You have heard the commercials or have seen a select comfort store at the mall. Nearly all of the major bedding manufacturers over the years have experimented with air beds but select comfort is the only one that has been able to prosper with selling a air bed. The positive to an air bed is that it allows the user to adjust the softness or firmness at the push of a button.
The downside has been issues of moisture condensation and moisture buildup in the air bladder. The moisture buildup could lead to mold issues. Most mattresses allow more air flow than a select comfort mattress but with the select comfort mattress has an air bladder that that does not let air flow as much as a traditional mattress.
The reason I believe Select Comfort has been able to stay in business is that they control their message by having their own stores that do not sell competitors mattresses therefore your sales associate is could be biased as to what is the best mattress for the customer.
Here are some comments from Select Comfort users:

I have had 2 back surgeries and we have a Queen Select Comfort. I will wake up at all different times in the night with really bad back pain. I check the remote only to find that the bed is at 100. Well, I made sure it was set at 75. So I reset the bed and 5 minutes later, it’s back to 100 and then, there are nights I get into bed only to find it at 45 or lower. This bed is 4 years old and is on its 2nd pump, bladder and remote which they replaced with a single remote so if the bed gains or loses air in the night one of us either has to wake the other one to ask for the remote or get out of bed to get the remote. We had no choice when getting this mattress. It was the only one Tiffin puts in their motor homes and we live in ours. I will be replacing the Select Comfort with true latex mattress.

After purchasing a queen sized Sleep Number bed, black mold started growing inside of the bed. Company sent a cheaper replacement cover, air chamber and pad. The support sucks. It’s like sleeping on a teeter-tooter. It does not hold air properly. I bought the bed because the representative said the it was allergy and dust mites resistant. He didn’t say anything about black mold. I would like to punch Lindsey *** square in the mouth for lying to her loyal fans. Please don’t buy one!

Amy of Ramseur, NC

My husband and I bought our Sleep Number Bed in 2008 and we absolutely hate it! I was a pedestrian hit by a car several years ago and have chronic pain and many back problems as a result. The advertisements for this bed state that 95% of people woke up with less back pain and that is a load of boloney! I wake up every day with more pain than I went to sleep with, especially if I sleep on my back! We have tried everything with this bed and adjusted it to every level possible to try and find something that works with no success! The bed even has a massive “cavern” between the chambers from the “side rails” of the bed (they are nothing but cheap foam!) have completely lost their shape and no longer hold the chambers in place, so they slide apart!

This was the worst $3500 we have ever spent! I wish we had purchased a TempurPedic! Especially since I tried to use my 20 year warranty to get it fixed and I have to pay 20% plus 4% additional for each year over 2 years since date of purchase! What a rip off! They should not advertise a 20 year warranty, when really it’s only a 2 year warranty plus 18 years at a reduced cost! Unbelievable! I never would have purchased this awful, awful bed had I known this was not a true warranty! I will now tell anyone who asks to never waste your money on a glorified air mattress that is the Sleep Number Bed! I could’ve saved myself $3400 and just purchased 2 twin air mattresses and would have had more comfort than is provided by this awful bed! If I could rate it with negative stars, I would give it a minus 5 stars!

Lori of West Allis, WI

We purchased a “top of the line” King Size SC bed and paid well over $4000, wireless control, plush pad, two pillows too from Houston, TX! We have “Black Mold” all over the foam as well as the air chambers. The foam is split and falling apart into crumbs! I wake up sleeping on the foam side of the bed because my side looses air and that is all I have to hold on too. We, like so many others have allergies and I had my husband take the new carpet out of our bedroom thinking it was the cause of our allergies. Looking online to find a solution, I read these reviews and opened up our bed and found the black mold! When I opened it, the stupid zipper also broke, Darn It! My arms started going numb and I do not get a good night’s sleep anymore! Do not purchase, the warranty is not worth the paper it is written on! Select Comfort Corp., shame on you for bad consumer practice, you are making people sick from the mold and grouchy from no sleep! Count me in for the courtroom!

R. of Diboll, TX

I have had various back operations. The Select Comfort sales staff said this was the bed for me. After getting a pain pump put in to put medicine on the fused discs, I called them and said that there was something in the middle of the bed that was killing my back. I was always rolling to the middle. They responded that I have to purchase a $150.00 mattress thing for the middle. After spending 3000 dollars for a bed that I cannot sleep on, I have to pay more?

There are quite a few hidden costs to make this bed sleepable. I have had to sleep on the couch and get another mattress in our room. This bed was the biggest rip off and the only help that I could get was to make another purchase thru the mail. My dogs do not like sleeping on this. I also had to get my pain pump replaced because of a crink in the pain line. This was a 1 in a million thing but I would be willing to bet I am one of the few who have one of these beds. I still go for trigger point injections, massage therapy and my back got worse. I could go on and on but this was the worst thing in the world for my back and made the pain worse. Thank you to the drunk driver who hit me and thank you Select Comfort for the backache and payments that I have to make every month on a bed that is a useless piece of **!

Carol of Aliquippa, PA

We have had our Select Comfort bed for over 10 years. I recently looked inside to see if I could fix the “rolling to the middle” problem. But what I discovered was more disturbing than the initial issue. When I peeled back the black foam, the air chambers and the back of the foam had black mold on them. I looked online only to find the web teeming with complaints about mold in Select Comfort beds. I called the company and they told me not to worry because it was only “common household mildew”. I told the woman that did little to assuage my concern, as I’ve been struggling with chronic sinusitis for four and a half months and was on my 4th course of antibiotics. They said they would send a new foam pad and new air chambers “at no cost”. But we had to leave the mold on the air chambers as is so we could send them back.

Barbara of Minnetonka, MN

I’ve had multiple problems since I purchased the bed about three years ago. First, the pump failed, and I had to test it for days; the replacement failed and they finally sent a reliable one. The remote control became so weak, the numbers disappeared, and I had to pay $60 to replace it. The new one is not designed any better: the display is weak, but when you tilt and rotate it at an odd angle, you can see the numbers. The dual air mattress sags in the middle, so it’s uncomfortable for two people. The bed frame is cheap and ugly, and has to be covered with a dust ruffle to hide it.

I’m sleeping on an overpriced, uncomfortable bed. It is made up of parts that are of poor quality, and the bed is not any better or more comfortable than an inexpensive air mattress you can buy in a camping store. The warranty varies by part and time owned, but you pay a lot to replace parts. I would never buy this bed again, and do not believe this company is advertising in an ethical manner.

Linda of Seattle, WA

I just purchased a Sleep Number Queen Memory Foam bed from QVC. Both mattresses keep losing air. Since it’s happening to both sides, most likely it is the pump. I called Select Comfort and spoke with their customer service department and they want us to do some testing before they replace any parts.

I did not invest this much money in a bed and expect to put my time into fixing any problems. They informed me it would cost $175.00 for a technician to come out and look at the problem. I sure wish I would have read reviews about this company before making the purchase. I will be shipping the bed back to QVC before anymore problems occur.

Donna of Indianapolis, IN

The large expense of returning the bed was not presented by the salesperson. The proper information on how to return it yourself is not clear and readily available. You feel forced to spend the additional $199 to the $169 you already spent having it delivered. I had to do the work, disassembling it to make way for the good bed. We needed to end our 10 nights of miserable sleep on this hyped up, overpriced air bed with sparse foam and plastic supports.

Paul of Bay Shore, NY

After numerous attempts to correct the poor quality of this product, I finally threw my bed in the garbage and had to purchase a new mattress. Each time I reached out for assistance, I was told I had to purchase this or that. I have replaced several parts but the bed continued to leak. I read a review that the bed was filled up to 100 and down to zero in no time. I experienced the same issue. I woke up several times every night to replace the air in the bed. I have been trying to get to the bottom of this and have been dealing with it for three years.

Several times, I have replaced O-rings and the plastic clips that attach the hoses from the machine to the bed, which I paid for. It is virtually impossible to locate the leak. The next step was to purchase a new pump, which I was quoted $450 and/or the mattress itself, which apparently is around $100 or more. It cost me less money to purchase a new mattress than to continue to replace each part until it was corrected. It is ridiculous to put this type of financial burden on people who feel they are making an investment that will last 20 years or more and have to constantly replace parts in order to get a good night’s sleep.

This product is very expensive and I could have purchased a much better product with the money that was spent. The 20-year warranty is a joke and I see that many customers have reported the same problems and poor response from the company. The company does not stand behind its product and charges a substantial price for the product, only to have to replace several parts within a few years. A complete waste of money and it’s completely obvious that I am not alone. I am furious about having to purchase a new bed and have finally given up due to major back and neck problems, as a result of sleeping on a bed that deflates.

Kristen of Norwalk, CT

In a nutshell, we have had nothing but problems with our Select Comfort Mattress.
1. Mold growing in between air chambers and memory foam.
2. The zipper broke on the mattress topper after 3 years and we had to replace the whole topper at our cost.
3. The base pieces began to bow on the sides and in the middle, we had to replace those too.
4. The bed sags in the middle, so you always roll to the middle of the bed.
5. We wake up everyday with back pain no matter how many times we have tried to adjust the sleep number.
6. The bed sways, dips and creeks.
7. The customer service team is not helpful. All they do is offer replacement parts at my cost and we are not sure if the parts will fix the problems.

8. The store salespeople who sold us the bed were untruthful about the warranty and the lifetime expectancy of this mattress. They also told us this was allergen-free as my husband and I both have allergy problem. I think the mold potential should be explained to the customer.

We thought we were making a lifelong investment in this product and here we are, less than 8 years later, having to buy a new mattress. This mattress gave us 3 years of comfort, that was it. I have a 17-year old mattress/box spring in my guest room that we slept on for almost 10 years that still sleeps great. I guess the term “don’t fix it if it isn’t broken” truly applies here. I cannot believe there is not a class action lawsuit on the product, especially the mold problem. I have seen this complaint all over the web. I am allergic to mold and over the last 2 years, I have experienced bronchial issues. Luckily, we took the bed apart to see why it was dipping and saw the nasty mold. I have never had a mold issue with any of my standard mattresses before. Buyer beware should be posted on Select Comfort’s website.

Mary of Simpsonville, SC

I opened up our Select Comfort bed a week ago to find that it was all moldy. It was disgusting. It was so gross that I tossed it in the garbage where it belonged. My complaint is that I never received any notification or recall notice from Select Comfort. I would recommend avoiding their products because of this. It is very likely that the respiratory problems I have had over the past few years are the result of constant exposure to mold!

Steve of Apple Valley, MN

In 2005, after returning home from 3 three back surgeries which had left me paralyzed for 6 months, I received a queen size Select Comfort mattress as a welcome home present from a generous nephew. I am now waiting for the third air pump to arrive. When he called to order the pump, he was told it would be 7 to 10 days to ship! The worse part about the wait was I disconnected the pump from the bed and lost all air in the mattress. I was stuck with a bad back, a flat mattress and a 10 day wait.

When I called Sleep Comfort to express my feelings about their air pump and my displeasure about the 10 day waiting period, they did agree to send the pump out NDA at their charge. Still, this happened on a Friday and it will probably be Tuesday before I see the new air pump. Besides the inconvenience, this is starting to get expensive. Even pro-rated, the pump and shipping charges come to approximately $150.

Roger of Green Bay, WI

So me and my ex wife ordered a select comfort air bed a few years ago. It was a king size bed and we were happy to get it and had heard that these were amazing beds. When it arrived by ups it was in several boxes and I had to help the ups man move them off his truck. Once inside my home I began to open the boxes. I put the pieces together and immediately began to see that this bed was nothing but a bunch of plastic. The whole “box spring” if you will is nothing more than plastic pieces bolted together by you and then long plastic boards that are slippery. which means that when the top mattress is put on the bed slides around.

Pray that you have a headboard and foot board cause if your dont your pillows will slip behind the mattress every night and when you wake up you will be about 3 feet away from the wall and your pillows in between the wall and the mattress. within the first two months of having this bed it started to make a squeaking noise. so we called select comfort and they said they would send a replacement part. which they did but when received it was strips of fabric that you stuck on the plastic. and then come brown felt pieces of plastic that you put in the plastic as well.

for paying thousands of dollars for this bed they give you 5 dollar pieces of rubbish to fix. then the air chambers leak bad, i would have to fill them up every night and then after a few months of sleeping on this thing, you wind up in the middle cause it causes a hole between the two mattresses. its the worst bed i have ever had. This bed had been nothing but trouble. Its caused back aches, many nights of no sleep. No rest at night makes your days worse. for the amount of money spent on this bed you would think it would work right.

Jason of Green bay, WI

we have had nothing but problems ever since we’ve had our bed! aches, pains, anxiety and sleepless nights. do not buy one, you will be sorry! they are ruthless!

Shelly of Queen Creek, AZ

I am adding my voice to those complaining both about the deceptive and capricious nature of Customer Service for this company, and the quality of the product. PLEASE DO NOT PURCHASE THIS BED UNLESS YOU ARE WILLING TO THROW AWAY THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS!!

I purchased the 7000 Series Bed on November 27, 2005. It arrived on December 5, 2005. The first pump apparatus did not work and had to be replaced. like others the “fine print” of the limited warranty differed markedly from what I had been told at the time of purchase (who would spend almost $4,000 for a bed good for only 2 years?)

My first recognition of trouble was last week bwhen the controls went blank and would not inflate the bed on one side. I then discovered that the second control did not register either. After checking the pump, manuals, hoses, and electrical plus, I realized that the bed had simply stopped operating.
With other beds, one could simply alleviate the discomfort by turning over the mattress. This is not possible with the Select Comfort beds (something that was offered as another selling point for a defective product).

Last night was our first night of frost and I attempted to preheat the bed with the mattress pad (purchased to work WITH the king-sized Select Comfort Bed and, by our understanding, holding the same warranty as the bed. The heating mattress pad would neither preheat or heat at any setting (with the exception of the area underneath the pillow).

This morning, after re-reading all of the fine print about the LIMITED warranty, I went to the store where I had purchased the bed. The clerk at that time told me that the entire pump apparatus would have to be replaced and a new mattress pad provided. When I asked him about the replacement part, he thought I would have no problems replacing or installing it after calling Customer Service.

I remind readers that the date of purchase was November 27, 2005 and the date of delivery December 5, 2005. When I called Customer Service in Minneapolis on October 1, 2009, I was told that I was in my 4th anniversary year. The warranty and contract use the term “anniversary year” not “calendar year” as did the Customer Service Representative. When I noted that I was still in my third anniversary year (as the 4th would begin December 5 – the date I took possession of a bed that did not work properly until several weeks later when the replacement pump arrived and was installed) I was told that the Customer Service representative and her supervisor had “counted on my fingers” the number of years I had owned the bed. When I pointed out that she herself had used the term “anniversary date” and while I would not object to pro-rating the new pump at 3 years, 10 months, my 4th anniversary began December 5th. At that point she simply stopped talking. I was also told that I now had to negotiate securing a new heated mattress pad from the original manufacturer (although it came as part of a unit with the Series 7000 bed I purchased).

Readers, I now have a $4000 bed which may have grown mold ( we have not dismantled the bed but both my husband and I have been experiencing serious problems with allergies). It does not inflate, much less provide a “sleep number” capacity. It has been eating up electricity while remaining attached to an electrical outlet for these years. We cannot sleep comfortably on the bed, and there is no recourse, save to buy a replacement part that this only guaranteed for 30 days. Oh yes, after that 30 days, the new replacement part will be given THE SAME ANNIVERSARY DATE AS THE ORIGINAL ANNIVERSARY DATE OF THE BED.

I am writing this because I feel that others must benefit from my foolishness in trusting a contract with fine print I was not able to see until after the bed had been delivered. I am also contracting the several friends who bought the bed upon my recommendation to advise them of my experience.

While I was in the local Select Comfort store this morning, I listened to the clerk suggest to a new customer that she was having trouble sleeping on her new bed because of her inability to effectively use the controls. Had I known what I know now about the deceptive practices of this company, I would have admonished her to return the bed while still in its 30 day period and get her money back.

PLEASE DO NOT DO BUSINESS WITH THIS COMPANY. If I can keep even one family from experiencing the anguish ours has had, then the time spent writing this review will have been worth it.

Edith of Ann Arbor, MI

I purchased my select number bed about 3 years ago and I’m on my second pump that is now to shot. After my first pump they sent me another at no charge because it was only a year old but it was not new, it was a reman. Now they want $149 plus ship-hand. I paid $1,700 for the bed and in a year they want me to put a used but apperantly not very good pump on it.

I looked at the other complaints on the pumps and I to do not have the extra money for a new pump either. Anybody can put a 20 year warenty on something when you have to pay for the parts yourself. Tell select number I have a bridge in London for sale and I,ll give them a 100 year warenty. Can,t beat that!

Michael of Saxon, WI

Select Comfort

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Here is a recent article from Furniture Today about Tempur-pedic.

Tempur-Pedic: A game changer

David Perry — Furniture Today, November 30, 2011

DUFFIELD, Va. – Set amidst the Appalachian Mountains here, a huge Tempur-Pedic factory goes about its work three shifts a day, churning out mattresses and pillows made of Tempur material, the foam that changed the bedding industry.

The Tempur-Pedic plant hums with activity just as the Tempur-Pedic brand crackles with energy. The company emerged from modest U.S. roots just over a decade ago to reshape the mattress landscape and launch the specialty sleep segment as a major force on retail mattress floors.

Today Tempur-Pedic ranks as the fourth-largest mattress company in the United States and is on a torrid growth streak. In a lackluster bedding marketplace this year, its mattress sales are soaring, up 30% in the last quarter alone.

What is driving the Tempur-Pedic boom?
The company recently granted Furniture/Today unprecedented access to its half-million-square-foot plant here, one of two Tempur-Pedic factories meeting U.S. consumers’ growing appetite for premium-priced Tempur sleep sets.

Top company executives also briefed Furniture/Today on key initiatives driving their brand.

Rick Anderson, a veteran consumer products marketer who joined Tempur-Pedic in 2006 and now is executive vice president of the company and president of Tempur-Pedic North America, said the company’s “consumer centered” approach to the mattress business is helping it meet consumer wants and needs.

“We are helping more and more people get a better night of sleep each night,” Anderson said. “I think everyone here believes that.” And that belief, he added, is at “the heart and soul and passion of the brand.”

Among the insights shared by Anderson and other executives:
* Consumer research shapes all of the company’s actions. Tempur-Pedic spends more than $1 million annually on research, “testing our way to success,” said Cathy Linder, director of marketing research.
* Some of that research is conducted at a consumer research center where showroom settings and focus groups are used to develop products.
* Heavy and consistent brand advertising – now more than $100 million a year – has rocketed Tempur-Pedic up the charts for future brand purchase interest into the No. 1 position for this key bedding metric.
* An expanded collection of Tempur mattresses now enables the company to better meet key consumer preferences, from beds with soft initial feels – a void in the line until a few years go – to firm initial feels.
* The company’s “Ask Me” advertising campaign, based on high levels of owner satisfaction, is resonating with consumers and helping to drive demand.
* Tempur-Pedic’s “retail activation” efforts include a road show that brings the brand in a “rock concert” type of setting to retailers in major markets. The shows, aimed at retail sales associates, have sparked immediate sales growth in the markets where they are held, said Wes Campbell, director of retail marketing and customer activation (a unique title in the industry). The road shows began this year and will continue next year.
* The addition of local advertising has helped Tempur-Pedic lift retail sales in several markets around the country. More local advertising is planned for next year. It will supplement the company’s heavy national advertising program.

It all adds up to a bedding success story that has no equal. It is a story that has Scandinavian roots. Scientists in Sweden and Denmark developed proprietary Tempur material for mattress use after NASA released temperature-sensitive memory foam to the public in the 1980s, Tempur-Pedic says.

Holding pieces of chipped Tempur material that will be used in pillow fillings are Tempur-Pedic executives Wes Campbell, left, Cathy Linder, Rick Peak and Rick Anderson.Lexington, Ky., resident Bob Trussell met some of those scientists in Denmark and was inspired to bring Tempur-Pedic to America. And thus, the company notes, “a revolution in sleep was born.” Tempur-Pedic is based in Lexington.

Tempur-Pedic entered the U.S. retail bedding market in 2000. Its first U.S.-made Tempur mattress was sold the following year.

The company quickly gained a foothold in the tough U.S. bedding market and relied on quality products, smart marketing and strong brand-building efforts to change the nature of the bedding game.

“We’re not afraid to blaze a new trail,” the company says. “We’re passionate about doing things the right way, even if we upset the status quo. We completely did away with traditional springs in our mattresses in favor of a radical new material that was completely unknown at the time.”

Now, thanks to Tempur-Pedic, memory foam is a key category in the mattress industry. And everyone knows
Tempur-Pedic: Big goals keep vision in focus
David Perry — Furniture Today, November 30, 2011

LEXINGTON, Ky. — Memory foam leader Tempur-Pedic thinks big when it comes to goals.
“Our goal,” the company says, “is to become the world’s favorite mattress and pillow brand.”
Tempur-Pedic is well along in meeting that goal, and may have already reached it, but company officials aren’t claiming the realization of that vision just yet.
But they are laying out a roadmap for how they will continue building their premium bedding brand:
* Make sure everyone knows they would sleep better on a Tempur-Pedic bed or pillow. The company’s ubiquitous advertising is spreading that message.
* Make sure there is a Tempur-Pedic bed and pillow that appeals to everyone. Five years ago, company officials noted, the Tempur product line was not broad enough to make this claim. Now it appeals to far more consumers, they add.
* Make sure that Tempur-Pedic is available to everyone when and where they want it. The company has about 8,000 retail doors in the U.S., and the brand is also being sold online. Furniture/Today ranks Tempur-Pedic as the No. 25 U.S. bedding retailer, based on direct sales of $50 million in 2010.
* Make sure Tempur-Pedic continues to deliver the best sleep. The company is spending about 1% of its sales on research and development to make sure its products offer industry-leading features and benefits. That is more than $10 million per year.
* Make sure its cost structure is “optimized” to enable the company to continue making heavy marketing and product investments. That principle guides the company’s business plans, says Rick Anderson, president of Tempur-Pedic North America.
Another underlying principle driving the company is the assertion that “people who sleep on Tempur sleep better than those who don’t.” Tempur-Pedic believes that – and so do a great many of the consumers who sleep on the company’s products, as the company’s advertising makes clear.

Tempur-Pedic at a glance

LEXINGTON, Ky. – Here’s a quick look at some key facts about Tempur-Pedic:
Positioning: The company is the worldwide leader in the specialty sleep arena and in the premium mattress market. It defines the premium market as accounting for $5 billion of the $13 billion global mattress market.
Differentiation: Tempur-Pedic stands out with its consumer-preferred, branded product line, the company says. It notes that it offers the brand that is most highly recommended by bedding owners, and says that Tempur-Pedic is the most desired brand by non-owners.
The company says that it has spent more than a decade on brand advertising, and notes that it has a high level of owner referrals.
Profitability: Tempur-Pedic says it has industry-leading margins and cash flows. Its gross margin is at 50%-plus, and its operating margin is at 22%-plus. The company delivers high returns and has low cash needs.
Growing: Tempur-Pedic sees significant growth opportunities in revenues. It notes that it has a 3% U.S. mattress unit market share, up from 2% a year earlier. The company’s intermediate market share goal is in the 7% range.
Analysts predict that publicly held Tempur-Pedic will finish 2011 with net sales of about $1.4 billion. The company has set a goal of hitting net sales of $2 billion in 2014.

bedding · mattress · tempur-pedic

Its no secret that men and women have different ideas when it comes to furniture and room decor. While women tend to pull a little more weight when it comes to most of these decisions, men are now claiming portions of the home as their own. Yes, I’m talking about the Man Den. These masculine retreats are most often found in finished basements, converted garages, or simply just a spare room. 

The Man Den is a unique oasis where guys can relax with the hobbies and passions that define them. You’ll see memorabilia and mementos that they’ve gathered over the years; pieces of their past conquests that are just as important now as the day they received them. The identity of each Man Den mirrors that of the man who inhabits it.

Here in Wisconsin, where much of the male population are avid outdoors men, wildlife themed rooms would be seemingly popular. Walls may be adorned with trophies from previous hunts and artwork depicting scenes from nature. To compliment this decor, you’ll need appropriate furniture. Some products that suit this variety of room perfectly are camouflage sofas and recliners from Best Home Furnishings. Not only to they provide unmatched comfort, they also pay homage to the hunting lifestyle. Who doesn’t like to relax after a day stalking your prey in the woods? Other appropriate pieces for this setting would be occasional tables and entertainment centers from Sunny Designs. Their Sedona Collection offers a rugged combination of rustic oak with natural slate inlays. The natural greens and browns will tie in nicely with your camo color scheme. What about your guns? Wolfcraft Furniture, a Wisconsin based company, offers a variety of 12-gun cabinets that both house and display your arsenal. If you have more than 12 guns, I have two questions for you. First, are you stocking up for World War 3. And Second, why not buy 2 cabinets? As for rugs, you’ll never hear me argue against a bearskin…especially if you shot it yourself. Finally, for the fisherman, you might consider an aquarium filled with indigenous fish. There is nothing wrong with creating a sanctuary where both you and the wildlife can coexist.

Another variety of Man Den revolves around the sports men love. Men need a place to watch the game and many ponder what it would be like to own a sports bar of their own. The Man Den allows for guys to have their own little tavern right at home. The most important feature in the version of the Man Den is the television. After all, your day revolves around the big game. When it comes to TVs, we can all agree that bigger is better and surround sound is ideal. Where you and your friends will sit is the next most important thing. Many furniture manufactures are offering reclining sofas with two ideal functions. One of these functions is power controlled recliners. A simple two button approach is all you need to articulate your seat into its ideal relaxing position. The second feature is the built-in console. This provides both cup holders for your beer and storage for your remotes. You can outfit these sofas with throws pillows and fleece blankets depicting your favorite team’s logo. Another seating option that helps create the sports bar vibe is a pub table. Pub tables and stools can be placed behind sofas or in corners to maximize seating without compromising the view of the television.  Many pub table manufacturers  will group them in collections with home bars and occasional furniture that will allow for continuity in the room. Excellent wall decor for rooms like this include framed jerseys – both your own and those of your heroes. Other memorabilia such as autographed balls, pictures & ticket stubs from venues you’ve visited, and other tributes to your favorite teams can be scattered amongst your collection of beer signs. Some of this memorabilia can be displayed in curio cabinets; also a staple of Wolfcraft Furniture. Don’t forget another key ingredient to Man Den success – the fridge. May I suggest a mini-fridge with a glass door. Even when I’m not drinking, I like to look at my beer. It also makes for an easy reminder when your stock is running low. If your space allows, you may want to incorporate one of your favorite bar activities. A pool table, Foosball table, or darts are always welcome additions. With these recommendations, you’ll have the ideal bar experience in your own home. Now you just have to get your wife to whip up some nachos and hot wings.

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Its not often that one can draw wisdom from a fast food commercial, but last night I took a lesson from a Culver’s ad and decided to apply it to a blog entry.  While touting a new burger, Craig Culver made a very wise proclamation regarding value. It was simple, but powerful – There is more to value than just price. While the commercial was aimed primarily at other burger joints who offer inferior products at low prices, the rule applies to all industries and furniture is no exception.

I’ve had the opportunity to visit a multitude of furniture stores throughout our state. With the economic downturn, one trend popping up at many retail locations is the addition of clearance centers. People are searching for what they perceive are excellent values. People have been picking up bargains off of clearance racks for generations, so the idea isn’t new. However, you may want to take a closer look at products your purchasing. The term ‘clearance’ may invoke ideas of discontinued products, last year’s models, or overstock items priced to move, but that’s not always the case. Many stores fill their clearance centers with low end furniture, thus being able to turn it around at a very low cost. This low cost is perceived as value, but where exactly is the value in these products? Value needs to be determined by a cost/benefit ratio. Is the $299 sofa with plastic legs really a better value that the discontinued Flexsteel sofa with a nick in the leg selling for $599?

I’m not insinuating that there is no place for these products. Much like the burgers that spurred this post, there is. Sometimes after a night on the town, a double cheeseburger off the dollar menu is just what the doctor ordered. For those of you agreeing with this, the cheap furniture may be a better purchase for you. If you find yourself making to many late night runs to the golden arches, you’re probably not ready for adult furniture.

The cheaper furniture may also be ideal for those of you with commitment issues. If you’re looking for disposable furniture that you can dump and replace every couple of years, you’re probably not looking to spend a grand per piece. However, those looking for a long term relationship with their furniture would be much better off spending money on a higher quality product. Over a 15-year span, it’s very likely that the person buying higher quality furniture ends up spending less than the one replacing items more routinely. You tell me who’s getting the best value.

I’m not telling you what to buy or where to buy it. I’m just asking that you take more into consideration that the price on the sales ticket. Inspect your furniture, ask about the products, and use your new found wisdom to determine value based on your own personal requirements. If structural integrity and customization are important to you

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Whether you want used furniture, new furniture or clearance furniture check out www.fairfieldplazawisconsin.com it is the website for the Fairfield Plaza Mall in Plymouth, WI located in Sheboygan County just south of Kiel and New Holstein and North of Grafton and Random Lake.

In the Fairfield Plaza Mall their is a St. Vincent DePaul thrift superstore with a great selection of vintage furniture and clothing, a clearance furniture store and a furniture store where you can pick the style of furniture you like then get your choice of fabric.

There are two Restaurants – a McDonald’s and a great little Chinese restaurant called Hong Kong Island. To find out more visit the website for Fairfield Plaza Mall.

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There was a time when Tempurpedic was unique. Late night infomercials proclaimed a new space age technology developed by NASA could revolutionize the way we slept. Its pressure relieving abilities were so profound a glass of merlot could rest undisturbed while people jumped on the bed. While this new technology raised doubts in the mind of the general public, it sprouted concern in the bedding industry.

Traditional mattress companies and salesman needed a way to discourage sleep deprived consumers from gravitating toward the new generation of mattress. One claim, which still exists to this day, was that the foam used in Tempurpedic slept extremely hot. At one point, this claim did hold some substance. Although it wasn’t the foam, Tempurpedic did have a tendency to sleep warm.  The return rate was tremendous and Tempurpedic was perplexed. Certainly their open cell foam with multiple air-flow layers couldn’t be the problem. Why was the bed sleeping so hot? It turns out the covers used on the mattress had a vinyl backing which restricted air flow and trapped body heat. After this issue was remedied, the beds became so much more satisfactory that Tempurpedic now boasts the highest customer satisfaction rate in the industry. Well, the heat objection is still prevalent, you can be assured that the proprietary Tempur-material is open celled and sits upon varying levels of convoluted foam which actually increases breathability. Models which incorporate a higher density version of this foam are outfitted in a special fabric which helps whisk away moisture and body heat.

Another objection to Tempurpedic is the price. All retailers are subject to a pricing structure set by Tempurpedic itself. Boasting about the lowest prices on Tempurpedic is great, but I can assure you nobody is selling them any higher. Your Tempurpedic shopping should be spent assessing the proper mattress for your personal comfort rather than searching for a lower price. This is not to say you won’t find ‘memory foam’ style beds at much lower costs. There are countless knock-offs on the market – some good, some bad.  A key aspect to Tempurpedic’s proprietary blend is that the company is vertically integrated. That means the entire mattress is built by Tempurpedic under their own regulations. This assures all the foam made domestically in their two American plants has the same precise consistency and each individual cell is nearly the exact same size. This consistency is certainly an issue when it comes to cheaper foam mattresses which often utilize an unregulated component from Chinese factories. Tempurpedic invented the ‘memory foam’ bed and they continue to be innovative as the prepare to bring customers the best sleep possible.

Another aspect that doesn’t necessarily pertain to the mattress itself is the foundation. Tempurpedic offers three options: High Profile, Low Profile, and their Ergo Base. The Ergo Base is power foundation which allows you to articulate the head and foot of the bed. Many people feel a negativity towards these bases as they assume they’re made exclusively for the old and weak. This is certainly not the case. The ideal sleep position is commonly referred to as the ‘Zero Gravity’ position. Sleeping with your head slightly elevated can make breathing easier and it increases circulation. It can also help regulate snoring and acid reflux. A slight elevation of your legs helps relieve pressure from your lower back. With 4/5 Americans saying they suffer from back pain or discomfort, a foundation that can help alleviate that discomfort is certainly an important commodity.

I hope this article has helped clear up anymisinformation you may have heard about Tempurpedic bedding. Definately consider it when you begin your next mattress shopping experience.

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Not too long ago, the idea of a recliner being powered with electricity rather than a side handle seemed pretty crazy. Clearly, furniture of this ilk was better suited for the extremely wealthy who had become accustomed to others handling even their most menial tasks. But is that notion really all that accurate?

When you get into your car today, look at all the buttons. You have power to adjust your seats, power to  ’roll down’ your windows, and power to lock your doors.  This isn’t just the case in your car; you’ll see these amenities is virtually every car on the road. Power in the vehicle is standard so why should it be taboo in your living room? Power recliners and motion sofas allow an individual nearly unlimited positions with the ability to stop at any time. It’s not a matter of luxury or laziness, its sign of common sense.

But what if the power goes out? Most, if not all, manufactures offer a battery back-up to assure you enough juice to either fully recline or return to a seated position. You’ll never be stuck in the chair, so don’t try using that excuse when your wife wants you to tackle the Honey Do list.

You have ease, peace of mind, and virtually limitless options all available in a very affordable package. Well respected companies like Flexsteel, Best Chair, and Southern Motion offer a great variety of styles; some starting under $1000. With football season approaching, the ass to recliner ratio looks to hit its annual high. Wouldn’t you prefer to watch Aaron Rodgers in a new power recliner?

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Quality American-made furniture handcrafted in Unity, Wisconsin
Wolfcraft offers an extensive line of oak and maple bedroom sets, entertainment centers, gun cabinets, desks and much more. We are a family owned and operated workshop, crafting furniture since 1980. Our furniture can be personalized to suit your taste and your home. A wide variety of finishes and hardware options are available for every item. We use quality materials because we want your furniture to be enjoyed for generations to come.

Why Wolfcraft?
Experienced craftsmanship
Quality materials
Built exclusively in Wisconsin
Wood species choices
Finish choices
Hardware choice

About Wolfcraft Products

Quality Workmanship, Quality Materials

At Wolfcraft they refuse to compromise quality. Wolfcraft selects better solid hardwoods for doors, drawer faces, and trim. For larger surfaces demanding greater resistance to warping and cracking, they use sliced solid hardwoods fused to MDF, a wood product engineered for its ability to tolerate a variety of temperature and humidity conditions.

Wolfcrafts drawer box design features 5-board construction consisting of full three-quarter inch solid ponderosa pine. The drawer joints are secured with fasteners coated in cellulose cement, providing ultimate drawer rigidity. European-style double-roller drawer glides are fastened securely to each drawer side with three screws, providing strength and smooth operation.

Wolfcraft’s 7-step finishing process consists of:
-Meticulously finish sanding and thoroughly inspecting each piece
-Hand-wiping a generous application of a variety of wood stains.
-Pre-drying for fill and consistency and final drying using a clean cloth.
-Applying a generous coat of Sherwin Williams vinyl sealer.
-Hand sanding of each piece to ensure smoothness.
-Preparing for final coating by removal of sanding dusts and other debris.
-A final application of Sherwin Williams precatalyzed top coat by skilled craftsman to ensure even coverage.

Going Green

Wolcraft take pride in offering a product that is environmentally friendly. Wood is one of the most energy-efficient and renewable materials available. Wolfcraft’s hardwoods are grown primarily in Northern Wisconsin, Michigan and Minnesota. They work with responsible tree-harvesters who ensure that forests are maintained so generations to come will be able to enjoy Mid-Western hardwoods.

Wolfcraft’s distribution process also helps us keep our carbon footprint low. Instead of using high volumes of disposable packaging materials, they have invested in reusable blankets which are carefully wrapped around furniture for shipping. Some of their blankets have been in use for 25 years. The only road trip their furniture takes is from their facility in Central Wisconsin to local retailers on their own fleet of fuel-efficient trucks. No oceans are crossed and there is no “middleman” to lengthen the distribution process.

To maximize the environmental efficiency of Wolfcraft’s finishing process, they work closely with Sherwin Williams to ensure that they are using stains and lacquers with low VOC content.

Endless Possibilities

Wolfcraft’s personal approach to furniture craftsmanship means a wide variety of options are available to their customers. Every item that they make is available in oak or maple. Wolfcraft then offer a selection of ten different finishes and ten different hardware choices. Many additional person-touch options such as fully extendable drawer rails, hand-rubbed (antiqued) finish and dimmer lights are also available upon request. The result is literally millions of possibilities.

Click here to find a Wolfcraft furniture dealer in Wisconsin.

Furniture Manufacturer

Article from Furniture Today:
Will use stock offering to slash debt more than 40%
Larry Thomas — Furniture Today, July 28, 2011

HOUSTON — Top 100 store Mattress Firm has amended the prospectus for its initial public stock offering, telling prospective investors it now plans to use the proceeds to slash its debt load by more than 40%.

In a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission, the Houston-based bedding specialty retailer didn’t change the amount it hopes to raise from the IPO – $115 million – but said it would restructure the way the money is used to further reduce debt.

As of May 3, the company had total debt of $406.1 million. That would be reduced to approximately $239 million if the full $115 million is raised from the public stock offering, the company said in the filing.

Under the revised plan, proceeds would pay off a 2009 loan that carries a 16% interest rate. In addition, some $53 million worth of payment-in-kind (PIK) notes and $40.2 million worth of convertible notes would be converted into shares of common stock.

The convertible notes were issued July 19 to pay down a portion of the 2009 loan.

The majority of the convertibles notes and PIK notes are held by investment firms J.W. Childs and Neuberger Berman Group.

J.W. Childs acquired controlling interest in the company in 2006 and would continue to own a majority of the shares after the public offerings.

No date has been announced for the IPO, and the prospectus doesn’t indicate what percentage of company equity would be sold to new shareholders.

The amended prospectus also included financial information for the quarter ended May 3, the first quarter of Mattress Firm’s fiscal year.

The company said sales were $151.9 million, a 40% increase from the same quarter in 2010, with same-store sales up 19.2%.

Net income for the quarter totaled $1.03 million. In last year’s first quarter, the company recorded a net loss of $4.4 million.

In the fiscal year ended Feb. 1, sales were $494.1 million and net income totaled $885,000.

As of May 3, the retailer had 604 company-owned and 97 franchised stores.

Bedding News