Bedkingdom Bed & Mattress Guide(S)

 

The average person spends a third of their lives sleeping - the equivalent to at least 200,000 hours spent in the land of nod.

Investing in a decent bed will help your sleeping hours to be more comfortable and fulfilling, in turn helping you to make the most of the time you're awake.

A good bed starts with a good bed frame - we've outlined the main types of bed below.

 

Measuring up

How much space do you have? Start by deciding how large or small a bed you'd like - or can fit - in your bedroom. 

Measure your bedroom if you're moving into a new home, allowing ample space at either side of where the bed will fit to accommodate bedside tables or other furniture.

 

Divan beds

A divan bed is the most popular and simple style of bed available - and there are countless varieties on sale. Essentially, a divan is a base, on to which you add a bed mattress and headboard, sometimes as part of a bed package. 

There are two types of divan base available. Pocket sprung divans have springs in the base, offering a softer top and extra comfort. Cheaper platform top divans have a hard top and will give a firmer feel, though the overall firmness of the bed will depend on the mattress you choose.

Divan bed pros

• Most widely available type of bed.
• Tends to be cheaper than other types of bed.
• Lots of sizes, shapes and storage options.

Divan bed cons

• Less ornate and stylish than other varieties of bed.
• Only some offer extra storage.

Bedsteads

Bedsteads are slatted frames (as opposed to solid bases), usually made of metal or wood and comprised of a base, legs and headboard. They're usually a more decorative option, with different colours, finishes and styles to choose from - from a traditional pine bedstead to a luxurious four-poster bedstead. 

Upholstered bedsteads, clad with leather or faux-leather, are an increasingly popular option.

Bedstead pros

• Look great, with lots of styles available.
• No need to buy a separate headboard.
• Different slat types available to offer a harder or more flexible feel.

Bedstead cons

• Storing items underneath the bed can look messy.
• Usually need to be self-assembled.
• Tend to be more expensive than divan beds.

Storage beds

As the name suggests, storage beds offer just that - lots of tidy storage options below or underneath the bed. They're a great option if you're short on bedroom space but want something a bit more stylish than a standard divan bed. Choose between storage drawers or an ottoman-style bed that fully lifts up, letting you store your belongings inside.

Storage bed pros

• Lots of storage space!
• Good for small bedrooms.
• Lots of storage options.

Storage bed cons

• Ottoman beds can be heavy and awkward to move or lift.

More bed types

There are lots more types of bed on the market - often designed to meet a specific requirement or appeal to particular age groups.

• Sofa beds and folding beds: flexible, compact bed options that work well in a guest bedroom, or where a bed won't be used everyday.
• Bunk beds: two beds in one for brothers and sisters in a shared bedroom - and lots of play fun for kids, too.
• Cot beds: for smaller children, cot beds are convertible cots that can help your little one make the transition from cot to bed.

 

Choosing the best type of mattress Mattress features

From chemical smells to spring density, we highlight what you need to know when buying and using your new mattress.

Mattress odour

Most bed mattresses have a distinctive chemical smell when you first unpack them, but some can be particularly smelly. Leave your mattress to air for a week before use and the fumes will disperse.

Mattress handles

Handles help with flipping, turning and positioning the mattress. Many new bed mattresses don’t need to be flipped over, but they may still benefit from being rotated head to foot a few times a year.

Mattress padding

Mattresses with spring systems are usually padded with man-made polymers, but some contain natural fibres such as horsehair or wool. More layers aren’t always better – the support from the springs is more important.

Mattress spring density

The number of springs in your mattress is less important than how they’re constructed. Which? has tested mattresses with densities ranging from 440 to 1,085 springs and found wide variation in support.

Washable mattress covers

Some sprung mattresses come with a removable cover, but you can buy one separately.

Which brands are best?

There are plenty of mattress brands out there, but which ones make the best mattresses? 

 

Find the perfect bed mattress

The biggest factor in choosing a bed mattress is comfort. And contrary to popular myth, a mattress doesn’t have to be hard to be good for you. As long as it has a good supporting structure, the amount of padding on top is down to personal preference.

We look at the main types of mattress below, but you won’t always find a simple distinction between them in the shops, as mattresses are increasingly made from a mix of materials.

There are six main mattress options to choose from:

Continuous coil mattress

This is the cheapest type of bed mattress, made from a single looped wire. Because the springs move as one unit, you’re more likely to be disturbed by your partner moving around in the night. The coils in these mattresses wear out more quickly than pocket springs, so you’re likely to end up rolling together eventually.

Open coil mattress

One step up from continuous coil, and also widely available, open-coil mattresses are made of single springs fixed together by wire.

Pocket sprung mattress

In these mattresses, the springs are sewn into individual fabric pockets. They provide better support for your body, as each coil absorbs the weight individually. So pocket sprung mattresses are good if you sleep on your side, which puts different pressures on your spine. And if you move around a lot in your sleep, your partner is less likely to feel it.

 

Memory foam mattress/ memory mattress

Memory foam mattresses, also known as memory mattresses, are topped with a layer of temperature-sensitive viscoelastic material (memory foam).

Memory foam mattresses are good at relieving pressure on painful joints, but are usually pricier than sprung mattresses.

Memory foam is affected by room temperature, so you might find the memory mattress cold and hard when you first go to bed. As it reacts to body heat, it moulds to your shape, which can make it difficult for you to move or get out of bed. 

It also reduces air circulation around your body, which makes the memory mattress feel warmer. Many people find this helpful in winter, especially because you can't use an electric underblanket with memory foam mattresses. But you may feel too hot in summer.

 

Pure foam mattress or latex mattress

Foam or latex mattresses can be a good option if you’re allergic to house dust mites.

 

Mattress ‘toppers’

These add a layer of memory foam or extra padding to your existing bed mattress. But they can be as expensive as buying a new mattress and won’t provide more support if your old mattress is already sagging.

 

Tv Bed Buying Guide

After looking round 3 retail stores and what felt like hundreds of websites we finally decided on a Tv Bed

To save others the trouble and stop others been ripped off I have come up with the following guidelines

1.When buying a Tv Bed check the lift mechanism supplied is electric some are just cheaper and non electric which defeats the object as you have to go to the end of the bed and lift up the bed frame.

2.Always check the dimensions of the TV Bed as the dimensions are very different from TV bed to TV Bed. Avoid TV beds that seem quite small; dimensions for a TV bed under 2.3 Meters in length and less than 1.60 Meters in With(in The Double thats25cm extra for the surround in each size) should be avoided as they will have thin surrounds

3.Always check the TV Bed comes with a compartment to store your DVD/Player games console or any other media player as if not it can be an issue finding a place to put the DVD player in the bedroom

4.If you are buying the TV from a different place to the TV bed always check the maximum thickness the tv can be to fit in the bed this is not mentioned on most websites or stores most of the LCD/Plasma TV’s will fit fine but if it is a TV/DVD combo there may be a space issue.

5.Check the TV Bed comes with a guarantee as this is an electrical item and can develop faults like any other.

6.Check there is a safety cut off for the TV bed Lift mechanism for health and safety reasons as as adults or child’s hand could get caught causing possible injury this is not included in some of the cheaper TV beds.

7.Check the Size of the bed frame is a UK size not continental size as you could end up with a bed frame you could not get the mattress that you would like for.

8.Check the TV Bed has the electrical parts already assembled as most TV beds come flat packed and this is the only part of assembling a Tv Bed frame which would require skilled tradesmen if this has not already been done.

9.Check the Tv Bed comes with all the tools you need to assemble the bed and a clear set of instructions.

10. Check the leather type you are looking at is the same as the tv bed you are comparing it to as this can affect the price drastically for example faux Leather(a leather effect fabric) would be much cheaper than a Genuine Leather TV Bed.
All this considered we decided to go for the Kaydian Bowburn TV Bed + Free Memory Foam Mattress as it was the only one we looked at that met all the points above. An example of the Non Electric TV beds to watch out for is the SleepSecrets Seattle TV Bed this looks almost the same and from looking at it you would not realise it was not electric.

I hope this information is useful and helps you make a well informed decision about the latest revolution in the bed industry.