California King vs. Regular King

If you have been thinking about upgrading to a king size bed, you have great options available to you: the Traditional King or the West Coast King.

Traditional King Beds Traditional King beds are much longer than their Queen and Full Size counterparts. A Traditional King bed measures 76 x 80 and can comfortably accommodate two people. This size bed is extraordinarily popular, especially among people who have large bedroom spaces and who need the extra width.

West Coast King Beds Sometimes called California King or Cal King beds, West Coast Kings are similar to Traditional King beds, but have dimensions that are slightly longer and narrower.

As mentioned above, Traditional Kings measure 76 x 80. A West Coast King on the other hand, measures 72 x 84. Though the difference is slight, taller people will certainly notice the benefit of extra length in the West Coast King.

Buying Bedding and Accessories Shopping for bedding can be somewhat confusing, especially for owners of West Coast King beds. Not all retailers have separate bedding products for the two sizes, even though both bed options are very popular. The main reason for this is because most comforters have been designed to fit both Traditional King and West Coast King beds.

Mattress pads, bed skirts, and fitted sheet sets on the other hand, will be tailored to match the different dimensions. This makes it very important to look for the separate designations when shopping for anything besides comforters, blankets, flat sheets, and shams or pillowcases.

In general, the cost of Traditional King and West Coast King bedding is the same, as it takes no more fabric or material to make bedding for one versus the other. Mattress and frame prices are also very similar between the two pieces.