Bed accessories
Slatted bases, headboards, fittings and bed rails count as bed accessories, that is, to the parts that complete the bed and solve what the mattress alone cannot. Frames, lifting mechanisms for storage boxes and fillers for the gap between mattress and wall round out the range. For most parts the size follows from the inner measurement of the frame, not from the size of the mattress. Among materials, wood, plywood and lacquered metal dominate.
Bed accessories
A bed is made of more parts than just the frame and the mattress, and many of them can be bought separately. Bed accessories cover the load-bearing parts that take the weight, the fittings that improve safety and the hardware needed for assembly. Textiles such as sheets or mattress protectors do not belong here.
The most important load-bearing part is the slatted base, which carries the mattress and decides how it feels to lie on it. A fixed slatted base holds its slats in rubber caps and suits everyday use. An adjustable slatted base allows the head and foot sections to be raised, by hand or electrically. Slat counts run roughly from 26 to 42, and a higher number means more even support. Replacement slats and holders are also sold individually, which helps when repairing an older base.
It is mainly headboards and frames that give the bed its look, and on many beds they can be swapped without touching the structure. Upholstered headboards serve as a backrest for reading, wooden and metal ones more as a visual feature. Legs belong to the frames too: they change the height of the bed and with it the ease of getting up. Fittings and hardware are bought when assembling or when replacing worn parts.
The bed rails mount to the side of the bed and guard against falling out during sleep. They are used on children's beds, on raised beds and with older people. A folding version lets the rail drop away when it gets in the way of getting up. Length is chosen by how much of the bed the rail needs to cover.
Among the smaller but practical parts are gap fillers between mattress and wall or between two mattresses, which stop pillows and small items from slipping down. They are made of foam in widths matching the usual gaps. It is the inner measurement of the frame that decides the choice of every part, so it is worth measuring before buying.