We often talk about the pleasure gained from choosing the perfect bed and mattress to suit your boudoir and lifestyle. Observing the intricate detail of your interior design, and co-ordinating it perfectly with our range of simply stunning French Beds. This of course, is the exciting element of choosing your new bed, before the most satisfying element, jumping in for your first night on your new luxury mattress sitting beautifully on your perfectly selected bed frame, be it soft, comforting upholstery, sleek and stylish hand carved wood, or rustic rattan.
But what about that slightly stressful part in between? We’re talking about taking delivery of your beautiful new investment, and more often than not, having to carefully plan its navigation to the upper tiers of your property. Usually, this involves noting elements of your home that were never an issue before. Narrow staircases, awkward bannisters and intrusive balustrades can all lie between your new arrival and its final destination. So how can you plan ahead to ensure stress is kept to a minimum, and your new bed enjoys a hassle-free ascent?
Here, we cover some of our frequently asked questions when it comes to fitting furniture.
HOW TO GET A LARGE HEADBOARD UP THE STAIRS
All our French beds feature beautifully dramatic headboards, so it’s a question we often hear; how do I get this headboard into my bedroom?
Long before you take delivery of your new purchase, measure all spaces it will need to be carried through before it reaches its end point. This includes entry points (your front or back door or even a window), staircases, taking note of bannisters and balustrades and how they will affect its journey, and internal doorframes, paying close attention to door handles or sharp fittings that could cause damage if not given adequate space.
When browsing for a new headboard, make note of widths, heights, and depths – you can even create a template from old cardboard, to mimic the shape before its arrival. You may need to get creative when it comes to moving through tight spaces. Does the headboard need to be rotated length ways or sideways to make it through?
When it comes to moving and fitting furniture, staircases can cause havoc. Ensure the narrowest part of your staircase is wider than the width of your bed head, with banisters considered. If you encounter a corner staircase, ensure the longest part of your headboard can pivot as needed.
HOW TO GET A SUPER KING BED UPSTAIRS
Whilst beds come in a wide range of sizes, the largest challenges lie with the bigger bed frames, including super king size beds and emperor beds.
To get a king size bed or an emperor bed upstairs, you’ll need to measure your staircases and corners carefully once again, as well as taking note of all bed dimensions. Pay attention to the length of your new bed – this will need to be pivoted around stairs and landings. Again, you may want to create a template bed frame from cardboard to ensure it can be safely manoeuvred through your home before you take delivery.
Temporarily remove any artwork, furniture or furnishings that are likely to hamper your ascent with your bed to create more space and make your navigation safer.
CAN YOU BEND A MATTRESS TO GET IT UPSTAIRS?
Although it may be tempting to bend and distort your spring mattress to get it upstairs, doing so has potential to cause significant damage, particularly if it is a coil sprung mattress. By their very nature, mattresses have a little flexibility, so can be adjusted slightly to manoeuvre them around a landing or split-level staircase. Caution is essential, as damage will affect the comfort and lifespan of your mattress, and guarantees will be likely be invalidated if this has been caused by severe bending during moving or installation.
Many mattresses, including our range of luxury Vispring mattresses, are best moved by at least 2 people. Utilise the handles that surround the mattress to lift it as opposed to dragging it, and consider wrapping it before moving to avoid any damage to the outer fabric. Coil sprung mattresses should also be supported and laid flat when transporting them, so bear this in mind should you relocate in the future.
When working with a memory foam mattress, instead consider rolling and compressing it for a much simpler navigation to your bed.
Remember to keep your new investments safe to minimise damage, and cherish the anticipation and excitement of enjoying the first night in your new bed at the front of your mind.
