Mattress Tips

Ladies, we spend a lot of time in the morning getting ready for the day. We take showers, put on makeup, blow dry our hair and put on just the right outfit we feel good in. Then we top it off with the hot colors of accessories from sunglasses to sandals – the details of what we wear matters in how we look and feel. Maybe it shouldn’t be that way, but it is. You can think of your bedding as fashion for the bedroom because you dress your bed just as clothing and accessories dress your body. The little details we put in our bedrooms such as vintage rag rugs, beaded lampshades, hand crocheted pillowcases or satin sheets will make all the difference of how we feel as we spend time in our bedrooms.

A bedroom is a place to feel safe, comfortable and cocooned as we sleep at night. I like the bedroom to be an expression of who I am as well as that of my husband. I don’t want it to be all cabbage rose, salmon pink and lace because that doesn’t make my husband feel too comfortable. He isn’t exactly the cabbage rose type. However, it also doesn’t have to be golfing, fishing and rustic log furniture either. We can compromise on a majestic leaf pattern with just a small floral touch. I use deeper colors of blue and green mixed with a sophisticated plaid and stripe for the bed linen. I love to mix all the patterns together and it turns out great. If you have never done that before you might find it a little tricky, but you will be okay if you stick to the same hue in the same color families. We live in the north woods so our colors are stronger, rustic and outdoors. There is a nice blend and flow throughout the home. Doesn’t it make sense to begin with colors inside that reflect the great outdoors, striking a balance between the two? I am surrounded by pine trees and a beautiful lake. I feel serene and happy when I take those same colors and make a beautiful room to spend my private time.

Take a cue from the great outdoors
If you are confused about where to begin when it comes to decorating the bedroom or other parts of the house, take a cue from the outdoors. Stand at one of the windows from inside a room and look out. What do you see happening in your backyard? Do you have a blue swimming pool or is your garden filled with yellow marigolds? Does your lawn look like green velvet or do you have earthy shades from rocks and stone? Do you love the cold strength of black wrought iron patio furniture or do you prefer bold awning stripes? You can begin to get the idea of how the inside can reflect the outdoors or vice versa.

You want your whole family to feel as comfortable in their bedrooms as you do. If you pay attention to details of bed linens, color, furnishings and small personal touches for your kids rooms, they will feel like they are special, and they may even clean the room a little more often. For example, your babys bedding could look cute and cuddly, the colors and patterns for kids can be bright, fun and whimsical. It doesn’t matter what size of mattress you or your kids have, the mattresses must all afford comfort. The goal of every bedroom is to have linens that are beautiful, easy to take care of, and mattresses that are comfortable to sleep on. If the room is dressed right, you will feel good while you are in it. You might consider just adding a duvet cover for a quick change over the tired comforter. I have taken old fitted sheets that were worn and placed them on the windows for an instant dramatic valance. Be creative when it comes to your personal style and get the kids involved. You don’t have to be extremely crafty to just get some fabric paint and let them design their own sheets. Isn’t it kind of boring to always buy what is shown to you in catalogs or retail stores? Place a table you had in the living room at your bedside and put a family quilt on it. Use solid velvet throw pillows that you havent had out in a while and add a few baubles to them or stitch a lace handkerchief to the top.

Take what you already own and just put it somewhere else in a new way. Divide all of your little collectibles into piles by color. Never prejudge something that you think is strictly for the kitchen, or just for a bathroom. If you look at the small knickknacks with fresh eyes you might be surprised at how warm a room can be just by using the play of color. I love using things in an unexpected way. Dont limit these ideas to the bedroom. Your whole house can be spruced up with a quick change by just moving around the pieces you already own. Another trick is to keep the small items all together in one spot. Don’t try to spread the small things out to cover space. You will make much more of a statement if you keep them together because there is strength in numbers.

Know your priorities before you buy
Do you prefer your bedding to be 450 thread count Egyptian cotton, or an easy no fuss fiber blend? Do the mattresses need to have a thick 100% cotton mattress pad? Are you looking for the most high tech mattress on the market? Do you want the babys bedding to be the softest available or is the cute factor more important? Do you want to be surrounded by fancy luxury or casual chic? Have a good idea of what you are looking for before you start making buying decisions. You are dressing your bedrooms in fashion just as you would your body. Don’t be afraid to experiment a little, and use the things you already own for a fresh look.

About the Author

Bev Marshall is a successful freelance writer Aromatherapist and Feng Shui consultant offering guidance and suggestions for consumers buying bed linen mattresses, and bedding for babies, duvets, spreads for the bed, and comforter. She gives information and tips to help you save money and make informed buying decisions.

Written By: Beverly Marshall

A foam mattress that is made today is a little different than what was made years ago. They still fit any bed frame, but I remember my sister buying foam mattresses that were completely synthetic foam through and through. They just dont make those anymore. They didnt hold up very well and didnt offer much support. Now the mattresses are high tech with only the best in slow recovery foam for your bed frames.
If you truly want the old fashioned foam mattresses feel, and not the memory foam mattresses, you may have to settle for a foam pad for the top of the beds frame. A simple waffle, egg carton style foam pad can be purchased for a low amount of money. The memory foam pads are much more expensive, but the quality and durability is much greater as well. I happen to think the memory foam is very comfortable and more breathable. I think the foam pad is hot to sleep on. They come in different thicknesses at a third of the price of memory foam. You could even go to a fabric store and purchase a big piece of foam for just your side of the bed. They also offer different thicknesses of upholstery foam.
Now, more people want a memory foam mattress made of high tech foam and technology. If this is the way you want to go for a new mattress; check out http://www.bedding-4u.com and ask a few questions first before you buy:
What is the quality of the foam? The density of different layers and the manufacturers will all be different. You can get this information if you ask.
Ask the manufacturer how long they have been making that particular type of mattress and what are their customer responses. How is the firmness, sleep issues, and what is their return rate and return policy.
What kind of warranty does the mattress have and what does it cover? Will they pay for shipping if that is needed?
Do you need a new foundation for the mattress?
Do they offer a money back trial period? A foam mattress may be quite different from what you are currently used to and this policy may be a fiscally responsible question to find out. You should give yourself at least a few weeks trial period before you make a negative decision. Dont get caught in any restocking fees either.
You might get more questions answered from the small retailers as opposed to a big bedding retailer. Most times the sales people arent very well versed on the properties of the mattress.
You may want to consider buying a new bed and mattress as a two part process. Purchase the mattress of your liking such as a latex mattress and then buy a topper that feels really good to you. If the topper loses some of the support and properties over the years, you only need to replace the topper so it isnt so expensive.
Purchasing a mattress is an expensive proposition and can be a little bit of trial and error. I have a typical mattress and now I am ready for a memory foam topper. That way I dont have to spend hundreds more in buying the whole thing. A good night sleep is important so it is worth a little time and money to experiment with the right mattress and pad or topper for your sleeping comfort.

About the author:

Bev Marshall is a successful freelance writer Aromatherapist and Feng Shui consultant offering guidance and suggestions for consumers buying bedding, mattresses, comforters, bedspreads, and baby bedding. Her many articles can be found at http://www.bedding-4u.comShe gives information and tips to help you save money and make informed buying decisions.

Written By: Beverly Marshall