Interiors
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By Katherine Sorrell
A good night’s sleep
Create the perfect restful retreat by combining a great bed with the ideal mattress and sumptuous, stylish linens. We spend about a third of our lives in bed, so it’s worth investing in the different elements that will help ensure the best possible night’s sleep – from a good-looking bed frame to lovely, layered bedlinen, a well-chosen mattress and a set of quality pillows. Choosing a bed The most popular choice of bed base is a simple divan frame, which usually sit on castors, but are sometimes elevated on legs. Look for examples with useful side drawers, or ‘ottoman’ divans in which the entire mattress can be lifted up to access storage beneath. The alternative is a bedstead, generally made from wood or metal (though rattan elements are fashionable these days), which may be modern and minimal, but are more often traditional in appearance, such as a four-poster, a ‘sleigh’ bed or Victorian-style cast iron. The choice is largely aesthetic, but do bear in mind that not all mattresses and bases are compatible with each other. Size matters when it comes to beds. Disturbance from a partner (or children) is one of the most common causes of sleeping complaints, so buy as big
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a bed as you can afford and that will fit comfortably into the room – remembering to leave enough space around it. You will need to allow about 450mm at the foot and sides of a bed in order to be able to make it comfortably, and at least 700mm of floor space between the side of a bed and the wardrobe, if this is where you are going to dress. All about mattresses If you prefer a sprung mattress, the best are ‘pocket’ sprung, in which a large number of small springs work independently from each other, adjusting to the body and eliminating ‘roll-together’. Look for springs encased in calico pockets, hand nested in a honeycomb pattern and centre tied with linen cord. Other signs of a high standard are quality ticking (the mattress’s fabric cover), hand side stitching, which keeps the mattress in good condition for longer, and sturdy handles to enable easy turning. Fillings include cotton, wool, coir, foam and horsehair, with added mohair, cashmere and silk at the luxury end of the market. Tufted construction is considered better than quilting, as it prevents loose fillings from
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