Bedroom Furniture Buying Guide
from Overstock.comA beautiful bed is a welcome sight after a hard day's work. Besides providing you with a place to lay your weary body down, a stylish bed greatly affects the atmosphere of your bedroom, which, in turn, affects your sleep. But throw in all the other furniture and putting together something comfortable can become quite complex. This bedroom furniture buying guide contains some basic information to help you create the right look for every bedroom in your home.
Before we really get going on bedroom furniture, let's review some furniture basics. First, realize that lumber is generally stronger, more durable and more beautiful than rattan, wicker, particle board or medium density fiberboard (MDF). Solid wood furniture is also more expensive. Here are two more words you want to look for: "Assembly required." For many, this is not a problem; home assembly saves you money, and it usually requires no real technical know-how. If you don't like the idea of building your bedroom furniture, however, avoid pieces with that description.
With that out of the way, let's discuss some of the more common pieces of bedroom furniture, starting with those that make a bedroom a bedroom.
Beds
Bed sizes
Several factors affect the size of bed you'll need. First and foremost, you need to take into consideration the size of the person or people who will sleep in it. King beds (California and standard) are the largest, followed by queen beds, full beds and twin beds. The dimensions of each size are as follows:
- California king bed: 72 inches wide x 84 inches long
- King bed: 76 inches wide x 80 inches long
- Queen bed: 60 inches wide x 80 inches long
- Full bed (or double bed): 54 inches wide x 75 inches long
- Twin bed: 39 inches wide x 75 inches long (80 inches for extra long twin beds)
The other factor to consider when deciding what size to purchase is the size of the room. You need to have space to walk around the bed without tripping over bedchairs, access your closet or change the sheets. In a small bedroom, a full size bed would probably fit better and make the room look bigger than would a king size bed.
Bed configurations
Your basic bed has a tall headboard on one end and a short footboard on the other end standing on short legs. In the middle is the frame whereon the mattress sits. Some beds have more than this, and some have less. What you need will depend on your comfort needs and your bedroom's decor. Tall people might want to avoid a bed with a footboard, as it might make it difficult to stretch out. If you are a vertically gifted person who really wants a footboard, get a sleigh bed that curves out away from the top of the mattress.
A bed's configuration will also affect your overall decorating scheme. While most iron beds would look great in a room decorated with antiques, they probably wouldn't fit very well in a room with modern bedroom decor. A sleek, low-profile platform bed would probably go better in that setting. If you're going for a classy look, you might consider a canopy bed or a poster bed. When shopping, just think about how the bed might look sitting amongst your other bedroom furniture and decorations.
Bed construction
How much work are you willing to spend to keep your bed looking good? Different materials require different care. Wood beds are usually easier to clean and polish than some other common bed materials like powder-coated steel or brass. A metal bed won't be quite as susceptible to damage, however. Also, consider how often you will be moving the bed. If you plan on moving your residence a few times, get something lightweight that can be easily disassembled and moved.
Night stands
You can purchase a nightstand with drawers, with doors, with a combination of both or with open shelves. It's all a matter of what you want. Just make sure you pay attention to the height of the bed side table. It needs to be tall enough that you can reach your alarm clock, lamp and other bedside essentials from bed. Some night stands are short, designed to sit beside platform beds. Others are taller for a traditional bed with a box spring mattress. Ideally, you want the top of your night table or bedisde occasional table to be about the same height as the top of your mattress.
Armoires
An armoire, also known as a wardrobe, can make a beautiful, formal addition to a master bedroom, even if the room already has a large closet. There are many different armoire configurations in many styles, from 18th Century Chippendale and Louis XV reproductions to pine wardrobes sporting contemporary rococo molding. The most common and basic configuration features a clothing rod behind double doors, along with a couple of drawers at the base. There are other, more complex types of armoires, however. For example, you can get what's known as an "entertainment cabinet" or "TV armoire," which has a place for a TV and stereo concealed behind the cupboard doors.
Armoires take up a lot of space, relatively speaking. Make sure you get one that isn't too big for the bedroom. You also might want to measure the door and make sure the dimensions of the armoire allow for moving it in and out of the room.
Dressers and chests
It's all in the drawers -- how many and how voluminous they are. Basically, the bigger the better when it comes to dressers. If you're short on drawer space, you're stuffing the clothes in the drawers and forcing them shut. With more space in the drawers, you can avoid wrinkles in your clothes while allowing more air circulation.
Chests and dressers are almost synonymous. Dressers are usually wider than they are tall. A chest of drawers is a single, vertical column of drawers stacked on top of each other. Some are designated as lingerie chests, meaning they are narrower and smaller, perfect for storing their namesake. Others, like vanity tables and some console tables, feature drawers designed around bathroom article storage. Measure carefully, so you'll know exactly how much space you have for your dresser or cedar chest to occupy, then look carefully at the dimensions of each dresser or chest you consider to make sure it will fit through the door, around the bed and with the other pieces of furniture. For other brands of bedside storage, consider the shabby chic of an upholstered trunk or the country-style, rustic look of an unfinished pine sideboard or buffet.
What is a trundle bed?
If you have a few kids in the house and find yourself a little short on space, or your ceiling is too low for a bunk bed, you might want to consider a trundle bed -- a rolling bed that collapses to be stored underneath a regular stationary bed. It gives the kids a little more room to play during the day. For older tweens and teens, they're great for sleepovers.
What is a daybed?
Daybeds, like sofa beds, are combination couches and beds. They have a board or frame that wraps around three sides of the bed, much like a couch. You can line the back and sides with pillows to make it a comfortable place to sit. Day beds are different from futons, as daybeds do not fold down flat and use a traditional mattress.
What about a mattress?
Generally, beds and mattress sets are sold separately. With a box spring and matching mattress, you just need a basic frame with a few wooden planks to span the width of the bed frame. Some beds don't need the box springs. Platform beds with a short headboard fit into this category. For these, you might want to consider a memory foam mattress, an air mattress or some sort of other mattress that only requires a stable platform. You can find great deals on a variety of mattresses at Overstock.com.
Save time and money with bedroom sets
For some, redecorating is fun; to others, it's a hassle. For people in the latter group, bedroom sets are available. Overstock.com has an excellent assortment of high quality bedroom sets for less. A bedroom set or bedroom suite typically includes a matching bed, night stand and dresser ensemble, so you won't have to spend much time stewing and fretting over whether or not all your wood bedroom furniture will match. If your bedroom is large enough, consider adding seating (from armchairs to benches to kid-friendly rocking chairs), a bookshelf or two (from shelving to bookcases to glass-door curios) or a new entertainment center.
Make your new bed comfortable
With a new bed, you will probably want to update your bedding too. Overstock.com has all the mattress covers, sheets, blankets and comforters you'll need to have a peaceful night's rest. With a variety of materials, patterns and colors, you're sure to find something that will accent the bed's beauty.
Don't stop at the bedroom door
With all the money you've saved, you just might want to reward yourself with a new table, sofa, love seat, carpet or ottoman. Don't forget your indoor lighting; find wall units, sconces and lamp lighting fixtures that bring out the architectural features that make your town house a home. Reward your productivity with a new filing cabinet, office furniture or writing desk. Then visit Overstock's home and garden store for great deals on tools for assembling your new furniture. You'll find a selection of good wrenches and screwdrivers that will make putting it all together a cinch.
Great furnishings -- for your dining-room, living room, dorm room, reception room, home office and loft -- are only a click or two away at Overstock.com. With our huge discounts and low shipping, you can furnish your whole house without ever leaving it.