bed advice

[Gemonimo]

After twenty years the moment has come to change my bed but I haven't a clue where to start looking.  Should I go to a specialist shop?  Ikea? La Redoute? And how much shouldl I expect to spend? I have back problems so would a sprung mattress be better than a Latex one?

Any advice from Forum members who have bought beds for their gites, b&b's or just for themselves will be most welcome.

[mint]

Last two beds I bought were from Ikea but I did buy their more expensive mattresses.  I think they are comfy as I always sleep on guest beds to test them out.

What did you think, Jen?

IMHO, it's the mattress that you musn't stint on.

[Gemonimo]

Sweets, your guest bed was very comfortable - is the mattress latex?  I have been thinking that quality/price, Ikea is the answer but friends of mine have said that specialty shops are better if one has a bad back. It is such a huge expense and I don't want to make a bad choice.

[mint]

No, not latex because I have heard that latex can be very hot in the summer.  I believe they are interior sprung: anyway, towards the top of their range.

I know of some very good mattresses but they are in the UK and not in France so I can't really advise you.

So, you've finished all the decoration?  You must have worked hard.........bravo!

[Babbles]

We use foam mattresses and I thought they'd be a bit cheap and nasty but they're not at all. but essentially you need one that it is two sided , summer and winter or you will cook in summer and look at the kilo's anything below 28 will probably be too soft but over 32 too firm and you feel like you'll roll off. To get an equally comfortable sprung mattress you'd be looking at over £2000. The bed that we get most comments about what a great night sleep they have had is 18cm deep 30kg and the sommier (base) is a good quality slatted one that has quite a lot of spring in each piece of wood. We have sprung ones in the UK and they don't come anywhere close for comfort and I often end up with a stiff shoulder so now have been totally converted to foam!

[Gemonimo]

Babbles when you say foam, is that 'mousse' or latex? I hadn't thought about the temperature factor and will bear it in mind when I go mattress hunting next week.  Thanks for the input.

[connolls]

Hi,

I can only go on our experience, but we bought beds and mattresses from Ikea.

They have been excellent, and had loads of positive comments from people. My brother in law, who has a bad back, and paid £1500 for a bed in the UK says that he sleeps better and with no back pain on our Ikea beds !! (We only paid about 400 euros all in)

Good luck with your choice.

Best wishes Mel.

[Gemonimo]

Mel are your beds mousse, latex or sprung?

[Gardengirl]

I frequently suffer from bad backache, and usually ask questions about the bed if we're staying somewhere for more than a couple of nights. We rented a cottage in the Drome twice, and found their Ikea mattresses to be extremely comfortable; I think they were some name like 'emperor'; something rather regal, anyway! It was a couple of years ago, so maybe things have moved on.

We thought our mattress in UK was wonderfully comfortable; it's a mix of springs and memory foam, and can only be turned round, not over, which also helps the back.Our previous one was handmade, very heavy, and was getting beyond our powers of lifting and turning. The new one was very light. A couple of months after buying that we ordered the same for our bed in France. They had changed it somewhat, and it was even more comfortable - I can go to bed in France with a bit of an aching back, as I did on Friday night, and get up with what feels like a new back! So I'd vote for a good Ikea mattress or a mix of springs and memory foam. Ours were from John Lewis, so no use to you, but the mix can be excellent.

Are you into displaying yourself on beds in public? My OH isn't, bit I'll happily lie there for ages if it's comfortable; the John Lewis salesman said he'd wake me before they closed the store! Most people who came to look at beds while I was there just sat on the edge, or half lay down. The staff were very keen for people to really try them out.

Going into the realms of riches, I remember an ad for Tempur memory foam mattresses stated that you could return their mattress after a few weeks if it didn't turn out as the buyer hoped!

Just noticed the icons are back! [:D][:D][:D] (just in case they disappear again!)

[Théière]

Ah Tempur memory foam, there's comfort [:)] but too hot in summer.

[Russethouse]

Yep my BIL has a bad back and they tried Memory foam but couldn't stand the heat - they have now changed to an expensive traditional mattress (From HW JL, GG, where its true the staff are very accomodating about letting you 'sleep' on the bed and virtually insist you try out the whole length ! Our mattress is from there too)

[Gardengirl]

You've reminded me, our UK mattress is a little warmer than the France one. It did make a difference that there are a lot of springs in it too, which helps heat to dissipate. We also have drawers in the base, which must also help.

[Gemonimo]

My daughter has been talking about memory foam but if heat is a question[8-)], then no, it wouldn't do. Ikea keeps coming back as a good bench mark so next week I'll perhaps take my 'sieste' in Bordeaux chez Ikea and test them out.  The problem is, of course, that you need two people to really test a double bed and I'll be going alone so I will have to solicite a spare man to test the weight displacement ratio.

A friend was telling me this lunch time that she went to a super-chic bed store and tried out all the beds... took the references of the ones she liked and then went hom and ordered them online through a discount bedding shop and saved two thirds of the price[:-))] Perhaps this is the way to go.  The other problem, of course, is what the **** do I do with my old mattress and sommier?  I can't burn it and cant have it littering the garden for the next few months (voir years)...... Life was so simple when we slept on straw in a sack...  As an aside, is this where 'in the sack' comes from?

[Wilko]

We have had ikea beds for the last 20 years, swedish wife, and have always found them to exceptionally comfortable, but they are not cheap. if you want the very best try Hastans, also swedish but arm and a leg time.........but then you spend around 30% of your life using it so not a bad investment.

Lastly if people insist on doing this think of the repercussions;

friend was telling me this lunch time that she went to a super-chic bed store and tried out all the beds... took the references of the ones she liked and then went hom and ordered them online through a discount bedding shop and saved two thirds of the price Perhaps this is the way to go

If everyone does it there will be no small shops left either here or in the UK..........or anywhere else for that matter.

Sleep well

Wilko

[suein56]

[quote user="Gemonimo"]The other problem, of course, is what the **** do I do with my old mattress and sommier?  [/quote]

Contact your local Emmaus and they should collect it; if they are a branch that has their own collection van. You will be doing the homeless a favour.

Sue

[Gemonimo]

[quote user="suein56"][quote user="Gemonimo"]The other problem, of course, is what the **** do I do with my old mattress and sommier?  [/quote]
Contact your local Emmaus and they should collect it; if they are a branch that has their own collection van. You will be doing the homeless a favour.

Sue
[/quote]

Sue I don't think Emmaus would want mine! It's over twenty years old, the springs come out and bite you in the derriere in the night and the sommier only has three wheels! It has served me well but I have a brand new bedroom and ensuite bathroom and my rather tatty bed spoils the effect.  Not to mention the bad nights and insomnia.

[suein56]

[quote user="Gemonimo"]Sue I don't think Emmaus would want mine! It's over twenty years old, the springs come out and bite you in the derriere in the night and the sommier only has three wheels! It has served me well but I have a brand new bedroom and ensuite bathroom and my rather tatty bed spoils the effect.  Not to mention the bad nights and insomnia.[/quote]

Well, in that case, contact your local mairie and they should advise you when it might be possible for it to be collected - for a small fee - and removed to the local déchetterie. Job done.

Sue

[5-element]

In our commune (I believe there is something similar in most), once a month there is a day for "ramassage des encombrants" where the council will come and remove any large/bulky/unmanageable objects from you. It is advisable to let them know in advance what object (settee, bed, etc..) you need removed.

[connolls]

Hi Gemonimo,

Ours are sprung mattresses from Ikea, They are Sultan, Hogbo range with a iron bedstead and arched wooden slats.

LOVE THEM !!

Mel.

[5-element]

But how HOT do they get in the summer? I am watching this thread like a hawk, as we need to replace our mattresses too. But the canicule can be a real problem....

[Gardengirl]

I guessed the mattresses in our rented cottage were Emperor; maybe they were Sultan; both sound pretty regal to me! [:D]

[Chancer]

One of my latex mattresses has (allegedly) a summer and a winter face, trouble is I dont know which is which, how do you tell?

[Wilko]

5 element

Never had a problem with clients complaining they are too hot on our Ikea beds. Mind you the old mas never gets overheated, helped by the huge amount of insulation in the roof and ceiling fans in all guest rooms.

Sleep well

W

[5-element]

I hear you Wilko, I really do. And I know it gets pretty hot in your part of France.

But could it be that clients/guests never complained because they were not the complaining type? Also, I think one is prepared to overlook more discomfort while on holiday. Especially if you have come from a long way up north, and then you might think that your nightsweats are only due to the Midi climate!

(would love to be able to do emoticon, would be a big smily one)

[water rat]

Can't stand ikea ,but succumbed to their beds after trying one or two at friends. We have a sultan mattress with a soft pad on top and iron bedstead with sprung slats. Couldn't fault it.