How to buy a bed

mydeco will help you find the perfect bed for sweet dreams
© Feather and black

Whether you're looking for a new bed or mattress, our essential bed buyer's guide will help you have the best night's sleep, ever. When shopping for a bed frame, getting the biggest you can will mean more space to move around, less disturbance by your partner, and a better night's sleep. Ideally, it should be 10 to 15cm longer than the tallest of the two of you. So, what should you go for - a divan or bedstead?

Divan types

A divan - essentially an upholstered box, fitted with castors for mobility, or on legs to create storage space beneath - won't give you a particularly sleek look, but good ones are very comfortable.

* Sprung-edge divans (the most luxurious) have a complete open coil or pocket spring unit mounted on a frame. They provide even support across the whole mattress and act like a giant shock absorber.

* Solid or platform-top divans have a rigid, non-sprung top panel, often made from hardboard. These bases are generally firmer, as well as cheaper than sprung bases.

Experiment with headboards
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* Firm-edge divans have a smaller number of larger, heavy-duty springs within a rigid, wooden-sided frame.

* Flexible slatted divans use laminated soft woods mounted in a frame, creating a modest level of springiness.

Bedsteads

Bedsteads, on the other hand, come in lots of different styles and materials, including those sleek, contemporary models we all love. Wooden - either rigid or flexible - slats are the most common support for the mattress. Others include flexible or rigid wire mesh. The space between slats on most cheaper, rigid bases is usually wider than on flexible slatted models, but it is worth checking the gap is no more than 9 to 10cm, as the wider the gaps, the greater the wear and tear on the mattress.

Mattresses

Mattresses come in firm, medium and soft. The ideal is to achieve good 'posture' in bed - the mattress should mould to the shape of your body while remaining supportive. To check you've got the correct support, lie on your back, then slide the flat of your hand into the hollow of your back. If there's a gap, the bed is too firm; if it's difficult to slide your hand in at all, the bed is probably too soft.

So which mattress type? Foam, such as memory foam, will mould to the shape of your body then spring back (good ones have helped back pain sufferers get a better night's sleep); latex (ideal for allergy sufferers), and, the most popular, sprung (the more springs, the better the support, and they can be zoned across the middle for extra support).

There are three main types of sprung mattress: open sprung (the cheapest), which come in a choice of tensions; continuous, more responsive than open-sprung; and pocket, the most expensive, but most comfortable. Above the springs will be a top filling, which might be made of anything from cotton to mohair - and the more filling you have, the more luxurious the overall feel of the mattress.

For more advice and how to guides on designing your perfect bedroom visit Channel4 / 4Homes.

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