Buyer's guide to beds

bed
Choose a great bed for a good night's sleep
© Littlewoods Direct

If you can’t remember the last time you had a good night’s sleep in your bedroom, it could well be your rickety old bed (not your stressful lifestyle) that’s to blame. We spoke to the best in the bedroom business to get this top advice on shopping for a new bed.

1. Invest in quality

Nigel Cairns of Bedworld says, 'The one golden rule is that you pay for what you get. The more you pay for your new bed or mattress then the better the quality will be.' A bed will continue to lose its comfort and support year after year so buy the most expensive one that you can afford. A good quality bed should last ten years. Shop for your bedroom.

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    2. The seven year itch

    According to the Sleep Council, 'the critical 'seven year itch' can be a make or break moment for many marriages and mattresses'. If your mattress is more than seven years old it almost certainly needs replacing. Decide whether you want an open coil, pocket sprung, latex or foam mattress with the help of our Buyer's guide to mattresses. But first take the Sleep Council's MOT quiz and assess the state of your sleeping equipment.

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    3. Roll around

    Try the bed in all of the sleeping positions you tend to use, not only on your back,’ says Lucy Benham, assistant buyer for beds at John Lewis. ‘Place your hand in the small of your back and try to move it about. If it moves too easily, the bed may be too hard for you; if it's a struggle to move your hand, then the bed is too soft. If you can move your hand with just a little resistance, the bed may be just right for you.’ Sleep easy on this Louis Four Poster Bed from Heal's.

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    4. To slat or not?

    Adam Black, of bed specialists Feather & Black says, ‘Flat wooden slats are the equivalent of placing the mattress on the floor. Always opt for a sprung base, be it a sprung divan or sprung beech slats.’ Foam mattresses are ideal for slatted bases as the springs on other mattresses will push through the slats over time and shorten the life of your mattress. The Sleepmasters Monterey Divan Bed combines the comfort of a divan with the contemporary look of a bed base. Superior style and comfort. Stephen George, bedroom furniture buyer for Harrods, is even more specific. ‘If going for slats, we recommend that they should be sprung timber slats, not be more than 6cms apart,' he says.

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    5. Supersize me

    'Opt for the largest bed size the room can accommodate’, says Black. ‘Small beds are fine when you are getting on well with whoever you share it with, but tend to seem much smaller at those other times’. The Sleep Council says a regular four foot six double bed gives two sleepers less space than the size of a baby’s cot. But, warns Toby Ash of New Heights, ‘Consider the other furniture you have in the room and ensure that you have sufficient space around the bed to make the room functional. Mark out the size of the bed you are considering on your bedroom floor to ensure it is not going to be an obstacle.’ Feather & Black's regal–looking Sleepmasters Serenity Bed from will ensure sweet dreams.

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    6. Upholstered headboard

    'Solid wooden beds will last longer than veneered ones,’ says Adam Black. ‘Buying upholstered headboards which have removable covers makes sense. You can clean and dry-clean the covers once in a while and you can always give your bedroom a facelift by updating the fabric on the headboard.’ As for the end of the bed, Toby Ash of New Heights says ‘high footboards can look great in large rooms with high ceilings but taller people may find a low footboard more comfortable and less restrictive.’

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    7. Keep the bed bugs away

    Sensitive types should opt for a hypo-allergenic mattress like this Tempur Combi-HD Mattress from House of Fraser which will help asthma and breathing problems. Their anti-dust mite properties will stop you from sneezing all night long.

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    8. Matchmaker, matchmaker

    How do you match the mattress to the base? ‘These days almost all quality mattresses perform just as well on a slatted base as they would on a sprung divan,' says Black. However, he warns salesmen will confuse customers by linking mattress performance to a particular base to make a double sale.

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    9. Guest beds

    Guest/folding and storage beds provide flexible solutions for overnight guests. With a small bedroom, it makes sense to use your bed as a secondary storage option. Opt for a double AeroBed Platinum Raised Inflatable Guest Bed with Headboard from John Lewis.

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    10. Ready built or flat pack?

    Make sure you find out from retailers whether they will deliver the bed in one piece or whether you’ll need to put it together yourself. These days there are flat pack options that extend far beyond IKEA. The Bourne double bed from Furniture123 is simple and chic.

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chesterfield

chesterfield

Posted | 6th November 2009

loving my platform bed from ikea (malm) but hate thaat its a wierd size and has baps around my double mattress.

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Rocketreco

Rocketreco

Posted | 27th July 2009

The mattress is the most important component, then actually choosing a bed, because a good, comfortable sleep is better than looks!!!

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owood

owood

Posted | 10th March 2009

i love that feather and black bed. bigger is better!

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laurenbrewster

laurenbrewster

Posted | 16th January 2009

The importance of having the right bed is seriously underestimated which is why it is helpful to know what the professionals say.

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