What’s the big deal? Buying a bed is simple, right? Choose a style you like in the size you want, ask for a mattress that fits and that’s it. Bed bought. Tick.

Wrong. There’s much more to buying a bed than you might first think. There’s more technicality to buying a bed than most other items of furniture in your house so it’s really worth taking the time to choose wisely.

After all – we all spend approximately 33% of our lives asleep – and for most of us, the majority of snoozing is done in our beds.

What do I need to think about when I’m buying a bed?

For starters there’s four basic elements to consider (and that’s without thinking about pillows, bedding and all the bedroom fripperies included in dressing said bed).

1. Size   
2. Bed Base   
3. Headboard   
4. Mattress

If you want a quick fix, we’ve created an online bed builder configurator, designed specifically to take all the hard work out of this decision making process and take you through creating your own bespoke bed one step at a time.

If you’re keen to know more about why size matters and what clever technologies exist these days to regulate your heat and heat loss whilst you’re in the land of nod, then read on…

1. Size

Size really does matter when it comes to quality of sleep and there’s a really quick and simple way to check the size of bed you need. Try it for yourself…

Lie on your bed alongside anyone else who’ll be residing in this spot with you and tuck your hands behind your head, elbows stretched out.
Immediately you can see what width of bed you require.
Your height will determine the length your bed needs to be. Did you know that King and Super King beds are longer than Single, Small Double and Doubles? So if you’re 6 foot or over, you shouldn’t even contemplate anything smaller than a King Size bed.

Check out the UK mattress sizes here…

2. Bed Base

There’s plenty to consider when you’re buying a bed base. To store or not to store? That is the [first] question...

Storage

Do you want your new base to contain storage space? If your answer is “Yes”, then what type of storage do you require and how much do you want? You can choose a divan base with the option of 1, 2 or 4 drawers.

Alternatively, you might consider an ottoman bed. Ottomans offer far more storage space, with access via a side or end lift option. Our ottomans have easy-lift gas mechanisms fitted as standard, making access to this large storage space effortless.
If you’re not worried about integrated storage options, your base choices will include a slatted wood frame, classic divan or a bespoke base.

Function

There’s a growing trend towards TV/Cinema beds which work brilliantly, particularly in smaller rooms.

Opt for an Oscar Ottoman bed base (which comes complete with head and footboards) and you’ll gain extra storage, with easy gas-lift mechanism, and room for a pop up television screen up to 44 inches.
The TV sound is transmitted through the high quality 2.1 surround sound system.
There is also a USB charging point on both sides of the bed frame to ensure all your devices are fully charged. This bed base can be purchased with or without a TV.
Why not opt for our Oscar TV this winter; not only can it help organise your bedroom, it could also help save on your energy bills if you choose to watch TV in bed!

3. Headboard 

If you’ve opted to buy a bed base without headboard, you can complete your room scheme by choosing a headboard in a colour and style to perfectly suit your space. There’s an extensive headboard range that we hand craft ourselves using the best fabrics from around the world.

4. Mattress

We can talk with some authority on mattresses – as we’ve been lovingly crafting them in our workshops for over 150 years - so we really do know a thing or two about them!

There’s many reasons to change your mattress. Whether it’s tired and saggy, not giving you the support you require, or you’re battling body temperature control, there’s plenty to ponder when making the right mattress choice.

 

Test run our beds to find out what tension is best for you

If you’re able to, the best option is pop down to your nearest Fabb store and flop on some of our beds to see which ones feel comfortable. This will help you determine what tension you like to sleep on – soft, medium, firm or extra firm.
And don’t be afraid to ask lots of questions. Remember, this investment will be supporting you for circa 8 hours each day, so you want to get it right first time.

Mattress inners: Synthetic or natural fibre?

If you get hot at night, you’d benefit from having a mattress made using natural fillings such as wool, silk or cashmere; these are high wicking and breathable so will keep you cooler at night. However, if you don’t want to spend quite as much, you can opt for a mattress made with manmade fibres such as memory foam or memory fibre which will retain the heat (so better for those who feel the cold at night) but will often have a shorter shelf life.
An alternative mattress inner to consider is latex. Mattresses made with latex (or a layer of latex) are generally more expensive, however, they will outlast most other mattresses with an average shelf life of between 10 and 12 years (as opposed to 6-8 years)

Springs

Many mattresses have a traditional sprung layer. This involves hundreds of little springs that are designed to give good support. There are different types (and gauges) of open coil or pocket springs – and these come in a wide variety of numbers. Spring counts range from 600 – 30,000, and it’s generally agreed that a decent mattress will contain a minimum 1,000 springs.

If you’re looking for unbeatable value and quick delivery, take a look at our Fabb range of mattresses which consist of 1000 pocket springs and a blended cotton comfort layer which helps maintain a comfortable temperature.
Our Hallmark range is expertly hand crafted (and finished by our skilled hand side stitchers, Richard and Karl). Atop the pocket springs a pillow top layer filled with fine Merino wool, hypo-allergenic wool and silky alpaca for temperature regulation, and mini pocket springs for extra comfort. The outer covering is a soft, breathable, silky Belgian damask fabric. The ultimate in luxury.
Traditional sprung mattresses have their roots firmly based right here with us: It was our founders who first introduced the interior mattress spring to the UK in the 1930s.

Foam

All mattresses come with pros and cons, and foam mattresses come in a variety of combinations, usually with a support foundation layer of high density foam topped with softer foam such as memory foam or latex foam for cushioning comfort.

Springs v foam comparison

Gels

Many of the newer technologies combine cooling gel-filled support layers sitting on top of traditional pocket springs to help regulate body temperature and mould to your body shape.
If you are interested in our newer technology mattresses, check out our Coolwave range which combines technology with tradition with its pocket spring base, providing contoured support for good spinal alignment, and a layer of latex and cooling gel capsules for optimum temperature regulation.

Mattresses lovingly made in our own workshops

Our workshops in Wiltshire have been perfecting the art of mattress creation for decades. Today, the site covers 28 acres – that’s the size of 18.5 football pitches and can produce over 2,200 mattresses per day.

Talk to us about buying a bed

If you would prefer to talk through the options with one of our friendly sales team, please call us on 0800 254 0900.