Thread: Bed Troughs Board: Oblivion / Ship of Fools.


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Posted by Doublethink (# 1984) on :
 
No, not those kind of thoughts [Disappointed]

* need to purchase a new bed and mattress, so * have recently spent far too much time on the internet reading about mattress construction and looking at beds, which leads me to a series of observations / questions:

Answers, serious or silly would be most welcome.

[ 18. September 2014, 08:32: Message edited by: Firenze ]
 
Posted by Ariel (# 58) on :
 
You do ask awkward questions, don't you?

Whoever designed my headboard seems to have been a bit influenced by art deco. Either way, it's metal, arty, with rounded slats several inches apart and a decorative lattice, and is seriously uncomfortable unless cushioned by pillows, which tend to sag through the slats.

I do turn my mattress but having lived in a series of rented furnished places, I learnt this the hard way. Most people don't, and you can easily end up inheriting a mattress that's U-shaped. Turning it knocks it back more into the shape it ought to be.

Remember the days when futons were the in-thing? Took a bit of getting used to, but saved a lot of space because you only needed to roll them up in the morning. They went lumpy pretty quickly, though.
 
Posted by Chocoholic (# 4655) on :
 
Completely with you on the slat thing. And storage.
I got a new bed about 5 years ago, divan with memory foam mattress. I had been having back problems. and was sceptical about a new mattress helping, but it did relieve it. I think mattresses are supposed to be replaced about every 10 years.(or so I've been told, possibly by a mattress salesman!).

I did used to turn my old mattress sometimes (then you have to decide, just side to side, or top to bottom, or both). My new one is much heavier though so I just can't do it on my own. Can't remember the last time it was turned, and then with them it's only too to bottom and the memory foam is just on 1 side.

Divan drawers are ok but not that substantial, so nothing more than spare bedding etc in mine (unlike my old one, which is the main reason I had to replace the base and not just the mattress!)

Thing with a divan, or a non divan but with boxes etc underneath, is you need a valance. I have never understand why a valance and bottom sheet in one is a good idea, surely it is easier to fit a separate one as otherwise you have to change and wash it all each time you change the bed, it's bad enough having the duvet into duvet cover fight.
I think valences are less popular than they used to be thought, they aren't as available as they used to be.
 
Posted by Doublethink (# 1984) on :
 
Firstly, if they don't want you to lean on the headboard, it should clearly be a bookcase - and they could give you loads of drawers - but all the beds made like this seem to be made with mdf and staples.

I am loath to go the divan route, for the same reason I don't have carpets, I am asthmatic so don't want too much dust catchy fabric.

You can get faux leather ottoman type things, but I am suspicious of the durability of the hydraulic struts - and the decent ones all have slatted bed bases.
 
Posted by Doublethink (# 1984) on :
 
I had a futon sofa bed once in a place I rented furnished. It was terrible, I swear the floor was more comfortable. The futon mattress itself was like sleeping on sand, you'd get trapped in the indent - and the base had wide spaced slats so the indent you were trapped in was corrugated.
 
Posted by Boogie (# 13538) on :
 
Get a bed you can vacuum underneath.

We got carpet moths and the bed with drawers had to go - the carpet was unreachable to vac the moths and larva up - yuk!
 
Posted by Penny S (# 14768) on :
 
For many years I slept perfectly happily on a sprung 3ft6in mattress (with horsehair) on a sprung base with wooden headboard and footboard. My parents bought it when I was about 7 to fit in the small bedroom and accomodate a couple at a pinch. Once I had it I turned the mattress regularly. If I could see the label, I turned it sideways. If I couldn't see it, I turned it lengthways.
Eventually, when I was in my 50s, the mattress was clearly finished, and I bought a sprung replacement. (My sister was not happy that I dumped the mattress via the company I bought from, as there is a market for horsehair.) And then the springs went in the base. The metal bit went to the traditional place, filling a gap in the fence of the flats I lived in.
I replaced it with a wooden bed made by a cooperative in Wales, in real beech wood - it does have slats, though. I couldn't find springs that size. It has a headboard and a footboard.
Underneath it I have drawers made to fit under my parents' orthopaedic bed, which I can move out for cleaning purposes.
It could do with a valance, I suppose. But only on the sides.

[ 26. July 2014, 17:58: Message edited by: Penny S ]
 
Posted by Doublethink (# 1984) on :
 
That clearly supports my main conclusion so far in my search, that I will invest in a good mattress - horsehair included. But it shall be informed it is expected to last until I retire.
 
Posted by Leorning Cniht (# 17564) on :
 
quote:
Originally posted by Doublethink:
If everyone knows pocket sprung mattress are the most comfortable, and that it is inadvisable to put them on a slatted bed base, why are almost all bed bases slatted ?
Slats close together are fine. Look at, for example, this photo of bed slats from Ikea. If you have a slatted base that looks something like that, a pocket sprung mattress will be perfectly fine.

If you just have half-a-dozen 1x2 boards with 1' gaps between them, your pocket sprung mattress will be less happy.
 
Posted by Ariel (# 58) on :
 
quote:
Originally posted by Doublethink:
That clearly supports my main conclusion so far in my search, that I will invest in a good mattress - horsehair included.
Oh God no. Don't. I had a horsehair mattress once in a rented flat and it was like sleeping on a medieval hair shirt. The horsehairs used to poke up through the fabric of the mattress, and they were coarse and stiff enough to be quite painful. I put an electric blanket down over them, and they wormed their way into that in such a fashion and were so numerous that it would have taken a good hour or so to extricate them.

Having said that, you might be able to make a bit of extra money by renting your spare room out for Lenten retreats with a penitential bed with horsehair mattress included in the price.
 
Posted by St. Gwladys (# 14504) on :
 
Re futons - we have a double futon in our front room, and our cats scratched a hole in it. I bought a heavy futon cover, and next time illness forced me to sleep on it, found it much more comfortable.
 
Posted by no prophet (# 15560) on :
 
We've a bed with extra pockety bits in the middle where your heavy body bits go. Recommended. Also recommended is to tell sales people you will be a few minutes because you must lie on the store sample bed for a while. Just being on your feet and looking for a bed, then lying down makes anything feel pretty good.
 
Posted by Leorning Cniht (# 17564) on :
 
quote:
Originally posted by Doublethink:
If you bed takes up loads of floor space, and British houses have the smallest rooms in Europe, why is it not normal to have built in storage in the bed base rather than the other way round ?
Because drawers (particularly good drawers that don't stick) are expensive, whereas a standard drawerless divan can be built by anyone with a pile of 2x4s, some fabric, batting and a staple gun.

[Personally, I find that drawers aren't very useful - if you have a bedside table, you have to move it to open the drawer, and plenty of British bedrooms aren't wide enough to allow room for the drawers to open to their full extent anyway. I'd rather go with a wooden frame with a gap under it, and slide boxes etc. under the bed as necessary.]
 
Posted by Kitten (# 1179) on :
 
When I was a child we had divans and I always longed for a proper bed with a foot board and springs, about fifteen years ago I bought one, made in the 1940s and it is so comfortable. I did buy a new mattress to go on it though, and I turn said mattress about once a month
 
Posted by Doublethink (# 1984) on :
 
quote:
Originally posted by Ariel:
quote:
Originally posted by Doublethink:
That clearly supports my main conclusion so far in my search, that I will invest in a good mattress - horsehair included.
Oh God no. Don't. I had a horsehair mattress once in a rented flat and it was like sleeping on a medieval hair shirt. The horsehairs used to poke up through the fabric of the mattress, and they were coarse and stiff enough to be quite painful. I put an electric blanket down over them, and they wormed their way into that in such a fashion and were so numerous that it would have taken a good hour or so to extricate them.

Having said that, you might be able to make a bit of extra money by renting your spare room out for Lenten retreats with a penitential bed with horsehair mattress included in the price.
Lol, I mean the ones where you have pocket springs in the middle, a horsehair layer on either side of the springs, then a wool layer, then a hair proof cover, then wool cotton blend layer, then standard damask cover on top.
 
Posted by Drifting Star (# 12799) on :
 
Whatever you do, don't choose a softness rating by testing the bed in the showroom. My parents did this recently, and the mattress they received was completely different to the one they had tested - much harder. The shop's response was that of course the test bed was softer - many, many people had tested it, so they couldn't expect their mattress to be like that until they had had it for a considerable length of time.

My approach would be to go for a medium mattress unless you know you want hard or soft, and choose one with a nice lot of padding on top (ours has retained its nice padded-ness for a good number of years so far). I wouldn't choose memory foam because (in my experience) it makes you sweaty, and in any case I really don't want to lie in the same position all night every night.

Oh, and don't believe any sales people in bed shops. One told us that memory foam was so called because it always rebounded to its original shape and didn't shape itself around you. He also lied about which mattresses contained memory foam.

Marks and Spencer's mattresses are very good.

[ 26. July 2014, 18:41: Message edited by: Drifting Star ]
 
Posted by Doublethink (# 1984) on :
 
I have found this this site about all things mattressy. I haven't read the whole thing yet, there is just too much. But on most of their mattresses they specify what firmness to go with by bodyweight - which makes sense. But it comes down to much as you say, get medium unless you have a very defined preference or are exceptionally light or heavy.

[ 26. July 2014, 18:44: Message edited by: Doublethink ]
 
Posted by Ariel (# 58) on :
 
quote:
Originally posted by Doublethink:
Lol, I mean the ones where you have pocket springs in the middle, a horsehair layer on either side of the springs, then a wool layer, then a hair proof cover, then wool cotton blend layer, then standard damask cover on top.
That's cheating.
[Razz]
 
Posted by Tree Bee (# 4033) on :
 
quote:
Originally posted by Doublethink:
I have found this this site about all things mattressy. I haven't read the whole thing yet, there is just too much. But on most of their mattresses they specify what firmness to go with by bodyweight - which makes sense. But it comes down to much as you say, get medium unless you have a very defined preference or are exceptionally light or heavy.
Interesting site. I didn't realise that memory foam mattresses could only be used one way up, I turn my mattress , which isn't memory foam, twice a year when I wash the valance and under blanket .
We do need a new bed as we've had ours 20 to 30 years, but I like it. The base has 2 large drawers where I put my out of season clothes. It has been well clawed by our previous cat so thank goodness for the valance. Last time I looked M&S had a good selection of these.
It's the price that puts us off popping down to Dreams and putting in an order.
 
Posted by Heavenly Anarchist (# 13313) on :
 
Our bed is 1920s walnut head and foot board and is sprung. It belonged to dh's grandparents and matches the dresser and 2 wardrobes.
We bought a new pocket sprung mattress from a local small business, it is medium firm, British made and wonderful, so much more comfortable than our previous. It was definitely worth investing in a good one. The owner was also helpful and non- pushy. We soon went back for new mattresses of the same type for the children too.
And we turn it regularly.
 
Posted by jedijudy (# 333) on :
 
A year ago I replaced my second-hand mattress that I had slept on for twelve years. (The other person had used it for at least four years.) I was very tired of rolling into the ditch every night.

So after shopping and quite a bit of research, I decided to get a hybrid memory foam/ enclosed spring replacement. This has been a fabulous choice!

One word of warning, it must not be turned! [Big Grin] [Yipee]
 
Posted by Lyda*Rose (# 4544) on :
 
I love my pocket coil mattress (Beautyrest) with separately enclosed coils which resides on a platform bed with storage drawers. If I had my old slatted bed I'd place the mattress on a boxspring foundation on top of the slats. I haven't heard boxspring foundations mentioned yet. Is a sprung or firm edged divan the same thing do you think?
 
Posted by Doublethink (# 1984) on :
 
I think a box spring is the same thing as a divan, but I don't think you could really put a divan on top of a bedstead.
 
Posted by Leorning Cniht (# 17564) on :
 
quote:
Originally posted by Doublethink:
I think a box spring is the same thing as a divan, but I don't think you could really put a divan on top of a bedstead.
Except that typically a US box spring sits on top of a metal bed frame, whereas a UK divan has castors and sits on them on the ground, they are the same thing.
 
Posted by Cathscats (# 17827) on :
 
No mattress could be as bad as the one my grandparents slept on throughout their long years of marriage. Living by the sea, it was filled with SAND. There were two indentations in it where they lay and a large hump in between. There was no yield or "give" in it, and it weighed several tons, so obviously could not be turned. But my granny was so sad when after she was widowed she moved into a smaller place with a single bed and a more normal (though still ancient) mattress.
 
Posted by jedijudy (# 333) on :
 
quote:
Originally posted by Lyda*Rose:
I haven't heard boxspring foundations mentioned yet.
Ah, yes. Part of the guarantee that came with my new mattress stipulated it had to be placed on its matching boxspring. When they were installed on my bedframe, the result was a bed so high that I had to buy a stepstool to get into it. [Roll Eyes]
 
Posted by Amanda B. Reckondwythe (# 5521) on :
 
Call me odd, but I prefer a slotted headboard because I like to have something to grab onto as I toss and turn. Solid headboards just won't do.

I have an adjustable bed (can raise/lower the head and/or foot) but my current mattress is too stiff to be raised or lowered. I do turn the mattress once each month, though.

I've often wondered about Sleep Number beds -- are they as comfortable as that cute little guy in the ads (was he a former jockey?) says they are? Does anyone have first-hand experience with them?
 
Posted by Boogie (# 13538) on :
 
quote:
Originally posted by Amanda B. Reckondwythe:
Call me odd, but I prefer a slotted headboard because I like to have something to grab onto as I toss and turn. Solid headboards just won't do.
TMI!!


[Eek!] [Hot and Hormonal]
 
Posted by Doublethink (# 1984) on :
 
Surely you need a fourposter for gothic bondage ...
 
Posted by Doublethink (# 1984) on :
 
On a similar theme, surely all beds should come with hidden lockable drawers for the-things-that-must-not-be-found-by-visiting-parents who are sleeping in the master bedroom ?
 
Posted by Curiosity killed ... (# 11770) on :
 
or nosy children?
 
Posted by Doublethink (# 1984) on :
 
When this conversation made me google - I have to admit, I was not expecting this.

(As bedroom furniture goes, I am especially entranced by the chest of drawers in which you can hide four rifles ...)

[ 27. July 2014, 13:46: Message edited by: Doublethink ]
 
Posted by Firenze (# 619) on :
 
Your search is over. And a snip at $16,000. (Mind you, that may not include the net curtains, satin sheetage or strewn roses).
 
Posted by Kitten (# 1179) on :
 
quote:
Originally posted by Doublethink:
On a similar theme, surely all beds should come with hidden lockable drawers for the-things-that-must-not-be-found-by-visiting-parents who are sleeping in the master bedroom ?
Isn't that what bedside cabinets are for?
 
Posted by Lyda*Rose (# 4544) on :
 
quote:
Originally posted by Firenze:
Your search is over. And a snip at $16,000. (Mind you, that may not include the net curtains, satin sheetage or strewn roses).
Ew. Just ew.
 
Posted by Doublethink (# 1984) on :
 
quote:
Originally posted by Firenze:
Your search is over. And a snip at $16,000. (Mind you, that may not include the net curtains, satin sheetage or strewn roses).
That is quite possibly the most hideous bed I have ever seen.
 
Posted by Doublethink (# 1984) on :
 
quote:
Originally posted by Kitten:
quote:
Originally posted by Doublethink:
On a similar theme, surely all beds should come with hidden lockable drawers for the-things-that-must-not-be-found-by-visiting-parents who are sleeping in the master bedroom ?
Isn't that what bedside cabinets are for?
Your parents don't look in your bedside cabinets ?
 
Posted by Doublethink (# 1984) on :
 
Looks a bit soft to me.. And too yellow.

[ 27. July 2014, 15:34: Message edited by: Doublethink ]
 
Posted by Sir Kevin (# 3492) on :
 
We recently bought a new double bed, i.e. mattress and box springs, but I am putting off installing the wheeled frame (to which the headboard must be attached) because I want to contrive some sort of under-bed storage or at least get some boards at the lumber yard and use them to block things from getting under the bed!
 
Posted by Leorning Cniht (# 17564) on :
 
quote:
Originally posted by Doublethink:
quote:
Originally posted by Kitten:
quote:
Originally posted by Doublethink:
On a similar theme, surely all beds should come with hidden lockable drawers for the-things-that-must-not-be-found-by-visiting-parents who are sleeping in the master bedroom ?
Isn't that what bedside cabinets are for?
Your parents don't look in your bedside cabinets ?
Have a duplicate bedside cabinet in your spare room, tucked in a corner of the living room, or otherwise hidden around the house. When your parents evict you from your room, switch the incriminating drawer for an innocent one.
 
Posted by Wesley J (# 6075) on :
 
quote:
Originally posted by Amanda B. Reckondwythe:
Call me odd, but I prefer a slotted headboard because I like to have something to grab onto as I toss and turn. Solid headboards just won't do. [...]
The headboard question in an interesting one. I've had several types so far, but currently don't. I think it's also about space sometimes, when every inch counts. A good headboard will take up some room. I like Miss Amanda's idea of something to grab on to, though haven't had a slotted headboard so far. It feels tempting though (even if you're not into BDSM [Biased] )!

Eons ago, I used to sleep in a very old bed with, yes, a horsehair mattress with springs, for a while, but got rid of that. Annoyingly, the horsehair used to poke out at times! Aargh! The bed had a solid-ish, big wooden (oak?) headboard and a metal spring frame for the mattress. Definitely not my favourite experience!

Another bed had a headboard similar to this, though not upholstered, with storage space on top where you could put books and a bedside lamp, and a stereo. Yet another bed had such storage space as well, all around the bed, and at the head end had a flap to put your duvet in for daytime storage (I never quite understood why!).

This site shows a lot of options - more than I ever wanted to know! -, and provides food for headboard thought. I may have to investigate!

Can't say much to my current mattress, which I've had for a few yours, and which I turn and flip regularly. Couldn't say what it consists of really, but it is quite comfy and reasonably hard, which I like. Not boxspring though: can't stand it!

The bedframe has a special, wood-only slatted inlay with no metal parts, and the inlay is very flexible for extra mattress support, so I'm happy with that. Never liked metal beds or bedframes.

A good and useful thread, this 'ere, DT. I shall follow it with interest! [Smile]

[ 27. July 2014, 20:13: Message edited by: Wesley J ]
 
Posted by Doublethink (# 1984) on :
 
Now this is more like it.
 
Posted by Wesley J (# 6075) on :
 
Very nice! Love the leather headboards! But how are you going to clean under the mattress then? Could be a dust haven.

Forgot so say earlier: Nowt under my current bed, as I've got plenty of space to put stuff. Thus easy to vacuum. For some time I had some plastic containers on wheels with lids under the bed. Those you can move. Again, helps with cleaning. (Dust mites don't agree with me!)
 
Posted by Doublethink (# 1984) on :
 
But you wouldn't need to, that's the point !
 
Posted by Wesley J (# 6075) on :
 
But you'd lose a helluva lot of storage space in the centre, as unused and not accessible, wouldn't you?

ETA - mind your toesies! Stubbing included! (I imagine)

ETA 2 - Still, a very nice piece! [Smile]

[ 27. July 2014, 20:49: Message edited by: Wesley J ]
 
Posted by Doublethink (# 1984) on :
 
I quite fancy something like this, but the headboard is still sub-optimal and it has sprung slats. (And it comes flat-packed [Frown] )
 
Posted by Penny S (# 14768) on :
 
Those struts look a little under-engineered.

And the gas lift mechanism sounds to me like something that could go wrong. A bed should last longer than a car.

[ 27. July 2014, 21:00: Message edited by: Penny S ]
 
Posted by Doublethink (# 1984) on :
 
True, but on the other hand - they can be replaced if they break and you do get shed loads of storage.
 
Posted by Polly Plummer (# 13354) on :
 
We got a new bed with slats a few years ago, as dh liked the look of it, but we didn't know the rule about not having a sprung mattress on it (and the sales person didn't mention it). We now have two toppers on it, as one wasn't thick enough, but I suppose it might be better to put something underneath the mattress instead - but the bed is quite high already so it wd need to be somehing not too deep.

I wish we'd never started!
 
Posted by Doublethink (# 1984) on :
 
The mattress blog suggests putting a 4ml sheet of mdf down the centre to provide a flatter surface, or peg board. The mattress will feel a bit firmer but less lumpy - though your topper should keep it from feeling too firm.

(Thats if the problem is *sprung* slats, otherwise you might need to change the base.)

[ 27. July 2014, 22:28: Message edited by: Doublethink ]
 
Posted by Baptist Trainfan (# 15128) on :
 
quote:
Originally posted by jedijudy:
A year ago I replaced my second-hand mattress that I had slept on for twelve years. (The other person had used it for at least four years.) I was very tired of rolling into the ditch every night.

So after shopping and quite a bit of research, I decided to get a hybrid memory foam/ enclosed spring replacement. This has been a fabulous choice!

One word of warning, it must not be turned! [Big Grin] [Yipee]
Well, you can turn it horizontally ...

We've got one and it's great.
 
Posted by LeRoc (# 3216) on :
 
My bed is too short for me.
 
Posted by Doublethink (# 1984) on :
 
How tall are you ?

Weirdly, as someone of only 5ft 4, I have that problem and it is a factor in the currently planned bed change - that's why I am going king size.

I find I end up sleeping diagonally across the bed with one foot wedged between the mattress and the footboard. I think it comes of going to sleep in the superman position - though I always wake up curled on my side.
 
Posted by LeRoc (# 3216) on :
 
quote:
Doublethink: How tall are you ?
6'4". A bit taller than the average Brazilian [Biased]
 
Posted by Doublethink (# 1984) on :
 
Have you considered a hammock ?
 
Posted by LeRoc (# 3216) on :
 
quote:
Doublethink: Have you considered a hammock ?
Yes, I sleep in a hammock very often actually. When I travel into the rain forest, that's often the only option. I don't know if I'd like to sleep always in a hammock though.
 
Posted by Lamb Chopped (# 5528) on :
 
quote:
Originally posted by Wesley J:
For some time I had some plastic containers on wheels with lids under the bed. Those you can move. Again, helps with cleaning. (Dust mites don't agree with me!)
We've got these, for videos for the LL and his father, and they work great. As long as some nameless monster-under-the-bed doesn't forget to slide them QUITE back under the bed, and I end up barking the back of my ankle on the plastic edge.
[Mad] Still, things stay cleaner and organized, and it's that much harder for the Chihuahua to create a lair under there.
 
Posted by jedijudy (# 333) on :
 
quote:
Originally posted by Baptist Trainfan:
quote:
Originally posted by jedijudy:
A year ago I replaced my second-hand mattress that I had slept on for twelve years. (The other person had used it for at least four years.) I was very tired of rolling into the ditch every night.

So after shopping and quite a bit of research, I decided to get a hybrid memory foam/ enclosed spring replacement. This has been a fabulous choice!

One word of warning, it must not be turned! [Big Grin] [Yipee]
Well, you can turn it horizontally ...

We've got one and it's great.
Mine has a dedicated head and foot, so no turning at all. Yay!
 
Posted by Gracious rebel (# 3523) on :
 
Bought a new bed last year and chose it simply on the basis that we find it really beautiful

At the time we couldn't really afford much new stuff, so it was an extravagance (although the old bed desperately needed replacing), but one we don't regret at all. Its also pretty comfortable. And I love the chunky pillars that are big enough to set things down on. Yes the headboard does need pillows placed to be able to lean on, but the style and awesomeness of this bed so makes up for that.
 
Posted by ecumaniac (# 376) on :
 
quote:
Originally posted by Doublethink:
Surely you need a fourposter for gothic bondage ...
If your bed frame is wooden it's pretty easy to add, ahem, after-market modifications.

Most fourposters aren't really designed for any sort of load bearing - you've been warned!!

Seriously though. I have a memory foam mattress - best thing ever! For cheapness reasons it is regular foam with a layer of memory foam on the top, so more firm than most memory foams but I actually prefer it this way.
 
Posted by LeRoc (# 3216) on :
 
Gothic bondage on a bed? A soft mattress to keep it nice and comfortable? I'm disappointed.
 
Posted by iamchristianhearmeroar (# 15483) on :
 
In answer to your final question, how long does a good mattress last, I remember sitting on my Grandmother and Grandfather's bed and remarking how very soft the mattress was. My Grandmother replied that it had been the hardest mattress available when it had been brought for them as a wedding present. They had recently celebrated their golden wedding anniversary! The mattress was originally from Harrods. So, in the case of a quality mattress, a long time...

A bit more affordable, this mattress has lasted me nearly twenty years, and is still incredibly comfortable. It's a hard mattress, but very good value compared to your usual John Lewis etc prices.
 
Posted by Penny S (# 14768) on :
 
I might bookmark that for replacement of my current mattress, which doesn't look as if it will last as long as its predecessor. I note that it comes in 3ft6in, which I had trouble finding before. Choice didn't come into it.
 
Posted by L'organist (# 17338) on :
 
If you've had major back surgery (classified as such if it involves a spinal fusion more than 10cm in length, plus some other conditions) then, with the requisite note from your consultant, you can buy an approved mattress without paying VAT.

This includes Tempur mattresses (but not the matching base, unfortunately).

Failing that, buy the best mattress you can afford and, if it is sprung, turn it: lengthways as well as over, to ensure even wear.
 
Posted by Doublethink (# 1984) on :
 
quote:
Originally posted by iamchristianhearmeroar:
In answer to your final question, how long does a good mattress last, I remember sitting on my Grandmother and Grandfather's bed and remarking how very soft the mattress was. My Grandmother replied that it had been the hardest mattress available when it had been brought for them as a wedding present. They had recently celebrated their golden wedding anniversary! The mattress was originally from Harrods. So, in the case of a quality mattress, a long time...

A bit more affordable, this mattress has lasted me nearly twenty years, and is still incredibly comfortable. It's a hard mattress, but very good value compared to your usual John Lewis etc prices.
Interesting, that is not pocket sprung - but seems to have lasted really well.
 
Posted by Brenda Clough (# 18061) on :
 
Cheap mattresses do not last well. I spent a small fortune (about $3000 US) on a mattress set some years ago, and it was worth it -- far the most comfortable sleep ever.
Also, if you are planning to use a metal bed frame? Do not use the cheap light ones they give with the mattress. If you go on line you can fine far sturdier ones, with many more legs and supporting members. This really does make all the difference.
 
Posted by iamchristianhearmeroar (# 15483) on :
 
quote:
Originally posted by Doublethink:
Interesting, that is not pocket sprung - but seems to have lasted really well.
Yes, it's not a well known brand but very well made - I only know of them as they're near to my parents in Shropshire.

Not a huge fan of pocket sprung mattresses - I find them far too soft. And my wife and I have had no problem with this mattress with any rolling into the middle (unintentionally) which I know some people find with non-pocket sprung mattresses. I'm a pretty hefty 6'3'' and my wife is a foot shorter than me, and we've had no issues at all.

We've been pretty diligent with turning the mattress so it has worn very evenly.

As I mentioned before it is a *hard* mattress, which we both like, although has softened with age of course. I had a "hard" mattress from John Lewis at one stage (in rented accommodation) and it was pretty soft in comparison, and the build quality far, far lower.
 
Posted by Ferdzy (# 8702) on :
 
As the spouse of an asthmatic person I suggest you be very careful with foam - many of them off-gas for a very long time. Memory foam is among the worst in my experience. It doesn't seem to bother many people, but if you are asthmatic you are not likely to be one of them.
 
Posted by Sir Kevin (# 3492) on :
 
quote:
Originally posted by Sir Kevin:
...I am putting off installing the wheeled frame (to which the headboard must be attached) because I want to contrive some sort of under-bed storage or at least get some boards at the lumber yard and use them to block things from getting under the bed!
I worked v. hard Tuesday, rehabbing our living quarters and reducing clutter for at least four hours. I accomplished all of the above but had to send my wife on an errand so I could finish everything before she entered the house!

[Razz] [Snore]
 
Posted by Jane R (# 331) on :
 
quote:
Your parents don't look in your bedside cabinets ?
Mine don't. Either they are afraid of what they will find, or they think my life is so dull they won't find anything interesting.

Memory foam is not all it's cracked up to be. It *sounds* like a wonderful idea, but what actually happens is that when you get into bed, you slide into whatever contorted position you occupied the previous night.
 
Posted by Zacchaeus (# 14454) on :
 
Having invested in a new mattrass just 2 months ago I wish this thread had been earlier....
 
Posted by Brenda Clough (# 18061) on :
 
If you want inconvenience combined with discomfort, there is nothing like a good old-fashioned water bed.
 
Posted by Heavenly Anarchist (# 13313) on :
 
quote:
Originally posted by Brenda Clough:
If you want inconvenience combined with discomfort, there is nothing like a good old-fashioned water bed.
I once nursed someone a medical waterbed (in the 80s) and it was awful. As well as being impractical for most of our care work, every time we tried to move her a wave would go across the bed, crash into her and she'd be left bobbing up and down.

[ 30. July 2014, 17:58: Message edited by: Heavenly Anarchist ]
 
Posted by Brenda Clough (# 18061) on :
 
And they are cold, unless fitted with a heater for the water. (And do not think about sex.)
 
Posted by mark_in_manchester (# 15978) on :
 
We sleep on a huge cast-iron bed with what-once-were-brass-plated knobs on it, found in an attic bedroom of my uncle when he died. It had last been slept on at the end of the war by my grandparents, just before the army un-requisitioned the main bedroom of the house and they moved back downstairs. It had gone a bit rusty during its dank 65 year sojourn, as the paint peeled off the walls and ceiling and the mattress (getting on 18" of wire springs, wooden slats, horsehair, and string) decomposed.

At the same time I found some odds and ends he brought back from Berlin at the end of the war (so I am now a de facto collector of 3rd Reich memorabilia) and quite a lot his father dumped there on demob from the navy at the end of the great war. All softly moldering - I have never been struck so strongly by that 'store your riches in heaven, where rust and moth can't get them' thing.

My (81-yr-old) mother, commenting on the bed - "I think I might have been conceived on that"...
 
Posted by Ariel (# 58) on :
 
I once had a cleaning job when I was a student, in a house where they had one of those old Victorian brass bedsteads with real brass knobs on. You only had to cross the floor with its creaking, irregular floorboards and the bed started jangling in sympathy. What it must have been like with two people being active in it didn't bear thinking about, but I guess the neighbours were well used to it.
 
Posted by cattyish (# 7829) on :
 
Mattress toppers saved my career when I had to sleep in various places where the beds had been overused. Thankfully I left A&E before the bed bug incident.

These days I have a ridiculously large bed because it was so pretty in the showroom. It's a little bulky for the room it's in, but so comfy. I turn the mattress when Mr C is in a good mood becuase it needs two small people. It has a slatted base but seems not to bother the mattress, and it has wooden slats in the headboard and footboard which are great for leaning on.

I'm a terrible hoarder, so there are boxes galore under there.

Cattyish, needing to go to the decluttering thread.
 
Posted by Thyme (# 12360) on :
 
I bought a new double bed and headboard recently. I was staying near a branch of 'Dreams' and had a spare morning so decided to buy the bed.

I got a memory foam mattress. I was told it didn't need turning so that was a plus, and that it remembers its own shape, not mine, so shouldn't have the problems of developing a hollow.

I think there are two reasons for using mattress toppers. Firstly it helps protect the mattress and secondly, a good quality one really helps with the comfort on an old or too hard mattress. A friend bought a mattress topper recently and found this saved her having to buy a new mattress.

I got a divan with drawers each side. I thought it would less of a dust collecter than underbed storage. Never thought of carpet beetles! I tried an ottoman but although this gives more storage than the drawers it was more difficult to open and I felt it wouldn't be a good long term choice at my age.

The 'Dreams' salesman seemed to know his stuff, the delivery and assembly was all very efficient and I am very pleased. If he was talking ***** I think I prefer not be disillusioned.

The story about the store mattress being different because it had been overused in the store is terrible. The people should have been able to return the bed. 'Dreams' were very keen on their no questions returns policy. I don't have any reason to try it but their service so far suggests they would honour it. Hope the store in question wasn't 'Dreams'.

Sorry if I am sounding like a 'Dreams' advert, but I had been putting off the whole new bed project because there is so much choice and it is so difficult to make a decision and they did make it fairly painless.

I certainly wasn't going to buy online before trying and the thought of trecking round bed shops trying to remember it all was very depressing.

I do agree that the divan beds these days seem very high.
 
Posted by Penny S (# 14768) on :
 
My niece has a feather topper, which reminds me of my grandparents' featherbed. I have toyed with the idea of getting one, but find the idea of being between it and the duvet odd.
 
Posted by Chocoholic (# 4655) on :
 
I remember washing someone's feather pillows for them when house sitting once, blinking things took days to dry!
Saying that I've always found washing synthetic pillows can make them lumpy, anyone got any tips to stop this?

I tend to stick to synthetics cos of the welfare issues with feathers and down although a number of shops are using more ethical sources now.
 
Posted by lily pad (# 11456) on :
 
I have asthma so no memory foam for me as it off-gases formaldehyde.

I use synthetic pillows and they are washed weekly in hot water and tumbled dry. I don't notice any lumpiness but maybe that is due to drying them in the dryer. It doesn't seem to hurt them at all and so maybe give that a try.
 
Posted by Sir Kevin (# 3492) on :
 
Our bed is fine: no extra add-add-ons.
 
Posted by Thyme (# 12360) on :
 
I didn't know about the risks for asthmatics with memory foam. So far I haven't had a problem.

The only time I tried washing synthetic pillows they went horribly lumpy. Now I use pillow protectors and buy cheap pillows that can be replaced frequently.
 
Posted by Doublethink (# 1984) on :
 
I am asthmatic and use a memory foam pillow without a noticeable problem, but I don't like deep memory foam on mattresses - I feel stuck.
 
Posted by Snags (# 15351) on :
 
FWIW we have a pine bed (slatted base) and hand made pocket sprung mattress one gauge firmer than "orthopaedic" because my back demands a firm mattress.

19 years on it's still going strong with no signs of excessive give or sagging. All made by Taurus Pine Beds for considerably less than a quality divan and mattress would have cost from a high street supplier.
 
Posted by Doublethink (# 1984) on :
 
They look as if they do some good deals, the underbed drawers look good too.
 
Posted by Doublethink (# 1984) on :
 
Found this, which ikea sell as a box spring / mattress foundation - which is definitely a different animal from these which are sold as divans.

I was going to say I didn't think you could buy boxsprings in the uk - until I found this on the ikea site.

Presumably you could place it between the bedstead and the mattress, if you could resolve the height issues.
 
Posted by Drifting Star (# 12799) on :
 
quote:
Originally posted by Thyme:


The story about the store mattress being different because it had been overused in the store is terrible. The people should have been able to return the bed. 'Dreams' were very keen on their no questions returns policy. I don't have any reason to try it but their service so far suggests they would honour it. Hope the store in question wasn't 'Dreams'.
Afraid it was Dreams, and their returns policy has so many disclaimers that it isn't worth much. I hope you don't need to use it.

I'd question the statement about memory foam remembering it's own shape too - they told me that, but only after they'd told me it would remember my shape and I'd said I didn't want that.
 
Posted by Thyme (# 12360) on :
 
Oh dear! So far my 'Dreams' shopping experience has been good. Hopefully I won't need to return the bed.
 
Posted by Thyme (# 12360) on :
 
Just looked up this question about what it is memory foam remembers and it seems it is a both/and situation.

Wiki says:

"Higher-density memory foam softens in reaction to body heat, allowing it to mold to a warm body in a few minutes. Faster speed of recovery of a foam to its original shape after a weight is removed is sometimes claimed as an advantage by memory-foam mattress producers, who may talk of "newer generation" foams with "faster recovery."

Also, the problems for asthmatics;

"Emissions from memory foam mattresses may directly cause more respiratory irritation than other mattresses; however mildew and house dust mites may not occur as frequently, so asthma attacks may be less frequent and severe"
 
Posted by Doublethink (# 1984) on :
 
Went window come mattress come bed shopping. Can't think why the sales assisstant was laughing at me - all I did was combat roll between the beds next to each other when trying the mattresses [Big Grin]

The experience has confirmed me in my view that I don't like foam mattresses, and that beyond a certain point I can't tell apart really expensive mattresses. This is reassuring for my wallet. Sadly, I can tell polyester upholstery from natural, which is less good for my wallet.

[ 02. August 2014, 17:49: Message edited by: Doublethink ]
 
Posted by L'organist (# 17338) on :
 
I have a very expensive memory foam mattress - but when my back is really bad I find the thing for me to sleep on is a couple of old sleeping bags on a hard floor...
 
Posted by Doublethink (# 1984) on :
 
Maybe consider a laygel or latex firm topper ?
 
Posted by Doublethink (# 1984) on :
 
Any shippies ever tried a round bed ? Are they worth it ?
 
Posted by ecumaniac (# 376) on :
 
quote:
Originally posted by Doublethink:
Any shippies ever tried a round bed ? Are they worth it ?
Yes, but not for sleeping in [Biased]

It's good for frolicking about with several people as you can climb on or off from all sides, but in general I'd say not worth it.

Just get a super king if you're intending to have lots of orgies.
 
Posted by Doublethink (# 1984) on :
 
Orgies are not planned [Eek!]
 
Posted by ecumaniac (# 376) on :
 
quote:
Originally posted by Doublethink:
Orgies are not planned [Eek!]
In that case what's the point of a round bed!
 
Posted by Ariel (# 58) on :
 
You'd have a terrible time trying to find sheets and a duvet for a round bed.
 
Posted by Doublethink (# 1984) on :
 
It is without point, for it is round.
 
Posted by Doublethink (# 1984) on :
 
quote:
Originally posted by Ariel:
You'd have a terrible time trying to find sheets and a duvet for a round bed.
I imagine mattresses maybe an issue too.
 
Posted by Ariel (# 58) on :
 
And the pillows would be annoying because no matter how you positioned them, they wouldn't align with the rest of the bed (would there be a headboard?). Unless the pillows were curved, which would also be annoying, and difficult to find.

Actually sleeping in a round bed might be a bit disorientating, though I suppose you could get used to it. There's probably a reason why round beds have never really caught on...
 
Posted by ecumaniac (# 376) on :
 
http://www.betweenthesheets.co.uk/round-bed-linen.htm

I got my silk pillow cases from them.

What I never realised before was that round beds are two semicircle beds put together, so there is an annoying crevice down the middle, like those hotel beds. And there isn't much choice in mattress quality.
 
Posted by Doublethink (# 1984) on :
 
I think these guys would make you one if you paid them enough.

Mind you, most mattresses are not designed to take more than 30st combined weight - so I guess you would need something specially made for regular orgy use anyway.
 
Posted by ArachnidinElmet (# 17346) on :
 
quote:
Originally posted by ecumaniac:
http://www.betweenthesheets.co.uk/round-bed-linen.htm

I got my silk pillow cases from them.

What I never realised before was that round beds are two semicircle beds put together, so there is an annoying crevice down the middle, like those hotel beds. And there isn't much choice in mattress quality.
Ooh, they stock bamboo bed linen. I've got other odds and sods made from bamboo and it's got a very nice feel to it.
 
Posted by Moo (# 107) on :
 
quote:
Originally posted by Amanda B. Reckondwythe:
I've often wondered about Sleep Number beds -- are they as comfortable as that cute little guy in the ads (was he a former jockey?) says they are? Does anyone have first-hand experience with them?
I have been sleeping on a sleep-number-type mattress for fifteen years. I say 'sleep-number-type' because you can add or remove air, but it's trial-and-error; there are no numbers. This is a cheaper model made by the sleep-number people.

Two years ago I decided I wanted something softer, so I bought a four-inch-thick memory foam pad to put on top of the mattress. It's very comfortable.

Moo
 
Posted by LeRoc (# 3216) on :
 
Hmm, are there round beds that rotate throughout the night? Not so fast as to make you dizzy, but one rotation per hour or so.
 
Posted by Leorning Cniht (# 17564) on :
 
quote:
Originally posted by LeRoc:
Hmm, are there round beds that rotate throughout the night? Not so fast as to make you dizzy, but one rotation per hour or so.
You could certainly build a bed clock. It's rather more work than a normal bed, but it's doable. I'm not entirely sure why you'd want to, though.
 
Posted by LeRoc (# 3216) on :
 
quote:
Leorning Cniht: I'm not entirely sure why you'd want to, though.
To experience what I normally feel when I go to bed drunk without actually drinking [Big Grin]
 
Posted by Lyda*Rose (# 4544) on :
 
quote:
Originally posted by LeRoc:
quote:
Leorning Cniht: I'm not entirely sure why you'd want to, though.
To experience what I normally feel when I go to bed drunk without actually drinking [Big Grin]
When I get drunk the bed spins much faster than once per minute. [Ultra confused]
 
Posted by LeRoc (# 3216) on :
 
Once I went to a wedding in inland Brazil, which naturally involved a certain amount of drinking. After this, I slept in the wooden house of friends of mine. When I went to bed, real fireflies had entered the room and they were spinning around in front of my eyes. "Oh no, I don't deserve this!"
 
Posted by Lyda*Rose (# 4544) on :
 
[Big Grin]
 
Posted by Curiosity killed ... (# 11770) on :
 
Years ago I worked for a company that built bespoke furniture, including round beds. There were also beds with a headboard filled with pop up electronic bits and a TV in the foot that could be raised or lowered all very 80s. Not sure how much interest this company was taking in the mattress quality though.
 
Posted by Doublethink (# 1984) on :
 
You can still get TV beds, but I struggle to see why you'd bother when you can use an ipad. I also fear such beds, I think I might become spherical - especially if I plugged in a fridge beside the bed, why would you ever leave .... [Eek!]
 
Posted by Chocoholic (# 4655) on :
 
They need ipad holders now, to stop our arms aching!
 
Posted by Doublethink (# 1984) on :
 
This would be stylish.
 
Posted by Chocoholic (# 4655) on :
 
Yep, it's a nice looking stand although might be a bit heavy to lean on our tummies I when lying down (or the ipad may be partially obscuring by those of us with boobs!)
I was wondering about a sort of arm attachment to the headboard that can be positioned in front of us. Or is that just too decadent?
 
Posted by Doublethink (# 1984) on :
 
You need this !
 
Posted by Chocoholic (# 4655) on :
 
Ooooh now that is fabulous!
 
Posted by Doublethink (# 1984) on :
 
Now for the great pillow debate ...

Research tells me, pillow choice is partly determined by sleep position. (I am still struggling to work out if I count as a side sleeper or a stomach sleeper.)

So I need a slimmer, reasonably supportive pillow. I currently have a four year old contoured memory foam pillow, am considering changing. I am particularly interested to know if any shippies have tried wool or latex pillows, and whether they are any good ?
 
Posted by Firenze (# 619) on :
 
There was a piece in The Guardian G2 the other week which persuaded me to replace our pillows with latex ones. They arrived Monday and I have to say I'm very pleased with mine. It's supportive yet yielding - but not too much. I think I have slept a bit better this week - though that may be due to cooler and darker nights. Expensive, though - with p&p about £40 a pillow.

ETA: I am a side and semi-front sleeper.

[ 21. August 2014, 21:23: Message edited by: Firenze ]
 
Posted by Doublethink (# 1984) on :
 
I do like the idea of a natural fill over memory foam - so latex is tempting. Did you have any issues with smell ?

[ 21. August 2014, 21:26: Message edited by: Doublethink ]
 
Posted by Firenze (# 619) on :
 
None whatsoever. This is the specific model.
 
Posted by Doublethink (# 1984) on :
 
Oooh, has a five year guarantee, now that is the kinda thing I like to see.
 
Posted by la vie en rouge (# 10688) on :
 
I think the pillows you find comfortable depend a lot on what you get used to as well, TBH.

Your average French pillow is big and square (bolsters have very much gone out of fashion and aren't used very much at all). After ten years here, I find British-style rectangular pillows horribly uncomfortable when I am there.
 
Posted by Sandemaniac (# 12829) on :
 
quote:
Originally posted by ecumaniac:
Yes, but not for sleeping in [Biased]

It's good for frolicking about with several people as you can climb on or off from all sides, but in general I'd say not worth it.

Just get a super king if you're intending to have lots of orgies.
I can now add to my "All I know about pubic shaving I got from the Ship" (true!) anecdote the "all I know about having orgies came from the Ship!".

Now I just need to work out whether that merits a
[Hot and Hormonal] , a [Big Grin] , a [Ultra confused] , an [Eek!] or a [Killing me] ...

Incidentally, I keep reading the thread title as "Bad thoughts". Freud would love it...

AG
 
Posted by Doublethink (# 1984) on :
 
I am going pillow shopping tomorrow [Yipee] [Snore] [Yipee]
 
Posted by jedijudy (# 333) on :
 
I saw a coconut scented memory foam pillow a few days ago! It was $129.00. Here, let me pull that money out of my back pocket. Oh, darn. The coconut would go unnoticed because of my CPAP!

Too bad. [Biased]
 
Posted by Ariel (# 58) on :
 
quote:
Originally posted by Doublethink:
Research tells me, pillow choice is partly determined by sleep position. (I am still struggling to work out if I count as a side sleeper or a stomach sleeper.)
Right. I generally find that the pillows scrunch up into the headboard during the course of the night, and I'm much more comfortable waking up on the flat surface of the mattress. Pillows usually give me a crick in the neck. (I'm sure you all wanted to know that.) They are good for propping you up so you can read in bed, but not much else really IMO.
 
Posted by Wesley J (# 6075) on :
 
quote:
Originally posted by Doublethink:
You need this !
I think this lady has used said iPad holder way too long - she definitely looks poorly and hasn't seen any sunlight in weeks. She needs to get out more! Just sayin'.
 
Posted by Doublethink (# 1984) on :
 
quote:
Originally posted by Ariel:
quote:
Originally posted by Doublethink:
Research tells me, pillow choice is partly determined by sleep position. (I am still struggling to work out if I count as a side sleeper or a stomach sleeper.)
Right. I generally find that the pillows scrunch up into the headboard during the course of the night, and I'm much more comfortable waking up on the flat surface of the mattress. Pillows usually give me a crick in the neck. (I'm sure you all wanted to know that.) They are good for propping you up so you can read in bed, but not much else really IMO.
I think that makes you a stomach sleeper.
 
Posted by Lyda*Rose (# 4544) on :
 
quote:
Originally posted by jedijudy:
I saw a coconut scented memory foam pillow a few days ago! It was $129.00. Here, let me pull that money out of my back pocket. Oh, darn. The coconut would go unnoticed because of my CPAP!

Too bad. [Biased]
CRAP in your bed? I'm restraining myself. [Biased]
 
Posted by Doublethink (# 1984) on :
 
After noodling around a bit I have decided to try a wool pillow (mainly cos you can add and remove fill to get your preferred loft just right). I'll report back when I have tried it.
 
Posted by Pearl B4 Swine (# 11451) on :
 
quote:
Originally posted by Doublethink:
You need this !
Frankly, this looks like a medical device I'd rather not be acquainted with. The entire Ipad holder article is well-worth reading through, for the mysterious descriptions of the products.
 
Posted by Doublethink (# 1984) on :
 
quote:
Originally posted by Doublethink:
After noodling around a bit I have decided to try a wool pillow (mainly cos you can add and remove fill to get your preferred loft just right). I'll report back when I have tried it.
V Comfy [Smile]
 
Posted by Doublethink (# 1984) on :
 
quote:
Originally posted by Pearl B4 Swine:
quote:
Originally posted by Doublethink:
You need this !
Frankly, this looks like a medical device I'd rather not be acquainted with. The entire Ipad holder article is well-worth reading through, for the mysterious descriptions of the products.
I have just clamped it to my bed, I may never stir again.
 


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