Anyone looking to buy a new bed is faced with a multitude of options. Different combinations of bed frame and mattress always allow different results. It will be easier with the following tips.
Contents
Buying a bed: the preliminary considerations
Just buy a new bed? Because of that, the selection is huge! Therefore, it should first be clarified what is expected at all. Should it be a bed made of solid wood ? A futon bed? One of the numerous box spring beds that are advertised everywhere? It is not only important what you like personally, but also what has space in the bedroom. Many a large bed frame may be pretty and comfortable, but the space at home isn’t big enough for that.
Buy a new bed or just swap the mattress?
First, the most important question arises: should the bedroom be completely refurbished? Anyone who moves and can redesign a room is much more free in the choice than someone who just wants to buy a new bed and keep the rest of the furniture in the bedroom. You may also want to upgrade from a single to a double bed, which in turn depends on the space available in the room.
In the course of this, it is important to clarify whether functionality is in the foreground or whether disruptive factors are to be eliminated at the same time. Perhaps the existing bed frame is a problem due to its low height, because health restrictions have to be observed. Box spring beds are then the better choice, they are significantly higher and allow easier lying down and getting up.
In general, the decision to buy a new bed shouldn’t be made on a whim. Numerous preliminary considerations mean that the right bed frame, the ideal mattress and the perfect slatted frame are selected.
Which bed to buy?
The question should rather be: Which bed do I need?
There are three important factors to consider when someone is looking to buy a new bed:
- Physique
Very tall people will not be able to sleep comfortably on a standard bed that is a maximum of two meters in length. If two people are to lie in the bed, the width of 1.60 m is hardly enough to sleep really relaxed and restful in the long run. For tall people, the rule of thumb applies: Take your height, add 20 cm and you have the necessary length for the bed. Every adult should be allowed at least 90 cm width. When choosing a mattress and slatted frame, very heavy people absolutely have to pay attention to the maximum weight specifications, these should not be maxed out to the last.
- Existing space
If there is little space in the bedroom, the bed should offer additional storage space. Bed boxes enable bed linen and blankets, luggage and similar items to be stored that are not needed on a daily basis. However, a bed box is at the expense of the bed’s ventilation, this should be clear beforehand. When choosing the materials for the bed, you should therefore ensure that they allow good ventilation – natural materials are clearly preferred here.
If the bedroom is in the attic, there is often not enough space for a conventional bed frame. Then it may be enough to do without a conventional headboard or to sit on a futon bed.
- Sleeping Person’s Preferences
Some people like a padded headboard so they can lean on it comfortably while reading in the evening. Others, on the other hand, want a rather Spartan bed and do not want a headboard or footboard. Some people like designer beds with interesting details such as spirals instead of normal feet, others love solid wood beds with their rustic charm. Or how about a romantic four-poster bed in the bedroom? Or with box spring beds that are electrically adjustable? This must also be taken into account when buying a new bed.
Buying a new bed: it’s not just the bed
If you want to find the right bed, you will hardly opt for a complete set. The bed frame, mattress and slatted frame are usually put together separately so that the buyer has the opportunity to choose the components that fit individually. Certainly there are also complete offers in the trade, but these do not correspond to any individual preferences and usually turn out to be an inexpensive standard variant. If you want to buy a new bed, you should therefore consider the interaction of the various components.
Tips for choosing a mattress and slatted frame
Hard or soft mattress? Choose a model that relies on different zones? Memory foam or cold foam? Dealing with the world of mattresses often leads to perplexity. In addition, the question arises whether several hundred euros are really justified.
It is important that the mattress meets the following requirements:
- soft and adaptable
- Relief of the body
- Support function
- Print forwarding
Whether a mattress can meet these requirements is usually only possible when it is tried out. In the meantime, however, online trading also offers the opportunity to try out a mattress. If it is not okay, it will simply be sent back. But it is also important that the right slatted frame is selected.
The right slatted frame
If you want to buy a bed, you have to deal with the question of the slatted frame. Various materials such as wood or plastic are available. Important to know: only with the right slatted frame can the mattress fulfill its function and you will get a restful sleep. The slatted frame stabilizes the mattress from below and allows the degree of firmness to be adjusted. If you want, you can choose an adjustable slatted frame in which the incline of the headboard can be changed.
The advantage of an adjustable slatted frame is obvious: It is possible to adapt the bed to different needs, which can result from the seasons, illness or age.
Do you need a topper?
Usually toppers are used on box spring beds and represent the top layer of the bed. They are very soft, but at the same time only around four to five centimeters thin. A topper can be made of memory foam and adapts perfectly to the body of the sleeper, but it can also make the bed or mattress significantly harder. Like a mattress, the topper is available from different materials and can be used with a normal bed as well as with box spring beds.
The advantage: the bed can be individually adjusted in terms of comfort and firmness. If the topper is no longer needed, it can be stored rolled up comparatively small. The real question: Except for a box spring bed, a topper is not really necessary, but it has a practical use.
A new bed should be adapted to the size, weight and needs. (Photo: Shutterstock-Photographee.eu)
Last tips: the bed must be adapted to your own needs
There is no real guide to the perfect bed, but if you want to buy a new bed, you should make a short checklist beforehand, which can be used as a selection aid. Because one thing is clear: the trade promises a lot and seems to offer a huge number of wonderful beds. However, only a few models and mattress variants that can be selected according to your own checklist are really suitable.
This can include the following points and questions:
- Why buy a new bed?
- Which defects in the old bed shouldn’t be present in a new bed?
- What is perceived as comfortable or uncomfortable?
- What is the need (size, materials, any special dimensions, weight limits, space in the bedroom, etc.)?
- What is the best position to sleep in?
- Are special bed functions necessary for health reasons?
- Should the bed be particularly easy to care for?
- Do I need accessories such as a bed pad or a mattress protector?
- What properties should the bed have in terms of sustainability?
- What can the bed cost?
