Bed upgrade! (or sidegrade, at least)
February 1, 2016 11:01 AM Subscribe
I need a guest bedroom, so I'm figuring on taking my current bed, relocating it down the hall, and buying a new bed. How do I make the most of the opportunity to replace this piece of furniture in the master bedroom?
My current bed is a queen-size, reasonably elegant but without amenities, and I have a standard medium-firm innerspring mattress with a boxspring. This is perfectly adequate as a guest bed, and is actually a quite comfortable bed as things stand now, but with the need to get a new bed I figure I might as well look at what my options for moving on up are. There are a few aspects of the change I'm looking at:
Upgrading to king? I live and sleep alone save for my adorable cat, although that may not be the case forever. Under the circumstances bumping up a size seems a little silly (particularly since it would require a whole new set of linens), but I want to know if there's any good reason to do this --- or any good reason, other than linens and cost, not to do it.
Storage elements in the bed? I've eyeballed this and this storage bed, attracted by the notion of good underbed storage and bookcases in the headboard. I'm cool with it being high and willing to pay a premium, but can anyone tell me a bit about how useful this kind of setup (either on the headboard or the underbed storage) is?
A nice new mattress? The master bedroom is on the second floor, up a narrow hallway with a tight turn; I'm thinking that with a platform bed (as mentioned above) one of these modern vacuum-packed mattresses would be a lot less hassle. People have already talked a lot about the virtues of Casper and/or Tuft and Needle, but is there anything specific to be said about navigating a mattress up to a second floor bedroom I need to know? And, based on my contentment with a standard innerspring on a boxspring, is there anything which would surprise me about either of these?
I'm willing to spend more where it matters, but I want to spend wisely. Between a mattress and a good bedframe, this is a pretty hefty purchase, both financially and physically.
My current bed is a queen-size, reasonably elegant but without amenities, and I have a standard medium-firm innerspring mattress with a boxspring. This is perfectly adequate as a guest bed, and is actually a quite comfortable bed as things stand now, but with the need to get a new bed I figure I might as well look at what my options for moving on up are. There are a few aspects of the change I'm looking at:
Upgrading to king? I live and sleep alone save for my adorable cat, although that may not be the case forever. Under the circumstances bumping up a size seems a little silly (particularly since it would require a whole new set of linens), but I want to know if there's any good reason to do this --- or any good reason, other than linens and cost, not to do it.
Storage elements in the bed? I've eyeballed this and this storage bed, attracted by the notion of good underbed storage and bookcases in the headboard. I'm cool with it being high and willing to pay a premium, but can anyone tell me a bit about how useful this kind of setup (either on the headboard or the underbed storage) is?
A nice new mattress? The master bedroom is on the second floor, up a narrow hallway with a tight turn; I'm thinking that with a platform bed (as mentioned above) one of these modern vacuum-packed mattresses would be a lot less hassle. People have already talked a lot about the virtues of Casper and/or Tuft and Needle, but is there anything specific to be said about navigating a mattress up to a second floor bedroom I need to know? And, based on my contentment with a standard innerspring on a boxspring, is there anything which would surprise me about either of these?
I'm willing to spend more where it matters, but I want to spend wisely. Between a mattress and a good bedframe, this is a pretty hefty purchase, both financially and physically.
I loved my bed with the drawers! I had to have C-shaped bedside tables, however, so the drawers could pull out without hitting the bedside table and so that I could open the drawers without moving the bedside table. Your examples don't seem to have this issue, but it's something to keep in mind as you pick a bed, along with needlegirl's comment about how much room you need around the bed to open the drawers completely.
I find a platform bed more comfortable than bedsprings (and I hate pillow top mattresses) because I like to sleep on my back.
posted by crush-onastick at 11:25 AM on February 1, 2016
I find a platform bed more comfortable than bedsprings (and I hate pillow top mattresses) because I like to sleep on my back.
posted by crush-onastick at 11:25 AM on February 1, 2016
People have already talked a lot about the virtues of Casper and/or Tuft and Needle, but is there anything specific to be said about navigating a mattress up to a second floor bedroom I need to know?
We just bought a Casper a couple months ago, and we love it. It's great to have it delivered to your front door. A couple things to be aware of:
- It's not light. It probably weights a little more than an equivalent innerspring mattress. (A full is 60 pounds, king is 91. Add 9 pounds for the box it's delivered in.) So it's a two person job to get it up the stairs. A hand truck might prove useful as well.
- There are no carrying handles built into the mattress. Just something to keep in mind if you have to move it after the initial unboxing. (As the veteran of MANY moves with many mattresses, I think handles on mattresses usually end up damaging them anyway, so this is not a negative in my opinion.) If I had to move my Casper mattress, I would probably encircle with a couple loops of parachute cord to provide a grip.
posted by The Deej at 11:37 AM on February 1, 2016
We just bought a Casper a couple months ago, and we love it. It's great to have it delivered to your front door. A couple things to be aware of:
- It's not light. It probably weights a little more than an equivalent innerspring mattress. (A full is 60 pounds, king is 91. Add 9 pounds for the box it's delivered in.) So it's a two person job to get it up the stairs. A hand truck might prove useful as well.
- There are no carrying handles built into the mattress. Just something to keep in mind if you have to move it after the initial unboxing. (As the veteran of MANY moves with many mattresses, I think handles on mattresses usually end up damaging them anyway, so this is not a negative in my opinion.) If I had to move my Casper mattress, I would probably encircle with a couple loops of parachute cord to provide a grip.
posted by The Deej at 11:37 AM on February 1, 2016
Upgrading to king depends on your size and your sleeping style. For us, (people on the small side by American standards), a queen bed is big enough. I also like having queen beds so all the bedding is interchangeable.
How much storage do you currently have? When we lived in a closet-less house, we had storage under the bed. We just got some baskets and stuck them under the tall bed frame. They did get dusty/furry with the cat, so drawers would be nicer, but I didn't want to buy a new bed frame.
If you're looking for a storage bed, this is by far the most attractive (and pricey--though you can ask them for discounts) I've found: Matera Bed from Design Within Reach. (But don't get the full size because it only has drawers on one side.)
We have a Tuft and Needle. The packed mattress is basically tiny. If you can get the bed frame up there, you can get the mattress up there.
posted by ethidda at 11:38 AM on February 1, 2016
How much storage do you currently have? When we lived in a closet-less house, we had storage under the bed. We just got some baskets and stuck them under the tall bed frame. They did get dusty/furry with the cat, so drawers would be nicer, but I didn't want to buy a new bed frame.
If you're looking for a storage bed, this is by far the most attractive (and pricey--though you can ask them for discounts) I've found: Matera Bed from Design Within Reach. (But don't get the full size because it only has drawers on one side.)
We have a Tuft and Needle. The packed mattress is basically tiny. If you can get the bed frame up there, you can get the mattress up there.
posted by ethidda at 11:38 AM on February 1, 2016
We're doing the same upgrade/guest-bed thing in the next month or two, but we are sticking with the queen size because our bedroom is too small for a king size and there would be no room to pull out the storage drawers. Our biggest upgrade is to get a leather upholstered headboard because we like to read in bed and it will be a lot more comfortable to sit up. We're getting it from Room and Board as well as getting a Helix mattress (similar to Casper or T&N except it allows you to customize the firmness and other aspects for each person).
posted by matildaben at 11:38 AM on February 1, 2016
posted by matildaben at 11:38 AM on February 1, 2016
Oh, I can't wait until we move, so we can upgrade to a king-sized bed! There are just some nights where you want to/need to flail around, you know? I would say that would be my #1 priority.
posted by xingcat at 11:44 AM on February 1, 2016
posted by xingcat at 11:44 AM on February 1, 2016
Upgrading to king?
Not only are the linens more expensive, they require more storage space and a king sized bed is a hassle for one person to make up. Additionally, you may find that if you buy a king sized comforter or quilt, you will have to go to a laundromat to wash it because it may not fit in your washer and dryer at home.
A friend of mine who was not a tiny little thing but was also not a big woman married a man who was also not a giant of a person. She told me once that when they had a king sized bed, they "lost" each other, drifting to opposite sides and failing to snuggle. My ex was not a snuggler, so he liked it when we had space.
Point being: I would not buy a bed for a hypothetical relationship that might someday happen. You cannot predict what will work for this hypothetical relationship. Buy a bed that works for you in the here and now.
posted by Michele in California at 11:48 AM on February 1, 2016
Not only are the linens more expensive, they require more storage space and a king sized bed is a hassle for one person to make up. Additionally, you may find that if you buy a king sized comforter or quilt, you will have to go to a laundromat to wash it because it may not fit in your washer and dryer at home.
A friend of mine who was not a tiny little thing but was also not a big woman married a man who was also not a giant of a person. She told me once that when they had a king sized bed, they "lost" each other, drifting to opposite sides and failing to snuggle. My ex was not a snuggler, so he liked it when we had space.
Point being: I would not buy a bed for a hypothetical relationship that might someday happen. You cannot predict what will work for this hypothetical relationship. Buy a bed that works for you in the here and now.
posted by Michele in California at 11:48 AM on February 1, 2016
I sleep alone on a king bed. I love it. Well, not alone. The cats sleep with me.
IKEA linens are affordable. I have two sets.
Weirdly I can do my King comforter in our stackable washer and dryer.
If you have money and room, I'd get one. It's awesome!
posted by Ruthless Bunny at 12:10 PM on February 1, 2016
IKEA linens are affordable. I have two sets.
Weirdly I can do my King comforter in our stackable washer and dryer.
If you have money and room, I'd get one. It's awesome!
posted by Ruthless Bunny at 12:10 PM on February 1, 2016
I upgraded from a cheap queen to a much nicer king in the past few years, and went from coupled to single to coupled again over that point. Most of the time I am alone in the king, and when I am, I don't feel like I need the space -- when I visit my parents I sleep happily in a twin. But having a nicer quality mattress is so so valuable. It has improved my sleep immensely. If the choice is between size and quality, I would definitely go down on the side of quality. I don't like to touch people when I'm sleeping so the king is nice when I have a bed partner, but the nicer mattress is something I get to enjoy all the time.
posted by possibilityleft at 12:21 PM on February 1, 2016
posted by possibilityleft at 12:21 PM on February 1, 2016
If you have the space and money for a King - YES.
Or, don't. You don't say what your future plans are (partner? kids?) but a King makes sense if those two are in the offing AND you have a room big enough.
The two beds you linked to are not so great furniture companies, cheap construction. Also, the styles are kinda dated. You should aim for something built like a mack truck with cleaner lines, it will serve you well over the many many many many years you will own your investment. Unless you really love that look! You might adore it! But if you are compromising for functionality, just don't. Pick a bed frame you think is super sexy and attractive. Plus, while storage is nice, you don't want to sleep on top of clutter. Mentally, that's bad ju ju, y'know?
If space and storage are a premium, and I were you, I would opt for a queen bed frame + better storage shelving and dressers. Seriously. You don't want to stuff junk under your bed that you might not clean out for years, holding on to stuff you should have pitched or donated ages ago. Meanwhile, you DO want a bed that is super attractive and solid, with classic lines so that as you upgrade or change styles, the bed will still look wonderful.
That's my philosophy, at any rate. Currently I can't seem to find a platform bed in a King that is similar to my Queen, which I got at Macy's back when dirt was young. They used to have great furniture, I don't know if the do any longer. I was thinking of having a replica built in a bigger size.
This is somewhat similar to my bed frame, except my headboard slants backwards, which it should. Both the beds you linked to and the one in this pic (and most similar platform bed frames) have a straight up and down head board that looms over you and is not comfy for sitting up in bed or reading. Notice the lip all the way around the frame? My best friend had a bed like this, and I loved it so bought a similar one, and now I can not live without this feature. It's a place to put a book, a box of tissues when you are sick, a bottle of water, it makes you feel safer and encapsulated on your bed somehow, it's GREAT.
Under bed boxes fit under my platform (unlike the one in the pic above) but I try not to put too much under there. My frame breaks down into pieces, and it is made of solid wood. It's heavy, but still moveable and fit through some very tight doorways to make it into our bedroom. Because it's of solid construction, no creaks or anything. Basically, there are less parts and connectors to get worn down or broken over time, like if your bed was just a bunch of dressers with a mattress on top.
SleepLikeTheDead.com for all sorts of mattress comparisons and reviews.
Also with a platform bed, there's no box spring, so less to haul up the stairs.
I guess what I am proposing, is that you kinda need to think about what sort of investment you are making - short term vs. long term, practical vs pleasing + practical. I believe having an AWESOME comfy bed is 99% of happiness in life. It should feel good, and look better. It should not be a place to hide things under. It should be your sanctuary, it should not display or hide lots of clutter, and it should be something you will love looking at every time you walk in your bedroom room.
Put the captain's bed with lots of storage in the guest bedroom. Upgrade your own bedroom into the type of cozy quality you've always dreamed of. Give this to yourself. Happy sleeping!!
posted by jbenben at 12:26 PM on February 1, 2016 [1 favorite]
Or, don't. You don't say what your future plans are (partner? kids?) but a King makes sense if those two are in the offing AND you have a room big enough.
The two beds you linked to are not so great furniture companies, cheap construction. Also, the styles are kinda dated. You should aim for something built like a mack truck with cleaner lines, it will serve you well over the many many many many years you will own your investment. Unless you really love that look! You might adore it! But if you are compromising for functionality, just don't. Pick a bed frame you think is super sexy and attractive. Plus, while storage is nice, you don't want to sleep on top of clutter. Mentally, that's bad ju ju, y'know?
If space and storage are a premium, and I were you, I would opt for a queen bed frame + better storage shelving and dressers. Seriously. You don't want to stuff junk under your bed that you might not clean out for years, holding on to stuff you should have pitched or donated ages ago. Meanwhile, you DO want a bed that is super attractive and solid, with classic lines so that as you upgrade or change styles, the bed will still look wonderful.
That's my philosophy, at any rate. Currently I can't seem to find a platform bed in a King that is similar to my Queen, which I got at Macy's back when dirt was young. They used to have great furniture, I don't know if the do any longer. I was thinking of having a replica built in a bigger size.
This is somewhat similar to my bed frame, except my headboard slants backwards, which it should. Both the beds you linked to and the one in this pic (and most similar platform bed frames) have a straight up and down head board that looms over you and is not comfy for sitting up in bed or reading. Notice the lip all the way around the frame? My best friend had a bed like this, and I loved it so bought a similar one, and now I can not live without this feature. It's a place to put a book, a box of tissues when you are sick, a bottle of water, it makes you feel safer and encapsulated on your bed somehow, it's GREAT.
Under bed boxes fit under my platform (unlike the one in the pic above) but I try not to put too much under there. My frame breaks down into pieces, and it is made of solid wood. It's heavy, but still moveable and fit through some very tight doorways to make it into our bedroom. Because it's of solid construction, no creaks or anything. Basically, there are less parts and connectors to get worn down or broken over time, like if your bed was just a bunch of dressers with a mattress on top.
SleepLikeTheDead.com for all sorts of mattress comparisons and reviews.
Also with a platform bed, there's no box spring, so less to haul up the stairs.
I guess what I am proposing, is that you kinda need to think about what sort of investment you are making - short term vs. long term, practical vs pleasing + practical. I believe having an AWESOME comfy bed is 99% of happiness in life. It should feel good, and look better. It should not be a place to hide things under. It should be your sanctuary, it should not display or hide lots of clutter, and it should be something you will love looking at every time you walk in your bedroom room.
Put the captain's bed with lots of storage in the guest bedroom. Upgrade your own bedroom into the type of cozy quality you've always dreamed of. Give this to yourself. Happy sleeping!!
posted by jbenben at 12:26 PM on February 1, 2016 [1 favorite]
the bf and i upgraded to a king bed (the two of us and two cats), and it was one of the best decisions we ever made in terms of being able to sleep well. however! i will say that while we love it, if i had to do it over again? i'd go california king. for some reason, at least in my area, that seems to hold the market for sheet availability without having to order online, and sometimes, you want to see the color (see: cats) or feel the sheet before you buy it.
posted by koroshiya at 12:29 PM on February 1, 2016 [1 favorite]
posted by koroshiya at 12:29 PM on February 1, 2016 [1 favorite]
If you are tall, you might appreciate a California King. They are longer than they are wide. Some tall people go this route so they don't have to lay in bed diagonally, whether partnered or not.
posted by Michele in California at 12:35 PM on February 1, 2016
posted by Michele in California at 12:35 PM on February 1, 2016
I would suggest waiting until you are in a long-term relationship to decide whether you want a king bed. My spouse made it clear that he felt lonely sharing a king size bed with me in hotels because I was "so far away", so we're sticking with a queen (which is moot anyway in our current home, because the bedroom is so small [as mentioned in my earlier reply]). Your future SO may or may not have an opinion in this regard.
Your cat doesn't care, s/he'll just hog as much of the bed as s/he can anyway.
posted by matildaben at 12:46 PM on February 1, 2016
Your cat doesn't care, s/he'll just hog as much of the bed as s/he can anyway.
posted by matildaben at 12:46 PM on February 1, 2016
i have had a king since i was single - and it has only recently started to make sense (we now have a baby). a king is realllly a big bed. it takes up a lot of space - if you are renting or just have an average sized bedroom it takes up a lot of real estate. also, except for, ahem, particular times, it is way less romantic than a queen. i find that my partner and i can't even reach each other in the middle of the night. i can see how down the line this could be an asset. in a new relationship, it wasn't.
posted by andreapandrea at 12:47 PM on February 1, 2016
posted by andreapandrea at 12:47 PM on February 1, 2016
We have an, I guess, Super King? that is two singles pushed together. I sleep in this bed mostly alone because my husband and I viciously disturb one another's sleep.
Advantages: Roomy. Spacious for nude reindeer games. Was easy to get the mattresses up our tiny narrow twisty cottage stairs, which struggled even with a double. When we do share a bed, its more restful as the mattresses don't both roll. Absolute tons of storage, as I basically did this, using a 3rd Expedit down the middle and two sets of single slats, drilled down. We can take this apart and get it up and down stairs at any time.
Disadvantages: A lot of linens. Needs a good quality mattress topper to hide the seam. Too much rooms for dogs means we've had too many dogs.
posted by DarlingBri at 1:05 PM on February 1, 2016
Advantages: Roomy. Spacious for nude reindeer games. Was easy to get the mattresses up our tiny narrow twisty cottage stairs, which struggled even with a double. When we do share a bed, its more restful as the mattresses don't both roll. Absolute tons of storage, as I basically did this, using a 3rd Expedit down the middle and two sets of single slats, drilled down. We can take this apart and get it up and down stairs at any time.
Disadvantages: A lot of linens. Needs a good quality mattress topper to hide the seam. Too much rooms for dogs means we've had too many dogs.
posted by DarlingBri at 1:05 PM on February 1, 2016
I'm assuming you own? I recently replaced my bed and went for a queen because although my current apartment bedroom would fit a king, I didn't want that to be a constraint for future rental living options.
(P.S. I love my Tuft & Needle, that plus a slatted platform-look bed from Overstock literally made my back paid disappear.)
posted by misskaz at 1:32 PM on February 1, 2016 [1 favorite]
(P.S. I love my Tuft & Needle, that plus a slatted platform-look bed from Overstock literally made my back paid disappear.)
posted by misskaz at 1:32 PM on February 1, 2016 [1 favorite]
Yeah what misskaz says. If you are likely to move house in, like, the next ten years, a king could be very constraining. I think maybe bedrooms are smaller here in Australia than in the USA, but when we were house hunting last year, our constraint was only that we had to be able to fit a queen bed with bedside tables either side in the master bedroom, and even that ruled out a lot of places.
posted by lollusc at 4:31 PM on February 1, 2016
posted by lollusc at 4:31 PM on February 1, 2016
Response by poster: A few clarifications: I don't anticipate having kids, no matter what my relationship status becomes, and I do own my house (and don't anticipate moving, although it's not impossible that I would).
It sounds like people are mostly saying a king is more bed than I'm likely to actually need. That having been established, can anyone comment on storage issues? Give some good suggestions on something with storage? Either a bookshelf headboard or that shelf around the edge jbenben had a picture of seems beneficial for having things in reach --- I have a nightstand, but I like the idea of having books and suchlike right at hand.
posted by jackbishop at 10:43 AM on February 2, 2016
It sounds like people are mostly saying a king is more bed than I'm likely to actually need. That having been established, can anyone comment on storage issues? Give some good suggestions on something with storage? Either a bookshelf headboard or that shelf around the edge jbenben had a picture of seems beneficial for having things in reach --- I have a nightstand, but I like the idea of having books and suchlike right at hand.
posted by jackbishop at 10:43 AM on February 2, 2016
This thread is closed to new comments.
We also got a new bedframe, with drawers underneath - just one set. Again, if you have the space, this is great! Since they are drawers, you don't have to worry about the dust bunnies would would normally come with under the bed storage. However, we hardly have the space in the bedroom to fully extend the drawers on one side, so I would check on that. Also, it was really not fun to put together - ours was from IKEA.
posted by needlegrrl at 11:13 AM on February 1, 2016