And this one’s just right
Question for Zeke Cox, owner of The Mattress Gallery: How do you select the perfect mattress?
Answer: First of all, test it the way you use it. You’d be surprised how many people just come in and flop down on their backs, says Cox. “If you’re a side sleeper, you need to test the bed on your side, and on your stomach if you’re a stomach sleeper.”
Think about a trial run. Custom Comfort and Tempur-Pedic are two companies that let you try the new hay in your own home. “If you’re experiencing shoulder pains you might need a less dense bed in order to release pressure,” says Cox. (For those of us who are not mattress connoisseurs, “less dense” just means softer.)
 Zeke Cox says to test out a mattress the way you really sleep, even if that means “on your stomach with your legs folded like a frog.” |
Some of us might still be under the impression a firmer bed makes for a better night’s sleep. But, Cox says, “no one’s back is shaped like a piece of plywood,” and so a more plush shape can actually help support the different curves of the body.
Expect a whole array of options. Spring, latex and Tempur-Pedic are three of the main types to choose from, and prices vary widely. If it’s a traditional spring mattress you’re after, expect a higher price tag on models with more material in padding and quilting.
Bottom line? Trust your own sensations. “The best bed in the store,” says Cox, “is the one that’s right for you.”—Suzanne van der Eijk
Field trip
Here’s a book with some serious local relevance. In Contemporary Country, renowned stylist Emily Chalmers has created a book that aims to seamlessly blend urban living with country style. Think rustic wood dining table with stainless steel chairs coming together to create a relaxed, calm, Western Zen look.
 |
Apart from some slightly patronizing suggestions about standing in fields listening to nature, her advice is sensible and aesthetic. The focus is as much on small details as on the bigger picture, so even if your home isn’t festooned with wooden beams and of barn-like proportions, the advice still applies.—Lily Robertson
See your vegetables
Local botanical artist Lara Call Gastinger is a subtle master of leaves, roots and delicate tendrils. As this watercolor, Swiss Chard, demonstrates, she’s also an adept channeler of the aching beauty found in plants that are decayed or otherwise less-than-picture-perfect. Lovely chaos: an apt description of—and adornment for—your average real person’s home.
 |
