Believe it or not, the mattress we just purchased for our guest bedroom is the first one either of us have ever really “shopped” for in the traditional sense. Everything before was a hand-me-down from family or purchased for cheap from Goodwill (that’s actually where we got the two daybed mattresses, which were bought pre-bed bugs days – although they did claim to sanitize them before reselling ’em). Oh and of course there’s our organic mattress, which we bought online (amazingly enough, they helped us find the perfect “fit” without having to be there to test things out). So admittedly the task of in-person bed-shopping was a bit daunting at first.
We wanted to do lots of research so we could make the “best” purchase, but time didn’t really allow for weeks of pavement pounding. So we decided to go easy on ourselves and do enough to feel like we were making a smart decision without going overboard (after all, it’s not like this will be anyone’s full-time mattress). Plus, a bunch of you had already weighed in when we mentioned our bed hunt on this post, so we already had some good starting points.
Ultimately we ended up buying the new guest bedroom bed at The Original Mattress Factory. They weren’t even on our radar until my mom sent me a Consumer Reports article that put them in 2nd place, right under Tempur-Pedic. We decided pretty quickly that we wanted an innerspring mattress instead of something from Tempur-Pedic since we read a bunch of articles about how memory foam can be polarizing (it’s too hot for some people, and only comfortable for around half of the people who try it- and since this bed should be a basic crowd pleasing model that hopefully appeals to the masses, we decided to keep things classic, which is how we landed on the whole innerspring mattress + boxspring configuration). So after eliminating Tempur-Predic and identifying The Original Mattress Factory as the first place we should check out, I remembered there was a store located just a couple of miles from us. Score.
Pretty much as soon as we walked into the door they won us over with how straightforward the process was. As Sherry (or Jerry McGuire) would say, they had us at hello. The three things that wowed us right off the bat were:
1. They only carry one brand, their own, and all mattresses are locally made right there at that precise location (which is actually a mattress factory, hence the name).
2. They display cross-sections of all of their mattresses (and several of their competitors) so you can see exactly what you’re dealing with and compare materials, wire strength, filler thicknesses, etc.
3. They never offer sales or promotions (making their own mattresses locally and then selling them directly to people means they’ve essentially cut out the middle man, so they don’t play pricing games and don’t need to add in any markups). It was nice to know that we didn’t have to wonder if a better deal was a day or two around the corner since their prices are always consistent. Which was refreshing since Sherry noticed that a bunch of fliers put out by other mattress companies were playing serious mind games and saying that things were available for a “limited-time-only” at “rock-bottom prices” when their mailers would come out every week saying the same thing (with big dramatic slashes through the numbers which seemed to just be puffed up to be marked down).
But although they wooed us to no end with their straightforward approach, we still didn’t purchase anything on the spot. Instead, we checked out a couple of other discount mattress stores (plus Ikea) and our other experiences were pretty much the polar opposite. Understanding the various brands & models while attempting to decipher which promotions/sales applied to which mattress sets was actually really confusing, so we left every other store before even laying down on anything (although we did sit on a few Ikea models but quickly learned they couldn’t be delivered in time and were actually more expensive than the one we liked at The Original Mattress Factory, which was ranked higher by a few independent sources). So after some less than stellar shopping experiences at other stores, and finding this article in favor of The Original Mattress Factory and their A+ Better Business Bureau rating, we were finally 100% sold.
The next night we went back to TOMF and bought a full-sized Classic Luxury Firm mattress set for $379 (this price included the box spring). It wasn’t the base model (we wanted something with a little extra cushion for our guests) but of course it wasn’t one of those top of the line amazing pillow topper mattresses either (because we’re not independently wealthy enough to hook our guests up like that- hah). Once the frame ($50), delivery($38), and tax ($21) were added into the mix, our grand total was $488 – coming in just under the $500 limit that we saved up for before embarking on our crazy mattress hunting journey. And thank goodness for quality control. Here’s Burger testing things out. Thankfully he seems pretty comfortable.
Oh, and we went for the full sized mattress because it fits best in that room and means we don’t have to rebuy all of the bedding that we already own (plus we already have a full sized headboard). And since the bulk of our friends and family members have full sized beds in their own guest bedrooms, we figure it’s what they’ll expect to see in ours. Maybe they’ll even be extra enamored by the brand-spankin-newness of this guy. That is, if we can toss the rest of the room together in two short days to make it feel less like a mattress party of one (and more like an actual bedroom).
Here’s hoping. Better get cracking…
Psst- We’re giving away our favorite video camera ever over on BabyCenter today. It’s a Flip Ultra HD valued at $199 (which is what we use to make all of our videos, like the super exciting cutting in vid from yesterday). Plus there’s a new Clara video over there to enjoy, and it involves a tambourine. I know, it’s exciting. Click here to enter.
Rebecca @ the lil house that could says
Oh mattress buying, so fun yet such a pain! Different stores carry different “lines” by the same brand, so you can never really compare! We’re looking for a king (we keep putting it off) and I would LOVE to go the organic route but the price scares the bejesus out of me. 3 cats + husband + me in the bed= need for king!
Question, I thought that your organic mattress is a material similiar to a tempur-pedic, or maybe I just assumed that because of the lack of springs, but does yours get hot? We looked into a tempur-pedic years ago and the sales guy said pretty much what you said, that so many people end up hating them. So many decisions!
YoungHouseLove says
Our organic mattress is made of 100% natural tree rubber, but it’s aerated with a bunch of tiny holes so it doesn’t feel hot to us at all. I think it’s because natural rubber and those holes breathe a bit more than something manufactured (which tends to be denser)? Maybe? I dunno. Mattresses still confuse the heck outta us. Haha.
xo,
s
RC says
I love our Tempurpedic bed! We’ve owned ours for 5 years and we still love it. I can’t stand bouncy and noisy innerspring mattresses where I feel my husband’s every movement – when we are sleeping on different beds on vacation we are so happy to come home to our Tempurpedic.
Tia says
We bought the Costco version of tempurpedic, and we returned it after 2 weeks because we were both so sweaty. I’m NEVER hot when I sleep, so that tells you how warm it was! Costco has a great return policy though, so we were able to get a different one from them.
krystle says
Oh my gosh! I LOVE that color!!!!! :) Can’t wait to see what you do with the room- love your website!!
Cait @ Hernando House says
Thanks for the mattress-shopping details! We have a hand-me-down mattress in ou guest room, but will be looking to upgrade that soon-ish.
ka says
That place made me sad when it first opened – it always had an empty parking lot and I thought it would close tout de suite, but ever since they put up the sign saying ‘open to the public’ with the HUGE arrow to the building, looks like business has picked up.
I assumed it was a factory, not a store, until that billboard. We’re almost in the market for a king-sized mattress, and this will be the first place we shop thanks to this post! Thanks YHL! :)
YoungHouseLove says
Haha, we noticed that sign too! It definitely seems to help clear things up!
xo,
s
Carole says
we have purchased twin mattresses at The Original Mattress Factory (TOMF), and were very impressed by the low-key sales approach and good quality product.
When we were buying our first twin mattress for our preschooler, the salesman actually recommended a *less expensive mattress* than we had originally been considering, given the size and weight of the little guy we were buying it for! It was perfect–by the time he was bigger, our daughter got the first mattress, and we purchased a better mattress (also from TOMF) for our oldest. Now that she is older, she got another new mattress from TOMF, and the first mattress is on her second twin bed, perfect for sleepovers!
Gillian @ Letters to Liney says
Sherry McGuire – I love it! It’s nice to know that other folks have felt semi-intimidated by the mattress purchasing racket. Although we aren’t in the market for a new one right now, I checked out their website and they have quite a few stores in our neighbor state. We’ll definitely have to check them out when the time comes. Can’t wait to see how the rest of the room comes together!
karen @ our slo house says
This was our first year of buying a new bed, too. We always had hand-me-down mattresses, which was good for the wallet but not so much for my back. A few months ago, we splurged and bought a Tempur-Pedic. I love it. I do sleep “hotter”, but I have adjusted by using less blankets and such. : )
BTW, your paint color looks a-MAZ-ing!
Emily says
I put a full size in my guest room, too. I don’t think a bigger one is needed. When I bought mine, I told them it wasn’t a sale unless the frame and delivery was free. After a quick, “Let me talk to my manager” (blah blah blah), the deal was made! Score!
Bethany says
Did you buy a bed from TOMF or somewhere else? I was wondering if they could throw anything in since they don’t do sales…
Emily says
Not from TOMF. I just shopped around, compared prices, got what I like where I felt most comfortable. I didn’t pay for frame or delivery on my queen sized bed as well. Wasn’t advertised to be free or as part of their sales pitch, but they will do it if it helps make a sale!
Always bargain!!
Emily says
I’m going to need to buy a new mattress soon. There are two things I hate buying, cars and mattresses. It seems like such a racket. There is way too much wheeling and dealing. I just want to be told the price! I looked – and sadly they don’t sell mattresses anywhere near MA. They look like a great company.
Laura says
After researching the heck out of mattresses for months, I finally decided to order two mattresses from TOMF but then was disappointed there wasn’t a dealer in my area. Then I emailed the company and they hooked me up with the closest dealer (12 hours away), and they arranged to have the mattress shipped by a carrier (I had to pay that cost, but was worth it considering the low cost of the mattress). I only ordered mattresses w/o box springs (which saves on shipping but the main reason is that I’m going to put the mattresses on a metal platform bed frame (which is much taller than an regular bed frame giving me lots of room to store things under the bed.) Good luck!
Kerri says
perfect info for those in need of a mattress!
we’re moving into a new home and i’ll FINALLY have a guest room to decorate… couldn’t be more excited!
Danielle says
Wow! That’s an awesome deal! We are long overdue for a new mattress, but my husband doesn’t want to buy a new one until we move. Definitely going to check to see if there’s a Mattress Factory in our area!
jessica says
can i just tell you how thrilled i am that you chose this color? we just painted our guest bedroom the exact same color! it’s not decorated yet, so i’ll be eagerly looking forward to seeing how you two put the finishing touches on. awesome.
Melissa Irvin says
THANK YOU for this timely post! Very soon we will be looking at a king set and I think we need to head to TOMF!
Sara @ Russet Street Reno says
We love our Tempur-Pedic, but with a $500 budget it’s a good thing you didn’t try to buy one. They are revoltingly expensive. I’d certainly never spring for one for a guest room! ha
mike @ the lil house that could says
I’m digging Burger’s collar.
Katherine O says
We are in the midst of buying a mattress ourselves…and we’re going Saturday to do our ‘testing’. I’m already feeling overwhelmed…
Erin says
Burger always looks so regal. I feel like that picture would make a good Presidents Day ad, esp. with the nice background color. Perhaps, “Burger for (YHL) President” or “Just say no to needless mark ups” or maybe just throw a hat, beard and flag on him to pay respect to our Presidents. Just a (ridiculously great) thought! :)
Cant wait to see how the room comes together!
YoungHouseLove says
Haha. Love it!
xo,
s
RJ says
I love the Original Mattress Factory. I’ve been quite happy with the two mattresses I’ve bought from them. Just make sure you flip/spin the mattress like they recommend! ;)
Susan @ Retro Restyling says
Look at burger posing like he’s in Dog Fancy! I HEART your dog so much. He’s got the best personality! I have a sleep number bed and I think it’s actually done more damage to my back then it’s supposed to actually help it and my husband loathes it. I hate knowing I’ll have to search for a new bed one day. :\ On a side note: LOVE THE COLOR of the room… absolutely wonderful choice.
Constance says
Good choice! We have an organic latex matress similar as well for our room, but when we have a guest room I would definitely choose something similar. And you are spot-on about Tempur-Predic. I know many love them, but I happen to be one of those people who feel like I’m sleeping on a tripped-out heating pad. I once stayed in a hotel very proudly advertising they had Tempur-Predic mattresses, and I was so uncomfortable I almost ended up sleeping on the floor.
Nancy says
My husband and I are in the market for a guest bed, but are having trouble because I have a fear of bringing a traditional mattress, with its toxins, into our house and buying another Savvy Rest is too expensive. Did you worry about going the traditional mattress route, being owners of a Savvy Rest? What got you over the hump?
YoungHouseLove says
We learned about the materials in our guest bed and actually were pleasantly surprised. Many companies use waste fabric and create the inner batting (which can be a lot less pure) but TOMF uses 100% cotton materials that are new, not old factory rags that could be coated in polyurethane). We also were very happy to go with an inner spring variety (metal doesn’t offgas) over a thick memory foam mattress (which can offgas a lot more). I guess it’s really about trying to find a balance (since buying an organic mattress for the guest room was just waaay out of our budget). Hope it helps!
xo,
s
tarynkay says
Yay! I love this company! We bought our mattress from them and will buy any future mattresses from them, for all of the reasons you cite. And isn’t it great how you not only got a great mattress, you also got to support a local business and local manufacturing? Win-win-win!
Megan says
My husband had a twin mattress from Original Mattress Factory in his tiny college apartment. I ended up sleeping on it for a few months when I had to live with her parents right before we got married (yay for crappy lease terms and marrying someone who like 3 states over). Any way, it’s the MOST comfortable mattress I’ve ever slept on. I’m sure it’s not the top of the line model, but it was wonderful.
We are probably in the market for a new mattress set soon, and we will for for sure be going to our area Original Mattress Factory.
nancyo says
I’m surprised you bought the frame from the mattress store for $50. I think that you guys are frugal buyers and often get the best for your value.
But .. There are always a ton of metal bedframes on CL for sale or the Goodwill (or Habitat Re STore).
I get that people don’t like buying used things like couches, mattress, etc but why not a metal bedframe that most likely doesn’t have anything wrong with it?
YoungHouseLove says
Their frame was about ten steps up from the annoying L-shaped ones that you typically find (the ones that slide together and are only about two inches thick). It’s a lot more solid (read: not at all flimsy), the wheels lock so it won’t skid around, it’s raised up so it can fit more under-bed storage, and it’s built to accommodate any sized mattress should we upgrade someday. It felt like a smart buy that we’d use forever instead of something a bit less long lasting that we could get for a little less. Sometimes we just try to buy for the long haul- especially since we were getting a new mattress that we hope will last us at least a decade – maybe even two (and we didn’t want to cheap out on a less long lasting frame). Hope that makes sense!
xo,
s
Blair r says
This is not really mattress related, but I can’t help but stare at the red tips on your fan’s pull strings (is that even what they are called? lol). It looks gorgeous against that dark teal. It’s the first thing I noticed in yesterday’s room reveal. May I suggest adding some pops of red to the room; maybe somewhere down the line? It’s so pretty – like your fan is wearing earrings!
YoungHouseLove says
Haha it’s true. Miss Fan is all decked out now!
xo,
s
annabelvita says
I really want to buy a new mattress. Our bed is a king though (I think that’s a US queen) and is SEVEN FOOT long (my boyfriend is 6ft8), so it would have to be custom made and every time I idly look into it I get so scared by the cost that I run away.
So for now, it’s a crappy old mattress with a bit of extra weird mattress jimmied in the bottom. It looks weird…
Bethany says
What a timely post! My hubby and I are looking to upgrade to a King-sized mattress, and we’re planning to pull the trigger this week. We went to TOMF a couple months ago, and we were pretty sure we wanted to purchase a mattress there for the reasons you listed. Another plus is that all their mattresses (I think) are two-sided. It’s extremely rare to find that from any other manufacturer, and it makes the mattress last significantly longer than a one-sided version. Maybe we’ll head over and buy our new bed today!
YoungHouseLove says
Oh yeah we loved the two-sided factor too!
xo,
s
Susan says
We have a King from them that we love. 6 years old and is holding up well. They have handles for flipping in the King size, and it’s hinged, but it’s still a 2 person job, and a tough one at that.
Our mattress isn’t their top of the line, but is close. It’s super thick. If you go with a super thick one, they sell low profile box springs that you may want to consider. I think our frame may be low profile as well, it’s difficult to store stuff under. I was worried that our little dog couldn’t jump in the bed if we went with normal height on those 2 things.
Sarah says
Wow, I wish we had a mattress store like that closer to where I live in PA. On another note, just wanted to let you know that Sue the Napkin is now at Crate and Barrel outlet stores… I saw her and the placemats there last night!
YoungHouseLove says
Too funny! We’ll have to keep an eye out!
xo,
s
Merideth says
Verlo Mattress Factory Stores are a competitor (read, same idea) of TOMF and they’re in some states where TOMF isn’t – check it out http://www.verlo.com/customerservice/storelocator.jsp.
Sophie says
Man, what I’d do for a Tempur-Pedic. I’m definitely in the 50% that like it category.
I hated shopping for mattresses but luckily found a full sized, super cushy Sealy pillow top floor model on sale for $299 and snatched it up immediately. I was glad to have the mattress shopping over with!
Abby @ a delightful design says
Burger is officially the cutest dog ev-ah! He seriously stole this whole post.
Love your room color and I’m so glad you decided to go gutsy with your new place!
abby
Carrie says
Burger is such a model.
Snickrsnack Katie says
SO glad that you didn’t buy a mattress from IKEA. I love IKEA for certain things, but mattresses are not their specialty and from what I have seen – they suck. And are overpriced. The one you got is a real steal and looks really comfy! Good work!!
Harinee says
Stupid question alert but this is the perfect place to ask since you are so nice about replying!
So what is a bed frame? Does it substitute for a regular bed or is that what the bed itself is called in the US? Also what is a boxspring? Sorry, you’re probably slapping your forehead at my dumbness but I’m not local so these terms are actually new to me. We just have a bed and a mattress.
YoungHouseLove says
A bed frame is the metal frame that the boxspring and mattress sit on. Here in the US, a boxspring is sort of like a foundation that holds the mattress up (raising it up and providing some support for it, while resting in the frame). So the order from the floor up is bed frame, boxspring, and mattress. Hope it helps!
xo,
s
diana says
Sorry to intervene, but I had the same question until going to the States. The idea is that in Europe we tend to have a bed (wood or woodlike visible frame), a system to lay the matress on it (lates or some sort of metal frame -with lates or springs- inside the wood one) and the matress. In US, and I think in UK sometimes, there can be only this metal frame, covered in the same fabric as the matress. IKEA is selling something and ikea is everywhere these days. People can use only bed frame, and purchase or make their headboard and bedskirt later, or different, or whatever. Oh, and the boxspring should be the actual matress.
Or this is how I understand it.
Harinee says
Thanks for the info, Sherry and Diana!
eric @ my first Garage says
Don’t get one that’s too comfortable, otherwise your guests won’t ever leave :)
Amanda says
This post is timed perfectly for my husband and I! We are about to move into our first home and want to purchase a new mattress- unfortunately the organic type is not in the budget, but so happy to hear about TOMF!
Allison says
My fiance and I purchased a Tempur-pedic mattress a few months ago (I worked for a furniture company at the time and got a great discount) and it definitely does feel hot. But it works out perfect for me because I’m usually freezing at night. So now I get to use just one blanket instead of three!
thecounselormom says
Love the summary on mattresses! We just bought a king last year but when we need a new guest room mattress, I will bookmark this page!! We did what every new couple does- registered for Queen bedding and then bought a King a few months after we were married and had to get alllll new bedding :)
Pam @ diy Design Fanatic says
Great information! I have an expensive memory foam mattress and love it tremendously! I find it difficult when we travel to sleep on anything else, BUT…If we were in the market to buy another bed, I wouldn’t spend the money on another memory foam mattress. Here’s why: Our old queen coil mattress is in our guest bedroom and I recently bought a dense gel foam mattress topper from Costco for $139. The topper makes the bed just as comfortable as the expensive and heavy memory foam mattress. I have to buy deep pocketed fitted sheets for our guest room, but it’s definitely worth it and saves a lot of money!
Catherine says
We are LONG time fans of TOMF. SO glad you discovered them, went to check them out and were pleased. I won’t buy mattresses anywhere else.
We recently moved to a house with a finished third floor space that would accommodate a king size bed. TOMF hooked us up, delivered the bed within a week, folded the darn thing in half (kings designed with a hinge so it can do that) and hauled it up two flights of stairs to our space. They are awesome.
And! When we told them about our sloped third floor ceilings, pointed us to “low profile” box springs that would keep the bed from being too high, maximize our headroom and were the same price and performance as their traditional box springs. TOMF rocks hard. We LOVE our new bed.
Liz says
I wish I’d known about TOMF when I was purchasing my new mattress last year! I also wish someone had explained to me that the whole process is pretty much like buying a used car. Despite my research, I didn’t quite grasp that all of the stores are selling the same mattresses under different names at different prices and that EVERYTHING is negotiable. Luckily, I happened to walk into one store with a business card and quoted price from another store and the salesman promptly knocked almost half off of the mattress I was looking at! Regardless, I would have much rather dealt with a more transparent company like TOMF. Next time!
Tanya from dans-le-townhouse.blogspot.com says
What a bargain! When hubby and I bought a mattress for our guestroom, we bought locally – its a simple mattress: nothing high tech, but we loved that it was made in our city. We bought a premade platform bed (no boxspring needed) from the same place and we had them paint it white (for free – yippy). The whole kit & caboodle was cheaper than an Ikea purchase. Yay. Always pays to shop around because sometimes we have preconceived notions (imbedded – get it? – in our brains by marketing, no doubt) about what places will be the cheapest/best value.
almk42 says
Yes! I was reading this post hoping you’d say you went for the Original Mattress Factory! We saw the consumer reports thing, too, and seriously, if other people want to sleep on them, they must be good, right? We were so disappointed that other mattress companies were no longer offering double sided mattresses, and didn’t trust the standard response of, “No, really, the mattress will last with only one side for 10 years!” Our last mattress was supposed to last 10 years, and it barely made it 5, so we left it on the curb in Boston before we moved. We’ve only had our OMF mattress for four months, but we love it!
StyckyWycket says
I actually spent a small fortune and did purchase the double-pillow-topper mattress for myself from TOMF, and I LOVE IT! That said, it has made me a very spoiled sleeper; and I have a very hard time sleeping anywhere else.
My parents have a Tempur-Pedic mattress, and while they love it, I hate it. They say it’s like sleeping in a cupped hand, and I think it’s like sleeping on a cutout slab of concrete. It’s awful.
(FWIW, Ron Trzcinski (founder of TOMF) is a Cleveland native and graduated from my boyfriend’s and brother’s alma-mater high school.)
tammy says
We *love* TOMF. All 3 of our kids mattresses are from there, and we plan on replacing ours this year, and that’s definitely where we’re headed. The first mattress we bought there was 7 years ago, and it’s handled lots of jumping on the bed and is still in great shape!
YoungHouseLove says
That’s awesome to hear! Not that we expect our guests to jump on the bed, but it might end up in a kids room someday…
xo,
s
Melissa @HOUSEography says
A coworker bought her mattress there not that long ago and really liked it. First I had heard about it – the prices are amazing! We bought our guest room mattress on Overstock for about the same price as what you paid. Super easy. We bought Elizabeth’s mattress on Craigslist (pre-bed bugs like you say). I need to get a trundle mattress for her room next. Here’s a post about our own adventures in mattress shopping!
http://houseography.blogspot.com/2011/01/gift-of-sleep-lessons-in-mattress.html
cheryl says
I particularly like how the ad at the bottom of this post is for Sleepy’s. Nice use of irony. :)
YoungHouseLove says
Haha, gotta love those randomly rotating Google ads. Haha.
xo,
s
Abby says
I bought my mattress from them about 5 years ago, and love, love, love it. Glad you guys found them. I think your guests will sleep well!
Paula says
I got the same mattress for my guest room last year – and so far all my guests say it is really comfortable. I even slept in there one night to see for myself – and I might actually trade with mine:) I also liked the fact that I could go to the store on Midlo and it was straightforward, no games, easy and you could see them making mattresses – which I thought was cool too!
Lauren says
The photo of Burger in this post is perfect.
Robin says
I’m on the mattress/bedroom chapter of ‘At Home’ by Bill Bryson. So glad we don’t have to sleep on straw, sawdust or springs that poke us in the night! So glad you put it on your side bar as a recommendation, I LOVE it so far!
YoungHouseLove says
Haha, John loved that chapter! Even read things out loud for me. I’m glad too!
xo,
s
Elizabeth says
Just requested that book from the local library…thanks for recommending it!
I LOVE A GOOD PUBLIC LIBRARY!