February 2018

Good afternoon!

We hope to find you well on this beautiful Thursday! This week, in keeping with our theme of mattresses, we will be outlining some mattress trivia that was originally featured on a Fitterer’s 110^th anniversary banner in 2006. While you may have heard a few of the more common facts, some of these tidbits may surprise you!

10,000 Years Ago:

In the Neolithic period we find the first evidence of people sleeping on primitive beds made of soft branches and furs.

3400 B.C. :

Egyptian Pharaohs are the first credited with building a platform off the ground on which to sleep. These were known as pallets and were used by royalty. Common people slept on palm bows heaped in the corner of their home.

Roman Empire:

The first luxury bed – usually stuffed with reeds, hay, wool, or feathers , and covered in luxurious fabrics. Romans are also credited with creating the first waterbed. The sleeper would recline in a cradle of warm water until drowsy, then be lifted onto an adjacent cradle with a mattress, where they would be rocked to sleep.

16^th & 17^th Centuries:

Mattresses were generally stuffed with straw or down and placed atop a latticework of rope for support. Over time these ropes would loosen and need to be tightened, hence the phrase “Sleep Tight”.

1800s :

Mattresses were filled with cotton, hair or feathers. Variations of cotton were the best sellers and foundations were usually open coiled boxsprings. Assorted vermin ( bugs, bacteria, mildew) were typical as an accepted component of even the most royal beds.

1950’s:

Foam Rubber (latex) mattresses and pillows appeared on the market.

1960’s:

Modern waterbed introduced. Adjustable beds become popular with consumers.

1980’s:

Airbeds introduced

1990’s:

Spacious sleeping is on the rise. In 1999, the queen-size mattress became America’s most popular choice for the first time. It beat the twin size.

Today:

Choice and comfort are the key words in contemporary bedding. In addition to an almost unlimited range of innerspring mattress designs, new types of foam mattress cores ( such as ‘memory” or visco-elastic foam and refinements to traditional latex) as well as airbeds, waterbeds, and high-tech adjustable sleep sets offer consumers attractive, quality alternatives. Pillow top mattresses, a popular innovation in luxury, offer an extra mattresses are common.

Though its been a few years since we put this information together for the first time, today’s mattress trends are still largely the same. Choice and individualized comfort are key in choosing the perfect mattress by contemporary standards. If you need a helping hand , our mattress experts are here to help you start sleeping soundly! For more on mattress shopping, check out last weeks’ tip blog!

It’s no secret that sleep is an important factor if you’re trying to stay healthy. It’s also no secret that if your mattress isn’t up to par, you won’t be achieving the maximum benefits from a snooze.

Industry standards say you should replace your mattress every ten years. Sometimes though, ten years might be just too long to wait before upgrading the surface you’re sleeping on. So what should you be looking for when you think its time to make a change? We asked our mattress expert, Aaron, for some tips on when to replace your mattress, and what to look for when you’re searching for ‘the one’.

Is it time for a new mattress?

Pain: If you wake up with pain in your back and neck or you’re simply feeling sore and achy when you wake in the morning, its probably time to consider replacing your mattress. Mattresses that are past their prime can cause tossing and turning, leading to sore muscles, less REM cycles, and just general fatigue.

You’ve Had it Forever : While sometimes a mattress will need replacing before the 10 year mark, other times you simply need a new mattress because, well, yours is old. If it was fantastic when you bought it, you may be hesitant to go to a newer model. Over time, though, body composition can change. When it does, your mattress should be able to support any variations.

What kinds of mattresses are available?

There many mattress types available , each claiming their own unique traits. These are a few of the most common that you’ll see on a showroom floor:

Innerspring : The most commonly used in households across the country. According to furniture.com, an estimated 80 percent of of homes are using innerspring mattresses. These types of mattresses are constructed using steel coils to support body weight.

Latex : These mattresses constructed of either organic, blended or fully synthetic latex material are popular with shoppers today, and are typically hailed for their firmness and high durability.

Memory Foam : Memory foam mattresses are another popular mattress model on the market today. These mattresses are constructed from polyurethane molding that allows for conformity to the shape of the body.

Hybrid : Hybrid mattresses typically combine both memory foam and innerspring mattress technology. They allow for the body hugging feel of a memory foam mattress with the sturdiness and support of innerspring.

Something each of these mattress types will have in common are variations of firmness and style.

What’s Right for Me?

It’s difficult to pin point pros and cons for each material without actually laying on the mattress itself. Mattress comfort depends so much on the individual, its difficult to know what’s best without a trial. While one person may need the support of a firm latex model, another person may sleep best on a plush memory foam or hybrid.

We asked Aaron what to avoid when you venture out to buy your next mattress – he suggested staying away from pushy sales people. While no one likes to be in a pressure situation, if your mattress salesperson is steering you towards a model that isn’t right for you, you may find yourself in the market for another mattress sooner than you’d like.

Definition Sources: https://www.furniture.com/mattress

Good morning! Thursdays are typically as much of a surprise to us as they are to you – and today is no different. Choosing where to begin the hunt for some throwback inspiration is always the first step, but sometimes it takes a few attempts before something really sticks. While each piece that we find is interesting, choosing something to share almost always requires peeling back a few layers.

We’ve shared many items from the cabinet that we’ve found in an old metal lock box. The worn black box on the top shelf is filled with photos, old office supplies, vintage adverts, and more – but today we wanted to take a second look at the box itself. After all, its clearly an older item.

When we pulled the box out of the cabinet and looked around for clues, the container bore little to no markings. A simple lock on the front and its smaller size hinted that it could possibly be an old cash box, or personal lock box of some kind.

We took the larger items that it was holding out, dropping down the lid for a closer look, and what we found was a first initial followed by a last name. F. Fitterer is written in some sort of ink on the top of this container.

For those who aren’t familiar with the Fitterer’s Furniture family legacy – Frank Fitterer was a co-founder of Fitterer’s Furniture, along with his older brother Phillip. Frank lived from 1870 to 1953 and Phillip purchased Frank’s share of the business in 1916. Its unclear whether this was something that Frank left behind after he left the family business, or simply a personal effect that made its way to the store at some point in history. While we can’t be sure what year this lock box dates back to, it’s clearly an antique – and a unique piece of history to find on a Thursday morning!

For more on the history of Fitterer’s Furniture, please take a look at the PDF booklet celebrating the 1996 centennial anniversary! Though so many years have passed, family and our customers remain the center of our focus here at Fitterer’s. 

From our family to yours, have a safe and happy weekend – we’ll see you back here in two weeks!