We each spend over 120 days in bed each year. This makes choosing the right bed one of the most important decisions you can make for your wellbeing. The average lifespan of a bed is usually 8-10 years, a bed can deteriorate by as much as 70% in this time, depending on use and how well it's looked after. If you have been having difficulty sleeping, tossing, turning and waking up frequently or aches in your back, shoulders or neck, it could be time for a new bed.
Size Matters
Most sleep experts agree the bigger the bed, the better the sleep. Your bed should be 15cm longer than the tallest person sleeping in it. This ensures that you don't end up sleeping diagonally which is bad for your back and uncomfortable for you and your partner.
A healthy sleeper will toss and turn as many as 30-70 times a night, making width important too. The width of the bed is particularly important if you sleep with a partner. A standard double bed (135cm) gives each person just 69cm of space, which is narrower than a single bed.
You’ll need to consider the size of your bedroom too. Make sure there’s enough room to fit in other bedroom furniture including enough space to open drawers and wardrobes.
Bed Frame Vs Divan
Manoeuvrability - A bed frame will always arrive 'flat-packed' so it can be assembled in the room. This can be an advantage if you live in a house with narrow walkways or tight turns on staircases rather than a bulky divan base.
Ventilation - A slatted or mesh base will ventilate your mattress as it allows air flow underneath for a fresh sleeping environment. Therefore a bed frame may be much more preferable for allergy or asthma sufferers.
Design – You can make much more of a design statement with a bed frame. Frames are available in a wide range of materials including wood, leather and metal beds. Whether you’re looking for traditional and classic or contemporary and minimalistic, a bed frame offers much more design possibilities.
Height – Bed frames are typically lower to the floor than divans, this is particularly useful if you have trouble getting in or out of bed.
Storage – Divans are available with pull-out storage drawers, however space is actually optimised under a bed frame. You’ll have the option to store larger items, whereas with a divan you’re restricted to the drawer size.
Bed Bases
A divan base is merely a wooden box on which the mattress sits. Wooden or metal beds base will be made up of slats; either sprung or rigid. A sprung slatted bed will have curved wooden slats, normally made of beech, that sit within the frame. Their natural bounce means that they’ll adjust to your profile. A larger bed will have a double spring unit, supported by a central rail. This stops ‘roll together,’ ensuring you won’t be disturbed when your partner gets out of bed. Rigid slats are fixed wooden slats with no give. They therefore provide an overall firmer feeling bed.
As a general rule, the gap between each slat should be less than 3 inches for proper support. The wear and tear on a mattress will also be greater the wider the gaps. Most manufacturers make their own recommendations for slat spacing to suit their mattresses, so be sure to check this out.
Wooden Vs Metal Beds
Durability - There is nothing quite as tough as metal beds, they are solid and sturdy and you’ll never need to worry about the frame breaking, warping or getting weaker.
Design – While wooden beds look fantastic, metal beds offer you much more choice when it comes to style. As the bed is the focal point of a bedroom, you may want to go for a statement piece; metal can moulded and shaped into unique, elaborate designs.
Colour – Metal beds give you option of colour and finish. This is great if you’re looking for children’s beds or something that really makes a statement.
Size - Metal beds tend to be significantly less bulky than other bedroom suites. Wood can be chunky and cumbersome. This makes metal beds ideal for smaller bedrooms.
A bed is one of life's key purchases. Making the right choice will reward you with a better quality night’s sleep, help your posture and health in general. Choose wisely and do plenty of research. Sleep in an ill-fitting, unsuitable bed and you could be setting yourself up for health problems in the future.
Avi Reisman works on the design team at Metal Design Furniture Ltd. Avi's articles on interior design, landscaping, garden furniture, metal furniture and wrought iron are a must read for anyone considering investing in metal beds for their home.
Metal Design Furniture Ltd, based in London, produce quality metal furniture; using a merger of advanced robotic technology with traditional handicraft. The result is high-end, exquisite metal furniture that will stand the test of time. Furniture is all manufactured in Europe, and they retail their furniture all across the UK.
Far from being mass produced, many of their products have handcrafted details and finishes. In fact, you can customise every piece online before buying with options of colours, sizes and styles. For more articles and information visit the blog http://www.metaldesign-furniture.co.uk/blog
Avi Reisman works on the design team at Metal Design Furniture Ltd. Avi’s articles on interior design, landscaping, garden furniture and metal work are a must read for anyone considering investing in a feature piece of metal furniture for their home.