Beds; everybody has them yet not much is known about how they were invented or how they became what they are today. For something so massively consumed, it’s time to educate ourselves about this mythical piece of furniture that would seem to have appeared from nowhere.

History outlines that the very first types of beds largely consisted of shrubbery and greenery piled on open ground.  In an attempt to increase comfort, there has also been evidence of ancient man creating a palette from rock in which to place the shrubbery – although it would be a fair assumption that this was most certainly more uncomfortable!

Progressing into ancient Egyptian times yet still many years BC, it is known that upper class citizens actually manufactured the first beds. This consisted of a hay or grass filled mattress which was supported via a frame made of gold. It was then discovered that over time the Egyptians began to fill their mattresses with wool or feathers to increase levels of warmth during the night.

The Renaissance Era introduced a much more luxurious adaptation of what the Egyptians began. The rough mattresses that were originally made of rags extracted from legumes were then covered with soft and luxurious sheets of silk.

Heading into the 20^th century, the first spring mattresses were created in America as well as the orthopaedic bed with foam mattresses in the 1950’s. By the 1980’s the industry became a lot more creative with airbeds and water beds being introduced.

Although the mechanical adjustable bed had already been used in hospitals in the 1940’s, the 1990’s saw the introduction of electrical adjustable beds not only in hospitals but also within homes.

Beds have come along in leaps and bounds and with the now state of the art electrical beds, it’s safe to say goodbye to mounds of shrubs and leaves and hello to quality and luxurious sleep time.

Most of us sleep on a normal sprung mattress bed. However, adjustable beds are becoming ever more popular as more and more people suffer from sleeping problems and bad backs and choose to relax in an electric bed. An ageing population is also a reason for this increase in popularity of electric beds as sitting up and getting in and out of bed poses problems for more and more people.

As always there are pros and cons for every type of bed and the electric bed is no different. The positive points for having an electric bed are plentiful, whilst the negatives are more a matter of personal taste and cost. If you are considering investing in an electric bed, it is important to know the good points along with the worst.

The main purpose of an electric bed is to allow you to control the movement and position of the head and foot end of the bed. This allows you to raise your head, up to the point of sitting up, or to raise your feet to help circulation, or any combination of the positions to find a comfortable and supportive position for you during sleep and when awake.

Due to the adjustable positions controlled by the hand held control, this bed is very popular with those suffering from certain medical conditions. Raising the head will help with reflux problems amongst others, whilst raising the feet aids circulation and reduces dizziness. Those struggling to sit up from a lying position will benefit from the electric assistance.

A double or larger electric bed is especially beneficial if there is only one of two people sharing the bed who needs the raised bed motion. The individual designs allow one side to be raised whilst the other stays flat, allowing both partners to sleep well. Just touch the button and adjust your side of the bed to your preferred angles so you can relax in an electric bed.

Electric beds come in a choice of frames and bases and there is a large selection of mattresses to choose from such as visco-elastic memory foam, reflex foam, latex or specially designed pocket sprung mattresses. However, it is important that you buy your mattress with your bed, as they need to be specially designed for the movement they will sustain. You cannot just fit a normal mattress onto this type of bed.

Electric beds need to be plugged in and will use a small amount of energy when you raise or lower them, making a low level of noise as you do so. As an electric bed gets older, the chances of having a mechanical breakdown become more likely, although modern designs are thoroughly tested and very robust. Normal mattresses and beds do not require electricity, do not create noise and are not susceptible to mechanical breakdowns.

You may need storage space under your bed, which is easy to achieve with a normal bed. Depending on your bed frame you can have large drawers that slide under the ends or sides of the bed. With an electric bed however, the internal motor is housed under the bed. This means that storage drawers can only be fitted at the foot end of the bed, limiting your storage space.

Normal bedding sets can be used on electric beds as long as they are size appropriate. However, you may want to invest in specially designed fitted sheets as the elasticised properties keep the sheets snug even when the bed is raised at both the foot and head ends.
Normal sheets become baggy at this point.

When decorating the room of your child, you need to consider his/her tastes. The same applies when you are choosing the bed and mattress for the room. Single beds work well for the room of a young adult. If you have two kids, you may also opt for a bunk bed. Dreams.co.uk offers a wide range of single and bunk beds to suit your needs.

 How do you choose the right bed for your son or daughter? Here are a few tips for help.

Size – it is better to invest in a big bed instead of a small one for your son/daughter. A child grows quickly, and it is a practical idea to choose a bed that he/she does not outgrow in just a year or two.

Note: Make sure you know the dimensions of the room and the access points of your home before you go shopping.

Cost – it is possible to find good quality cheap single beds from an online store. However, do not let this be the only criterion for your selection. Keeping in mind a budget is a good thing, but compromising on the quality of the bed due to this is not so.

Frame – wood frames are the favoured choices if you want to create a nice, cosy feel. The chief advantage of wooden beds is that they complement traditional and modern décor with ease. Metal, leather and upholstered single beds are also available.

Mattress – firm or soft, coil or spring, and such other options make this a difficult thing to choose. One important thing you need to pay attention to is the support the mattress offers to the body. Also, remember, certain mattresses work well with certain beds.

Storage – it is always a better idea to choose a bed with storage space for your child’s room. Whether you use it to store extra bedding and towels or his/her playthings, this would help make the room clutter-free.

Single beds occupy less space, provide ample comfort and come cheap. Apart from suiting your child’s room, these beds may also be the right choice in the spare room for your guests.

When you are planning the interior décor of your bedroom, you usually consider the bed as a single item. However, it is in most cases a combination of bed frames and other components like mattresses and covers. Frames come in numerous brands, models, styles, sizes and materials.

If you need not bother about how much you spend on this, you sure are a lucky homemaker. However, if budget is a concern, you may need to use certain tried and tested tips to stay within your spending limit.

Here are a few ideas for this.

You can always opt for metal frames. These come for as low a price as $40-50. If your bedroom theme were modern and simplistic, these frames would also complement your décor. However, this would not work in rooms with a Victorian décor.

If you prefer a leather frame instead, but it goes way over your budget, you can choose faux pas leather covered one instead. With this, you get the look for your bedroom you desire and do not exceed your budget as well.

You can also choose simple frames that are within your budget and add storage space underneath later to save money. Adjustable ones work well in this regard. Fabric upholstered frames are also available at lower prices.

Look out for upcoming sales. Perhaps the most convenient way is to find an online shop that offers discounts on these products. For example, Bedstar offers superb rates for different frames at reasonable rates to fit all kinds of budgets.

Apart from the discount rates, there are other advantages of shopping online as well. Here are a few of these.

Ø  It offers you an extensive range of options.

Ø  It offers you the option of comparing prices.

Ø  It offers you proper packaging and delivery.

Ø  It offers certain products on a next-day delivery basis.

Ø  It offers easy planning, ordering and paying.

Whether you are planning to get a wooden frame for your four-poster bed or a leather one to match the décor of your elegant bedroom, you are sure to get quality products if you shop from the right place.