Mattress Tips

Buying bedroom furniture can be an exciting time; unfortunately if you have not shopped for bedroom furniture in awhile or this is your first time to buy bedroom furniture on your own you may not be well versed in the many different kinds of bedroom furniture available.

Confusion about bedroom furniture often arises in the different sizes of beds and mattresses available. The twin or single bed is about the smallest type of bed on the market and while manufacturers differ in the sizes slightly, the standard twin or single size bed measures 39 x 74. If you need a twin or single bed that is slightly wider and longer you might consider the size known as the super single; which measures 48 x 84. The old fashioned or full bed also known as the double bed is measured at 54 x 74. This is the kind of bed that you commonly see in standard hotel rooms. A queen size bed measures at 60 x 70 although you can purchase what is known as the California queen bed, a size that comes in longer than the regular queen bed at 60 x 84. The next size up in bedroom furniture is the king size bed measuring 76 x 80 while the California king size bed measures 70 x 84.

When shopping for new bedroom furniture, you will also need to be aware that there are very different types of furniture and beds. For example, you can get a standard bed or you might think about purchasing a water bed. Today, adjustable comfort level beds are also very popular and a wise choice if you have a sleep partner who prefers a different firmness level than you.

If you happen to be shopping for childrens bedroom furniture, today there are many different styles and designs on the market that will actually change to accommodate the growing needs of your child. These styles often start out as cribs that will convert to toddler beds and beyond. The bed that your child sleeps in as a baby can now be the same bed that they sleep in when they go off to college. While these styles are more expensive, they are definitely a good investment when considered over the duration.

Regardless of the type and style of bedroom furniture that you ultimately decide to purchase its a good idea to take your time when shopping. Making a hasty decision when purchasing bedroom furniture often leads to regrets later, as well as many poor nights of sleep.

About the Author

Matthew Anthony has contributed to many home furnishing sites such as bedroom furniture.

Written By: Matthew Anthony

Why ultralight sleeping bags? Because ultralight backpacking is only made possible by cutting the weight of the “big three;” the backpack, shelter and sleeping bag. The days of five-pound summer bags are gone – at least for those of us who prefer to go light. One Pound Ultralight Sleeping Bags

There are several one-pound ultralight sleeping bags on the market now. My own is 17 ounces. It actually weighs 19 ounces with the stuff sack, but stuff sacks aren’t always necessary. It can be stuffed directly into my pack or put in a half-ounce bread bag. It’s a down sleeping bag, and has kept me warm down to below freezing – warmer, in fact, than my four-pound bag used to keep me.

It appears fragile, and I’ve babied it over the years, but it may be tougher than I thought. I’ve used it from sea-level to 16,000 feet, in all types of weather, usually camping under a tarp, yet it still has its loft, and it appears almost new. The zipper goes only half-way down, to save weight, and it’s a mummy bag, but I’m 6’3″, 165 pounds, and I’ve always been comfortable in it.

Sleeping bags weighing around a pound are summer bags, rated down to 40 to 50 degrees fahrenheit. A quick check of the newest bags out there, though, shows that even one or two of the 0 degree bags are under three pounds now. These are down filled bags, of course, as down is still the lightest insulation for its weight.

Another big advantage of any down sleeping bag is it’s compressibility. Nothing packs smaller than down. However, a good synthetic bag is probably better than down if you are regularly getting it wet.

Several sythetic-fill sleeping bags now come close to down in their warmth-to-weight ratio. At least one summer bag, using Polarguard fill, weighs an even 16 ounces. That’s amazingly light for a synthetic bag.

Using Ultralight Sleeping Bags

Ultralight sleeping bags generally aren’t tough. The lighter the bag, the more fragile, but treat them gently, and they work fine. I’ve used mine for many years, in snow and rain, from Ecuador to California to Michigan, and it shows little wear. Baby these things, and they can last a long time.

About the Author

Steve Gillman is a long-time backpacker, and advocate of lightweight backpacking. His advice, stories and sleeping bag recommendations can be found at http://www.TheUltralightBackpackingSite.com

Written By: Steve Gillman

Don’t let your bed be an afterthought. Your bed will be the most prominent object in your room, so it has to go with your bedroom’s theme, color-wise, size-wise, and style-wise. A huge bed in a small room will likely look out of place, as would a four-post bed in a room with sleek modern furnishings.

Bed Sizes

The most popular bed sizes are king, queen, twin and the increasingly popular California king. A California king is narrow and long, rather than the traditional king bed’s square shape. Just make sure you have the exact dimensions of your bed before you go mattress shopping, since bed manufacturers sometimes don’t follow the standard bed sizes exactly.

Bed Styles

Don’t confuse bed sizes with bed styles. Bed styles refer to the headboard and footboard. The basis of any bed is still the mattress and frame, which only vary outwardly in terms of the sizes listed above.

* Daybed. Daybeds are twin beds. What makes them special is that they can double as couches if you position them against a wall. Being compact and versatile, daybeds are great for small spaces.

* Platform. Platform beds are elegantly simple, fitting in with just about any style of decor.

* Sleigh bed. Sleigh beds have curved headboards and foot boards that look like, well…a sleigh. There are simpler and more modern sleigh bed designs, so you can get one even if you are going for a more modern-looking room.

* Four post bed. You know this bed already: it’s the one with a post sticking up out of each corner. The posts can support a canopy, but the canopy is optional.

* Pencil post bed. Pencil post beds are like four-post beds, only the posts are tall and tapered like…well, pencils. Harking back to their heyday in the 1700s, pencil-post beds fit a room with colonial furnishings especially well.

About the author:

Joel Walsh is a freelance business writer. Check out more articles on buying contemporary bedroom furniture: http://bedroomfurnitureusa.com/%20contemporary%20bedroom%20furniture

Written By: Joel Walsh