Modern Furniture

When choosing a new mattress for your modern bed, start by evaluating the old one. Do you like the size? How about the support? Also consider the size, and sleeping or lounging habits, of the people who will be using the mattress. A comfortable bed begins with a comfortable, quality mattress and a good foundation, such as a box spring or raised platform.

Basically, there are two types of mattresses; innerspring and foam. Innerspring mattresses come in the same standard sizes as bed frames; king, queen, full (or double) and twin or (single). Innerspring mattresses are composed of springs connected in various ways: open springs, individual springs aligned in rows within the mattress; continuous springs, a network of connected wire instead of individual springs; and pocketed springs, with each spring enclosed in its own pocket. Pocketed springs are considered to be the best.

The comfort of an innerspring mattress is also greatly affected by its wire gauge and spring count. The lower the gauge of the wire, the stronger the coil. The heaviest, or strongest, you’ll find is 13, and 21 is the highest, or lightest. To determine whether a mattress has a good coil count, remember that twin mattresses should have more than 200 coils, and larger mattresses should have at least 300 coils. Also check the quality of the cushioning and insulation that are added. The more layers, the more comfortably you’ll sleep.

Foam, futons and waterbeds are alternatives to the traditional innerspring mattress. Consider a foam mattress if you need to fit an odd-size or antique bed. A foam mattress can be easily cut and tailored to fit almost any size or shape of frame. A good-quality foam mattress can be just as comfortable as an innerspring.

Originally from Japan, futons were first made of cotton batting inside a heavy fabric casing. Contemporary futons are essentially the same except they usually have an extra layer of foam or other padding for better durability.

Waterbed mattresses have improved dramatically; they now come with comfortable foam edges or use baffles to control wave motion. A “hard-side” model has a vinyl mattress, liner and heater encased in a frame. A “soft-side” waterbed looks just like an innerspring mattress. Soft-side waterbeds are usually composed of easy-to-fill tubes that sit side by side in an upholstered cover. A polyurethane liner is used to contain the water in case of a leak. Be sure the vinyl is at least 20 millimeters thick to protect the cover against leaks.

Makes you think of unwinding, doesn’t it? A place to steep your tea, open the mail, have a sandwich, read a blog.

Now call it a modern living room, and suddenly the place leaps to attention. You could almost take inventory with your eyes shut: a painting hung over the sofa, check. Matching side tables, check, identical lamps, check. Twin candelabra on the mantelpiece, check.

Friends have gathered in these formulaic rooms for years with no ill effects; indeed, such settings can be so pretty that there’s nothing visibly wrong. But if you also sense that your living room stands at attention, that it’s not quite as inviting as other rooms that you’ve admired, then your decorating may need to loosen up. In magazine - editor parlance, you need to put a twist - your own personal spin - on all that tradition.

A really good living room truly invites relaxation. It reflects your passions and eccentricities, feels inviting, and functions very much like the heart of your home.

And it’s not even that hard to achieve. The tips in this blog-those that appeal to you, at least-can help guide your design decisions.