Bedding, mattresses, associated products, delivery etc

One of the big changes to occur with the online sale of beds is the selling of every conceivable bed related product from the same company on the same website and in the same virtual basket.

When only high street retailers were around the problem was showroom space and storage space, however with an online store the showroom is virtual, limitless and capable of housing an infinitesimal number of items. The result is that valuable space does not need to be reserved for beds and mattresses only.

Virtual stores now sell everything, so beds and mattresses, whilst being the big sellers, are just one product line. This means that headboards and duvets are in the mix (not surprisingly), but so too are chests of drawers, wardrobes, sofa beds, pillows and many other bedroom related products.

The other good thing about this is that next day delivery is offered by many online retailers, but only if you reach a certain spend level. By being able to top up your purchases with sundries like pillows or a bedside cabinet, means that it become easy to reach the threshold of free next day delivery.

Delivery is also a big selling factor with many of the bed retailers who sell online. They tend to have large warehouse complexes that store thousands of beds and bed related items and because they deliver direct this makes the next day delivery option possible.

One downside to the online store is a general lack of up markets mattress products. These stores flourish on selling cheap and budget priced beds and this means that they do not tend to stock too many orthopedic mattresses. Equally, many bed manufacturers do not allow their “top of the range” mattress and bed items to be sold through online shops that have an association with the cheaper end of the market. This means that you can get standard memory foam beds, but finding a multi layer orthopedic memory foam mattress may be more difficult.

Shoes- fashion and healthy

Crocs are one of a number of shoe types that bridge the fashion health shoe divide. The others are the trainer or sneaker and more recently the five fingers shoe and the shoe with the curved sole.

The trainer style shoe continues to evolve and develop and there are many designs, colour and performance levels. Some of these shoes look like sports shoes, but their cost lets you know that the orthopedic design and assembly quality is missing.

With the likes of the five fingers shoe and crocs there is a very different design approach. These shoes have looks that, on the face of it, appear to blow in the face of fashion. But today fashion takes its cues from not only the catwalk, but what sportsmen and women wear and what looks outdoorish or sporty.

The result is that some of these very unusual looking shoes command not only high prices, but high customer loyalty and desirability. This is why five fingers shoes can cost well over a hundred UK pounds, US dollars, or EU euros. They look odd, but that is their appeal and that in turn seems to make them fashionable.

The other side to this fashion element is that it results in a number of copy cat companies taking the look and style of these shoes and then making a cut price version that appears similar, but has none of the orthopedic features, high quality materials or durability. These copy shoes always have a market, but they damage the reputation of the real shoe’s good name and they steal sales.

To get more of an idea of what is and is not a proper orthopedic shoe you can check out a few websites out , they will give some idea of the scope of healthy shoes that are currently available.

Mattress toppers

There are many different products that can help to improve a night’s sleep and the mattress topper is definitely one of them.

Mattress toppers have become increasingly popular over recent years for a number of different reasons. One is because they can potentially improve the nature of a bed’s sleeping properties. Another is most probably because of the introduction of a number of materials like memory foam and latex foam that can be used in a foam mattress topper.

The foam mattress topper can be filled with standard foam, memory foam or latex foam. In most cases what you get is a slab of foam that is placed directly on top of the bed and attached using anything from fabric ties to hook and loop or Velcro. There are some other fixing systems. Once in position the topper provides a further stratum of cushioning on top of the original mattress and this quite naturally provides some extra comfort.

The most popular foam mattress toppers are those made of memory foam. The reason for this is that these toppers can be laid on a spring constructed mattress and they then add the sleeping advantages of memory foam. This is a simple and easy way to make a spring bed into a bed that mixes springs and foam and which would ordinarily cost much more money. The advantages is therefore a double one. Firstly that of improving the bed’s comfort and secondly doing so at far less cost than would be involved in buying a new bed or mattress.

One situation where a mattress topper is not a good idea is when an existing mattress has become problematic. Toppers cannot resurrect failing mattresses and they cannot and will not disguise hard spots, broken or damaged springs, or a dipping mattress. In these cases the only solution is to replace the damaged bed with a new one.

Instances where a topper will be a good idea include the following: When some of the features of a foam bed are desired for a mattress made of springs; Where an upgrade of a mattress is wanted, but not affordable; Where someone would like an innerspring mattress to have less lateral movement and feel like a more expensive mattress; When someone would like to be able to take their mattress with them on business trips, holiday, or stays in another home – here the topper can be rolled up and taken with them.

Naturally there are many other situations where a mattress topper may be seen as desirable and there are many different topper types and fillings to choose from. In addition to memory foam and latex there are toppers made with feathers and down and natural wool. Some will even have a scent or aroma impregnated into the topper to help create a restful atmosphere.

It is some time since I wrote about orthopedic chairs, so that will be the subject of this post.

Chairs that adopt some version of orthopedic design vary quite considerably from those that use the principals of good support, upright posture and general health to those that are more specific and help people to stand up or sit back down.

Then there are stairlift chairs which, although not really orthopedic or therapy chairs, do serve a very specific purpose for anyone with a mobility restriction. For that reason they also require a mention.

The main categories of what are often termed “orthopedic chairs” fall into the following classifications.

The healthy orthopedic chair – which is a high backed, high seated chair with good support, firm but contoured cushioning and a solid construction.

The ergonomic office chair or task chair – intended for use in a working environment by people who perform their jobs from a seated position.

The riser recliner chair – that has motors that enable it to raise the person seated on it to a “close to” standing position.

Each of these chairs does a very important job and all do have some similarities like good back support, a suitable seat height from the floor level and the ability to help in a task or activity, even if it is a sedentary one.

Each chair also tries to maintain health, improve health or prevent injury through its design and/or function.
On an aside, another interesting product, this time associated with the mattress, is the foam topper thats sits on a mattress. These toppers can also have orthopedic qualities, though in this case applied to someone who is lying down rather than in a seated position. Toppers can enhance the way in which a bed provides support to the body and memory foam toppers have become very popular.

The memory foam found in toppers and mattresses is also starting to become available in some orthopedic and task chairs. This should make these chairs more comfortable for anyone who spends a lot of time sat down.

Special pillows

Twenty years ago most people slept on either a feather and down pillow or a standard foam pillow. Things have changed in the last two decades and now materials like visco elastic memory foam and latex are common pillow filling materials and they offer what is considered to be superior orthopedic support.

Modern foams though are not the only options when it comes to selecting something a little bit different. At the extreme end of the spectrum there are pillows filled with animal hair and there are also pillows that are stuffed with dried grassed and other vegetation. These are very much niche pillows and appeal to a very limited number of people.

More common are some of the pillows that claim a therapy effect on the person sleeping on them. These can be pillows that are infused with an odour like lavender, or that have a filling that is composed of a very un-bed-like material.

One example of the above is bamboo which in both its dried and burnt form is becoming a popular bedding material (for mattress and pillow uses).

Bamboo has a number of traits that lend it to pillow applications. Firstly it has long been appreciated that it feels cool and that this makes it ideal in hot environments. With modern fabric making technologies this means that it can be processed and interlaced into a length of cloth and then stitched to make a pillow case.

When burnt, bamboo (as charcoal) has some additional properties that see it cleanse the air, produce negative ions and, according to some, make getting to sleep easier.

The other good thing about the bamboo charcoal is that it can be impregnated into other materials like memory foam and latex foam so that the advantages of the therapy can be combined with the qualities of orthopedic support. These pillows are becoming increasingly popular and they can be bought at many of the better chain stores. They come in standard designs and they do not look or feel out of place in any bedroom.

These days there are many different pillow fillers, so check out all of the options and selections. Naturally trying pillows out, in terms of feel and odour, is the best way to determine if they are right for you.

Orthopedic footwear

One of the most overlooked orthopedic products are shoes. One of the reasons for this is probably because when you hear the term “orthopedic shoes” the vision of large cumbersome and attention grabbing shoes come to mind.

Shoes fitting this description are still around, but they tend to be worn by the elderly, people with foot deformities or people at risk from diabetes. Even then far more conventional looking shoes are often available.

Every day orthopedic shoes are intended to be worn by anyone and everyone who gives a priority to the health and welfare of their feet. This type of orthopedic shoe, sometimes called a comfort shoe or an easy fit shoe, is an everyday pair of shoes that you wear for work, for walking around or for simply sitting around. This type of footwear has a design that supports the feet and offers padding and cushioning in all of the right places.

The appearance too is pretty standard. Some minor concessions to conventional design can include the replacement of laces with hook and loop Velcro fasteners and an outer sole that has a wedge sole rather than one with a heel, but these features are barely noticeable.

Materials can be natural leather or one of the breathable fabrics that stretch and contract with the feet. Styles are rarely the height of fashion, but this type of orthopedic shoe never stands out, looks out of place or appears dated.

The obvious question is who are these shoes designed for and who should wear them?

The answer is just about everyone. These shoes are nothing more than well designed and well made footwear and they will look after the feet of a healthy child or an elderly and not too healthy adult.

Orthopedic shoes do not have to have a specific look. In actualisation, most good quality hiking shoes are designed with the same approach as a more normal looking orthopedic shoe and the same can be said for some of the better training shoes and cross trainers (or sneakers).

Some more unusual “orthopedic shoes” can be found online and in some stores. The “five finger shoe” is one example and here the design takes a radial re-visit of shoe design and how the shoe works with the foot. The result is something very different , both to look at and to wear.

Types of bed and bed frame

I have frequently mentioned different mattress materials and products like memory foam and latex foam, all of which are important components in the make up of a bed. What I do not seem to have mentioned is the bed frame that supports the mattress and which also plays a part in the way that the body is supported during sleep.

The actual bed (not the mattress part), often called a frame or base, is the foundation of the surface on which we sleep and as such it is very important. A poor or failing bed frame will result in a poor night’s sleep however good the mattress, so the frame is important.

Bed frames come in two general forms, the first being the old style visible frame and the second being one of the divan style frames. Both are popular and both work well, but in different ways.
In the case of the divan, the construction of the bed frame is hidden and enclosed behind an aesthetic box-like surround that makes the bed appear solid.

In the case of a more traditional frame, all parts of the frame’s footboard, headboard, legs and any side detailing remain visible.

Advantages and disadvantages of each system

The divan has a very big advantage over the normal open frame and that is its ability to act as a storage area. The majority of divan beds have drawers and these drawers give access and storage to the large area under the bed. In simple terms the dead space beneath the area where you sleep can be used store anything from clothes and Christmas decorations to bed sheets and spare pillows. These divan drawers are a bit like having a horizontal chest of drawers laid across the floor.

Unlike the divan, the bed frame is open, lower and without any kind of storage area beneath or within it. In this way it loses ground against the divan – at least if saving or using space is at a premium.

Where the bed frame does beat its rival is in its style, variety and independence of mattress partner.

Bed frames can be wood or metal, low or high, large or small, plain or decorative, cheap or expensive, light or heavy…. And the list goes on.

The big advantage of the bed frame is in its style and they way that it can be selected to become the visual centre piece of any bedroom. Bed frames do not need to be hidden or disguised. Instead they can be used to make a statement about a bedroom and they also have the flexibility to hold almost any mattress. This means that you are not restricted to the mattress that came with the divan, nor is there a fabric finish that will only match the mattress-divan set.

In terms of performance, which is best between the divan and the frame is an unanswerable question. In both cases quality varies considerably and in both cases an orthopedic mattress can be used with the bed base.