An EPIC Gift for My Mummu | Nora Mattress Review

I am really, really excited to share today's post!  I know that this time of year you're inundated with gift guides and sponsored posts so you probably tune out a ton of them - but this one makes me SO happy!!!

I've nudged readers toward some practical gifts and that's from the heart because I had been saving up to purchase something big - and practical - for my Mummu.  My Mom, Mummu, and I had been playing Scrabble one night in the fall and our games always take so long because we talk and talk and talk.  Mummu casually mentioned that her decades old mattress had been really causing her some sleepless nights as well as aches and pains.  I'm not sure exactly how old that mattress is, but it's way older than me and that's old enough, so after that conversation I decided that I would surprise her with a new mattress.  After getting a foam mattress ourselves, I was thinking about getting her a foam mattress too because I thought it would be a crazy good surprise to have it shipped to her door!  The only problem was I wasn't sure if she would find ours soft enough, so I was going to do some comparison shopping online before committing. 

In a funny coincidence, Wayfair, a longtime collaborator, reached out to me about reviewing the Nora mattress!  I promptly ordered a double mattress for Mummu but I couldn't even wait for the package-on-the-doorstep surprise idea (I never could keep a secret) and immediately phoned her to spill the beans.

Her new Nora mattress arrived and my Mummu is SO thrilled!  Granted, her old mattress was terrible to sleep on so it probably isn't a fair comparison, but she is seriously smiling ear to ear.

We both tested it out and it's really cushy.  It's firm and offers great support, but you definitely sink into it a little, which feels amazing. 

The one thing Mummu noticed right away is that it's cool to the touch, thanks to a 3" thermo-regulating layer of gel-infused cooling foam.  There's also a 2" gel-infused memory foam (which gives it that cushy feel), plus two 3.5" layers of high density support foam (which keeps it from getting too cushy).  It really does feel quite different from our mattress, especially the cooling sensation and that memory foam - even the mattress cover is unique, crafted from a material derived from jade (!) which enhances the cooling effect.

I think my Mummu will enjoy the cooling properties because, being Finnish, she never seems cold.  Sure, she'll put on a cardigan but all summer long she keeps her house cool as an icebox and I have never, ever seen her don a hat in the winter - even if the rest of us are in toques and snow pants.  I wish I had inherited that gene because I am always cold.    

The Nora mattress is a really competitive price too.  The queen is $749 and the king is $949, but I've seen great sales, so watch for those.  There are nearly 500 reviews on Wayfair and the rating is almost 5 stars and because of that amazing return policy, it's a pretty safe bet!

There are a few small drawbacks though, which are worth mentioning.

1. For some reason, even though the mattress was allowed to relax for the 12 hours it requires after unrolling it (and then another 24 hours before I snapped the final photos) the mattress cover seems too large and that creates a sort of wrinkled effect.  But really, it's going to be covered with sheets anyway but I wanted to point it out, because it gives the illusion of the mattress not having expanded enough in the photos.

2. Like our foam mattress, the edges collapse when you sit on the edge of the bed.  The same thing happens with our mattress, but I honestly don't notice it anymore.  Even though this doesn't bother her, I did caution my Mummu to be careful when she sits on the edge of the bed.  If you're buying this for someone who isn't very mobile, or prone to falls, it might not be the right choice.

3. I didn't realize until we were ready to unroll it in a dramatic unveiling that the company doesn't recommend a typical boxspring for underneath, because it can cause the mattress to sag.  Oops!  That was definitely an oversight on my part.  Hubby and I will have to hack her bed to create a base that's suitable but that's okay - and it makes total sense, so that's not even a drawback, just a head's up.

Edited (Jan 14th, 2018): Yay! More testing has determined that you can use the Nora with any foundation or base.  I love that the company was so thorough and made sure this was possible.

Those are really my only concerns and they're so minor.  Otherwise we loved the convenience of having it shipped to the house - what a fun way to surprise someone, right?! (if you don't already spill the beans) - and it was a snap to unroll.  Once it puffed up, it was ready to sleep on and I didn't notice any off-gassing like with other brands, which was really nice.  I would have felt really terrible if the mattress had smelled bizarre, even if it was only for a few days.  Unlike ours, this mattress feels more plush and you sink into it more, without giving up support, so if you like a softer mattress that hugs you, this one might be a great fit.  And if you are someone who gets sweaty at night - or you sleep beside someone who does - the incredible cooling properties of the memory foam might be perfect for you.

After getting our foam mattress, I really thought all of these roll-up-and-ship mattresses would be the same but this one feels so different.  If you've been considering one, it will definitely help to comb through some reviews and find the one with features that suit your needs.

I was provided this Nora mattress through Wayfair but all words, thoughts, and opinions are my own.  A HUGE thanks to my friends at Wayfair for letting me give my Mummu this amazing gift, especially at this time of year.  She is such an important person in my life and my connection to my Finnish roots, so I cherish the time we spend together.  Once a year , I sleep over and we have a gals weekend but I always sleep on a pullout sofa (that's also older than me), so I think that might be the next thing I'll need to replace...

The Leesa Mattress: is a Mattress in a Box Really Comfortable?

Disclosure: Leesa® provided a king mattress as compensation for writing this post. However, all thoughts and opinions stated here are my own.

After finishing our DIY walnut plywood bed, Hubby and I started to casually shop for a mattress.  We bought our mattress 10 years ago and after hauling it back and forth across the province, it was starting to show its age.  Actually, I started to show my age, waking up each morning trying to figure out if it was my bones or the mattress that was groaning and creaking so loudly.



When Leesa® Canada reached out to me to review one of their premium foam mattresses, I was thrilled - if a little reticent.  I had seen the advertisements on TV, read the glowing customer feedback, and even poured over the positive reviews on other blogs, but I was still a little nervous about how comfortable a foam mattress could be because our guest bed has a solid foam mattress that I find very firm and somewhat uncomfortable (but it was made in Ottawa and I always liked supporting local).  I was worried this would feel like that one does: unforgiving, unyielding, super firm and clunky.

But I was too curious to turn down the offer!

We arrived home late one night to find the Leesa® mattress waiting for us in the car port.  We lugged it inside and couldn't believe that a comfortable, king-sized mattress was hiding inside.  The next morning, following the instructions, we opened up the box, placed the rolled up mattress on our box springs, and watched it unfurl.  In minutes, it was already puffed up.  An hour later, everything was looking much more taut and firm.  The progression happened SO quickly, I could barely capture it on camera:

BOOM - a mattress!

The process was accompanied by a very loud hissing noise and, as explained, it did off-gas for a little while, but the smell went away within a few hours.  Then we were just left with a lovely new mattress:

I was still skeptical.

We waited until evening to test it out and, surprisingly, it's really comfortable.  Unlike the solid foam mattress in our guest room, this mattress feels like it molds to the contours of my body, cradling every inch - without being too soft.  I have struggled, off and on, with back pain and I'm really sensitive to mattresses but this one feels really good.  How do I describe this?  Like my bones kind of sink into the mattress, but still feel supported. 

Honestly, it's difficult to describe because after the hundreds of mattresses I have slept on over the years, in hotels and the homes of friends and family, this feels unlike any other.  It just feels really good.

Inside the mattress is a different composition than what I was expecting.  The top layer is a 2" cooling foam, the middle is a 2" memory foam, and the bottom layer is a 6" dense core support foam, which results in a mattress that feels like it's custom designed.  It's really hard to believe this was all crammed into that small box!

 

My fears were all unfounded because I am really impressed.  Hubby and I both find it really comfortable and I no longer wake up with aches and pains that I think the slumps and dips in our poor old mattress were causing.  The only weird thing is that even though it's now firmed up, I still can't really sit on the edge of the bed because it just collapses under me, which is an adjustment but not a deal breaker.  

If you've been hearing about the Leesa® mattress to and find yourself wondering if it might be a good purchase, know that it comes with the guarantee of a 100 night risk-free trial and free shipping.  Mattresses are a big purchase and this mattress is no exception (the king rings in at $1290CAD, which isn't peanuts), so I like that you can have some time to make sure it's the right fit.  Judging by the overwhelmingly positive feedback from both bloggers who received this mattress for free or were compensation to review it - and customers who parted with cold hard cash to buy it, I think this mattress is a solid buy. 

I plan to provide an updated review when I've had a chance to test this mattress beyond the 100 day return policy and I'll share my thoughts then.

In the mean time, has anyone taken the plunge and ordered a mattress online?  This technology just boggles my mind.  If you've been wanting to try out the Leesa®, there's a promo code for readers to get get $100CAD off the price: lakehouse.   

I was provided the Leesa® mattress for review, but was not asked or encouraged to provide a positive review.  I think the unsolicited, positive feedback speaks volumes.  Plus the company donates a mattress to a shelter for every 10 that are sold. Plus they're made in America!    

Add to Anti-Banner

Read more »

DIY Walnut Plywood Bed Frame with Welded Legs

Our bedroom recently got a major upgrade, thanks to this gorgeous, DIY walnut bed frame with welded legs:

Here's what our bed looked like before:

For warranty purposes, we had to keep our mattress and box springs on an ugly, utilitarian metal bed frame and this bed skirt was the best way to hide it.  I liked the look, but Szuka got into this habit of snuggling up against it, which created a permanent dent where she pressed on the fabric.  I was also worried that our bedroom was going to smell like a dog's butt, so I started washing the bed skirt more, and of course it shrank, so I cut it and pinned it in place to fake the length but then the safety pins would open up and slide around. 

I was 100% done with this bed skirt and the warranty on our mattress had long expired anyway, so I started sketching plans for a modern bed frame.  I envisioned walnut plywood (to tie in the bedside boxes we made, as well as the walnut throughout the house, like our DIY walnut desk and floating walnut bathroom vanity).  I decided that welded metal legs, in the same size square metal tubing as the frame of our headboard, would make the headboard, bed frame and nightstands look really cohesive. 

It was a surprisingly easy project - it's basically a walnut veneered plywood box with some metal legs that Handy Hubby welded in an afternoon!  Here's how we made it, and what supplies we used.

Supplies:

• 4.5" Angle Grinder
• Grinding Disk 
• Flapper Disk 
• Cutting Disk
• Square Metal Tubing (we used 1.5")
• Welding Magnets
• Stell Drill Bit 
• Flux Core Wire Feed Welder
• Rust-Oleum Spray Paint Flat Black
• Walnut Veneer Plywood (we used 3/4")
• Walnut Edge Band
• Edge Band Trimmer
• Old Iron
• Danish Oil
• Wood Glue
• Air Nailer + Nails

As always, we began with a sketch of our design and made a materials list and cut list.  We measured the exact size of our box springs when they're pushed together and, allowing for the thickness of the material and a teeny tiny extra allowance so we can easily slip the box springs into (and out of) the frame, cut the plywood pieces to fit the box springs exactly.  The legs were designed so that they run the width of the bed, so those cuts corresponded to the plywood box we built.  The height was chosen so that the overall height of the bed would still be a comfortable reach to the nightstand.  If you make a plywood frame for your bed, the measurements will be different, which is why I'm not including our cut list.

How to Make Welded Furniture Legs:



We needed six pieces the width of the bed and six pieces for uprights.  Local metal places sold the square metal tubing by the foot, but we asked them to cut lengths that could fit in our truck and made the rest of the cuts at home.  Hubby marked off the lengths we needed and used a 4.5" angle grinder to cut the pieces at 45 degree angles, one at a time. 




For each of the three legs, we needed two lengths the width of the bed and two lengths the height we wanted the bed frame.  My idea was that the elongated rectangle shape would mimic the design of the headboard, while offering a nice stable support for the bed. 

After the pieces were cut, Hubby worked on each of the three legs individually, assembling them and holding each rectangular leg together with welding magnets, checking that they're square, and tack welding them together with our wire feed welder.

Then he welded the four pieces together to make the rectangular legs I designed.  He used the same 4.5" angle grinder, this time with a grinding disk, to clean up the welded area to make it less rough.  He then used a flapper disk on the grinder to smooth out the welded joints even more and prepare them for painting.

Below you can see the cut pieces vs. one finished leg:

No photographed: we attached the legs to the walnut box using screws, so we had to pre-drill holes through the legs.  Using a step drill, Hubby drilled out holes in both walls of the upper bar of the leg (the square metal tubing is hollow inside).  The hole next to the bottom of the bed frame is where the screw gets tightened.  There is a larger hole drilled on the other wall of the same tube to allow a screwdriver in to tighten the screw.

Once the welded legs were complete, we brought them to Hubby's Dad's workshop - with its glorious spray painting booth - so I could paint them the same matte black we used to paint the headboard and side tables.  Spraying on the paint ensured a nice, smooth finish.

How to Build a Plywood Bed Frame

With the legs done, we tackled the plywood box - with one small mistake!  After sketching the design and making our cut list, we headed to a local supplier to buy the materials.  We originally planned to use inexpensive plywood and apply walnut veneer to only the sides but we were talked out of applying veneer.  We decided to go with walnut veneered plywood instead, but we had to race to another place with minutes to spare before they closed and we mistakenly bought walnut veneered ply for the whole project, adding to the cost.  We forgot that we wanted to use inexpensive ply on the bottom, which you can't see anyway. 

Other than making that one costly error, building the box that our box springs now sit in was simple.

We took our walnut ply out to Hubby's Dad's shop and cut out the pieces on his table saw.  Hubby and his Dad cut two pieces for the bottom and four pieces for the sides.  Easy peasy - although handling the sheets was often a two-person job.

We assembled the bed frame in the room, because it's so large.  After laying down a protective sheet of plastic, we started with the bottom.  Because we have a king-sized bed, the bottom of our bed frame is comprised of two pieces of plywood glued together.  We placed them on the floor, with the bottom facing up, and applied glue to the edges of the plywood, sticking them together.  Then we glued and nailed some cross pieces in for added support:

The completed legs were then fixed in place with wood screws through the pre-drilled holes I mentioned earlier (I think this was Szuka's protest against the new bed):

Then we flipped the bed right side up (wow, is it heavy!) and the side pieces were glued and air nailed into place.  We left everything alone overnight for the glue to dry.

With the bed constructed, we finished the exposed edges with walnut edge banding to create the illusion of solid walnut.  This post has great tips for applying pre-glued edge banding (it's really easy).

After that, all that was left to do was give the bed a few coats of Danish Oil and wait patiently for it to cure so we could move our mattress and box spring back into place.  You can see we evenly spaced the legs, and they're inset from the ends so that the leg by our feet is not flush with the end of the bed.  We did this so that when we walk around the bed, we won't stub our toes on the metal. 

And, voila!  A beautiful new bed frame in walnut, with welded legs to match our headboard:

We've been using the new bed for about a month and I LOVE it!  It's so much easier to clean under the bed, plus there's no longer a bedskirt kicking around, picking up dust and doggy butt prints.  I was worried that replacing a light bed skirt with a darker wood bed frame would make the room feel darker/heavier/smaller but it's had the opposite effect: the room feels larger and airier.  Happily, Szuka doesn't seem troubled by the change after all, because she still lies beside the bed some nights even though she can't really lean against anything.

You might have noticed that I finally decided on a new duvet cover and shams (after using the other pin-tucked set for over five years).   I actually short-listed quite a few, including the Belgian Flax Linen set in Teal, the Cotton Cashmere in Heather Gray, the Ripple Texture in Stone White, the Organic Cotton Braided Matelasse in Stone White, the Organic Cotton Smocked Pleated in White, and the Organic Cotton Shadow Diamond Matellase in Stone White.  I contemplated so many different colors and patterns, but ultimately I decided that I really like white bedding.  It helps make the bedroom seem larger and also helps to create a calming atmosphere.  Because I tend to forget the bedding in the dryer on laundry day, I also love a duvet cover with some texture to hide any wrinkles - that's my housekeeping hack for the week!

I spent weeks shopping, but eventually I chose the Organic Cotton Brighton Matelasse in Stone White with matching Euro shams, from West Elm (it also comes in Platinum, a soft grey, and Slate, a rich charcoal hue).  I liked how long our last West Elm duvet cover lasted, plus I had purchased the Euro pillow inserts from West Elm so I knew that most of their duvet covers would have that particular size of shame as an option.  I am totally smitten with the texture of this duvet cover, which has a really beautiful, organic quality to it.

To keep warm on blustery winter nights, I also splurged on a king-sized blanket (finally).  Hubby and I both kept going back to the Pendleton Eco-Wise Wool Blanket in Shale, which is the perfect grey/blue hue and a timeless design (it's available in Queen and Twin sizes as well).  This blanket adds a really breathable layer of warmth and on those frigid nights when we need it, neither of us has woken up overheated or feel suffocated, despite the substantial weight of the wool.  Plus it's made in the USA!

Just to shake things up a tiny bit more, I added a bright blue Hungarian embroidered pillow from my Grandparents - which pulls out that same cobalt blue from my mid-century posters.  I pull all of my bedroom decor colors - teal, green, blue, brown, and grey - from the mid-century posters hanging above the dresser, and that helps the room feel cohesive.  The fashion theme has also inspired my love of textures over patterns, and I really enjoy how the matelasse, tweed, silk, and wool add interest to the room.

Starting the year with new bedding and a new bed feels amazing - now I just need to save up some cash to replace our 10 year old duvet and mattress...

Get a Similar Look:

Read more »

A Modern Ball Clock for the Bedroom

Hubby and I have been sleeping in the dining room, while we finish up the walnut bed we've been working on.  We just need to sand and oil the wood and once it cures, we can sleep in the bedroom again!  Truth be told, I kind of like camping in the dining room because we wake up to the lake view - and all of the neighbors spying on us with telescopes, surely wondering what the heck we're up to now.  While I had the opportunity, I gave the bedroom a deep clean and tweaked a few things.  I still love the changes we made last year: the green tweed curtains, the new mid-century poster art and mid-century inspired dressers - and those gorgeous sliding closet doors!  

Since then, I've barely made any changes because I just love the look we created so much - but sometimes a little tweak, here or there, helps keep a room feels fresh and interesting.  It seems so insignificant, but I changed up my accessories - which feels like a big deal to me, because I've pretty much kept the vase and bowl situation since we first moved in:  

I'm still on the hunt for a third West Germany Pottery vase (I'm picky about the right scale - and price) but I was sent this George Nelson inspired Ball Clock and I knew the bedroom would be the perfect spot.  If I've been bundled up reading at night, I can check the time without reaching for my phone - and ultimately getting sucked into Pinterest for two hours.  After eschewing watches and clocks for so many years (who needs one when my phone is glued to my hand?), I'm going old school and adding clocks to every room! 

I'm so thrilled with this new addition, it looks like it was made for the room, doesn't it?  It complements my mid-century Hungarian fashion posters so beautifully because the beech wood balls are the perfect colors!  The quality is really gorgeous too. 

The clock was sent to me from Regency Shop, an online retailer that sells gorgeous mid-century modern inspired decor pieces.  They sell other classics like this sleek Barcelona-inspired chair, this gorgeous chesterfield sofa (it needs a home in a gorgeous home library), and this mod Arne Jacobsen Egg chair.  Plus Regency Shop rejects manufacturers that use child labor, which I appreciate as a consumer.

Sometimes I'm slow to change something in my home because I love everything I have, so I need to find a new home for something before I replace it (which is why I was so thrilled to find a new home for my Marimekko pillows in the guesthouse!).  But switching up my accessories a little opened the floodgates and I'm feeling open to more changes...   

If I can find a spot for my DIY embroidered throw pillow, I'd like to swap in this blue Hungarian embroidered pillow I inherited - throw pillows are in my heritage!  This shade of blue only pops up in the bedroom art, so this is the only room it really suits. 

I love a small house because small changes feel like a much grander refresh, but on the other hand sometimes I just run out of room for the things I love.  I love slow design for this reason: I like taking the time to make a room feel perfect.  I won't tease you with any more mini-updates - the next time you see my bedroom, I'll be showing off my brand new bed, which is a pretty major change for us!

This post was sponsored by Regency Shop but all words and opinions are my own.   

Read more »