Random question: beds (AKICILJ?)

[redbird]

cattitude and I are thinking that we'd like a king-size bed (roomier generally, and in specific, his feet wouldn't stick out) to replace our current queen-sized futon.

Given that storage, a.k.a. piles of Stuff, is an ongoing problem, one with under-bed drawers might be nice.

What I don't know is where to shop. Suggestions? (The only person I can think of who has a bed of this sort, freeme6, got it at least ten years ago.)

Is there some major problem with that sort of storage set-up? That the cat couldn't lurk under the bed might be a feature, given his tendency to pounce on me from there.

Comments

[wordweaverlynn.livejournal.com]

The only thing I'd mention is that you need to keep a clear space around the bed so you can open the drawers.

Also, the bed I had left a sort of tunnel between the two banks of drawers, which was an ideal cat highway/hideout. They could zip under the bed from one end and magically reappear at the other.

[kate_nepveu]

I had one of those in law school. It also had no boxspring and a really hard mattress, but still, having a flat wood surface as the structure under the mattress didn't help with comfort.

On the other hand if you're sleeping on a futon now, this is not likely to be an issue.

Anderson beds

[bibliofile.livejournal.com]

A friend adores the Anderson bed (http://www.ultimatebed.com/), called by Apartment Therapy (http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/ny/101105/beds/anderson-ultimate-bed-a-swiss-army-knife-for-the-bedroom-004368) "A Swiss Army knife for the bedroom." Mind you, the friend's bed was still in boxes the last I saw it; he's been sleeping on just his mattress & box spring on the floor.

Re: Anderson beds

[kate-schaefer.livejournal.com]

We have an Anderson bed. We got it unfinished, and I spent hours and hours and hours on the front porch, sanding and applying the hypoallergenic finish to it.

I keep clothes I use frequently in my half of the drawers. Glenn's side of the bed is less accessible, and he keeps stuff he uses once or twice a year in it.

We keep big awkward stuff in the central space where Anderson suggests storing skis.

Sounds good ...

[the-magician.livejournal.com]

... it's basically what I've got (though I just have a "double" sized bed).

In the UK it's called a "drawer divan" or words to that effect. The one I've got is sort of a box spring (the top is padded and under the padding there's horizontal spring/wires to give some flexible support) rather than just being a wooden box (as another of your respondents seem to have encountered, which is more of a "day bed" according to a book I have here).

The important part (to me) was that the base separated into two pieces (one for the top end (pillow end) of the bed and one for the foot end of the bed. That means it is easy to get in/out of houses, up stairs etc. and then the two pieces are just clipped together to form a single solid base on top of which you place the mattress. Mine gives me four drawers (and my only comment is not to fill them with books and really heavy stuff because the bottom of my drawers were actually kind of thin and gave way after a few years of that!) but they are perfect for bed linen, towels, curtains etc. or you could keep things like nightgowns, socks etc. in them (plus perhaps a few "nightime toys" ;-)

The only problems I've had are that the ones at the head end of *my* bed can't be opened easily as the bedside tables block them (so ok for longer term storage) and if you leave your shoes/slippers/whatever on the floor by the bed, then again it blocks access to the drawers. And if you have the side of the bed against a wall (or close to any other furniture) you again can end up blocking the drawers.

You can also get drawer divans with end drawers instead of side drawers, but that wouldn't work well for me as the end of the bed is only about 2 feet from the wardrobe (UK bedrooms are small!) and in the US you seem to have large trunks/lockers/chests or something to sit on at the end of the beds (certainly in films and TV shows)

[adrian-turtle.livejournal.com]

>The only person I can think of who has a bed of this sort, freeme6, got it at least ten years ago.)

Have you looked at my bed, dear? It's not king-sized, and I did not buy it in New York, but it seems to be close to what you're looking for, otherwise. I bought it in early July, 1998 after moving to a 3rd floor apartment with twisty stairs (and being visited by very dear friends who helped me unpack) destroyed my old futon frame in June. It's very strange for a newcomer to Cambridge to shop for furniture the week after Pride...rainbow flag stickers seemed to have a local significance of "furniture store."

I found my bed at a store that mostly sells luxury futons but also has some other kinds of furniture and related stuff. I had a choice of 2 drawers under the bed (one from each side), or one huge one. One huge drawer gives you the option of pushing the bed against the wall on the other side, but a drawer that big is hard to keep in its tracks when you pull it out. Some beds have an option like 2 drawers, with one drawer and a trundle bed. I didn't think it would be useful, but it's interesting.

The bed itself is just a platform with sliders for the drawers, and of course the bookcase headboard. (I love my bed. I'm not just saying that because I'm sleep-deprived. It's a great bed.) One could put a futon on it, or a soft mattress over a box spring, or whatever you like. I use a very firm innerspring mattress, because I like that sort of thing, and because I expected it to wear better than a futon. It's gone a bit squishy on "my" side in 7 years, but a mattress is supposed to last 10 years so it's not that bad.

[redbird]

Duh. Of course you have that kind of bed. Thank you, love.

And yes, it is a good bed.

[callunav.livejournal.com]

You live in New York.

New York has an Ikea.

Ikea makes moderately priced, pleasant-to-look-at, sturdy furniture with lots and lots of storage options. If you couldn't find a bed frame with drawers in it, I'd be really surprised.

Or do you not like Ikea?

[adrian-turtle.livejournal.com]

That's a clever idea. Furthermore, Ikea runs a free shuttle bus between Port Authority and their store. (Not being a regular Ikea shopper, you might not realize that.) I used it for ulterior motives a few years ago.

I vote for Ikea too

[baratron.livejournal.com]

In the UK (and indeed all of Europe), Ikea beds are also 6'6" long as standard. Unlike other beds.

You have to buy all your sheets from Ikea as otherwise they won't fit, but that's not really a hardship.

[pyrzqxgl.livejournal.com]

Another possibility is that you can probably get a king-sized waterbed with storage drawers pretty cheap via the classifieds. If you don't like waterbeds, put a futon mattress in it instead.

[rosefox]

You can always get an ordinary bed on an ordinary raised frame and get plastic under-bed containers from the Container Store or some such. That way you can pull the container all the way out, which is nice.

[wouldyoueva.livejournal.com]

I had planned to buy some bed raisers and have the movers put my king-size bed on them but I discovered (after they left) that they didn't do it. But someday I'll get some friends to help me raise the bed onto the raisers and put plastic pull-out drawers under the bed.

[akirlu.livejournal.com]

You might keep an eye on Craigslist. I have, in a dilatory way, been looking for a queen-sized bed frame for our bed -- it's been on the cheap metal frame that comes with the mattress since we got it -- and platform beds with drawers seem to go by here once or twice in a given two week period.

[kristenj.livejournal.com]

Not about a bed - you've already got many responses on that aspect. Rather a warning that if you're thinking about upgrading to a King size bed, be warned that King sized bed linens are much more expensive than Queen sized. Just to let you know.

[wild-patience.livejournal.com]

Not only are king-sized costlier, you also have to pay attention and buy the correct ones: there are king-size and California king. Perhaps this isn't the problem in New York that it is here on the left coast.

We started with a California king when we first moved in together. That's a longer bed. When we replaced it a few years ago, we went with the other kind of king, which is more square. It gave us more elbow room and, since neither of us is tall, the shorter length gave us more space in front of the bed. The fitted sheets from one definitely don't go on the other! Check carefully when you buy sheets.

[bibliofile.livejournal.com]

Good point about the California king. My brother (6'5") has one of those; cattitude might find that length more suitable.

[lynnal.livejournal.com]

I just got rid of a platform bed with drawers under it this summer, after using it for 10 years. Several points:
- A normal king is not much longer than a queen. It is significantly wider. If the problem is cattitude's height, check to see if the difference is worth it.

- Underbed storage is great. However, reasonable sized drawers don't meet in the middle under a queen-sized bed. As mentioned above, this leaves a great cat-lurking space. There was also a one-inch gap under the drawers. Perfect for losing cat toys. When I moved the bed, I also found a huge, flat dust monster that had been out of reach of all my cleaning implements.

- A large wooden platform makes a VERY firm sleeping base. Much harder than a futon on a hardwood floor. After sleeping on the platform bed with an old futon on it for a few months, sleeping on the ground on a camping trip felt positively luxurious. We took this as a sign that we needed a new futon, but still. You may need a really good box spring, or a very cushy futon.