Bedroom is the focal point of a house and a bed is the focal point of the bedroom. One spends no less than 8 hours of a day in bed. Some of us even work from our beds. So, it is needless to say that a bed is one of the most important purchases for a home and one should invest wisely as it is going to be with you for at least a decade. Keeping this in mind we have put together a few pointers to be considered while buying a bed.
Know the different types of beds
Before buying a bed it is important to know the different types of beds available in market.
- Storage beds: Storage beds are also known as divans. These beds are preferable if you have tighter space as it provides good storage with either built in drawers or opening the top of the bed with a simple to operate mechanism.
- Bedsteads: These are contemporary designs for beds and give your room a classic look. Bedstead with a ‘solid slat’ is in fashion these days however a ‘bowed slat’ bedstead gives a more cushioned support.
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Guest/folding bed: Modular designs for beds are available that could be folded in smaller size or can be used as a sofa during the day and as a good king size bed during night. It is a good bed option if you have a small room. These types of beds have the mattress attached to them so it is important to do the quality check of the mattress as well as the mechanism to fold and unfold the bed. -
Bed with a Hood: These beds have a design/storage element attached in the place of the slat. They provide a decorative element to the room along with a multipurpose platform to keep photo frames etc, however they require more space.
Material of bed
Natural wood like Timber or Teak gives durability and the classiest look to a bed; however the price of a wooden bed is quite high in the market. Beds are also available made of manmade wood like particle board, MDF (Medium-density board) or HDF (High-density fiberboard). These beds are more in trend as they are cheaper and are available in different shapes, sizes and designs. Beds are also available made of Brass or Iron; they are cheap yet not as comfortable as a wooden bed.
When buying a bed ask for warranty and durability. Also inquire if the board used in the bed is termite resistant and how it reacts to moisture. Beds with simple designs are cheaper as they have less wastage of material.
Important parameters for Size of the bed
There are some important parameters that have to be assessed before you decide on the size of your bed. The parameters include the size, the length, and ground clearance of the bed and of course the space available in your bedroom.
- A king size (6’x6’6? excluding the head board and foot board) or bigger bed is considered best for a bedroom; however one has to buy a bed that could fit in their room. Before buying a bed, dimensions of the room should be taken in order to understand the size of the bed that will possibly fit in after leaving space for movement, other essentials in the room and enough space left to open the door. Queen size (5?x6’6?) is more prevalent these days as the rooms in the apartments are quite small.
- Location of the bed in the bedroom helps in deciding the size of the bed. A bed should be placed in a way that if someone is entering or leaving a room should get a full view of the bed. A bed should never be attached to the walls of the room. Direction of the bed is one important factor to be considered as one should avoid sleeping with their head facing north because of the presence of iron in the blood brings magnetic properties to the human body with the positive polarity in the head. So if one sleeps with their head facing north, the two positive polarities will repel each other which will disrupt the blood flow and will affect your sleep. So compromising on the size of the bed is a better option if a bigger bed does not fit in the desired direction.
Buying a mattress
How comfortable a bed is largely depends on how comfortable your mattress is. The mattress should be of perfect size to the bed and stiff enough to give your body support while sleeping. Buying a mattress online is not a good idea, one should go down to the local store to check for all the available options and test them by sitting and if possible lying on them to know which one suits you best.
Type of mattresses more in demand these days
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Coir mattresses: This mattress is quite famous in India and is made up of fiber taken from the coconut husk. This mattress is durable, provides good ventilation, is moth free, heat and moisture resistant and is an excellent insulator. - Spring mattresses: The comfort in a spring mattress increase with increase in the Number of springs and coils in a spring. In general there are 250-300 springs in a mattress. Padding is provided around the spring system to provide the desired protection to the body. The comfort in this mattress largely depends on the thickness and quality of padding and the spring system, so it is very important to check both before making a purchase.
- Foam mattresses: These are the cheapest options available in market but do not provide the required comfort and durability. These types of mattresses are more used for the spare beds like beds in guest room.
- Latex mattress: Are you allergic? In that case latex mattress is the best option for you. Though they are very expensive, they have double the life span of a spring mattress.
- Visoelastic mattress: This is a fine foam mattress and highly comfortable as it is made up of heat sensitive material which responds to weight and heat to support your body evenly.
Final words
- The thickness of a mattress is also a factor to be taken care of. A thin mattress goes stiff with time so it is always advisable to buy a mattress 4 to 5 inches thick.
- Remember, there is a lot of science involved in buying a bed and mattress. While the correct combination can give you a comfortable sleep, the wrong choice may leave you with sleepless nights.
