Bedroom Furniture Shopping Guide

Intro

The bedroom is central to your world. You wake up, dress up, lounge, get ready in, relax, and go to sleep all in the same place. So doesn’t it seem like a good idea to make a place you spend so much of your time in a place you love be in?

Finding a happy medium between stylishness and comfort is important to creating the perfect bedroom. From the most supportive mattress to the style of the bedroom set the right wood and finish, your bedroom should look and feel like you. This guide is meant to help you find out what elements you need to revamp, renovate, or redecorate your bedroom. Check out the links below to help you discover how to transform your bedroom.

Mattresses

Choosing a mattress takes time, research and patience. It’s also one of the most fun parts about shopping for new bedroom furniture. What a excuse to lie down all day!

First, determine what kind of sleeper you are. Do you sleep on your side, your stomach, or your back? How firm or soft do you want your mattress to be? Once you know your preferences, then your decision is automatically narrowed down. The pickier you are about choosing a mattress, the better. Since about one-third of your day is spent sleeping, it’s critical to pick a mattress that will feel good.

If your mattress is particularly old, it’s time for a new one. Test it out by pressing down on it. Do you feel any spring-like action? If not, you’re overdue for a new one. Mattresses are not designed to last forever, and considering the amount of use they get, they should not have to.

Innerspring mattresses are the most common type. The inside is made of steel coils, or springs, that keep the mattress bouncy and supportive. There are anywhere from three to seven hundred springs inside the mattress. The higher the number of coils, the firmer the mattress is. Opting for a cheap mattress will not provide the support your back and upper body need, so save your pennies and buy the higher coil count. For those that prefer a softer feel, buy a mattress with a pillow top and high coil count. A pillow top is an extra layer of sewn-on cushioning that feels soft while still providing the support of a firm mattress.

People with allergies or those that want the best in may be better off with foam or latex mattresses. These mattresses are 300% more resistant to dust mites, hypoallergenic, and offer support by relieving pressure points on your back and stress from your joints.

Beds

A mattress is necessary for sleeping, but a bed that holds the mattress off the ground keep it from molding or wearing out too quickly. Beds come in all kinds of shapes and styles, from majestic to simplistic.

Although this sounds simple, make sure you buy a bed that fits your mattress. The last thing you want is to find the perfect bed only to discover your mattress is too large or doesn’t fit properly inside.

Box spring beds are the most basic bed. The frame can be made of either wood or metal. These beds are designed to hold up your mattress using box springs. They are higher off the ground, which means you can store extras underneath. The mattress will start sagging over time and that will put pressure on your box springs. If you want to avoid a box spring completely, look for a platform bed. These beds sit lower to the ground and usually have a sleek aesthetic with clean lines and a sophisticated touch. Instead of relying on the box springs to support the mattress, platform beds have slats that run across the width of the bed.

Canopy beds are four-poster beds with posts on each corner. These beds were developed during the medieval ages in Europe. Sometimes fabric is draped over the side for added privacy. A sleigh bed, on the other hand, features scrolled feet, footboards and headboards. They often have intricate details carved into the wood, since its inception comes from the Empire period during the 1800s.

Case Goods

Case goods are what come as part of the bedroom set. Besides the bed, a bedroom set usually features nightstands, a dresser, a matching mirror and possibly an armoire or wardrobe.

Bedroom furniture made from wood has a basic rule of thumb: the harder the wood, the higher the quality of the furniture. Hardwoods like oak, walnut, maple and cherry are more resistant to scratches and dents, and the joints they form are usually tighter, keeping the hardware securely fit in place.

Dressers come in different storage sizes. When you choose a dresser to go with the rest of the bedroom, think about how much storage you need. How much do really store in a dresser? If most of your clothes or other personal effects are stashed away in a dresser, then look for sets that come with six or seven-drawer dressers instead of the traditional three or five-drawer type. Lingerie chests, with six to seven small drawers, are also ideal for storing smaller things and fit better in small spaces.

Armoires are standing wardrobes that often double as an entertainment unit. These furniture pieces are great in either the bedroom or living room, since they are large enough to house a medium sized television and have room leftover to store whatever you like. This is also a great alternative to a dresser, since it can store clothes, jewelry, and more.

Joints

The kind of joints used can determine the quality of the furniture. There are about five types of joints that will stand up to years of use.

Dovetails, or English dovetail joints, are considered to be the best kind of joints used in constructing drawers. The joint locks the drawer front in place, so it doesn’t become loose over years of opening and closing.

Mortise-and-tenon joints are used to join rails to the sides of dressers. They are also used in key parts of chair frames. This kind of joint is most commonly found in Arts and Crafts, or Mission style furniture.

Dowel joints are more common in furniture, and involve gluing a dowel or peg made of hardwood into a pre-drilled hole. This connects the two pieces of wood together.

Tongue-and-groove joints are used to make a strong, flat surface. They are also used to attach drawer fronts. Despite the fact that these joints are glued, they hold up strongly.

Corner blocks help hold together joints at the highest point of strain. For example, the rails on the seat of a chair join the posts of a chair with the assistance of corner blocks.

Avoid furniture that uses simple butt joints, or when two pieces of wood are glued or nailed without overlapping. These kinds of joints will fall apart much more quickly than other furniture.

Drawer Slides and Glides

The way drawer slides are built is another indication of how well bedroom furniture is constructed. There are essentially two types of glides and slides for drawers.

Wood-on-wood rails feature a single rail that is mounted in the center or two rails that are evenly spaced near the edges of the drawer. The wood-on-wood contact means these slides do not age as well, and become increasingly difficult to pull out the older they get. This method is best to avoid unless you are specifically seeking out antique furniture.

The side or under-mounted rails use a ball bearing or some kind of wheel to slide the drawer in and out. This four-piece system has a track that is fixed to each side of the drawer opening and a guide attached to the outside of the drawer. The glide is made from either metal or plastic, and often has a stopping mechanism that prevents the drawer from falling out.

Wood Furniture

The difference between woods in furniture changes the quality and look of the piece. Whether it is just a bed or a complete set, wood furniture is varied for every style and taste.

Solid wood furniture refers to pieces that are made completely out of solid board. There are no veneers or particleboards involved, unlike engineered wood. Solid board is found by following a seam to the end where the end grain is. Veneers that have been glued over the edge to look like solid wood do not show an end grain.

Hardwoods, especially solid hardwoods, are superior to other woods. Maple is considered to be the strongest of the hardwoods, while oak is the most used due to its flexibility. Rosewood is another excellent hardwood. Other great hardwoods include cherry, birch, beech, mahogany, walnut, and ash.

Softwoods are not nearly as strong, and are thus used on lighter pieces such as the inside of drawers and chests or as the material for chairs. Cedar is one such softwood used in dressers, since it carries moth-repelling characteristics. Pine and rattan (the inner core is known as wicker) are also solid softwoods.

Finishes and Stains

Solid hardwood furniture is surprisingly not the finish it comes in. Except for unfinished furniture, solid wood furniture is usually treated with a finish or stain so that it does not actually represent the wood it is made of. While a bed may be made of maple or oak, it can be lacquered and stained to look darker or lighter, such as in a dark cherry finish. The wood itself is not cherry; it is still maple or oak, but the color is totally different than what the finish says it is. This also affects the texture of the wood.

Keep in mind that one manufacturer’s “cherry” finish might alter greatly from another’s, looking more like “mahogany”. The finishes are simply names, and you should regard them as such. Instead of looking at the finish first, pay attention to the construction of the furniture. Is this bed made from solid hardwood? How many pieces come in the bedroom set? By focusing on the pieces, not the finishes, you will be able to determine the right furniture and then the color you want it in.

Additionally, the terms “antiquing” and “distressing” have become more frequently used. These do not mean the furniture is really antique. Instead, these terms refer to when a piece of furniture has been altered to look older. The edges are often sanded down or scratched in certain places to give in a worn-in appearance.

Engineered Wood

There are purists who will claim that solid hardwood is the only way to go when it comes to furniture. However, advances in technology have made furniture cheaper by creating engineered wood. While solid wood furniture is ultimately the best, it is also increasingly more expensive. Engineered wood is just as durable, strong and long lasting as solid wood, but without the price.

All-wood furniture uses veneers, or a thin layer of wood, on top of particleboard. This does not mean all-wood furniture is solid wood, but that it maintains the same appearance as solid wood does.

Particleboard and hardboard, or MDF, are two types of engineered wood. Particleboard is made from wood chips bonded with synthetic resins. Medium density fiberboard (MDF) is the most common type of particleboard found. Hardboard is similar, but has a greater density than MDF.

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Everything you will need to know for furniture can be found here at our furniture guide.
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