Wouldn’t you love to sleep well every night?
An 8 hour guarantee of uninterrupted sleep.
Choosing the right bed frame is essential if having a long and deep sleep is something you want.
Below is a breakdown of what to look for in a bed frame.
Can you guess what the most important factor in any bed frame purchase is?
The size of mattress dictates the size of the frame. There’s nothing worse for a bedroom than having a mattress falling over the edge of a frame, it’s interior design’s less graceful version of a cat sunning itself on the balcony rail.
What sizes of bed frame are there in this big wide world? Let us start with the double/full bed, the minimum any adult is going to sleep in. The next size up is queen, then king and finally california king size. Rihanna sang a song about it – she knew this article was getting written.
If you have a small bedroom, don’t let it be overpowered by a big bed.
What makes a platform bed frame ideal is that you only need a mattress, without additional springs.
If you’re a fan of firmer mattresses then you’ll prefer a platform bed over box springs but we’ll get to that later.
Height and bulkiness of the bed
The ideal bed size is dependent upon its proportions against the rest of the room.
The higher a bed frame is off the ground or a generally larger bed such as canopy means higher ceilings needed so you can breathe without feeling oppressed.
Let’s answer the pressing question, what are adjustable bed frames? Don’t worry, they’re not only for hospitals – they’re in the bedroom now too.
The frames are motorised and, you guessed it, the position of the head and foot of the bed can be altered to suit your needs -flex, bend and lift up your mattress. It’s like doing sit ups but without using any of your abdominal muscles.
Throughout the US, 9% of consumers have an adjustable bed and increased 200% between 2011 and 2015.
There’s a market for it for sure and it’s only increase each year, you’ll be able to chat to all your friends on social media about your adjustable bed accessories soon (that’s a joke but would you actually be that surprised?).
You’ll notice online that there are claims these beds improve lumbar support and improve digestion.
I bought a white surgical coat, mask and stethoscope for my last Halloween party but I’m yet to repair anyone’s back so I can’t say if this is true or not.
If I were you I would ask someone who has trained for years on the human body before consulting a website that wants to sell you a bed. Seems like wishful thinking to me.
Foam mattresses work well because there’s nothing inside them that’ll break (bend them as much as you want, who cares?
There’s no repercussions where we’re going), however, some innerspring mattresses are suitable too.
The best thing about adjustable beds is being able to sit up straight so you can watch TV in bed. You won’t need to find any pillows to plump up anymore.
What are box springs? They’re frames which are essentially supportive wooden boxes that are covered with fabric and contain springs that are external to the mattress itself. The box spring then sits on a robust wooden or metal bed frame to increase rigidity.
The box spring is the same size as the mattress that sits on it but there’s less control over how the mattress feels, you may find yourself lying on rocks or getting sucked into sinking sand.
The springs in the box spring frame can start to give way after a bit. Mattress technology has improved a lot over the last couple of decades, meaning the springs are now installed inside the mattress themselves and box spring bed frames are rarer than seeing a ghost playing on a PS4. The only requirement for being a ghost is that you need to be over 100 years old. Unfair.
You’ve decided you want the softness of a memory foam mattress so you can melt into it whenever it’s cold outside, there’s no rigid core and really are just fancy sponges. Push your hands into it and you’ll be able to see its inprint for days, you may even added to the fossil collection.
What’s the most suitable bed frame for a memory foam mattress?
The memory foam mattress can’t support your weight on its own, so you’ll need to make sure you have a firm frame to do the heavy lifting and provide a rigid base underneath.
To be honest, you don’t actually need a bed frame for latex or memory foam mattresses. However, unless you actually want to sleep on the floor then from an aesthetic and mobility (getting in and out) point of view, get a bed frame!
A bed frame with slats that are no more than 8 inches (the ideal is 3 inches) apart work well for ventilation and making reducing mold. This is one of the only examples of when it’s better to sleep in your bed alone, the mold will eat you alive.
I remember one of my old flatmates having their mattress against a cold outer wall and when it came to us moving out of the property, the wall and mattress was black with spores being released in a cloud of lung infection.
Without having springs in the mattress, there’s nothing to counteract the sag that would naturally happen with spacing between the slats that’s too far apart. Too much dipping in the mattress means a worse sleep overall.
Conversely, although flat, solid bed frames are more supportive you need to be aware that they may need regular cleaning and manual ventilation. IF you’re as busy as me, that can be a hassle.
Additionally, I thought this was interesting – box spring frames don’t guarantee support and they can make your memory foam mattress warranty void if it breaks in any way.
You can’t use an air mattress in a standard bed frame, however, it’s possible to buy bed frames that are specifically made for air mattresses. These are called Pragma platform for air mattress, they are adjustable and look a bit like camp beds.
Bed height dictates comfort levels, but only if you’re an outlier – i.e. you’re very tall or you have bad knees (I may have the worst knees that a 27 year old man has ever had). Most of the people who find this website useful will be able to get in and out of a standard height bed frame.
Apparently the ideal height is if you sit on a bed and your knees are at right-angles. If your hips are below your knees when you’re perching then you’ve gone too low. I haven’t found any evidence online to suggest it actually does damage though, it’s just the same as squatting at the gym.
The average height of a bed frame is 26 inches off the ground, of course you can buy many that are above and below 26 inches. At this height, you’re providing decent ventilation but you’re still low enough to the ground to put your shoes and socks on in the morning.
Most platform beds these days are measured at around 18 inches high whilst is primarily a stylistic trend. They look awesome so you can impress the girl with your fashion sense.
Pro Tip
Not all mattresses are created equally and some mattresses are thicker than others. If you’ve measured the precise height you’d like the bed to be then either make sure the frame is lower than you need so a thick mattress will raise it to the desired height or make sure you buy a thinner mattress if the bed frame has to remain as it is
Feng shui comes to our rescue as it states the you shouldn’t block the underneath of the bed, so that chi (energy) can circulate under it. So don’t have a bed frame that is too low to the floor. Additionally, too high will allow excess chi to circulate and you’re feel vulnerable.
If you have a small room and you need to put storage under the bed then, unfortunately, the feng shui will have to be disregarded. Take the bad energy now so you can accept the good energy later in life.
Do you know if you’re going to buy a bed with a footboard?
These are an important consideration in smaller bedrooms as they can close a space up and make it feel even smaller.
If you do have a small bedroom and need storage underneath then let me run through some key points. Frames with storage underneath are designed to maximise space. Hide your crap so you don’t have to leave your clean clothes on the floor like a mad man. Who’s going to think you’ve got your life in order if you can’t get your clothes in a draw?
Pros
Cons
You’ll feel like you’re living in the 1600s, how that makes you feel is dependent upon you as a person. Four poster beds aren’t popular with men in their thirties so I’m not going to spend too much time on the design.
The people who do love them get to feel luxurious when they draw the curtains for an intimate night, but be aware that you have a higher chance of being attacked by an axe wielding murderer as you miss them entering the room.
How much do you like burgers? If it’s a lot then it may mean you’re a pretty wide individual and a queen size bed will let you stretch out. Queen size beds are meant to be able to hold a pair of people with 30 inches spare.
The actual measurement of a queen size bed is 60 inches wide and 80 inches long which is 5 feet by 7 feet – the ideal room size would be 10 feet by 10 feet. You need enough space around the perimeter to comfortably walk around.
If you want to place a queen size bed in a smaller bedroom then think about getting a headboard that isn’t too imposing so you can keep the proportions looking similar to smaller bed but still get the real estate.
The king size bed is ideal if you’re part of Hagrid’s family tree. Giants love king size beds, there’s no disputing it, facts are facts. They’re the largest standard bed size you can purchase on the American high street.
But what size are they? How can they be even larger than queen size beds, they’re big enough. You be surprised at just how far the human race will go for laziness and comfort. At 72 inches wide and 84 inches long, you can roll around without feeling guilty. In fact, sleep diagonally just because it’s so rare for you to be able to do this.
Pro tip
Don’t be a fool and buy one if you can’t actually fit it in your room. You’re only going to feel sad when you don’t have a bed to sleep in after already dismantling the old one. Watching the TV with the mattress on the floor and a takeaway in your hands is a grim look.
These things cost a lot of money, make no mistake. We pay for the things that improve our lives though and getting more sleep tends to do that.
There are plenty of different colors and materials used in bed frames.
Here’s something that people don’t realize when they’re buying a bed frame…
Listen: not only does it have to compliment the rest of the furniture in your bedroom, your bed frame needs to match your bed sheets.
Have you thought about that?
If you haven’t then here is a guide to choosing the best bed sheets for you.
On top of bed sheets, it’s best practice to add a throw blanket.
A smile will beam across your face each time you see a burst of color and pattern that connects with your personality.
Let’s take a look at some styles of bed frame.
Wood is a natural structure, each piece is distinctive and unique:
All give the bed frame character and and can be further altered by staining and sanding, making it very versatile with many patterns and beautiful intricacies.
As well as the pleasing aesthetics, wood can make the bedroom feel warmer and comfier. Once you have built and treated a piece of furniture from wood it will remain a durable product for years if kept in proper conditions.
There’s not much to do when cleaning. Get the cloth out and give it a simple wipe, is all that’s needed so you can sleep without worrying about sneezing from your previously dusty bed posts.
Wood is put into two categories: softwood (flowering trees) and hardwood (conifers). Softwoods are easier to work with and are more common. These are the typical softwood species you’ll come across:
Hardwoods are usually even more durable and this is reflected in the cost:
Composites are mixtures of different types of wood that are glued together and pressed into layers to form a solid structure – note: these are terrible for making a bed out of
I know, it’s crazy. I’ve just been going on about how durable wood beds are. Now we’re kicking it up to 11. Unless you’re really rich and have a diamond bed, you aren’t going to find anything tougher than a metal bed.
Let’s have a look at the positives and negatives of metal bed frames.
Pros
Cons
Are you searching for a bed frame that’ll live longer than you?
One that you can pass down to future generations for them to enjoy…
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