Bedroom Furniture and Mattresses: Your Mattress Makes the Bed

Choosing bedroom furniture is usually a matter of deciding what storage space you need. That is until you come to the bed. Your mattress makes the bed, and a well chosen mattress has no need for a bed where comfort is concerned. You can lay a good mattress on a concrete floor and will make no difference to your comfort. Choosing a bed therefore comes down to a matter of fashion, décor and more storage.

Beds are available with spring bases, but only really to keep your mind at rest. They are also available with slatted bases and are just as comfortable – since, as has been emphasized, comfort comes from the mattress. When choosing a bed, you should therefore choose your mattress first.

The reason for that is that the bed should fit the mattress – not the other way around. You should never be restricted in your mattress choice by the dimensions or design of your bed. This is not about how to choose the right mattress, however, but about choosing bedroom furniture in general. However, a few words about mattress selection will not hurt.

Choosing a Mattress

You have a choice of mattress types available, and if you are seeking advice the most comfortable type of spring mattress uses pocketed springs. Each spring is individually contained within a fabric pocket. That means that the movements of individual springs are not affected by its neighboring springs. You are less likely to be disturbed by the movement of your partner.

Some prefer memory foam, but others feel restricted by it since it conforms to the contours of your body. It can hold you in the same position all night and some feel stiff in the morning due to this. A good compromise would be a pocked spring construction, with comfort layers of regular foam and a light memory foam top. It conforms to your body shape, but not enough to hold you in position.

It's your choice. Most tend to use a box spring construction where each spring is attached to its neighbor. The comfort comes from the batting or foam layers used. If you sleep alone this will not give you a problem, although if not then when your partner moves you will also move. Some do not mind that. If you do, then choose pocket springs. The extra cost may be worth it to you.

Choosing a Bed

When choosing a bed keep in mind that the comfort comes from the mattress – unless you buy a budget mattress for a few dollars that has small springs and almost no comfort layers. It is better to spend the bulk of your budget on the mattress, and then less on the bed itself.

There are three aspects of a bed that will affect your choice: its size, the headboard and storage. Regarding size, before choosing your mattress you should have decided on its size: Single, Queen, King or California King Size or something else. Having selected your mattress, you should now buy a bed with dimensions to suit.

The dimensions should include the ability of the bed to hold the mattress, generally by means of side rails or a box construction. You do not want the mattress moving about the bed! You should also decide on the style of headboard you want: a sleigh bed, slatted or paneled headboard and footboard, or even something fancy with lights, integral radio and bookshelves.

You can have underbed storage in the form of drawers either at the sides or at the foot of the bed. The ultimate would be two drawers each side of the bed, and a remote controlled flat-screen TV lift at the end. Simply raise the TV using the remote when you need it. You can also use footboards with such systems.

Other Bedroom Furniture

Once you have chosen your mattress and bed, you can furnish your room with other bedroom furniture. This will mostly be storage: chests, dressers, storage ottomans and cabinets and sometimes an armoire. All of this will be a matter of personal preference, and no advice is needed.

The important factor is that you take care when choosing the most important piece of bedroom furniture. That is the bed – that is why the room is given its name! If you choose wisely you will sleep well. If not, then you will not. The other furniture in your bedroom will make no difference to these two factors.