You are here: home >
Tips
Tips
How to choose a bed
Choosing a new bed is an important decision, and when you can’t physically try the bed, it pays to think carefully about what will suit you. Bed manufacturers have done a great job in recent years, educating people over the different kinds of mattress and the benefits each sort confers. To help with your decision, here are a few things to consider.
Divan or Bedstead?
A quality bedstead has traditional wooden or sprung slats to form the base which supports the mattress. The gap between the slats is important: you need the slats fairly close together to support a large, heavy mattress. If the bedstead is described as sprung slatted, this is best, as it complements the way your mattress works.
On the downside, bedsteads rarely have built-in storage. However, bedsteads come in many different looks and finishes, and are probably best for making a style statement.
In a nutshell: if comfort is your priority, and storage is important, choose a divan. If you want a bed with the wow factor in looks, go for a bedstead.
Mattress Filling
The mattress is the most important part of the bed and directly affects your comfort and wellbeing. It’s worth taking the time to think about what will suit you.
Bonnell spring – Classic
This is your traditional mattress with everyday springs. They comprise an unchanging unit which is complemented by a wide variety of upholstery fillings to offer different feels. A bed with a framed unit is best.
The more the bonnell spring bed costs usually indicates more or superior quality upholstery filling, and superior cover fabric.
See our Tulip, Hyacinth, Poppy and Lotus beds.
Bonnell spring – Ortho
Orthopaedic beds are firmer than traditional beds. Sometimes they use firmer upholstery to achieve this, others use bonnell springs at a different gauge, usually 12.5 gauge. Ortho qualities can also be found in pocket spring and patented spring system beds.
Traditionally, people with back problems favoured ortho beds; these days it’s a case of what suits the individual. A framed unit is always best.
See our Violet, Aster, Magnolia and Honeysuckle beds.
Pocket spring
The springs are each contained within their own individual fabric pocket. This pocket system is hailed as particularly comfortable, as the springs can follow the movement of the sleeper. The number of pocket springs in a mattress can vary; the higher the spring count, the greater support and comfort. This is also a factor in price with a pocket spring bed.
Again, look for a framed unit if it’s to support adults and will be in regular use; all our Pocket Spring beds are framed.
See our Carnation, Jasmine and Iris beds.
Please note: we don’t recommend using a pocket spring mattress on a slatted bedstead base – a sprung slatted base works better.
Exclusive spring system
Certain manufacturers like our Furniture Expressions bed supplier offer their own special spring system with specific benefits; for example preventing partners rolling together while sleeping, especially where one is much heavier than the other. You will be amazed at the difference one of these can make to the quality of your sleep. They’re especially great in summer.
See our Cosmos, Begonia, Freesia and Lily beds.
Memory foam combination
Memory foam offers full support to the entire body, with no pressure points. The body sinks into the foam, and the foam retains an impression of the body, which many people find very comfortable and conducive to undisturbed sleep.
Memory foam works in harmony with a spring system, as this gives underlying support. A combination for many people represents the best of both worlds: the comfort of memory foam, with the extra support of springs beneath.
See our Bamboo 1200 bed.
Please note, some people can find foam beds warm.
Mattress cover type
Once upon a time every quality bed was tufted. Then came the revolution…
Tufted
Traditional style, with large plump springy islands created by little buttons pulling the fabric taut over sumptuous upholstery. This look and feel is still preferred by many.
See our Carnation, Jasmine, Iris, Cosmos, Lily, Violet, Aster and Hyacinth beds.
Matramatic quilting
Stitching creates the plump islands rather than buttons. The islands tend to be wider and so less pronounced. The patterns the stitching makes vary from bed to bed.
See our Honeysuckle, Freesia and Lotus.
Microquilting
A very modern finish to a mattress cover. Again, the upholstery is stitched to create rises but with microquilting, as the name suggests, they are small and low.
See our Magnolia, Begonia, Poppy, Tulip and Bamboo 1200 beds.
High loft
The latest trend. We’re back to plump springy islands again, usually created with microquilting. They look – and feel – extremely attractive. High loft mattresses can be bought with either damask or knitted covers.
See our Begonia, Magnolia and Poppy beds.
Mattress Cover Fabric
A soft knitted cover, as opposed to the traditional satiny damask, presents a more contemporary look, though many enjoy the luxurious sheen of damask.
Knitted fabrics work better than traditional damask with foam or very soft top layer fillings. A knitted cover can be microquilted (Begonia and Bamboo 1200) and/or high loft, but is rarely if ever tufted.
Divan base
The divan base on which the mattress rests also has a significant effect on your comfort.
There are two kinds; platform top and sprung edge. While platform top might be favoured by those who like a firmer bed, sprung edge bases are usually regarded as superior, as they work better with the mattress and help prolong its life.
These days you can also find beds with an ottoman base! – See Storage below.
Bedstead base
You should always look for a sprung or wooden slatted base for a bed that will be in regular use by an adult.
Mesh bases are fine for sofabeds, occasional use beds and young children’s beds.
The wider the slats, and the closer together they are, the better, as these two qualities affect support. Obviously the sturdier the slat, the longer the bed will last.
Sprung slatted is best of all as this will complement the mattress to the optimum.
Pocket spring mattresses work better with sprung slatted bedstead bases.
Size
This is easy; buy the biggest bed that will fit in your space. More room to move around in bed definitely equates to more comfort.
If you need storage, but a larger bed means you won’t be able to open the drawers fully, read more about ottoman beds below.
Storage
Drawers
We’re all used to seeing drawers in divans and these are very handy. When you buy a divan with Furniture Expressions, you get to select whether you want drawers and how many you’d like. Look out for the continental (conti) arrangement, where a smaller drawer at the top means you don’t have to move bedside cabinets out of the way when you’re accessing your stuff.
Most bedsteads don’t have inbuilt drawers, but allow for storage underneath. As an optional extra, our Stowe and Levens bedsteads have matching drawers that slide under the bed to look as though they’re part of the frame – smart and useful.
Ottoman
Ottoman style storage is very popular these days, and useful when you don’t have much space at the side of the bed for pulling drawers fully out. An ottoman is where the whole top of the bed lifts up, usually with an easy, spring-loaded motion, and you access your storage from above. Make sure the ottoman has a proper base at the bottom, otherwise your things will get very dusty.
Slidestore
On some children’s or starter beds, a sliding door set into the divan base gives access to useful storage space. Convenient and easy, slidestores are great places to store toys.
do’s and don’ts of buying beds
1. If you can possibly avoid it, don’t buy a new mattress to go on an old divan base. They’re designed to work together – especially true where the base is sprung edge.
2. If turning a mattress is a struggle for you, do choose a no-turn mattress. They are specially designed to wear well, and should last almost as long as a traditional mattress.
Please remember that a no-turn mattress must be rotated head-to-toe regularly.
3. On a divan, don’t judge by the cover alone. The style might appeal to you, but once you’ve got the sheets on, it’s mainly covered up. Go instead for the qualities of the mattress and how they suit your body and sleeping habits.
4. Don’t buy a bed on price alone. Sleeping takes up a significant portion of every 24 hours and the quality of sleep has an enormous effect on how you feel during the day. Given that you want to have bags of energy, don’t stint on your bed. Unless you’re lucky enough to find a real bargain – and our specials are worth considering! – always spend as much as you can afford.
Remember, sleep matters!! It affects how you feel during the day. Buying a mattress is an important decision affecting your wellbeing for years and years. Choose wisely.