The bed is the centerpiece of every bedroom, so when the time comes to replace your old bed with a new one, you must be sure you’re making the right decision. Choosing the wrong type of bed can lead to a series of sleepless nights, backaches, sore muscles, and countless other problems that can seriously affect the quality of your life.

When you start shopping for a new bed, there are many variables to take into account, if you want to make sure you’re choosing the right mattress. This task can prove more complicated than one might think. You can’t just walk into a store and expect to find what you need within five minutes. It’s more than a matter of style and how pretty your new bed will look in your bedroom scheme. It’s also about functionality and selecting a bed that will ensure a good night’s rest for many years to come.

So here are our top recommendations to help you choose the perfect bed and turn your bedroom into a peaceful oasis.

Decide on a bed type

There are different bed types you can choose from, which is great if you don’t know already what type of bed you want. But this can also make your decision more difficult as you’ll have more research to do. There are platform beds, divan beds, air beds, water beds, bunk beds, canopy beds, loft beds, Murphy beds, sleep number beds, sofa beds, etc. They all have their pros and cons. If you’re interested in beds like Sleep Number and want to find out if they’re suitable for you, it’s up to you to learn about the specifics and then weigh your options.

Shop around

Buying a new bed is an important investment, so it’s not a decision you should make on a whim. Even if you happen to walk into a store and simply fall in love with a bed you see there, don’t rush to get your credit card out and buy it straight away. You can find the same bed in a different store, at a better price and you’ll regret not taking the time to shop around. Also, this love at first sight sensation can be temporary, and after a while, you might not feel the same way. That’s why you should take your time and visit as many stores as possible, to make sure you don’t miss a better option.

Visit a showroom

These days everybody seems to be shopping online. It’s definitely much more convenient to sit in front of your computer in your pj’s, select what you want to purchase and have it delivered to your door. But buying a bed doesn’t work like that because online pictures won’t be enough in this case. You have to put in a bit more effort, leave the comfort of your house and shop for the bed of your dreams in person. Beds are the kind of products you want to see with your own eyes before you purchase, so that implies visiting a few showrooms.  

Test it

Since you’ve made the effort to go to a showroom and see the beds in person, it would be a shame to simply stand there and look at them. Yes, it’s important to read the description, talk to the salesperson and find out even more details about the beds you’re considering, but trying the bed yourself is the ultimate test. So, don’t hesitate to lie in it for a while and see how it feels. After all, that’s exactly why showrooms are for, so you can test the products.

Consider the size of the bedroom

There’s no point in dreaming of a king-sized or queen-sized bed, if your bedroom is so tiny you can barely walk around without tripping over things. You have to think about your bedroom as a whole and choose a bed that will fit in there without taking up all the space. If you’re going to place a massive bed in it and you won’t have room for anything else, that’s going to be a huge problem, quite literally. Before you decide what bed size to get, measure your bedroom to make sure you won’t have any unpleasant surprises afterward.

Consult with your partner

If you’re the only one who’s going to sleep in the bed, you can choose whatever type of bed you fancy. But if you’re going to share it with a partner, things change. You’ll have to take his or her preferences into consideration as well and find a bed that will suit you both. Needless to say, that can complicate things a bit, especially if you have completely opposite preferences. Luckily, nowadays we have more options than ever and you can find beds that will suit both your needs.

Choose the right mattress

Beds and mattresses go together like a horse and carriage. You can’t have one without the other. When you buy a new bed, you should also find the right mattress that will go with it, if you decide to change both at the same time (and have the budget for it). As a basic rule, spring beds should be paired with spring mattresses, while slat beds make a great team with foam mattresses. The type of mattresses you choose will ultimately depend on your personal needs and preferences.

Make sure it matches the bedroom theme

Let’s not forget about aesthetics. Your bed should not only feel great, but it should also look great and fit the design of your bedroom. You don’t want your new piece of furniture to clash with the rest of your décor and ruin the ambiance in your bedroom. If you’ve embraced a minimalist approach throughout your entire house, a headboard with a lot of intricate details will probably look mismatched. While there are no strict rules to follow here, it’s best to choose a bed that will match the bedroom theme.