The centrepiece of every bedroom, the bed, is most often the most overlooked piece of furniture in the room.

For many, a simple metal frame supporting a favoured mattress and box spring in the desired size (twin, full, queen, king or California king) is the norm. However, the style of bed you choose for your most private and highly used space can transform this room in an instant. Like anything we buy today, whether it's a toaster, a car, a suit or a home, the variety of beds available is endless. What style to choose is based on three things: your aesthetic, your needs and your lifestyle.

1. Your aesthetic:

Defining your aesthetic, or look, is not too hard. Simply look around your home to see what types and styles you tend to be drawn toward. Is your preference Victorian and romantic or clean-lined contemporary? By determining what style and designs appeal to you, deciding what style bed to buy follows easily. Notice particular design elements that predominate in your home, as well as material preferences, and favourite colours. Pay close attention as well to scale and proportion. Once you have discovered and defined your aesthetic, deciding your needs follows.

2. Your needs:

Ascertaining your requirements is easy and straightforward. Basically, examine your home's size to determine the size bed that will fit into your bedroom or sleeping area. A four-poster bed with a full tester (canopy) may appeal to your design sensibility, but if the posts are eight feet high and your ceiling height is seven feet, this style bed will not meet your needs.

3. Your lifestyle:

Establishing your lifestyle is simple; how do you live in your home space. Do you spend a great deal of time in your home and rarely venture outside, or do you spend most of your time outside your home and simply use it as a place to crash. Is your bedroom the room in your home where you eat, sleep, watch television, read, pay bills and relax? Or is it simply the space where your sleep?

Once you have defined these three criteria, you are now ready to look at the different types of beds.

• Sleigh beds -- Just like their name suggests, these are beds that contain a headboard and footboard that curve upward and resemble an old-fashioned sleigh. These beds work very well in rooms with low ceiling heights.
• Four-poster beds -- A four-poster bed is any bedstead where the posts on the headboard and foot board are higher. These posts can have elaborate finials or decorative additions including carved pineapples, cannonballs, urns, etc. When a canopy frame is attached, this is called a tester. In the past, the purpose of these posts and canopies was to provide the framework for draperies that could be closed at night to shut out drafts.
• Brass/iron beds -- Like the name states, these are beds that are made of brass and/or iron. Some antique versions can be quite elaborate and these style headboards add an instant touch of charm and whimsy to a bedroom. However, they are extremely uncomfortable to use if you like to sit up and read in bed.
• Upholstered beds -- These are beds where the headboards and foot boards of the bed are upholstered in a fabric that compliments or coordinates with the other fabric in your bedroom. This style bed is extremely comfortable if you sit in your bed to read and watch television. The shapes that upholstered headboards can be fabricated in are as varied as your imagination will allow.
• Trundle beds/captain beds and hi-risers -- This style bed provides additional sleeping space when needed. Instead of a box spring supporting a mattress, the bed is made up of a mattress that is supported by a frame. Under this structure is housed another bed that can be accessed by simply pulling it out from underneath the main bed. Some of these beds even contain a mechanism that when activated will bring the second bed up to the same height as the main bed.
• Platform beds -- These beds are wonderful in homes where storage is at a premium. A mattress is placed on a wooden platform that provides the support for the sleeper. The platform can then house various drawers, cupboards and cabinets for clothing, linen and accessory storage. The head of the platform can be built to resemble a headboard, flanked with bookcases and built-in night tables.
• Murphy beds -- This type of bed, named for its designer, is a bed that folds up into an armoire or wall unit when not in use to free up precious floor space in small spaces. Many studio apartments in large cities contain a Murphy bed to provide living space when the resident is not asleep.
• Bunk beds -- Bunk beds are a mainstay in small rooms where two or more people are required to share the space. A bunk bed is a twin bed that is stacked on top of another, with a ladder available to provide easy access to the top bunk.

Many types of beds exist that have not been examined here. To learn more about this most essential piece of furniture, visit your local library, bookstore or the Internet to discover the varieties that are available.

Did you know:
you sweat ¼ litre of perspiration into your mattress EVERY NIGHT

How do you know what to buy and where to start? There are so many choices it's enough to keep you awake at night, so here are beds demystified for you. Read on and sleep soundly!

Do you really need a new bed?
If you've had your bed for more than ten years then the answer is yes. Other signs that your old bed is on the way out are:

• waking up with neck or backache
• feeling the springs beneath the surface
• hearing creaks or crunches when you move
• rolling towards your partner unintentionally
• a torn or stained mattress cover

Given that we spend approximately a third of our lives sleeping, that means you'll be spending at least two solid years sleeping in your new bed. Perhaps over three. So it's worth spending some time getting the bed that's right for you and your partner.

Think about what you like - and dislike - about your present bed. Do you want your new bed to be softer, or firmer? Do you and your partner need more room? What style of bed will fit with your bedroom decor?

Price

Did you know:
you shed ½ kg of skin flakes in bed every year

Spend as much as you can afford. The more expensive beds are better made, have more fillings and offer increased durability, support and comfort.

Size
The standard double bed is only 135cm (4ft 6 in) wide, which means each partner gets a mere 68cm each - not much wider than a baby's cot. To stop your significant other becoming a significant bother, make sure your bed is as wide as possible. Length is important too; a bed should be at least 10-15cm (4-6in) longer than the tallest sleeper.

When it comes to height, remember that a higher bed will be easier to climb in and out of. A high bed also allows room for under-bed storage, which can be very useful if space is limited in your home. Low beds on shallow bases are just as comfortable and supportive; like much to do with beds, it's all a matter of personal preference.

Weight

Did you know:
we spend a third of our lives in bed

It's recommended that you turn your mattress regularly to stop the fillings from settling down unevenly, ensuring wear and tear is well distributed throughout the bed. A mattress can be quite heavy and if this is going to be a problem for you then check out one of our lighter mattresses or choose one which doesn't need turning.

Firmness
Manufacturers often offer mattresses in firm, medium or soft options, so you can be sure of getting the level of support that's right for you. Too soft and you'll slouch, leading to problems with your back and posture, too firm and it'll cause pain in your hips and shoulders. If you and your partner are very different in size and weight then getting two separate mattresses may be the ideal solution. You can make double beds out of two singles zipped together, and sometimes it's possible to combine different levels of firmness in one mattress.

A mattress may be described as 'orthopaedic' but that doesn't mean it's been recommended by a back specialist. Orthopaedic, or a similar medical sounding term, just indicates that it's the firmest mattress in a particular range. If you suffer from a bad back then check with your doctor or osteopath as to what's best for you; an ultra-firm mattress is not automatically the best solution.

Allergy and Asthma
It's a sad fact of life for allergy suffers that beds will get dust mites. The best you can do is air and clean the mattress regularly (vacuum both the mattress and the base), and use a cover made from a barrier fabric. Before you buy a mattress check that you'll be okay with the fillings, as some, eg. hair, can cause an allergic reaction.

If you do suffer from asthma or an allergy your best bet is to buy a mattress specially constructed and treated to eliminate dust mites. These mattresses are clearly identified such as the Silentnight Asthma Shield.

Sleep well!