| Buying a bedroom set (typically a bed with head and | | | | with all case goods, or wood furniture, quality pays. |
| footboard, a dresser and mirror, chest of drawers and | | | | Look for reinforced corners with glued and screwed |
| a couple of nightstands) can be a significant | | | | blocks. Make sure that the piece is stable and doesn't |
| investment. Here are seven questions you need to ask | | | | rock. A nice feature is adjustable levelers on the feet |
| yourself before you buy. | | | | in case you have uneven floors. Are back panels |
| 1. What's your style?> Determine the style of furniture | | | | screwed on, versus stapled? Are doors aligned? Do |
| you want: you can choose from a sleigh bed, with | | | | drawers glide in and out easily? Are there dust panels |
| scrolled head and footboards which resembles a | | | | between the drawer cubbies? Look at the joining of |
| horse-drawn sleigh, a panel bed, with flat head and | | | | the drawer sides. A sign of quality is dovetailed joints, |
| foot board, or a poster bed, with either tall or short | | | | which look like interlocking wood edges, versus nailed |
| vertical posts on the corners. When stretchers are | | | | joints. |
| added to a poster bed, it becomes a canopy bed, | | | | 5. What kind of storage do you need by the bed? Do |
| even if it doesn't use a fabric trim. | | | | you like drawers to hide reading material, toiletries, etc.? |
| 2. What kind of mattress will you have? If you already | | | | Is the alarm clock going to be bedside? What about a |
| own a mattress, make sure you buy a bed frame that | | | | lamp, or do you want an over the bed light? To save |
| is suitable for it. If you need to buy a new mattress, | | | | space, should you use a dresser as your night stand? |
| you may want to figure out which one you want so | | | | Be aware of the height differences between a |
| that the bed frame works with it. There are some | | | | nightstand an dresser. Unless your home is formal, |
| exciting super high mattresses available today. These | | | | nightstands do not have to match. |
| mattresses may, however, cover some of the details | | | | 6. Where are you storing your clothes? Here you can |
| of a particular bed frame, so you need to be aware of | | | | choose from dressers (which are normally sold with a |
| this before you buy. If you fall in love with a super thick | | | | matching mirror, a chest, an armoir, and/or a lingerie |
| mattress and a detailed bed frame you'd like to show | | | | chest. Again, use your room dimensions to make sure |
| off, you can consider buying a thinner boxspring to | | | | that your furniture will fit. |
| allow you to have both. Will you need steps for your | | | | 7. Will you have a TV in your bedroom? While not |
| bed? | | | | recommended by sleep experts, most of us ignore this |
| 3. Will it all fit? Bring a tape measure and your room | | | | and put a TV in our rooms. Will it sit on a dresser, hide |
| measurements when you go furniture shopping to | | | | in an armoir, or be showcased in an entertainment |
| make sure your new furniture will fit. You need to | | | | center? If you choose to hide the TV in an armoir, look |
| allow a minimum of 18″ walkways. Mark the | | | | for doors that tuck into the piece to hide the doors |
| dimensions and location of your new bed on your | | | | when you are watching TV. |
| design. You can also use a design tool to plan your | | | | Ask yourself these seven questions before buying |
| room before you even go shopping. | | | | your next bedroom set to ensure you buy just the |
| 4. How is the furniture you are considering made? As | | | | right pieces to fit your room and your lifestyle. |