How to choose a bed: what to consider

A bed is a frame around a mattress, and the two have to fit. These are the things worth settling before you choose one. The numbers are common rules of thumb, not fixed rules.

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Size and fit

Mattress sizes differ between countries. In Sweden, for example, 160 x 200 cm is a common double; elsewhere a king or queen size is different. Check the frame's internal dimensions against the mattress you will use.
Allow space around the bed: around 60-70 cm on each side makes it easy to walk past and to make the bed.
Check the overall height of the frame and the headboard if you will have a window, a wall light or a shelf behind it.

Base and support

A slatted base lets the mattress breathe and is common; the slats' spacing and number matter for some mattresses, so check what the mattress maker requires.
A solid platform or a sprung base feels different and suits different mattresses. Ask which the frame is designed for.
A double bed benefits from a centre support, so the base does not sag.

Headboard and design

A headboard protects the wall and gives something to lean on; a low or no headboard suits a small room or a bed against a wall.
Upholstered frames are soft and quiet; ask whether the cover can be removed or replaced.

Storage

Drawers or a lifting base add storage but also weight and parts that move. Check how easily they open and how much space they need beside or at the end of the bed.

Materials and construction

Solid wood frames can be tightened and refinished; check how the joints are made and whether the bed can be taken apart and put together again if you move.
Check the wood's origin and finish if that matters to you, and the finish if the bed is for a child.

Delivery and assembly

Measure the doors, stairs and turns the bed has to pass. Many frames arrive flat-packed or in sections.
Check whether assembly is included and what tools are needed.

Questions worth asking the maker

What are the internal dimensions? What base is included, and what support does it give? Can it be taken apart? Is assembly included? What are the delivery and return terms?

Sources and further reading

A label covers one aspect of a product, such as where the wood came from or which chemicals are in a textile, not its whole footprint. These pages explain what each covers; they are not endorsements, and Formground does not rate products.

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