Mattresses for Antique, French and Victorian Beds

Antique beds predate mattress standardisation, so almost none of them take a modern size. The frame is usually narrower than a modern equivalent, often shorter, and frequently not square.

Why nothing fits

British bed sizes were not standardised until the twentieth century. A Victorian "double" is commonly 122 to 130 cm wide rather than 135, and 183 cm long rather than 190 — six feet was the length, and six feet is 183 cm. French beds from the same period run to their own set of widths again: 90, 110, 140 and 160 cm are all common, at 190 cm long.

The practical result is that a modern mattress in an antique frame either will not go in, or goes in with gaps.

What to measure

Everything in the general measuring guide applies, plus three things specific to old frames.

The diagonals

A hundred-and-fifty-year-old frame has been taken apart and reassembled, moved house, and dried out next to a radiator. Measure both diagonals of the opening. A difference of 15 or 20 mm is normal and it means the opening is a parallelogram. Tell us both diagonals and we cut the real shape.

The side rail height

Cast-iron and brass bedsteads often have a low side rail with a high headboard. Measure from the slat or base surface to the top of the side rail, not the headboard. That number sets the sensible maximum depth.

Where the frame narrows

Lit bateau and sleigh beds curve inward at head and foot. The opening at the middle is wider than the opening at the ends. Measure at the narrowest point and tell us where it is — sometimes the answer is a shaped mattress rather than a rectangle cut to the smallest dimension, which would leave you sleeping on a bed 8 cm narrower than it needs to be.

What base is under it?

This decides more about the mattress than the size does.

• Original iron laths or a sprung mesh. These flex a lot. A firm mattress on a sprung mesh will feel soft, because the base is doing the moving. Go firmer than you think.
• Modern slats retro-fitted. Check the gaps. More than 7 cm between slats and the mattress will settle into the gaps over a couple of years, and every guarantee in the industry excludes that.
• A solid platform. No ventilation underneath. Natural fillings and latex cope; a solid foam slab on a solid platform will hold moisture and eventually mark on the underside.

Depth and proportion

A 38 cm mattress in a Victorian frame looks wrong and behaves worse — it swamps the side rail and you sit on the bed rather than in it. Most antique frames look and work best with something between 18 and 25 cm. If you want a natural build in that depth, the Natural Coir and Latex at 18 cm and the Dunlop latex at 18 cm both suit these beds, and both can be cut to a non-standard size.

Common questions

Can you match a curved footboard?

Yes, if you can give us the shape. Lay paper on the base, push it against the curve, draw along it and photograph the result with a tape measure in shot.

Will a custom mattress damage the frame?

The opposite. A mattress that is 10 mm too wide is pushed in under compression and levers the side rails outward every time someone sits on the edge. That is how old joints fail.

How much more does a shaped mattress cost?

A plain rectangle in a non-standard size costs the same as the equivalent standard size. Cut corners, curves and tapers each carry a surcharge that is shown on the configurator before you order — nothing appears later.