There’s nowhere like your bed. We spend about 25 years asleep in a lifetime. It’s important to get the right bed for you and the room - but which one is best?
Of course, comfort is key and a suitable mattress is better tested out in store. While online purchases can be tempting, you won’t really know if the mattress is to your liking, if you haven’t been able to experience that cringe-inducing moment which taps into our sense of British embarrassment - lying on a bed in a large bed shop to try it out.
People will naturally have a preference for a softer or firmer mattress, often influenced by age and how much back support is required depending on health and lifestyle.
But the style and size and features of your bed can make a significant difference to the quality of your life as well as your sleep - and if you didn’t think beds have many more functions than sleeping or resting, think again.
From fun to functional, the market is swamped. Beds of varying sizes and designs for all ages - beds for individuals or even whole families to sleep in - can enhance the space and layout of your room and improve your home.
The award-winning Stokke Sleepi cot package from Back In Action (£1,099) starts as a tiny round adorable cot for your newborn, which can be adapted using a part you add on into a larger attractive cot. No need to compromise on storage charm or beauty for the youngest member of the family.
Julien kids’ bunk bed from Cuckooland.com (£595). This quirky grey pine bunk bed has the ladder on the end for awkward-shaped rooms or small rooms generally, and is ideal for teen siblings with an eye for cool contemporary furniture. The wood is responsibly sourced, so sleep easy knowing you reduced your carbon footprint!
Parisot Team Triple Sleeper bunk beds from Family Window (£470 plus delivery) sleeps a whole family. With a double on the bottom and a single on top, parents with one bedroom can share with their child. Or for those with a bigger house, why not enjoy more spare bedrooms and being able to keep a closer eye on your kid at night? Perhaps it’s time to start planning what you’re going to do with your other bedrooms?
Metal bunk bed frame with futon from Argos (£269.99). A single bed above a comfy futon, it’s sofa so good in the multi-use stakes! You won’t be disappointed in the value either. The silver frame makes it aesthetically pleasing to discerning young people, who can enjoy lounging, watching telly or doing homework on the sofa which easily transforms into an extra (double) bed for when their mates come round to stay.
Pandora Three-Tier Triple Sleeper bunk bed from Strictly Bed and Bunks (£349.95). A compact strong safe way to sleep triplets or three siblings neatly stacked in one room! Or just use the extra bed/s for when you have friends round for sleepovers.
Julian Bowen London bus bunks from Furniture 123 (£297.97) are a British classic choice for two city boys or girls who love travelling and sleeping in style. They look great and are a striking solution for siblings sharing a small room.
KidKraft boat toddler bed (£143.12). A junior bed for toddlers who need to feel snug in a smaller sleeping space. Set sail for slumber on the high seas in this tot-size wooden boat bed. Perfect for pirates and sailors alike - they won’t be able to wait for bedtime. Ahoy!
Disney Frozen sleigh bed frame from Very (£199 plus delivery). A Frozen bed could woo an Anna, Sven and Olaf fan into the land of nod. For the first time in forever, she might not try to get in your bed at 5am? It’s got a little shelf for your mini Disney fan to keep her milk cup, soft toy and bedtime story on too, but they’d better be Frozen themed or Elsa...
Battistella Nidi Indy by Go Modern Furniture (£990) might have a strange highfalutin name - but for the minimalist sleek-design loving older child, this would make a modern attractive simple addition to a neat tidy room. The storage solutions would help it remain clutter free, making it worth the pricetag. In theory.
Haani Turbo Racer Single Red racing car bed from Archers Sleepcentre (£252.97). Will a racing car bed help your young wannabe motorist make a speedy journey off to sleep? Hopefully. Team with bedding in similar colours for a dramatic look that will be the cool timeless centrepiece of any Formula One fan’s bedroom.
Julian Bowen Kimbo cabin bed from World Stores (£259.99) provides storage galore, including book shelves, space for nick-nacks like a night light and cup and a desk for homework and to enable and inspire drawing and writing. A good value sleeping solution that includes handy storage.
Titanium T3 Oatmeal Fabric Upholstered Samsung LED TV Bed Frame from Dreams (£1,499 sale price). Why should the kids have all the fun? This sleek grey bed has a built-in 40-inch slim television with wireless remote control pockets, integrated soundbar and subwoofer, Bluetooth connectivity, headphone socket and storage for media devices. Why leave home again?
Flair Furnishings Wizard Junior High Sleeper from Bedkingdom (£639). A magical high sleeper complete with five drawers, bookcase and a wardrobe, you can fit quite a lot of trinkets, books and clothes into this versatile bed. It would suit a child of any age in a single room and would help free up more play space on the floor of a larger room.
Paddington Mid Sleeper bed from Great Little Trading Company (£425) with pink star play den under. Create space by raising the sleeping area midway so that the area underneath can be used as a play space. Brilliant for a smaller room or if you need to be resourceful.
Spot High Sleeper Kids Storage Bed (£1,295) from Cuckooland.com won the IF Design Award 2015 and is a rustic-looking wooden frame which is fully customisable. It has LED lights and a canopy as well as different storage options and is a child’s den of dreams, suitable in a box room and for maximising sleeping space at grandparents’ house or for weekend sleepovers.
Balluga Smart Interactive Bed from Balluga.com (up to £1,413). As if a vibrating techno-bed that massages you, adapts to users of any weight or size and heats or cools certain parts of the mattress by an iPad app is not fabulous enough, it claims to help with back aches, sleep problems and snoring partners too. Sleeping on a bed of balls doesn’t seem particularly comfy but we are assured it is! But you will have to wait because, while backers on crowdfunding page Kickstarter are pledging £850 (single mattress) and £1,413 (double), they aren’t available until October.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here