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Buying a mattress is not unlike buying a car. The salesmen are sleazy, the financing options are built to confuse, and the whole scenario feels a little shady.
Our advice: figure out what you like in terms of firmness (pause...) and just get on with it.
Once a mattress is selected, you move on to another, equally important purchase—the bed frame.
No, dropping the mattress on the floor won't do. You're not in your college apartment anymore. As with most furniture, a bed frame helps set the tone for your home. If you want to rest well, you'll want your bedroom to function as your sanctuary and reflect your personality. (Plus, women don't want to spend a night sleeping on the ground).
To ease the process, we've matched bed frames and personality types. Buy a bed the right way with A Beginner's Guide to Beds.
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You're Traditional
Idea: Check out the four poster beds.
If you own a Volvo, dream of white picket fences, and haven't bought new khakis in years... then this is the bed for you. Your wife and kids are sure to like it too.
Buy it here: Carolina Rustica, $3771
You're a Ladies Man
Idea: Go leather.
A Chesterfield bed ain't for everyone. It's only for the Mr. Big, smokes a cigar immediately after sex, type of dude really. But, hell, if you've got a sweet loft and a line of chicks out the door, it may be right.
Buy it here: Restoration Hardware, $2,440
You Care About the Environment
Idea: Buy reclaimed wood.
Environment furniture specializes in products built from sustainable or reclaimed wood. The firm has also mastered what might be called a soft masculine aesthetic. That is, they make stuff perfect for the swinging bachelor with a sensitive side.
Buy it here: Environment, $2,595
You're a Country Gent
Idea: Seek out a sleigh bed.
Like missionary sex, traditional craftsmanship in the bedroom gets the job done and looks and feels good enough. Additionally, having a bed frame custom built extends certain options. Select the ideal wood for your bedroom, and, perhaps most importantly, support time honored trades.
Buy it here: Art Factory, Price on request (around $10,800)
You're a Modernist
Idea: Buy classic.
Mid-century inspired designs can offer a certain degree of stability. However, if aesthetic rules over function in your life, the Mies van der Rohe Platform bed may be a better bet. This example is built from solid mahogany with contrast stainless steel legs. Beautiful, and completely without fuss.
Buy it here: Charles P. Rogers, $499
You're a Design Geek
Idea: Check out the Case Study Alpine Bed.
Inspired by the Case Study House, this contemporary design draws from mid-century modernism and privileges structural support. Each element plays a role in adding strength to the frame... meaning it will last a more than a few rounds of non-sleep bedroom activity.
Buy it here: DWR, $2,895
You're all about the DIY
Idea: Make a bed from cinder blocks.
Cinder blocks don't have to make your room look like a prison cell. With some degree of aesthetic inspiration, turning cheap materials into cool, elegant furnishings isn't too difficult. A bed like this proves your muscle and sets a distinct tone.
Buy it here: Lowes, $1.59 per block
You're a Broke Environmentalist
Idea: Check out the big stores.
You'd be surprised how many larger retailers are improving their sourcing to become more environmentally conscious. West Elm's Stria Bed Set is a great option for those guys who want something sustainable but are not quite ready to fork over a ton of money for a bed frame, like the one from Environment. Women like a man who fights for a cause.
Buy it here: West Elm, $799
You're Cool and Contemporary
Idea: Check out Blu Dot's Nook Bed.
If a headboard is desired, but sleek, slim lines are the primary objective, options are limited. Luckily, the Nook Bed delicately balances both requirements in a neat upholstered frame.
Buy it here: Blu Dot, $1,399
You're Industrial Chic
Idea: The Hamilton Bed is for you.
Handcrafted in North Carolina, the Hamilton bed draws from 20th century iron bedsteads. The steel frame grants a more industrial aesthetic. One thing to note: this type of frame requires a box spring. So, if ultimate minimalism is your desire, best keep looking.
Buy it here: School House Electric, $1,250
