Homestyle Gossip

Many newlyweds spend so much time coming down from the excitement of the wedding that they forget about starting their new life together. A bedroom should be like a sanctuary; an escape from your stressful lives. When you are in your bedroom, you should be able to relax and unwind from the stress of the day. For this reason, when you decide to decorate your bedroom, there are many factors that you should keep in mind.
The mattress is the most important part of any bedroom, and as a newlywed, you definitely want to make your bed the focal point. Before you get married, try to save up some extra money to buy a quality mattress. Mattresses are an important aspect of the bedroom because having the right mattress will ensure that you and your spouse have a comfortable sleeping experience. The last thing you want is to wake up every morning wishing your bed was more comfortable. The best way to find the right mattress for your bedroom is to do your research. It can helpful to spend time in a mattress store testing different mattresses to see which one feels the most comfortable to you and your spouse.

After you choose the best mattress, you should choose a bed and bedding that makes you happy when you see it. Because it is not necessarily a good idea to paint the walls of your bedroom a bright color, you should accent the wall color with colorful bedding and pillows. Be sure that you don’t overpower your bed with pillows because you want your bed to be a haven, not a burden.
Choosing a paint color for the walls is almost as important as choosing the right mattresses. Try to avoid overly bright colors, instead choose warm, golden colors, such as a warm yellow or subtle green. You want pick colors that will relax and calm your nerves.
Lighting is what really helps to set the mood of your bedroom, so when you choose lighting make sure that you pick lighting options that will reinforce the warm feel of your bedroom wall color. You should consider having a light with a dimmer so you can easily adjust the light according to the mood. If you love the look of candles but you could do without the wax, flameless candles can solve your dilemma.
Try to avoid cluttering your room with too many accessories. Of course you want your room to be comfortable, but you don’t want to feel that you have too many pieces of furniture overpowering your bed. Try to stick to simple pieces such as lamps and end tables and reserve the larger furniture to the rest of your house.
If you were previously married or lived with significant other in the past, it is not a good idea to hold onto those items. Having reminders of a past relationship in your bedroom can cause problems in your marriage. If you must keep furniture items from a past relationship, do your best to avoid having those items in the bedroom.
Before making big changes to your bedroom it is a good idea to discuss your ideas with your spouse. Being a newlywed should be a fun time that helps you build a strong foundation for your life together, so the last thing you want to do is start a fight over your bedroom decor.

You can have the most comfortable and softest bed ever, however no bed is ever complete without the correct bed lining. You’d be surprised at how much bedding can end up costing, but it’s important to remember that you (should be) spending 8 hours a day in your bed…that’s a third of your entire day! Therefore, if you think about it, it probably is worth spending a little bit more to ensure your comfort in your bed, as the same sets of bed linen, like a good mattress will keep you going for quite a while.

The 3 main points to look out for when searching for the best bed linen of the highest quality are the following:

-       Material – for durability

-       Thread Count – for softness

-       Style

Different materials for bed sheets include cotton, Egyptian cotton, linen, and satin. All of these have pros and cons depending on what you are after. The key is to get 3 full sets of whatever type of bed linen you most prefer. One for the bed, a second one for the laundry and a third one to keep in the linen closed just in case. Remember, if you have just spent a long time picking the right bed sheets for your home, its not something you would want to do again anytime soon, so its always better to get some repeats, that way if you have extras you don’t have to worry about having to buy get new linen to replace the old.

A full bedding set includes a flat sheet, a fitted sheet and two pillowcases. Alongside this, the extras you can include to improve the aesthetics are a throw, a duvet cover and some decorative pillows to place on top. These extras can be essential to set the tone for the ambience of the room.

Beds don’t have to be boring these days! Take a look at these modern and quirky bed designs…

Floating bed? This bed has legs that double up as bed side tables!

The casket bed! This oval shaped bed is certainly unusual, looks very relaxing

The Lomme, comes with massaging memory foam mattress, modified for the iphone and light therapy alarm clock

Carpet bed – perfect solution for friends coming over, just inflate any time you need a bed

Napping pods – as the benefit of power naps become more apparent will these be installed in the office?

When counting sheep won’t do follow these top tips for a great nights sleep.

1. Make sure you have a 20-30 minute relaxation period before bed. Ensure that you wind down by taking a bath or reading a book. Play some relaxing music if that helps.

2. If you find that your minds is too active then make a to-do list for the next day. That way you are emptying your mind and preparing to sleep.

3. Make sure the room you sleep in has good ventilation and isn’t too warm. It is very difficult to get to sleep when your body temperature is raised. Keep the window open in the evening to ensure the room is full of fresh air.

4. Check the quality of your mattress. Some bad quality mattresses can stop you sleeping soundly. Your mattress should be firm, if it is too soft then it can cause back problems.

5. Aim to get regularly exercise. Studies have shown that regular exercise helps you drop off to sleep and stay sleeping throughout the night.

Hope these help!

These days world record attempts seem to be getting out of hand! However, I did have to laugh when I saw this mattress dominoes world record attempt! The attempt involved 244 people and 244 mattresses! It took place at the Algarve Stadium, Portugal and it was organized by Sao Lourenzo International school.

Whatever next?

The bed is a statement item in any home but if you want to push the boundaries why not try some of the following statement bed ideas:

The Wrought Canopy Bed

A contemporary piece for the garden for ultimate relaxation

The James Bond Bed - you may have trouble finding a mattress to suit!

A Circular Bed – Circular mattresses could become popular!

Why not try something different for the bedroom!

Here are some crazy beds and mattresses!

Cocoon Napping Pod

Is it a bed, is it a bookcase?

Sofa & bed combined!

Mouse Trap Bed

Beds suspended by rope!

About 10,000 year ago people started using ‘beds’. Bed frames discovered in Egypt date to the Early Dynastic period, circa 3100 B.C. These early beds were little more than wooden frames with plaited rope or leather strapping stretched across them. The mattress, if one was used, was little more than a sack of linen filled with plant material or animal hair. The ancient Greeks developed a multipurpose bed called a kline. Used for dining, leisure and sleep, the kline was a couch made of wood, iron or bronze. The head was slightly raised and usually had a headboard of wood to allow for eating and resting in a semi-reclined position.

The Roman Empire saw the first ‘luxury bed’ which was decorated with gold, silver & bronze. In the Renaissance mattresses were made of pea shucks or straw, sometimes feathers, stuffed into coarse ticks, then covered with sumptuous velvets, brocades and silks. Throughout Europe, particularly in colder climes, the bed was a family affair. The entire family within a household, which could consist of three generations, slept together in one bed. These beds, of course, were very large, able to accommodate up to eight or more people.

Apparently Loius XIV was so fond of beds he had 413!

Mattresses did begin to appear in the 16th & 17th centuries as they were stuffed with straw and tied with rope. That’s where the expression sleep tight originates as mattresses were placed on top of ropes that needed regular tightening. In the late 18th century beds were made of cast iron and some had cotton mattresses. By the 18th century, the bed had gained a prominent position within the furnishings hierarchy. Wealthy European aristocracy often had elaborate beds, the frames made from hard woods, the turned posts decorated with intricate carvings and topped with large finials. The first coil sprung mattress appeared in 1865.

In the 20th century (1950) foam rubber mattresses and pillows appeared on the market. Airbeds were introduced in the 1980s. In 1999, the queen-size mattress became America’s most popular choice for mattress size – for the first time ever – beating the twin.

And today, we are spoilt for choice with a huge range of beds and mattresses on offer.

Sleep is a very important human function but getting enough of it isn’t always easy. Getting a good night’s sleep can seem impossible for some but there are some top tips to help you have peaceful nights.

• Make sure you’re getting enough exercise. If our bodies have not been properly exercised then we can often be not quite tired enough to fall asleep.

• Try and have a routine that you stick to. Once your body is in a routine where you go to bed and get up and the same time everyday, your body expects this to happen so will begin to get tired at this time.

• Try to avoid stimulants at least 3 hours before you go to bed. This includes alcohol, caffeine and sugary foods.

• Beds are important, make sure your bed is comfortable. It is important that you invest in a good quality mattress. Cheap mattresses are fine as long as they are good quality.

• Try and have a relaxing evening and in the hour before bed wind down by reading or having a relaxing bath.

• Make sure your bedroom is a peaceful environment, turn of electric items and your phone when you get into bed.

A third of our lives are spent in bed so it is important to buy a good quality mattress for your bed to aid a good night’s sleep. Take a look at this buying guide for some top tips.

Different Types Of Mattresses

• Open Spring Mattress
Open spring mattresses have a border rod or wire which gives the mattress a firm edge and helps it retain shape. Also, the sides are generally machine stitched.

• Pocket Spring Mattress
Pocket sprung mattresses are more luxurious and have smaller springs in separate pockets. They are usually hand stitched at the sides for strong edges.

• Visco-Elastic Mattress
Visco-elastic mattresses react with body heat to soften the foam and mould it to your body shape. This provides excellent support and is good for posture.

• Latex Mattress
Latex mattresses are very durable. They are more breathable and also have anti-microbial properties.

Choosing Your Mattress

• Try Before You Buy
If possible try your mattress before you buy. You can then get a good feel for the mattress and how it will suit you.

• Do your research.
It is important to research different types of mattresses and consider what you think would suit you best.

• Match Base & Mattress
Ensure that your beds base matches your mattress. Even if buying from different places ensure that you have measured your base to fit your mattress properly.

Looking After Your Mattress

• Rotation
Sprung Mattresses should be turned regularly to maximise longevity. Body weight compresses a mattress, leading to dips and ultimately an uneven sleeping surface so regular turning is essential. With Latex and visco-elastic mattresses the mattress shouldn’t be turned but they should be rotated length ways once a month.

• Mattress Protectors
It is worthwhile to buy a mattress protector for your new mattress. This helps protect the mattress and will hopefully make your mattress last longer.

• Airing
Air your mattress after you buy for several hours. Then on a weekly basis you should pull back the covers to air the mattress.