Archive for September, 2009
If you can’t remember the last time you had a good night’s sleep, it could well be your rickety old bed (not your stressful lifestyle) that’s to blame. We spoke to the best in the bedding 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.
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.
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 Hotel 4-poster bed from John Lewis.
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. Their Well Base bed (£654.75 for a super-king) 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.
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 floor to ensure it is not going to be an obstacle.’ Feather & Black’s regal-looking Highgrove bed from will ensure sweet dreams.
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.’
7. Keep the bed bugs away
Sensitive types should opt for a hypo-allergenic mattress like this king-size Rockingham mattress from The Conran Shop which will help asthma and breathing problems. Their anti-dust mite properties will stop you from sneezing all night long.
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.
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 Platinum raised inflatable aerobed from John Lewis.
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.
Dining Tables can be a great addition to your living area, and also to your garden patio. Not only do they create a social atmosphere, but if you choose the right one, the area it’s in can be totally transformed. A dining table can last you for a number of years, so it’s important to chose the right one!
There’s a lot to consider when choosing a dining table such as the size, color, shape and material it’s made from. It’s important to picture it in your living area or on your garden patio, so a good idea is to take go and browse through a wide range of tables, photographing the best ones. You can then take the photo home and see if the table fits in.
You should consider what the main use of the dining table will be. Are you going to use it to entertain family, friends and work colleagues, or will it be used to dish up food for the kids? There’s a big difference in price between top quality tables and dining tables for every day; however if you chose correctly, you can pick a table that will serve both purposes perfectly, and for relatively cheap!
The position of the table on your garden patio or in your living area is crucial, as it will be the main focus. Don’t just abandon it in the middle of the room, as it will look well out of place. Therefore you should think carefully about where it will go, taking note of details like distance from walls, ease of access and position in relation to windows. Will it be easy to serve food too? Does it allow you to enjoy the view of your beautiful garden? These are important questions to consider. You should draw up a few sketches of the area, and varying positions of the table – this will allow you to make the best decision.
Once you get your table home, it’s important to take care of it well. You should consider purchasing some place mats to avoid marking the table, and you should wipe the table down with a clean cloth following every use. This will ensure your table lasts a long time.
Furnishing your dining table can be just as important a decision as buying the table itself. You don’t want to cover it with a cloth so it’s invisible, neither do you want to leave it bare so it can be damaged. Generally a minimalist style works best, so consider purchasing a nice vase to go with the table, and then add some nice flowers.
Purchase the perfect dining table for your living area or garden patio today, and totally transform the feel of your property!