Back to Basics: Your Practical Bed-Buying Guide

When it comes to investing in a bed, no one size fits all.

Your bed is often the centrepiece to your bedroom. While personality and style may dictate design, practicality comes first.

Which size is best for your height? Perhaps you prioritise width? Maybe you want to indulge in a bigger mattress? Whether you need to maximise on space or want to go all-out, our beds are handmade to order and tailored to you.

Read our need-to-know guide to help find your perfect fit.

Beds: Where to Start?

Each Wrought Iron and Brass Bed Co. frame is guaranteed to last a lifetime. From iron to brass to nickel, our frames take heritage-inspired silhouettes and craft them into contemporary, yet timeless, designs. Each one has the potential to become your modern heirloom.

Think rounded dormitory curves and classic Victorian lines. Square Edwardian bed posts meet Art Deco geometry. In reflective plating, authentic brass and powder-coated pops of colour, our iron beds will modernise your master for many sleeps to come.

Bed Sizes

First, the essentials. Size is a key indicator of your needs and preferences.

Single: 90 x 190cm/ 3’ x 6’3”. Ideal for the individual. A single bed suits children, guest rooms and smaller spaces to balance comfort and spatial needs. However, if you’re tall, a wider bed is likely to be the better option.

Small Double: 120 x 190cm/ 4’ x 6’3”. For those who like to move around a bit more, try a small double. This size is plenty of room for one, budget-friendly, but usually too tight for couples.

Double: 135 x 190cm/ 4’6” x 6’3”. A great option for growing teenagers and couples who don’t move too much. Doubles are a roomier option and the perfect compromise when a king size takes up too much of your bedroom.

King Size: 150 x 200cm/ 5’ x 6’6”. Noticeably larger in height and width than previous sizes, a king size bed is probably the most popular (and one we recommend). Taller sleepers this is the size for you. It balances budget with comfort and is the opportunity for an eye-catching centrepiece.

Super King: 180 x 200cm/ 6’ x 6’6”. Prioritise sleep and comfort with a super king. The extra sleeping surface is ideal for couples who prefer their own side of the mattress and making large masters more homely. It’s luxurious but practical.

Emperor: 200 x 200cm/ 6’6” x 6’6”. When you find bigger is better. An emperor bed is the ultimate statement piece. Recline in style and luxury. However, sometimes an emperor can be hard to find. Remember: there is such a thing as too big.

Key Features

Headboard & Tailboard: Chances are, you want your bed to have a headboard and a tailboard. But when you opt for bespoke design, we can handcraft our frames to your specification. How about a higher headboard to lean against? Or try a lower tailboard when you want an open design. For tall sleepers, we can remove the tailboard for ultimate wiggle room.

Side Rails: If it’s underbed storage you’re looking for, our iron frames’ side rails can be raised to accommodate. If you desire easier mobility when getting in and out of bed, we can lower them. Consider changing your side rails’ height when you layer a sumptuous mattress and bed base onto your frame. You won’t want to be too tall for your tailboard, after all.

Finials: Aka bed knobs. Choose plated or powder-coated, brass or black. Finials vary across our designs- large or small, oval, round or even acorn-shaped. They’re both a stand-out design feature and subtly blend into the frame.

Begin at the (Bed) Base

Once you’ve chosen your dream bed frame, start layering up. A bed base is the foundation of your mattress, promoting even wear and distributing weight evenly. As a result, your mattress maintains its quality for longer.

All of our frames are fitted with FSC-certified Scandinavian pine slats. It’s slower growing, stronger with fewer knots. But for those looking for their princess-and-the-pea moment, we offer bed bases with depths of 4”, 6” and 8”.

Our platform hard top base is non-sprung for a strong balanced foundation. Great for firmer head-to-toe support. On the other hand, our sprung base adapts to your movements, evenly distributing weight without sacrificing support.

Meet in the Middle: Mattresses

Zip and Link

Each bed comes with a mattress to match- from single to double, king size to emperor. But what do we mean by a zip and link?

Forget being awoken by your partner’s movement; embrace calming, undisturbed sleep instead. We recommend a zip and link for larger mattresses, particularly super kings and emperors. Two smaller mattresses are zipped together for maximum comfort, support and satisfaction. And we mean for both sleepers. 

A zip and link adapts to partners’ different preferences and body weights- something that’s especially important when you like different mattress tensions. Moreover, a zip and link is easier to turn. Just unzip and turn each half separately. This allows for even wear and suits smaller spaces.

There’s no need to worry when it comes to a zip and link. We apply the same high level of craftsmanship to every mattress.

Mattress Collections

We’re unashamed advocates for natural fibres. And wool is our fibre of choice. (British wool, at that).

Each of our mattresses is handcrafted with comfort and support in mind. Think traditional side-stitching and pure wool tufts. These hold the sumptuous blend of wool and sustainably sourced natural materials in place.

Choosing the right mattress can elevate your sleep to the ultimate levels of comfort. In comparison to synthetics like memory foam, natural fibres are breathable, hypoallergenic and regulate body temperature throughout the year. Say goodbye to fidgety summer nights.  You’ll find it difficult to go back after you’ve experienced a wool mattress. 

Sandringham Wool: Expertly crafted with contouring pocket springs and plump layers of Sandringham wool from the Estate’s organic pastures, this is our most indulgent collection to date.

Natural Comfort: British wool is the way. Experience a unique combination of British wool and natural fibres with British steel springs for unwavering support and heavenly comfort.

Hypnos: Trusted bed making knowhow. Our partnership with Hypnos prioritises soft support in accessible mattresses, honouring traditional techniques and sleep wellness.

Bedding to Top it Off

Duvet Tog

Did you know? The ideal bedroom and body temperatures for a peaceful night’s sleep are 16 – 18°C and 18°C respectively. Natural fibres trump synthetics every time. A wool duvet is the solution to maintain this temperature. It’s breathable and keeps you warm or cool all year round.

Thermal insulation is measured in tog, which depends on a duvet’s thickness. When it comes to our Sandringham Wool duvets, here’s their tog equivalent:

Light: 300 – 350g wool. Tog equivalent 4 – 5. Perfect for the summer season and warmer climates, our light duvet is aerated and soothing.

Medium: 400 – 450g wool. Tog equivalent 7 – 10. Breathable, yet luxurious. Envelop yourself in our medium duvet all year round, especially when faced with unseasonably warm winters and cool summers.

Warm: 500 – 550g wool. Tog equivalent 11 – 14. Ideal for wintry weather, cooler climates and cold sleepers. Get cosy and snuggle up in our warm duvet.

Mattress Protectors

Uniquely designed for prolonged freshness. Increase your mattress’ lifespan with a comforting mattress protector.

Our wool protector’s unconventional open sides allow for optimal ventilation. For better quality sleep for longer, a British-made British wool mattress protector is the answer.

Wool Pillows

If a wool duvet is the icing on the cake, then wool pillows are the cherry on top.

The solution for all (even sensitive) sleepers. Wool’s hypoallergenic abilities help keep your airways clear and prevent dust-build-up.

Our pillows are filled with 100% traceable wool, encased in a washable cotton cover. Elegant blue piping perfects each edge. Wool pillows: your essential for head-to-toe breathability.

We hope your bed choices are clarified with our step-by-step guide. But if you still have questions, why not visit our showroom?

Ask questions to our knowledgeable showroom staff and experience our handcrafted products for yourself. Visualise your dream bed in your own space. (A tape measure can come in handy!)

Not near Norfolk? For somewhere closer at hand, you can find us in independent retailers and John Lewis stores across the country.