Waterbed designs suit bedrooms

Press, 16 January 1985, Page 22

Waterbed designs suit bedrooms

Many people have deferred buying waterbeds because the elaborate styling of most waterbeds has generally made them difficult to co-ordinate with other items of bedroom furniture, says the Christchurch supplier of a new line of waterbeds. Charisma Waterbeds will overcome this resistance, says the managing director of Charisma Waterbeds, Ltd, Mr Robin Smith. The company’s product line released during December is more conventional in styling and a full suite of matching bedroom furniture will be available with most models in the Charisma range. “We believe that for years people have been looking for something in waterbeds which they can co-ordinate with the rest of their bedroom. The clean designs of Charisma waterbeds will make this much easier for them,” says Mr Smith.

Charisma can make the choice even easier by supplying matching . bedroom furniture with most models in the range — bedside tables, duchesses and tallboys. “This is a major benefit for customers because they have the option of buying their waterbed now and buying the rest of the bedroom suite later on when their budget permits,” says Mr Smith. Many of the models in the range also offer the budgetary flexibility of removeable upholstered sidecaps; the sidecaps can be purchased later on if necessary.

“Charisma waterbeds will make the difference between one bedroom and another — whether the coordinating furniture is Charisma or not,” says Mr Smith. The customer is offered a further opportunity for design flexibility by Charisma. The waterbeds incorporate the industry standard “Hillcrest” headboard fit-t-ing format. This means headboards are detachable and interchangeable. Design factors have been predominant in consumer decisions to defer the purchase of a waterbed, says Mr Smith, because it is now widely accepted that waterbeds provide a better night’s sleep. “Both overseas and in New Zealand, waterbeds left their trendy and sexual connotations behind a long time ago. Waterbeds and flotation sleep are credible sleeping alternatives,” he says.

Waterbeds eliminate pressure points which stimulate movement during sleep and allow the sleeper to be comfortable in any chosen sleeping position. He says pregnant women, for example, are able to sleep more comfortably., Full temperature control is an important aspect of the comfort level too. While an average person might typically choose temperatures of 27-30 degrees in the winter and 24 degrees in the summer, the level can be set to suit exactly the personal choice of the sleeper. Mr Smith says an important distinction between flotation and other modes of sleep is that, in the case of the waterbed. the bed is heated. Electric blankets merely warm the body, he says. “With a waterbed, the sleeping environment is heated to precisely the comfort leverof the sleeper.” The “wave” effect is under the control of the Charisma sleeper. Some methods of baffling the water tend to reduce the benefits of flotation sleep, whereas Charisma use a “fibre-fill” technique. The method involves add-

ing 40 denier polyester fibres to the water which has the effect of increasing the viscosity of the water, reducing its tendency to slop about. Medical support for the concept of flotation sleep is gathering momentum to the point where the medical fraternity is beginning to recommend it as a therapeutic treatment. A recent psychological study in New Zealand compared the effects of waterbeds with those of other types of beds. The research measured brain, eye and whole body movement as well as subjective factors reported by the subjects. Brain and eye movement are indicators of the levels of restfulness and whole of body movement is commonly accepted as a response to those. The waterbed won hands down, and the researcher said it would most likely have been further out in front had the subjects had more time to get used to it. The doctor-scientist was also reported as considering buying a waterbed himself. Medical studies elsewhere have shown that waterbeds consistently reduce pressure points to below the level where blood vessels are sufficiently restricted to stimulate the brain to order a change in sleeping position. The blood flows freely to all parts of the body and tossing and turning are almost completely eliminated. A fact not widely known is that the medical profession have been aware of the benefits of waterbeds for nearly a century. Waterbeds are usually considered to have been a recent innovation but an entry in the 1902 edition of “A Standard Dictionary of the English Language” defines the term waterbed: “A water-tight mattress, usually of india-rubber, nearly filled with water devised for the comfort of bed-ridden persons, or those suffering from bed-sores.” The Charisma range of waterbeds incorporates models to suit a wide variety of tastes, decors and budgets. The clean pine look, the modern, the classical and the colonial styles feature in the current range of eleven different beds. With the “Midas,” even brass beds are represented. Finished in walnut, mahogany oak and pine, Charisma waterbeds range from the simple to the gant.“We don’t wish to impose any particular style on people. We have tried to have all tastes included in our range, and we will be adding to it in the future, as well,” says Mr Smith. An additional benefit of these designs is that because they tend more towards the mainstream of modern decor thinking, they will date far less quickly than more exotic styles.

“This is deliberate, because unlike other types of modern bed, waterbeds do not deteriorate with age in terms of quality of comfort,” says Mr Smith. The method of assembly means that Charisma waterbeds can be easily dismantled if necessary. Components are fixed together with a unique cam fitting. One twist with a screwdriver is all that is required to unlock the steel joining dowels. This makes for quick and clean installation or shifting.

Charisma waterbeds have a free-standing and easily removed mattress liner which also makes dismantling more convenient.

Charisma attention to quality details extend right to the question of water conditioning. Untreated water in any environment plays host to algae and micro-organisms. Charisma’s water conditioner was extensively treated by the University of Canterbury for its effectiveness before the company approved its use in the Charisma mattress.