Beds By Design in Harbor Springs, MI

Hello, I have been researching for almost two years as I’ve waited to receive funds from Insurance Company;after flood damage.
I am curious to know if Beds By Design; Tufted Mattress has all the components necessary to support their claim of The Bed of Roses being the last Bed I will buy. I’m in my late 60’s so it could very well be my last bed if it can meet their own marketing.
I have had experience with S beds and both times , 7oo coil count queen Flip-able lasted 4 years.
The other an Orthopedic Care Model; with the 3in topper when it first came out Non-Flip, innerspring, also only lasted four years. Both were quite comfortable and pleasant until they failed .
I slept on a solid futon until age 40; so I like firm but by 40 I needed a little give at my hips.
It’s taken so long about replacing because I had a brain surgery several years ago and have slept on my wonderful leather sofa propped up by pillows because I could not lay flat or even angled due to the problems with pain. And I have even slept in my rocker lazy chair upright.
Enough of that… I want an Innerspring, My previous beds were individual pocketed coils. When I have been out testing, I like a very firm feel, Tempurpedic doesn’t do it, pillow tops don’t do it.
The bed that came closest was a S Black Oceanside, which was purchased and then almost killed me with the chemical odor. My sister set up the bed in an unused room for about 9 months and even with the chemical odor dissipated;; I still after two hours have a severe Asthma attack.
So Now beside an Innerspring, Firm Bed ; I need it CLEAN as in Chemically Free and any harmful substances that would affect my respiratory system.
I’m hoping for an adjustable frame, Glideaway has one called the Ascend that has two motors, one is strictly for elevation on an even plane; which I believe can be used with an Innerspring Non-Individual coils.
It also has the second motor that elevates the individual parts of the frame that is suitable for individual pocketed coils. I have already purchased a 100% Taladay Latex Queen NO GLUE- No Seams. It does have an odor but I have been airing that out now for 6 months, it was a gentle odor of the latex but have had no incidents with my breathing when around it.
My body is aching for a proper sleep surface… I have seen a Futon Manufacturer that has put micro-coils between cotton and wool but I have no idea how that feels or holds up over time.
Please give me an opinion from your knowledge base for the best way to go. I have studied, Gardener, Sterling, Beloit, My Green Mattress, sites. And came across the bed maker in Michigan; Beds by Design.
Is Tufting all done the same way? What makes it better or different?
I am in the fluffy category at 200 lbs, 5’4, female.

Hi catcoder,

I removed the phone number in your title because it’s against the advertising rules of the forum.

You can see some coments about Beds By Design (dot com vs dot net which is a very different company) in post #3 here.

I would keep in mind that mattress warranties generally only cover manufacturing defects in the materials and components in a mattress and don’t cover the gradual foam softening or the loss of comfort and support in the materials and components over time that would be normal for any mattress which can result in the need to replace the mattress. They also don’t cover visible impressions that are less than the warranty exclusion. In other words warranties have little to do with the durability or useful life of a mattress or how long it may be until you need to buy a new mattress. If there is an actual defect in the materials it will usually show up early in the life of the mattress but knowing the quality and durability of the materials in your mattress is always a much more reliable way to assess the durability and useful life of a mattress than the length of a warranty. There is more about mattress warranties in post #174 here.

While there is no way to specifically quantify how long any mattress will last for a specific person or predict exactly when they will decide to replace it because it is no longer suitable or comfortable for them (because this is the only real measure of durability or the useful life of a mattress that really matters) and because there are too many unknowns and variables involved that are unique to each person … if a mattress is well inside a suitable comfort/support range and isn’t close to the edge of being too soft when it is new (see post #2 here) and you have confirmed that it meets the minimum quality/durability specs relative to your BMI range that are suggested in the durability guidelines here then it would be reasonable to expect a useful lifetime in the range of 7 - 10 years and with higher quality and more durable materials like latex or higher density memory foam or polyfoam (in the comfort layers especially) it would likely be in the higher end of the range or even longer and the chances that you would have additional “bonus time” beyond that would be higher as well.

Since the Bed of Roses mattress uses high quality materials and components and is also tufted and two sided (all of which will increase the durability and useful life of the mattress) if it’s a good “match” for you in terms of comfort, firmness, and PPP and the firmness level you choose isn’t close to the edge of being too soft when it’s new then it would be very reasonable to expect that you would have significant “bonus time” on the mattress beyond 10 years but I don’t think that it’s reasonable to expect any mattress to last a lifetime.

There are variations in how different mattresses are tufted but they are all “similar” in their effect. Tufting precompresses all the materials and components in a mattress which can prevent the layers from shifting and helps them to maintain their loft and resiliency and helps prevent visible impressions for longer periods of time.

This wouldn’t be unexpected because major brand mattresses generally use lower quality and less durable materials and designs that will soften and break down and need to be replaced much more quickly than mattresses that use higher quality materials and have more durable designs … regardless of the length of the warranty.

The only reliable way to to assess the “safety” of different materials in more general terms is based on lab tests and the certifications they have for harmful substances and VOCs so that you have some assurance than the VOCs are below the testing limits for the certification (see post #2 here for more information about some of the more reliable “safety” certifications). If the materials in a mattress or the mattress itself has a reliable “safety” certification then for most people they would certainly be “safe enough” … regardless of the type of material or the name of the manufacturer on the label.

With the type of materials inside it I certainly wouldn’t have any concerns about the “safety” of the Bed of Roses mattress.

While I can certainly help with “how” to choose … It’s not possible to make specific suggestions or recommendations for either a mattress, manufacturers/retailers, or combinations of materials or components because the first “rule” of mattress shopping is to always remember that you are the only one that can feel what you feel on a mattress and there are too many unknowns, variables, and personal preferences involved that are unique to each person to use a formula or for anyone to be able to predict or make a specific suggestion or recommendation about which mattress or combination of materials and components or which type of mattress would be the best “match” for you in terms of “comfort”, firmness, or PPP (Posture and alignment, Pressure relief, and your own Personal preferences) or how a mattress will “feel” to you or compare to another mattress based on specs (either yours or a mattress), sleeping positions, health conditions, or “theory at a distance” that can possibly be more reliable than your own careful testing (hopefully using the testing guidelines in step 4 of the tutorial) or your own personal sleeping experience (see mattress firmness/comfort levels in post #2 here).

I’m not sure what you’ve read since you found the site but just in case you haven’t read it yet … the first place to start your research is the mattress shopping tutorial here which includes all the basic information, steps, and guidelines that can help you make the best possible choice.

Two of the most important links in the tutorial that I would especially make sure you’ve read are post #2 here which has more about the different ways to choose a suitable mattress (either locally or online) that is the best “match” for you in terms of “comfort”, firmness, and PPP that can help you assess and minimize the risks of making a choice that doesn’t turn out as well as you hoped for and post #13 here which has more about the most important parts of the “value” of a mattress purchase which can help you make more meaningful quality/value comparisons between mattresses in terms of suitability (how well he will sleep), durability (how long he will sleep well), and the overall value of a mattress compared to your other finalists based on all the parts of your personal value equation that are most important to you (including the price of course and the options you have available after a purchase if your choice doesn’t turn out as well as you hoped for).

While again nobody can speak to how any specific mattress will “feel” for someone else or whether it will be a good “match” in terms of comfort, firmness, and PPP because this is too subjective and relative to different body types, sleeping positions, and individual preferences, sensitivities, and circumstances and you are the only one that can feel what you feel on a mattress … outside of PPP (which is the most important part of “value”), the next most important part of the value of a mattress purchase is durability which is all about how long you will sleep well on a mattress. This is the part of your research that you can’t see or “feel” and assessing the durability and useful life of a mattress depends on knowing the specifics of its construction and the type and quality of the materials inside it regardless of the name of the manufacturer on the label or how a mattress feels in a showroom or when it is relatively new so I would always make sure that you find out information listed here so you can compare the materials and components to the durability guidelines to make sure there are no lower quality materials or weak links in a mattress that would be a cause for concern relative to the durability and useful life of a mattress before making any purchase.

All of the manufacturers that you mentioned make some high quality and durable mattresses and I certainly wouldn’t hesitate to deal with any of them. Microcoils are also a good quality and durable component that wouldn’t be a weak link in a mattress. There is more about microcoils that are used in comfort layers in this article and in post #8 here and post #2 here.

Having said that … assuming that the materials and components in a mattress you are considering are durable enough for your body type and meet the durability guidelines I linked earlier in this reply relative to your weight/BMI range … the choice between different types and combinations of materials and components or different types of mattresses are more of a preference and a budget choice than a “better/worse” choice (see this article). Again … the best way to know which types of materials or mattresses you tend to prefer in general terms will be based on your own local testing or your own personal experience.

When you can’t test a mattress in person then the most reliable source of guidance is always a more detailed phone conversation with a knowledgeable and experienced retailer or manufacturer that has your best interests at heart and who can help “talk you through” the specifics of their mattresses and the properties and “feel” of the materials they are using (fast or slow response, resilience, firmness etc) and the options they have available that may be the best “match” for you based on the information you provide them, any local testing you have done or mattresses you have slept on and liked or other mattresses you are considering that they are familiar with, and the “averages” of other customers that are similar to you. They will know more about “matching” their specific mattress designs and firmness levels to different body types, sleeping positions, and preferences (or to other mattresses that they are familiar with) than anyone else.

A good online retailer or manufacturer will generally suggest a mattress that they honestly believe has the best chance of success based on the information you provide them when you talk to them on the phone because this is in both your own and their best interests but once again at the end of the day the only way to know for certain whether any specific mattress is a good match for you in terms of comfort, firmness, and PPP will be based on your own careful testing and/or your own personal experience so if you can’t test a specific mattress in person then the options you have available after a purchase to either exchange the mattress or individual layers or components or return the mattress for a refund (and any costs involved) would generally become a more important part of your personal value equation just in case a mattress your purchase doesn’t turn out as well as you hoped for.

In very general terms most foam mattresses (memory foam, latex foam, polyfoam) that aren’t more than about 12" thick and most pocket coil mattresses will be flexible enough to work well on an adjustable bed. Foam mattresses that are over about 12" thick may not contour to the adjustable bed as effectively. While in general terms thinner mattresses will tend to be more flexible than thicker mattresses and will contour to an adjustable bed more effectively … this can also depend on the specifics of the mattress layers and components so 12" thickness is only a general guideline because some mattresses that are a little thicker than that which use more flexible materials may still be fine and some mattresses that are less than that may be less flexible and not work as well.

Having said that there are certainly exceptions and the most reliable source of information about whether any specific mattress would be flexible enough and would be a suitable choice for an adjustable bed will be a knowledgeable and experienced retailer or the manufacturer that makes the mattress.

I would treat the purchase of an adjustable bed and a mattress as two separate purchases so you can decide which one of each you prefer and make apples to apples comparisons with each of them instead of being locked in to a combination where you may prefer either the mattress or the adjustable but not both (unless of course you would purchase the same mattress and adjustable from the same source if you were buying them separately anyway or you are receiving a discount for buying both that would make purchasing the combination purchase worthwhile for you). If a mattress works well on one adjustable bed then the same mattress will “work” just as well on any adjustable bed.

There is more information about choosing an adjustable bed in post #3 here and the main adjustable bed topic that it links to that can help you choose an adjustable bed based on price vs features comparisons and also includes some retailers that you can use as good sources of information about the features of the adjustable beds they carry and as pricing references as well (in post #6 in the main adjustable bed topic). Of course there are many other sources as well and prices can change on a regular basis so I would also include some internet searching in your research. I would also keep in mind that online advertised prices are often price controlled so make sure you call the stores you are considering to find out their best prices rather than just looking at websites.

I would consider all the major adjustable bed manufacturers to be closely comparable in terms of reliability so I would use price and feature comparisons to choose between them.

The Ascend or any adjustable bed that tilts the mattress but maintains a flat support surface would be suitable for any mattress and this can certainly be helpful for certain health conditions such as GERD that can benefit from sleeping in an inclined position. If you also plan to use the adjustable bed to raise or lower the head or foot of the mattress so it isn’t flat then again you would need to check with the retailer or manufacturer that makes your mattress to make sure that any specific mattress would be suitable for use with an adjustable bed.

Good luck with your research and I’m looking forward to finding out what you end up deciding … and of course to any other comments or questions I can help with that you may have along the way.

Phoenix

Please accept my apology for the phone number issue. I have been on and off your site for a long time but admit I did not re-read all the material related before I wrote.
Thank You for your reply and I will re-read the sections you quoted and make some notes so I can produce a tool for myself for comparison. Your site has been invaluable for the education it provides.
Thank You
Christine

Hi catcoder,

No problem at all. I know it wasn’t intentional and it was easy to fix.

I’m glad the information here has been helpful :).

Phoenix