We finally have a bed
or maybe I should say a bed frame and headboard
If you have been following me on social then you saw some activity around our bed and the saga last year. It’s been a minute, but I’m finally sharing about our new bed. And since I’ve gotten a lot of questions about it I decided to share details here.
Doug and I purchased a Tempur-pedic several years ago. What we didn’t know is how heavy this mattress and boxsprings were. We found out quickly after selling our bedroom furniture when we moved into the city and purchasing a bed frame from Wayfair. The slats that went across the frame to support the mattress and boxsprings were pretty thin and after a few months we both noticed that our backs were hurting. We removed the mattress and found that the weight of the mattress - plus our weight - was no match for those piddly slats.
Our solution was to remove the slats and place the bed back in the frame - making the mattress sit on the floor (but still looked like it was in the frame) until we could purchase something new. What we started to find as we searched - options were limited. Most bed frames looked like they would put us right back into the same situation we already had found ourselves in.
So our bed was on the floor for a good 2-3 years. Some of this was because I just didn’t know what to do. Some of it was because lack of time. And some of it was because we moved.
But after a few boutique hotel stays I started getting a vision for what I wanted and we decided to have a headboard and frame custom made.
Obviously I want our bedroom to feel comfortable, but I decided to lean into this boutique hotel idea. Things I noticed about these spaces - velvet headboards, beautiful lighting, unique art, plush linens. Rooms struck the balance between luxury and comfort and they weren’t always just neutral. The ones I seemed to love the most had a bit of a moody vibe.
The beautiful thing about having something custom made is that they can create it to your specifications. One of the issues we had with current bed frames was they weren’t made to accommodate both mattress and boxsprings. The boxsprings really help support this heavy mattress so when we did look at beds, the height of the bed would be too high when all was said and done. I also have very tall ceilings and wanted the headboard to come to a specific place on both the sides and at the top. My upholsterer was able to accommodate this. So when the bed finally arrived, the height of everything was perfect.
But going custom is not for the faint of heart. The project took three times longer than what we anticipated. Finding the right fabric can also be daunting. And I’ll admit, it’s a lot of money to spend if you have a hard time visualizing your space. Even with my confidence, I always get a little nervous when it’s “go time” with an item I’ve ordered.
But we are so pleased with the result. I’ve provided sources for those interested (a few folks have reached out about fabric and who we used). And if there is any advice I can give to someone considering this for the first time, find some photos of what you like to share with your builder/upholsterer. It will help both of you settle on the direction and get closer to accomplishing your vision.
Sources:
Bedside tables were thrifted and I refinished them years ago (and we also plan to replace them).