Jonny Valiant
Choosing the Perfect Mattress
It pays to take your time when selecting a mattress, since
"you'll spend a third of your life on it over the next 8
to 10 years," says Perry Davis, a division president at
Leggett & Platt, a company that makes bedding components in
Carthage, Missouri. There are three main types to choose from:
- Innerspring construction (steel coils topped with layers of padding) is the most common. One good measure of how well a mattress will support your body is the number of coils it contains. Davis recommends a minimum of 350 coils for a full-size mattress, 480 for a queen, and 580 for a king.
- Air-filled models (composed of air chambers surrounded by foam) let you adjust the firmness; opt for a top layer of high-density foam.
- Foam mattresses come in latex (made of natural or synthetic rubber), polyurethane (which varies in density), and viscoelastic (one example is memory foam, which molds to your body's shape). Foam retains heat well, so if you get hot while sleeping, look for open-cell construction for maximum breathability.
From Real Simple: Bed-Making Tips from the Pros
Prices range considerably: For an innerspring model, expect to spend anywhere from several hundred dollars to $2,000; for memory foam, from $1,000 to up to $5,000 (for a thicker mattress, perhaps covered in silk or satin).
A mattress is an investment, so care for yours well. Every few months, flip and rotate it for even wear, and vacuum the surface. Once a year, air it out by opening a window for a few hours.
Shown from top to bottom:
- Royal Pedic Organic cotton three-inch pillow-top pad, ABC Carpet & Home. To Buy: 212-473-3000.
- SpringFree by Sealy Posturepedic mattress. Synthetic latex foam. Antimicrobial and dust mite-resistant. To Buy: www.sealy.com for retailers.
- Royal Pedic Organic mattress, ABC Carpet & Home. Organic cotton and wool. To Buy: 212-473-3000.
- Queen Plush Innerspring mattress by Room & Board. The cover repels both moisture and stains, and it's bacteria-, mold-, and dust mite–resistant. To Buy: 800-301-9720.
Jonny Valiant
Sheets are the workhorses of the bed, so take durability into consideration. Egyptian cotton is top-of-the-line, and lesser-known pima cotton, mainly grown in the United States and Peru, is also a standout. These two varieties boast fine, long fibers that create an uncommonly soft, strong fabric. Other sheets are made from ordinary cotton, a cotton-polyester blend (wrinkle-resistant but less soft and absorbent than pure cotton), linen (a lightweight option that wicks away moisture but wrinkles like crazy), silk (costly but oh so smooth), and flannel (coziness at its best).
From Real Simple: Surprising Upgrades for Any Bedroom
There are endless styles and three main weaves: percale (varies from matte to shiny), sateen (lustrous but may lose its sheen the more it's washed), and jacquard (matte or shiny, with a pattern woven into it). When you're buying sheets, thread count, the number of threads in one square inch of fabric, is a factor. "But a high thread count doesn't necessarily equal a better product," says Susan Dollenmaier, founder of Anichini, a fine-textile maker. Plies of yarn are twisted together to achieve super-high counts (400 and above), but that thicker, denser -- and often hotter and less breathable -- sheet isn't always comfortable. "It's the quality of the thread that counts, not the thread count," says Dollenmaier.
To maintain sheets, launder once a week, but take care when drying, as heat makes fibers brittle. Switch the setting to air-dry for the last five minutes.
Shown from top to bottom:
- Silky bamboo by VivaTerra. To Buy: www.vivaterra.com.
- Palm Beach Chelsea by Ankasa. To Buy: www.ankasa.com for retailers.
- Palermo by Olatz. To Buy: 212-255-8627.
- Samode Pink by John Robshaw Textiles. To Buy: www.johnrobshaw.com.
- Dahlia by Calvin Klein Home. To Buy: www.macys.com.
- Bulb Sea by Area. To Buy: www.areahome.com.
- Washed Linen Collection by Eileen Fisher Home for Garnet Hill. To Buy: www.garnethill.com.
- Liseron by Yves Delorme. To Buy: www.yvesdelorme.com for retailers.
More from Real Simple:
Choosing the Perfect Bedcovers, Bed Pillows
What You Need to Know When Buying Sheets
The Best Pillows
