Ever since I joined the BedTimes and Sleep Savvy publications team, I’ve been learning all that I can about mattresses.
Beth English
Managing Editor
The components. The foams. The springs. The ticking. The foundations. At each market, there’s some fresh twist, something new to learn.
A few months ago, it was time to put all that education to good use. My husband and I needed a new mattress. Badly.
Unlike many consumers, I knew quite a lot before starting the purchase cycle. Comfort preference? Check. Springs versus foam versus hybrid? Check. Realistic expectation of cost? Check.
You know what? It still was a scary purchase.
Because I’m the so-called “expert” on mattresses in our family, my input factored heavily in our decision. Thankfully, my husband and I have similar opinions on the type of bed we want and the amount of comfort we need. The day before we made the final decision and handed over our credit card, I must have called the store at least three times. Each time, a knowledgeable and calm retail sales associate answered my questions without pressure and without making me feel like I was a bother. I was grateful.
As a proponent for sleep products and the mattress industry as a whole, I’m used to answering friends’ and relatives’ questions about mattresses. What’s the best mattress, they want to know. My answer: The one that works best for you.
During the Winter Las Vegas Market at the World Market Center, Jan. 22-26, we saw a multitude of beautiful, comfortable beds and pillows that are sure to work for a variety of people. One of the trends we encountered was a shift to reorganize and simplify collections to make it easier for consumers. Step-ups are clearer. My guess is that will be a welcome change for both consumers and RSAs. I know I would have appreciated a clearer step-up story when I was shopping.
We also saw lots of on-trend color. The natural hues of slate, charcoal and onyx contrast beautifully with the creamy white panels seen in many showrooms. The look was eye-catching and pleasing. Of course, with so much white, gray and black, beds with bright pops of color, such as red or lime green, did stand out.
“Cooling” seemed to be the most common word we ran across. Cooling gel. Cooling fibers. Phase-change material. No one wants to sleep hot, and manufacturers want to make sure that doesn’t happen.
My new mattress may be on-trend in a few ways, and not in others. That’s OK with me. Every night, it feels like heaven.
There’s only one problem with it.
It’s so comfortable that I don’t want to get out of bed in the morning. Not a bad problem to have, right?
