Shopping Tips for Brass Beds
By Benni Jenyfari
Apr 23, 2007, 01:35   Getting a good night's sleep is important, isn't it? Of course it is! That's why most guides to buying a bed focus on the mattress and the firmness of support and level of comfort it provides. But as good as your mattress may be, it will never contribute very much to the beauty of your bedroom. Your mattress may provide excellent comfort through the night, but no one--including you--will ever spend much time looking at it. On the other hand, your headboard and footboard may be a featured part of your bedroom design.

If you want to add both beauty and elegance to your bedroom, you should consider purchasing a brass bed. Brass beds are typically constructed to be very long-lasting and they often add a classic look that can be integrated into most decorating schemes.

Brass beds can be made of solid brass or brass plated steel. Solid brass beds are rare and expensive--most modern brass beds are brass plated. Here's a good tip if you're concerned about getting solid brass when you pay for it: try sticking a magnet to the bed. If the magnet sticks, then the bed is probably brass plated steel. A magnet won't stick to solid brass.

Brass is an alloy of zinc and copper. Most brass is covered with a clear coat of lacquer. Otherwise, it would tarnish very quickly when exposed to the air. The main challenge when caring for brass is to remove tarnish and slow down its return. Once you've removed tarnish and restored a shine to the brass, you can apply a thin coat of olive oil. The oil protects the brass from the air and inhibits tarnishing. Take care when polishing brass plating--it's actually possible to remove the plating by polishing too vigorously.

When shopping for a brass bed, evaluate the sturdiness of the brass bed. Try wiggling the bed or putting some pressure on the frame to make sure it can comfortably handle the weight of the mattress, box springs and whoever will be sleeping on it.

Take a close look at where the metal is joined together. Do the joints look clean and professional? Or are they sloppy and of low quality? Finally, you should make sure that there is something on the bottom of the legs to protect your flooring. If not, you'll need to provide something yourself.

Brass beds are available in a wide variety of styles and designs. Their classic lines and warm golden hues can be made part of almost any decor. And if you are able to find a high-quality solid brass bed, chances are it will become a treasured family heirloom.

Article provided courtesy of Bedding Plus - a resource for bedding and comforter sets.