Decorative pillows do an excellent job of bringing depth and dimension to your bed. And, with so many decorative pillows to choose from, you can customize your bed to display any kind of style or expression you’d like to present. I remember the first time someone complimented me on my bedding display. It was one of the top 8 moments of my life. Hands down. It was so unexpected, though. I think that’s why it felt so great. My friend Chaz was coming by to pick up a gym bag he’d loaned me after I’d accidentally taken home someone else’s socks from the gym and had to throw mine out. I was on the couch when Chaz came in because I was dealing with some medical issues that I’m just not comfortable talking about. So, I told him to go and grab the bag from my bedroom. What I didn’t know, was that Chaz had his cousin Hillary with him and that Hillary is a really big fan of decorative pillows. She went into my bedroom and came right back out with her hand over her mouth and a “no you didn’t” look in her eyes. Then she went back in and kind of squealed with excitement. It was sort of weird at first because she wasn’t saying anything. I wasn’t sure what was going on and thought that maybe I’d left something embarrassing in my room. Turns out she was just really excited about the way I decorated my bed. She really liked the bolster pillows I had on display. Yep, that’s pillows with an “s” because I was feeling kind of bold and purchased two for my bed.

I think you’ll agree that it was an excellent decision on my part.

A bolster, which is often called a neck roll, is a long and typically tubular-shaped pillow or cushion. Bolsters come in a range of sizes, so it’s easy to find one to fit in with any ensemble. Also, you don’t have to limit your bolster use to the bedroom. You can bring a decorative accent to your sofa or chair with a bolster as well. Bolsters are also functional because they can be used to relieve strain while providing added support to your head, shoulders, and back. Bolsters are convenient for reading on the couch or in the bed, and they can also be used for lumbar support on a chair. Just a top notch decorative pillow, if you ask me. US-Mattress has a great selection of bolster pillows for you to choose from, so start shopping today, and bring added decoration and functionality to the beds in your home!

Sleep Well,

The Snooze Guru

Dear Snooze Guru,

-Karen form Ft. Worth, TX

Dear Karen,

Thank you for your letter. Mattress shopping can be a frustrating process. With all of the mattress technology and terminology, it can be difficult to decipher what’s an important feature and what’s not. Coil gauge refers to the thickness of the coils inside of a mattress. The higher the gauge, the thinner the coil. Generally very firm mattresses have a lower coil gauge than soft mattresses. Watch this video below from Jed, our resident mattress expert, to learn more about coil gauge and how it can affect your mattress.

Remember to head to US-Mattress.com to get the lowest prices on high quality brand name mattresses. You deserve great sleep at an affordable price. US-Mattress is here to make that happen!

Sleep Well,

The Snooze Guru

Dear Snooze Guru,

-John from Allentown, PA

Dear John,

Thank you for your letter. Cashmere is a smoothe, luxurious fabric, and I share your enthusiasm for its supreme softness. Cashmere is a type of wool that comes from, believe it or not, the cashmere goat. Most cashmere products come from China and Mongolia, which is where most of the Earth’s cashmere goats are found. Cashmere has fine, soft fibers that are very strong and can easily be spun to produce a luxurious natural fabric that is both insulating and silky. It’s also very durable, so your cashmere linens will last for years if taken care of properly. US-Mattress has a great selection of cashmere linens for your bedroom and living room. My favorite is the Sferra Dorsey Throw. It comes in a variety of colors, so I was able to find one for every bedroom in my home. I definitely suggest getting some for your home. And good luck at those parties, John. Watch out for those rugs.

Sleep Well,

The Snooze Guru

People ask me all the time, “Snooze Guru, you have access to so many innovative and supremely comfortable pillows. How can you possibly pick a favorite?” They usually ask me this after I’ve been raving about my all-time favorite pillow, the Serta iComfort Scrunch Pillow. Now, I’ve slept on a number of pillows throughout the years, and I like to think I know a little something about pillow construction, design, support, and comfort. After all, they don’t call me the Snooze Guru for nothing! They call me the Snooze Guru because, well, I know what it takes to get great sleep. And because I asked them to.

Your pillow plays a very important role in the quality of your sleep, and whether you’re a back, side, or stomach sleeper, the iComfort Scrunch pillow offers the comfort and support you need to get the best sleep possible. Using Serta’s iComfort technology, the Scrunch pillow features hundreds of Cool Action Gel Memory Foam cushions that cluster together to properly support your head, neck, and spine while adjusting to your sleeping position. Watch the video below to find out more about this fantastic pillow, and head to US-Mattress.com to get it at the best price you’ll find anywhere on the web.

Sleep Well,

The Snooze Guru

Okay, okay. Maybe the title of this post is a little dramatic. In actuality, nightstands are probably a sleeper’s third best friend. Maybe fourth. But who wants to read anything about anyone’s fourth best friend? Exactly. Now, before you continue reading, it’s important that you understand that I understand that a sleeper’s best friend is probably his or her mattress. The pillow probably comes in second, but after that, it’s open for interpretation. But know this, nightstands are pretty neat pieces of furniture that can fulfill a lot of your night time and morning needs.

Nightstands come in a variety of styles to suit any design preference or functionality. Many feature valuable storage space with drawers or shelves. Your nightstand is the perfect place to store items that you might need throughout the night or in the morning. You can keep your favorite book or magazine an arm’s length away. Put a lamp on top of your night stand, and you’ll never have to get out of bed to turn off a light after you’ve finished reading before bed. Additionally, you can keep items like tissues, medicine, eye glasses, or anything else that you might need in the middle of the night or first thing in the morning. It’s more than unpleasant to have to get out of bed in the middle of the night to get a tissue, or to get out of bed on a morning you’d planned on sleeping in just to take your morning medicine. Having a nightstand next to your bed can help you get the most out of your resting hours.

Aside from their functionality, nightstands can really help to fill out the décor of your bedroom. While the bed is the focal point of the room, accent furniture like nightstands brings a cohesive look to the ensemble because they can tie together elements from your other pieces of furniture. You could have a traditional looking sleigh bed and a contemporary looking dresser. If you take what you like about both pieces and try to find that in a nightstand, your room will look more thoughtfully planned.

If you’ve been thinking of purchasing your first nightstand, or you’d like to replace an old, outdated one, then head to US-Mattress.com for the best prices on great looking nightstands with quality that lasts. With nightstands available in a wide variety of styles, colors, finishes, and designs, you’re sure to find a nightstand you’ll love. But don’t stop at just one nightstand! Shop through our wide selection to find nightstands for your every room in your home. You, your children, and your guests will love experiencing the attractive convenience that a nightstand has to offer.

Sleep Well,

The Snooze Guru

This weekend marks the unofficial start of summer. The flowers are blooming, the leaves have once again returned to their homes high upon arching branches, and pretty soon it will be hot. Like, unbearably hot. Seriously, it’s been kind of a chilly spring, so you probably haven’t considered how hot the summer is. Think about it. Humidity will soar and your patience for sweaty nights will dwindle. Look, I’m just being a realist. Just pointing out the facts.

If you haven’t experienced the joy of linen during hot, sticky months, then this summer is the perfect time for you to rethink your bedding. Linen is the perfect fabric for hot, sweaty days and nights. It makes for excellent clothing, table linens, and bedding, so there’s room to enjoy linen in every area of your life.

Linen is made from the fibers of the flax plant, and it’s one of the oldest textiles known to man. It’s favored in hot parts of the world because of its durability and absorbency. It’s also a great conductor, taking heat away from your body to cool you down. Linen is also 2 to 3 times stronger than cotton, and it’s a smooth fiber so it doesn’t pill or produce lint. Linen is relatively easy to take care of, and it resists dirt and stains so your linen fabric stays looking new for longer.

Head to US-Mattress for great deals on linen bedding. While you might not have your eyes on summer’s heat yet, it’s never too early to plan so that you can ensure cool, restful nights all summer long.

Sleep Well,

The Snooze Guru

Looking for the Simmons Beautyrest Cottage Recharge Pillow Top mattress? Well, you’re in luck! At US-Mattress, we have the exact same mattress, only it has a different model name. Our Simmons Beautyrest Recharge Kenosha Place Plush Pillow Top is the exact same mattress – top to bottom, inside and out.

The Beautyrest Recharge Kenosha Place Plush Pillow Top has a ranking of 7 on the US-Mattress Comfort Scale. This means that it’s soft enough to contour to the curves of your body, yet firm enough to feel quite supportive. This mattress has a number of high quality comfort materials that are all CertiPUR-US certified, meaning that they meet or exceed the highest standards in bedding today. One impressive comfort material is Gel Touch, which combines high quality poly foam with the pressure relief and durability of gel to reduce your tossing and turning and add durability to the mattress. Another impressive material is AirCool Foam, which enhances body contouring and has an open-celled design to allow for airflow, helping to regulate your temperature throughout the night. The Kenosha Place Plush Pillow Top gives top notch support through the Beautyrest Super Pocketed Coil. This coil system excels in contouring to your body and providing deep down support. Also, this coil system is great for reducing motion transfer between couples, which is a great feature for light sleepers. This mattress also comes with Beautyrest’s Ventilated AirCool BeautyEdge Foam Encasement, which allows you to experience uniform comfort, no matter where you sleep on the mattress. The ventilated design helps air to flow through the mattress, which also helps in regulating your temperature while you sleep. The Kenosha Place Plush Pillow Top comes with a 20-year warranty, so you can count on getting great sleep with exceptional support for years to come.

Why does our mattress have a different name?

Manufacturers assign mattresses different names depending on where they’re sold. This helps to level the playing field for retailers, but it creates a challenge for shoppers trying to find the best deal. That’s why we’re here to help! We’re more than happy to help you match any mattress you’ve found in another store. Call us at 1-800-455-1052 and speak with one of our friendly mattress experts who can help you decipher the mattress name game.

Sleep Well,

The Snooze Guru

When you’re looking for the top of the line. When you’re looking for cutting edge. When you insist on sleeping on the most luxurious, supportive mattress you can find, point your eyes in the direction of Beautyrest Black. These top-of-the-line mattresses combine the legendary Beautyrest Recharge technology with today’s finest comfort materials to provide premium comfort and exceptional support. Every component in Beautyrest Black mattresses is designed with comfort and rejuvenation in mind, so you can be sure that your days will begin and end in supreme comfort.

Beautyrest Black mattresses feature the innovative, open celled AirCool Memory Foam that is more supportive and responds more quickly than traditional memory foam. You’ll never experience a sinking or quicksand feeling when you rest on AirCool Memory Foam. Beautyrest Black mattresses also feature the support of the Veriform Advanced Pocketed Coil. This triple wire braided coil provides lasting, deep down support and greatly reduces motion transfer, allowing you to sleep soundly, even next to a restless sleeper. Also, layers of premium comfort materials like EuroCool foam and Gel Touch work together to improve blood circulation and reduce pressure points, allowing you to sleep deeper without disruptive tossing and turning.

US-Mattress is proud to offer Beautyrest Black mattresses for those who refuse to accept anything but the best in comfort, support, and sleep technology. It’s time to get the best sleep of your life. It’s time for Beautyrest Black.

Sleep Well,

The Snooze Guru

Dear Snooze Guru,

-Roland, Sacramento, CA

Dear Roland,

Thank you for your letter. I know the frustration you must be feeling. I love getting new sheets too, and it’s such a bummer when they start to pill right away. Pilling is caused by fibers of the fabric breaking and tangling with each other, creating little balls on the surface of the fabric. These little balls don’t just make the fabric less comfortable, but they’re also unsightly (see picture above). The shorter a fiber is, the easier it can break and tangle. Many budget sheet sets are made with short fibers, and that’s why they tend to pill quickly. Nicer sheets that feature long staple cotton will not pill as readily as those with short fibers.

Even the finest fabrics can pill without the proper care. That’s why it’s very important that you closely follow the directions for handling and laundering your sheets. Washing your sheets with chlorine bleach or excessive fabric softener can weaken the fibers of the fabric, and drying them on high heat can cause them to break. We recommend washing your sheets on a gentle cycle with a gentle detergent, and the drying them on a low heat setting. Remove your sheets when they’re still slightly damp to reduce wrinkles. We also recommend that you avoid washing your sheets in large loads or with rough items like towels and clothes with zippers or buttons that can agitate the fabric.

Hopefully, these tips will help you keep your sheets feeling fresh and free of those pesky little balls. When it’s time for new bedding, head to US-Mattress.com for the best deals on high quality linens for every bed in your home.

Sleep Well,

The Snooze Guru

In the spring of 1997, I joined my friends from In Stitches, a local arts and crafts club, on a trip to South America. I had been with the group for some time by then, and I was really starting to come in to my own. My friends noted and applauded my progress regularly. “You know, your arts and crafts skills have just soared lately, Snoozy [my friends from In Stitches were always calling me "Snoozy" in those days]. Way to go, man. Way to go.” I was really feeling great about my skills, and the club was doing wonders for my self esteem, which, by the way, was at an all time low thanks to a certain Janet VanAnderton who had broken my heart just weeks before and her boyfriend, Andy, who was very intimidating and often made fun of my braces when he’d notice me gazing into Janet’s window at night.

Excitement was high, and we were carefree as we got off of the bus and stepped into the hot Patagonian sun. Kevin declared that he was going to catch a lizard that night. Karyn said she wanted to eat a coconut. Kathy thumbed her way through an encyclopedia, always eager to learn about local vegetation. I gazed into the distance and wondered aloud, “Say, what’s that furry animal? There, just below the horizon.” Jorge, our guide, pulled me aside and said, “That is my alpaca, Henry.” I didn’t know what an alpaca was, but I thought Henry was probably an odd name for one. Jorge called out to Henry with a swift “huuuaagghh” on his throat. As Henry approached, I told Jorge that he looked a little bit like my neighbor’s llama, David. “Yes,” Jorge said, “He gets that a lot.” “Wait, you mean you know my neighbors, Tom and Denise?” I asked, very surprised. “No,” said Jorge, “People say he looks like a llama.” “Oh,” I said, more than a little disappointed that he didn’t actually know Tom and Denise because that would have just been so neat.

Jorge told me that alpacas produce a warm, silky wool. He told me how it resembles sheep’s wool, but that it doesn’t have lanolin, so it’s hypoallergenic. He told me how he loved to harvest Henry’s wool and weave it into blankets and throws because alpaca wool is soft and warm like cashmere, but more durable and also lighter in weight. Last, he pulled out a blanket he had recently weaved. I marveled at the warm sheen and brilliant luster of the wool. I said to Jorge, “Why, this is beautiful! I didn’t know that you were a weaver. I have a lot of respect for you. Did you know that this group is an arts and crafts club? Do you think you could do a weaving demonstration? Everyone will love it!” As it turns out, Jorge was hired specially because of his weaving skills, which makes a lot of sense now that I think about it.

We stayed up late into the night, laughing and weaving the hours away. By the time we departed from Jorge the next day, all of our lives were forever changed. We gained an appreciation for alpaca wool that I’ll always carry deep in my heart. I still have the blanket that I made that night, alternating my gazes between the fabric in my hands and the billions of stars above that smiled approvingly upon us. If you would like to experience the luxury of alpaca wool, I recommend Sferra’s Bristol Throw Blanket. Its soft warmth reminds me of Patagonian mornings, and the beautiful colors remind me of Jorge’s sincere, caring eyes that looked back at us as he rode off into the distance to meet new travelers whose lives he would mark with his skill and gentle mastery.

Sleep Well,

The Snooze Guru