Consider the Size of the Mattress If you already have a mattress you love, choosing a new bed frame becomes a bit easier. If you have a full-size mattress, you want a double bed frame. If you have a queen-size mattress, you want to look at queen-size frames. Make sure you know whether your king-size mattress is a California king or an eastern king, as they're slightly different; a bed frame that fits one may not fit the other. If you're buying your entire bed set from scratch, consider how much room you have for a bed and what bed size makes you feel most comfortable. Consider the Size of the Room A bed is usually the largest piece of furniture in any bedroom, and a large bed can easily overpower a small room. Place your mattress on the floor to get a sense of its size, or use pillows or masking tape to approximate it. If you find that you already feel cramped, opt for a simple metal bed frame under your box spring to maximize the usable space in your bedroom. A simple platform bed frame can also be a space-saving option, and you can even expand your storage options by choosing a bed that offers drawers under the box spring or shelves in the headboard.
Choose Between a Platform Bed and a Box Spring With many platform beds, you only need a mattress and no box spring; this makes buying a platform bed a wise choice for many shoppers watching their budgets. Of course, some platform beds can also accommodate a box spring if you like your bed a little higher off the ground. The choice between platform bed and box spring is also a question of firmness for some, with many people preferring the hard foundation that many platform beds provide. Consider the Height and Bulkiness of the Bed If you desire the drama of a more elaborate bed frame, such as a four-poster or canopy bed, aim your tape measure toward the ceiling. A tall bed frame requires a high ceiling, as even a large bedroom can start to feel cramped. Do a little extra measuring as well if you prefer a bulky bed frame such as a sleigh bed or a bed frame-headboard combination with bookshelves included. Bear in mind that you might have to disassemble and reassemble larger beds to get them through a bedroom door, and make sure that's possible with your chosen frame.
Consider Your Own Decorating Style Because the bed is the focal point of any bedroom, choosing the right style is paramount. If you want to create a warm, welcoming, comfortable feel, you may want to opt for a wooden bed frame, piling up quilts and pillows to set a cozy mood. Those who prefer a sleek, modern look should choose a bed frame of metal or wood with clean, minimalist lines. Once you've figured out what styles might fit in your bedroom, take a look at various models, including upholstered bed frames, sleigh beds, wrought-iron beds, and brass beds to find what suits you best. Bed Frames for Guest Rooms and Kids' Rooms When furnishing a kid's room or a guest room, you have even more options. Consider a daybed for the guest room so you can use the space as a home office or crafting room when you don't have guests. A bed with a trundle works well for both overnight guests and kids' sleepovers, and bunk beds are another handy, space-saving option for kids.Mattress Buying Guide — Bloomingdale’s
In the first three months after delivery 10% of original purchase price up to $250 From 3–6 months after delivery 20% of original purchase price From 6–9 months after delivery 30% of original purchase price From 9–12 months after delivery 50% of original purchase price Household Food and Beverage Stain Replacement pad when a covered stain won’t come clean Replacement pad due to MFG defect Facial Cosmetics and Lipstick 15 Days From Discovering a Stain to File a Claim Ballpoint Pen Ink & Pencil Marks After my post about mattress shopping the other day, Garrison contacted me. “My home just flooded and due to renters insurance I was thrown into the market for a new mattress,” he said. “I called up my long-time best friend whose entire family is in the mattress business. I used his advice in my purchase and I’ve been completely satisfied.”
Here’s what Garrison’s friend, Justin, had to say. I’ve written a lot here to help you buy a mattress. Once I started thinking about this, all sorts of information came back to me. Here are a few things to keep in mind: Make sure there is at least a 30-day trial period. This is a deal-breaker and you should absolutely not purchase a bed without this guaranty, no matter what else they are offering. Most beds take 4-6 weeks of sleep to really break in and feel how they are going to feel long-term. Don’t give up on a bed after a few bad nights right away. Your body will have to adjust to the new bed. You should only use a bed about 10 years. Don’t pay more for a bed just because it has a warranty longer than that. The one exception would be a Tempurpedic-brand bed. Those come with long warranties and should last longer than 10 years. Remember that if you need to get rid of your old bed, a lot of places will do that for you if you have your new bed delivered.
For a decent king size, you’ll spend anywhere from $1,200 to $4,000, depending on what you are willing to pay for. Realistically, I’d recommend closer to $2,000 than $1,000, especially for a king size. King sizes typically run about $300 higher than queens. Keep in mind that over 10 years a $2,000 bed is only like $15 per month, and you spend 1/3 of your life in bed, so it is probably the best “value” of anything you purchase. You get what you pay for when it comes to mattresses. Ask for a “low-profile” box spring. They will make the bed 6 inches lower to the ground than a regular box spring and should be the same price. You usually have to specifically request that sort of thing. You might have to wait a few extra days to get the bed then. Remember that you will need a new bed frame for a king size bed. A frame is going to run about $50 at the low end, to $100 at the high end. I’ve never heard of a frame breaking, so I don’t know why you would need a high-end frame.
The salespeople get bonus commissions on those though, so they will try to sell you one if they have them. They’re also going to try selling you a “mattress protector” or “mattress pad.” If it is a cushioned pad, then don’t bother; you are getting a new bed so why in the world would you need a pad for it, right? But, if it is a waterproof style that comes with a stain warranty for the bed, then it is worth thinking about. We used to sell mattress protectors that cost $80, and they had a 10-warranty that if the bed stained through the mattress protector, they would give you the purchase value of the bed so you could get a new one. The reason this is important is because if the bed gets stained or ripped, you will lose the 10-year warranty and will lose the 30/60/90 day trial period. They won’t take back a stained or ripped bed. Also, you can take the protectors off and wash them and they prevent mold from forming inside the bed and get keep the bed fresher overall.
They really are a good buy. Here are the brands to focus on: If you venture outside these brands, you are taking a chance. In my opinion these are the best four, and are considerably better than the alternatives. Serta is popular at the lower price points, but I don’t think they’re really worth their price, from a value perspective, especially at higher price ranges. Simmons and Sealy are better options at the upper ranges. The most important thing is that you lay on the bed for a couple minutes in the store the same way you would lay on it at home. If you don’t like it in the store, you won’t like it at home (you wouldn’t believe how many people think they will like a bed better at home even though they don’t like it in the store). If at least one of you spends a lot of time sleeping on your side, if you go with an innerspring mattress I recommend a Simmons Beautyrest. The coils are uniquely designed and are great for side-sleepers because they are “individual pocketed” rather than all connected together like on most beds.
Also, if either of you move around a lot and disturb the other person, the Simmons Beautyrest will cut down on that disturbance some. Second choice would be a a Sealy Posturepedic, which is what I have. It is a brand more designed for back-sleepers, but they make great beds. On the other hand, if you are willing to try something new, Tempurpedic or Stearns & Foster are great brands. They aren’t innerspring though. [Note: The author says that Stearns & Foster does offer innerspring mattresses now.] Tempurpedic is made from visco memory foam, and Stearns & Foster is made from latex foam; no springs in either one. People either love them or hate them. They are very unique. They are fairly firm, but I know plenty of people who prefer soft beds who absolutely love these even though they are firm. Plus, you won’t feel the other person moving around on the bed at all. The Tempurpedic is the bed that has the infomercials where a person jumps up and down on the bed and the glass of wine doesn’t spill that is sitting on the bed.
If either of you get hot during the night, then you will want “natural fibers,” like wool, silk, etc. Polyester is bad if you get hot. But, if you spend over a $1000, then all the beds at that price range are probably natural fibers. Dealing with a salesperson If the salesperson is any good, he will actually be your best resource. Mattress salespeople are pretty good at finding the best fit for customers — if you are willing to answer their questions. If you return the bed they lose the commission, so they do want to find the best fit for you. They might try getting you to spend some extra, but if you stay firm to your price max then they won’t push it because they are all so desperate right now that they won’t want to make you leave. The more information you give them, the more they’ll be able to help. The worst thing that can happen is that you spend a few extra bucks and get an even better bed. If the salesperson starts talking about “coil counts,” they either don’t know what they are doing or are just trying to sell you on the bed.
Coil counts don’t matter unless that is the only difference between two beds. The coil type and steel gauge are much more important. If you are looking at an innerspring mattress, ask whether the bed has any kind of “edge support.” The edge where you get out of bed is the first place that will break down, so the mattress should either have some type of heavier steel gauge for the coils or some sort of heavier foam around the edge. The salesperson might want to do a “comfort test” with you by laying you down on two or three beds as soon as you get in the door, and the price might be really high on those couple beds. Go ahead and do it. It is just going to help him and you narrow down the options by eliminating a bunch of beds based on their firmness/softness levels. Here’s some advice about specific stores: If a store is willing to negotiate mattress prices, then they are overpriced, so make sure you get them down a considerable amount. Mattress manufactures contractually set minimum prices that they allow retailers to sell their mattresses at, so they either have to price them at that minimum or overprice them and negotiate.