It’s the focal point of any bedroom and where you’ll spend on average a third of your life (half if you’re a cat…) So, shouldn’t your bed be special? You can dress up what you have with beautiful bedding, doubling up the fun if you’re of the two-duvets school of thought, but when all is said and done it’s the bed frame and mattress that really count. Whether you’re into a sleek mid-century modern frame or a luxe platform bed with a puffy headboard, it’s important to get it right.
We’ve rounded up all the best Scandinavian bed and mattress brands, so you can get a stylish night’s sleep, as well as a sound one:
Rye Sleep
If the thought of your mobile even being inside your bedroom makes you shudder (the blue light! It will destroy my sleep cycle!) then Rye might just be your soulmate. These modern beds look like silence, as if the design has been imbued with the serenity found surrounding the factory’s location in the Danish Lake Highlands.
The prize-winning Alken bed, designed by Oliver & Lukas WeissKrogh, is made from the inner core of solid oak planks from trees that were sown after the Danes were defeated by the British in 1807. They were intended for use in the reestablishment of the Danish navy. Although oak never regained use as ship timber, it lives on through these beds.
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Hästens beds
A Swedish manufacturer established in 1852. Today, they specialize in continental beds and high-quality bed linens, manufactured by hand using natural materials like cotton, horsehair, wool, and flax.
This is the brand to pick if you wish to sleep like royalty, as the six-generation company has a history that spans roots as master saddlers to Hästens appointment as Royal Purveyors.
More of a Republican? Then sleep like rap royalty: Famously, Drake’s bed is a Hästens as spotted in Architectural Digest’s cover story for May 2020. The bed in question is a Grand Vividus, designed in collaboration with Ferris Rafauli. Drake opted for an oatmeal color, but it’s also available with Hästens’ iconic blue and white checked mattress; as much of a home decor choice as it is a sleep-based one!
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ReFramed Beds
Founded by Kasper Simonsen and art directed by Tim Rundle, ReFramed beds are the perfect match between form and function, with a minimalist Scandinavian style. Made in Denmark, with 82% recycled aluminium, ReFramed’s approach is as sustainable as possible. The bed frames are flat-packed, come with or without slats, and come in a range of colors.
It’s also possible to add side tables to the frame; it’s simple, sleek design that’s meant to be “the last bed frame you’ll own.” If you love Scandinavian decor and want your bed you match the rest of your space, ReFramed has what you need.
Dux beds
DUX is more than just a bed. It’s a lifestyle. It’s a religion. It’s the culmination of 90 years of research and innovation.
Now for the science bit: Researchers at The Karolinska Institute – the prestigious medical university that awards the Nobel Prize in Physiology and Medicine – performed a study investigating the effect different types of mattresses had on the body and sleep quality. Their results showed that those who slept on a DUX bed not only fall asleep faster, but remained in deep sleep longer – approximately one hour more each night.
In conclusion, if there was a Nobel Prize for sleep, DUX would win it.
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Carpe Diem beds
Founded by a Swedish chiropractor and inspired by the beauty and serenity of the Swedish West Coast, Carpe Diem creates beds that will transform your bedroom and sleep – and hopefully crack your back too… Each bad is made by hand using the finest materials like Nordic pinewood and fabrics from Designers Guild and Romo Group.
The beds also feature the brand’s five unique patents. Top secret! Innovative design! Special back-fixing technology! We’re not sure, but we trust it.
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Wonderland beds
Norwegian brand Wonderland produces locally, in Åndalsnes on the west coast of Norway, and chooses materials and production methods that reduce their environmental footprint. Their aim is to understand “the human need for sleep and what the body needs to recover” without causing harm to the environment, so you’ll be sleeping easy for two reasons!
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Jensen beds
If you’re not a sleep puritan and use your bed for things like watching TV, working, or eating cake (there’s no shame) then Jensen has you covered. They argue that “it’s not just a bed. It’s a playground, a workspace, your favorite place. The bed is the heart of the house.” That’s why they spent 70 years perfecting their design, so you can get crumbs on your sheets in total comfort. Made in Norway since 1947, the beds represent the very best of Scandinavian design: nature-inspired materials and textiles combined with timeless shapes for form and function.
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Auping Beds
Technically Dutch, but Auping makes minimal, beautiful beds worthy of this list and your bedroom. They’re an official cradle-to-cradle manufacturer – the first bed brand in the world to have the title. The term refers to a biomimetic approach to design that mimics nature’s processes, where materials are viewed as nutrients circulating in healthy, safe metabolisms. Basically, they’re products made inline with a circular economy, which means these beds are good for you and the rest of the world.
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IKEA Beds
The leaders in democratic design, IKEA beds are some of the most affordable for their high quality. They’re an excellent choice for a first-time purchase, or a just-turned-up-in-Scandinavia-but-my-stuff-is-still-in-the-UK purchase – we can attest to the latter. There’s a wide range of Scandinavian bed frames and mattresses that start from just 300kr. Doesn’t everyone deserve a good night’s sleep?
Whether you’re interested in a storage bed, day bed, futon, single bed, queen bed, or king bed…IKEA really does have every option available.
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What is a continental bed?
A continental bed, or kontinentalseng, is a Scandinavian sleep system designed to provide optimal support and comfort. Plainly speaking, it’s a bed made up of three layers: a box spring bottom, a spring mattress layer, and a top mattress. The more you know!
Looking to outfit that new bed and mattress? Get the best Scandinavian bedding, including Marimekko bedding, and the best pillows for a great night of sleep. If you’re not sure how Scandinavians usually organise their bedclothes, you’ll want to learn more about the two-duvet system!
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