What Type of Mattress to Buy for Sleigh Beds?

Going into winter, you think that it’s time to make a change in your bedroom. But you’re not dead set on one specific idea yet. That is why you are looking into sleigh beds. After all, what bed could possibly be more “wintery”, right? Or maybe you have already decided to get a sleigh bed, but now you are on the hunt for a mattress that goes well with your new bed. Either way, if you want to know more about sleigh beds, read on. Let The Mattress Warehouse guide you to the perfect mattress for your new bed.

What is a sleigh bed?

Grounded in the Neoclassical American Empire style, sleigh beds have ornately curved and scrolled head- and footboards. Both the head and the foot curves away from the bed, so you’ll need to factor that in when you measure the space where you’ll put your new bed. And yes, it does resemble a traditional sleigh – hence the name. Both the headboard and the footboard are attached to a central piece, on which the mattress rests. Made from wood or curled iron, these beds give a bedroom a distinctly rustic feel. Not to mention that they are generally quite heavy.

In more recent years, people started using the term sleigh bed to describe any wooden bed that has a high headboard and a lower footboard that are both attached to the bed. So even though the traditional form is one with extravagant curves, modern ones can also have straight head- and footboards.

Are sleigh beds popular?

Even though they are not as widely found as a typical base and mattress setup, sleigh beds are making a steady comeback in the home decor world. Because these beds are so ornate, it takes someone that likes to make a statement to own a sleigh bed. However, if you want a bed that pulls all of the attention in your bedroom, this is the way to go. Moreover, you can tastefully decorate your room around the centerpiece. You can either get other ornate pieces, like a high backed chair, or get minimalistic pieces that contrast to the eccentric look of your sleigh, the choice is up to you.

Do sleigh beds come assembled?

More often than not, sleigh beds have to be assembled at home. It is just easier to move these kinds of beds around in parts, seeing as they are so heavy. If you have to assemble the bed by yourself, you are sure to receive detailed assembly instructions with your purchase. However, basic sleigh bed assembly goes something like this:

1. Open the packaging and retrieve the instruction booklet.
2. Make sure all of the bits and pieces required for the assembly are included. You should have a headboard, footboard, side rails, box spring or slats and all of the nuts and bolts required to piece everything together.
3. Sort the respective bits and pieces into separate piles.
4. Ready all of the tools you’ll require to assemble your bed.
5. Clear the floorspace where you want to assemble and keep the bed (seeing as sleigh beds are so heavy, it is advisable to assemble the bed where you intend to use it).
6. Put the headboard against the wall, lie down the side rails perpendicular to the headboard and lie the footboard down where the bottom of the bed will be.
7. Attach the side rails to the headboard.
8. Attach the side rails to the footboard (now you should have a skeleton of your sleigh bed).
9. Fit the box spring or slats between the side rails.
10. Put your mattress on the box spring/slats.

What type of mattress do you get for a sleigh bed?

As a rule, if you purchase a sleigh bed, it comes without a mattress. So it is up to you to pick the perfect mattress to match your bed. Ideally, you’d want a mattress that is slightly thinner than the height between the base and top of the footboard on your sleigh bed. Simply so that you can actually enjoy the beauty of your headboard. Furthermore, no-turn or one-sided mattresses work better on sleigh beds. Especially ones with slats. You see, if you have a traditional double sided mattress on a bed with slats for support, the slats will form indentations on the bottom side of the mattress and compromise its quality and integrity.

Take a look at our Forgeron one-sided mattress or Sealy Hybrid mattress. Both of these will go perfectly with your wooden sleigh bed with its slats.

Sleigh beds for sale at The Mattress Warehouse

At The Mattress Warehouse, we only supply the greatest quality beds. And we make no exception for our vintage or modern style sleigh beds. With our easy-to-use online system, you can specify the size and type of wood that you want your bed to be made from. How is that for service? And as if that wasn’t enough, we will deliver your order to your door, free of charge! So head over to our online shop and get your dream bed today.