Bedding

A good night’s rest is crucial for our mental and physical health. Naturally, many factors affect our sleep quality, like our sleeping schedules, diet, stress, physical activity, and many others, but also the quality of our bed, mattress, pillows, and bedding.
To help you improve the quality of your sleep and choose the right bedding that’ll fit your bedroom’s style, we’ll go over everything you need to know about beds and bedding.

The Anatomy Of The Bed

Before we give you more information about bedding and how to choose the right one for your bedroom, let’s first start with the main elements that make up a bed.

The Basis

In this section, we’ll go over the foundational pieces of beds and their characteristics.

Bed Frame

The bed frame supports the weight of your mattress and your body. Choose one that has a sturdy construction, a design that goes with the rest of your room, and a timeless silhouette.
We’ll cover different bed frame types later on in the article.

Headboard

Headboards can either be built into the bed frame or added to the bed later on. There are different types of headboards that range from freestanding to floor-to-ceiling headboards, and make for a great statement piece in the bedroom.

Mattress

A high-quality mattress is essential for good sleep. Mattresses can either be integrated inside the bed, such as in futon beds, but more often, they’re bought on their own. Mattresses come in different materials and can be filled with metal springs, straw, cotton, foam rubber, air, or even water.

or more tips on how to choose a mattress, keep on reading.

Mattress Pad and Pillow Protector

Since mattresses aren’t washed, it’s crucial that you keep them clean, and this is where the mattress pad comes into play. It’s a protective, washable cover that keeps dirt and filth from entering your mattress.

Another essential is a pillow protector that will protect your pillows from dust mites and dirt. It’s best that both the mattress pad and the pillow protectors are made from natural materials to ensure breathability.

Mattress Topper

Featherbeds are mattress toppers that are placed between the mattress and the mattress pad to improve your comfort if you have a mattress of inferior quality. Apart from mattress toppers made of feathers, you can find ones made of memory foam, latex, down, alternative fibers, and wool.

Pillows

Pillows support our neck and back during sleep, making them another essential that can help us sleep better. Let’s see what different types of pillows you can choose from.

European Pillow

European pillows come in sizes 25x25 cm and can be used for sleep, lower back support while sitting, or purely for decoration after adding an interesting pillowcase that adds texture and color.

Sleeping Pillow

Depending on the type of bed you have, the sleeping pillow is available in standard, queen, and king sizes.

Throw Cushions and Decorative Pillows

To add more visual interest to your bed, you can add decorative cushions in different shapes and sizes. Go with bolder colors or an interesting pattern if your bedroom is pretty neutral to make them the centerpiece.

Sheets and Bedding

Next, we have all the essential elements from the bedding category.

Pillowcases and Shams

Sheet sets often come with two pillowcases you can use for your standard pillows, while duvet covers come with matching shams that you can use for your decorative pillows. You may need to purchase additional pillowcases and/or shams if you have extra pillows on your bed. Generally, most bedrooms feature two standard decorative pillows in front of the euro pillows that are propped upright on the bed.

Fitted Sheets

Fitted sheets come in various sizes that can fit every bed on the market. When shopping for fitted sheets, make sure that you have the height of your mattress so you can choose the proper pocket depth for the fitted sheets.

Flat Sheets

Flat sheets, or top sheets as they’re often called, are used on top of fitted sheets and come in a variety of materials, such as cotton, silk, bamboo, linen, and others.

Duvet

A duvet, also known as a comforter, is a type of bedding that’s used to keep us warm during the night, especially during the colder months. It can be filled with down, feathers, cotton, wool, silk, or synthetic materials.

Duvet Cover

Since the duvet doesn’t get washed as often as sheets and pillowcases, the duvet cover is used as a protector from dirt, but also as a way to personalize the bed. You can match your duvet cover with a pair of decorative pillow shams to make your bed more cohesive.

Bedskirt

Bedskirts are pieces of decorative material that wrap around the frame of the bed and they can be designed with or without pleats. Before you go shopping for bedskirts, measure the exact height of your bed so the bedskirt doesn’t end up dragging on the floor or being too short.

Coverlet

You can use this decorative cover at the bottom of the bed to introduce a new texture or color to the decor, but it can also be used as a lightweight blanket.

Throw Blanket

Throw blankets can be used as a finishing touch on the bed, but also to keep you warm while relaxing or reading a book on your bed.

Different Types of Bed and Mattress Sizes

Now that you know more about the different items that are found in a bedroom, it’s useful to discuss the types of beds and mattresses you can choose from if you’re renovating your bedroom.

Twin

Twin beds are the smallest ones on the market and as such, they’re great for kids’ beds, people who sleep alone, or bunk beds. The dimension of a twin bed is 96.5 x 190.5cm.

Twin XL

These beds are ideal for taller children and are often used in dorm rooms for students. The standard dimensions of a twin XL bed is 96.5 x 203cm.

Full-Sized Bed

This bed is ideal for young adults and single sleepers who want more comfort than a twin-sized bed. The size of a single full-size bed is 134.5 x 190.5cm.

Queen

Queen-sized beds are the most common beds among adults since they’re perfect for smaller bedrooms. The size of a queen-sized bed is 152.5 x 203cm.

King

The king-sized bed is among the widest beds on the market and is used for couples, families with pets and kids, and single sleepers who enjoy huge beds. The dimension of this bed is 193 x 203cm.

Cal King

California king mattresses and beds are the longest ones in the world, which is why they’re mainly used by tall people. These beds are generally used by couples and the standard size is 183 x 213cm.

Bed Frame Types

Another item that you can personalize in your bedroom is the bed frame. Here are some of the most sought-after ones.

Standard Bed Frame

A standard bed frame is the most common type of bed frame that has a footboard and a headboard.

Metal Bed Frame

Metal bed frames are ideal because of their simplicity and the amount of weight they can carry. They come with different styles of headboards, while some are headboard-free.

Wooden Bed Frame

Wooden bed frames are made from thick wood, which makes them pretty heavy. They’re extremely durable and customizable.

Upholstered Bed Frame

Upholstered bed frames are bed frames wrapped in materials such as velvet, suede, faux leather, etc. They’re often embellished with button studs or embroidery.

Platform Bed Frame

Platform bed frames have a strong base that holds the mattress, so you don’t need to purchase additional foundations to support it. These bed frames are usually lower to the ground.

Wrought Iron Bed Frame

This is one of the most durable bed frames that can last you for years. They can hold a lot of weight, and often have intricate designs when it comes to the footboard and headboard.

Slat Bed Frame

Slat bed frames are the most straightforward bed frames on the market. The base where the mattress is placed is made of wood planks that are held with rubber holders.

Bed Frame With an Attached Floor-to-Ceiling Headboard

These unique headboards can be attached to the head of the bed by being bolted to the back or installed on the wall. The headboard acts as a piece of art and it makes a room feel taller. You can choose to make this headboard in a wide variety of materials, although velvet and faux suede are the most popular.

Materials and Colors

Now that you have a general idea of the most popular types of mattresses, bed frames, and bedding, we can go over the most commonly used materials for sheets, duvets, and pillows, so you can choose the bedding materials of your dreams.

Sheets Materials

You can choose between a variety of natural and synthetic materials, such as:

• Cotton - a breathable material that provides a cooler feeling, especially in hot climates. Popular types of cotton include Egyptian cotton, known for its softness and high quality, and Pima cotton, known for its smoothness.
• Linen - softer material that’s even more luxurious than cotton, but also comes at a higher price point.
• Silk - a material that’s popular for its good effects on the skin and for keeping you warm during the winter months.
• Bamboo - a pretty stiff material that’s just as breathable as cotton.
• Acetate - a soft and satiny fabric made from cellulose in wood fiber. Since this is a very delicate material, the sheets made from acetate need to be hand-washed or dry-cleaned.
• Lyocell and Modal - soft and durable fabrics that are considered eco-friendly since they need less water and energy to be produced. The former is made from wood pulp from oak, bamboo, birch, or eucalyptus tree, while the latter is made from beech wood.
• Polyester - is one of the most affordable materials for bedsheets but it’s pretty scratchy if used on its own, so it’s commonly mixed with cotton.
• Blends - to reduce the price, some sheets are blends of a couple of materials. Cotton and polyester are the most common blends, but you can also find cotton and rayon combinations, and nylon and polyester combinations.

Duvet Materials

Similar to sheets, duvets come in a variety of different materials. Depending on your budget and your preference, you can choose between:

• Natural fillings - including goose, duck, and down feathers, as well as silk and wool that are more breathable than synthetic-filled duvets.
• Synthetic fillings - including microfiber, hollow fiber, and polyester, which are more affordable, can be washed at higher temperatures, and are great if you’re allergic to feathers or wool, however, they’re less breathable.

Pillow Materials

The material of your pillow can make a huge difference in the quality of your sleep. Nowadays, there are a lot of materials to choose from when it comes to pillows:

• Memory foam pillows - these pillows mold to the shape of your body and help you achieve natural spine alignment. This material is often firmer in cool temperatures and softer in warm temperatures.
• Latex pillows - this material is made by extracting the white liquid from the rubber tree in combination with fillers and chemicals. It’s one of the most durable and cooling pillows you can buy, in addition to being naturally anti-fungal, mildew resistant, and hypoallergenic.
• Feather pillows - similar to duvets made of feathers, feather pillows are light and conserve heat in the winter, but feel cooler in the summer. They’re one of the most luxurious pillows on the market.
• Polyester pillows - these pillows are lightweight, soft, and can be molded for sleeping in any position. Because of their affordability, they’re one of the most common pillows on the market.

Choosing Bedding Color and Design

When it comes to choosing bedding, one of the deciding factors for most people, apart from the quality of the bedding material, is the color and design. So, let’s go over some tips that will be useful when choosing your bedding design:

• A monochromatic color scheme will give your room a hotel-like feel. If you’re more into color, add pillow shams to break up the monotony.
• Patterned bedding is also a good idea to break up a monotonous room, but it can overwhelm a room if you go with a lot of different colors.
• Choose a fabric that you can easily maintain.
• Either go with a perfectly matched bedding set or create your own eclectic bedding by combining different bedding while having one or two unifying colors.
• If you go with simple bedding in one color, add visual interest by using throw pillows in different colors and textures to break up the monotony.

How to Choose a Brand for Mattresses and Bedding

When shopping for a mattress and bedding, you must know the purchasing criteria that a product of that category must meet to choose the right brand.

Mattress Checklist

Go through the following features and see whether the mattress you’re considering has all these qualities:

• Provides adequate spinal support
• Provides pressure point relief
• Has a good depth
• Is made of breathable and durable materials
• Is made of natural materials or materials that have hypoallergenic properties
• Has washable covers
• Has a movement-absorbing top layer
• Provides cooling sleep technology
• Provides the ideal firmness for you depending on your sleeping patterns (soft, medium-firm, or firm)
• Is the ideal mattress type for you (mattresses with springs, memory foam mattresses, or hybrid ones)
• Is the ideal mattress size
• Fits your budget

Choosing Quality Bedding

When it comes to choosing quality bedding, we’ve identified the following factors you should consider.

The Thread Count

The thread count (TC) gives you information about how many threads each square of fabric has, and the higher the thread count, the better the quality of the fabric. On average, the thread count of cotton is around 150TC, while high-quality cotton has over 200TC. However, for the finest quality, you’ll need to go with a thread count of over 400TC, and even up to 1,000TC.

The Tog Rating

The tog rating measures the capacity of the duvet to trap warm air, so the higher the tog rating, the cozier and warmer your duvet cover. It’s important to choose the right tog rating based on your personal sleeping preferences to get a good night's sleep.

Final Thoughts

Choosing what bedding you bring into your bedroom can make a difference when it comes to the quality of your sleep. Therefore, you need to make sure that the bed and bedding you choose offer the best of both worlds, first in terms of quality, but also in terms of budget.