STYLETHREAD -- LET'S TALK SHOP!

Eurodaisy · Dooney & Bourke

Clueless about Beds and Mattresses

Aurora · Marc Jacobs

I would pick your frame/style first and then get the matress to fit. Because if you do want a platform you should get it first and then get the top matress if that is all you need instead of getting the boxspring and matress and then deciding to go with the plat form.

Now for picking a new matress I'd go with middle of the line. Honestly I couldn't tell much of a difference between a $500 set and a $1000 set. I could tell the difference between a $200 and a $500 and also between the $2000 and the $500 but really who needs to spend that much on a bed?

member · Hermes

Aurora wrote:

I would pick your frame/style first and then get the matress to fit. Because if you do want a platform you should get it first and then get the top matress if that is all you need instead of getting the boxspring and matress and then deciding to go with the plat form. Now for picking a new matress I'd go with middle of the line. Honestly I couldn't tell much of a difference between a $500 set and a $1000 set. I could tell the difference between a $200 and a $500 and also between the $2000 and the $500 but really who needs to spend that much on a bed?

I agree, I would pick your frame first, because like Aurora said, if you get a platform bed, you'll only need a mattress. You could use a box spring, but it would set the bed too high and look bad.

I do disagree about the difference between a cheap and more expensive bed. We have a $1000 Sealy right now and it's heaven. Before that we had a $400 or $500 bed and it was horrible to sleep on. We had back aches all the time, etc. A mattress is one thing I wouldn't really scrimp on.

flknight24 · Dooney & Bourke

We bought a mattress about a year ago and I did a lot of research before I made the purchase and I found this forum very helpful...

http://www.whatsthebest-mattress.com/cgi-bin/yabb/YaBB.pl?board=wtb-mattress

We ended up with latex mattress from the Seley Reflection line. I think it's the Newport Beach but I'm not 100% sure. Anyway, it's quite possibly one of, if not the, best purchase I've ever made. The mattress is soft but not too soft (I prefer a firm mattress and the bf likes more soft and this one has worked for both of us). I know a "latex" mattress sounds weird but read a little about it and I promise it's wonderful. HTH!

FashionPrincess · Hermes

Well, I use to work in high end furniture retail and sold mattresses, so I consider myself pretty knowledgeable about this subject (and from both sides). My advice is to pick out the mattress first, a good mattress is very important. The most important thing to look for in a mattress is a boxspring that is actually a boxspring (meaning one that actually has springs in it). All boxsprings use to have springs but then mattress companies started cutting cost and just made them hollow. If they are hollow then they offer no support. Also, it's isn't neccessiarily about soft or firm mattresses, it's all about support. A soft mattress that is made to work as a system with the boxspring will allow your spine to be in alinement and be supported. Too firm of a mattress can actually push your spine out of alinement, cause our spines are curved and if you try to push it flat is causes lower back pressure. The brand that I recommend is Kingsdown, our set in the master bedroom and the guest room are by them. The master set was very pricey but the guest set was not, I think it retailed for around $700 and both sleep equally comfy. Let me know if you have any questions and I'd be happy to try my best to answer them for you. One thing I do know is just because a sales person says something, it doesn't make it true

Eurodaisy · Dooney & Bourke

Wow, ladies... thanks so much for your advice! Seems like I have a lot of research ahead of me, but your tips are a great start. FP, it sounds like picking the right boxspring is important to ensure proper support. For that reason, would you advise against getting a platform bed or other type of frame that doesn't allow for a boxspring/mattress combo?

FashionPrincess · Hermes

Eurodaisy wrote:

FP, it sounds like picking the right boxspring is important to ensure proper support. For that reason, would you advise against getting a platform bed or other type of frame that doesn't allow for a boxspring/mattress combo?

Personally I wouldn't buy a bed that wouldn't allow for a boxspring.

hotcocoa · Kate Spade

i'm just going to offer one more opinion. we've had a platform bed for about 10 years and we just bought a truly amazing (and very expensive) memory foam matress about 6 months ago to replace our tired, old traditional matress. i've honestly never slept so comfortably. the platform of the bed acts as the support instead of the boxspring. i can't offer any research about which is better or worse, but i've never felt unsupported or too supported by the platform — i've always looked at it as an issue of style. i like the low, sleek profile of a platform. i think you can still shop for a matress first. if you find one you like and decide to go with a platform, just buy the matress and pass on a boxspring. i agree with FP on one point — a good matress is hugely important.