unless you live on the West Coast, most stores won't carry sheets or blankets in that size.

Misconceptions

• Some people believe there are four types of king mattresses, since there are four different names for them. In reality, there are two types of king mattresses available in America, with two names each. California king and Western king are the same size. Standard king and Eastern king are also the same size.

Considerations

• California king bedding got its name because it's most prevalent in California and on the West Coast. This means if you live elsewhere and buy a California king bed, you'll have to do most of your bedding shopping online. Several online stores specialize in California king bedding, so you'll be able to find what you need. However, you'll need to factor in the cost and hassle of shipping, as well as potentially more expensive bedding.