With more and more people embracing the idea of good sleep towards maintaining good health, architects and interior designers are seeing an increase in the demand for modern bedrooms by a greater number of people for an improved World of Sleep. With increased income levels, people are now willing to spend more on different types of modern bedroom designs. Meanwhile, this article explores the challenges faced by designers in delivering modern bedrooms.
The Indian mattress industry has been through a tremendous change over few decades. The industry segment is likely to grow annually by 8.18 percent with its revenue amounting to $256.40m in 2023 if we go by a Statista report. The mattress and sleep products industry is trying out new ways to sell sleep products. Mattress manufacturers that once focussed on selling good sleep products through various sales and marketing campaigns have now adopted a new way to sell good sleep products. The focus is shifting towards selling the idea of sleep. The idea of a ‘world of sleep’ is apparently the primary objective of all mattress manufacturers.
A recent advertisement campaign by Wakefit, with its newly signed brand ambassador, Ayushmann Khurrana endorsing the idea of sleep only reinforces the fact that the domestic mattress industry is on a mission to make its consumers realize the importance of good sleep for overall health. According to a WION report, the company also announced a holiday for its employees on World Sleep Day to promote healthy sleeping habits and it also allows its workers to nap at work.
As millennials increasingly understand the importance of good sleep towards ensuring a good state of physical and mental well-being, they are not hesitant to spend on a modern bedroom. Consumers across various income groups are researching feasible options to invest in their bedrooms. The concept of modern bedrooms is catching up among millennials who now research their sleep products before buying them.
How well is the idea of a modern bedroom embraced? Who are the buyers of the idea of modern bedrooms? Is it the high-net-worth individuals or are the middle-income groups also buying into this concept? And most importantly, what goes into making these modern bedrooms? These are some questions that we must answer before selling the idea of sleep to our consumers.
The Growing Importance of the ‘World Of Sleep’
Good sleep has numerous benefits and with long working hours, disturbed sleep cycles and growing risk of health issues, it is high time people prioritize their good sleep, both in terms of time and quality. People have realized the importance of good sleep and the negative consequences resulting from lack of sleep. Due to this reason, the ‘financially able’ consumers are now getting inclined towards modernizing their bedrooms. Through our latest consumer survey on “Consumer Preferences in the Indian Mattress Industry”, it was evident that consumers are interested in spending on various sleep products with 79 percent of the consumers considering beds, mattresses, pillows, blankets and bedsheets as important commodities to ensure better sleep. Besides that, many respondents in the survey also believed that the room colour and temperature are equally important for better sleep.
The survey also revealed the preference for a well-lit bedroom among consumers. However, it is worth noting that consumers tend to prioritize softer lighting options, such as bedside lamps or dimmable lights, over bright or harsh lighting. This preference for gentle illumination enables individuals to wind down and relax before sleep, while also providing practicality for reading or other activities in bed. Good ventilation was identified as an essential aspect of the sleep environment. Fresh air circulation and a comfortable temperature contribute to a pleasant and restorative sleep experience. Consumers recognize the importance of maintaining an ideal sleeping temperature, and many indicated a preference for utilizing air conditioning systems to achieve this. Adequate ventilation not only helps regulate temperature but also reduces stuffiness and promotes a more comfortable sleeping environment.
Consumers do not view indoor plants as a necessity for their sleep environment. This suggests that other factors, such as air quality and temperature control, hold greater significance for individuals when creating an ideal sleep setting.
The mattress itself was identified as a crucial component of the sleep environment. Consumers expressed a strong preference for a comfortable mattress that provides adequate support for their bodies. The importance of selecting the right mattress in accordance with personal preferences, such as firmness level and material type, cannot be understated. A comfortable mattress contributes significantly to overall sleep quality and plays a vital role in promoting restful sleep.
Various sleep manufacturers across the world are trying out engaging marketing campaigns to help people realize the importance of good sleep. For instance, global brands like Ikea, and Casper engaged in various campaigns to deliver an interactive experience to their prospective customers. While promoting the idea of sleep, they could convert these prospects into customers. Indian mattress makers are also trying to catch up with their global peers. Many Indian mattress brands have also launched ‘sleep stores’, wherein, customers can experience the mattress by sleeping on it at the sleep stores. Additionally, they are trying to bring in a more conducive environment at the sleep stores.
With all the deliberate efforts by the sleep products industry and growing awareness about good and sound sleep among people, the setup of bedrooms is being taken seriously by many people. Bedrooms are one place in our homes, where we spend most of our time and hence, people are paying importance towards modernizing it, in order to catch up some good sleep every day. Not only that, Indian consumers are aware of the latest technology in the sleep industry and they consider assessing various sleep products before deciding on the right one to fit inside their bedrooms. “In India, we designers are very much surprised to see the awareness among the individuals regarding the choice of mattresses. Never before, we used to discuss mattresses. Just call a mattress guy give measurements and that’s done. But today it has become the most important thing of research for individual comfort and need. Thus, ‘World of Sleep’ is the buzzword,” says Hasmukh Shah, Owner of Advance Designs & Lifestyle (ADL) and Chairperson, of the Institute of Indian Interior Designers (IIID), Mumbai Chapter.
Well, it is not only the bed that people focus on while getting a makeover for their bedrooms. Several accessories
like Ottoman, relaxing chairs, couches, extra follows, and fluffy, bedspreads are given equal importance as they contribute a lot towards making the bedroom look cosy. “Bedrooms are very personalised, everyone coming home after a stressful working day, should find relaxation as he enters his personal space that is his bedroom,” explains Shah.
Besides, that, the ventilation, brightness and colour shades used in bedrooms play a vital role in enhancing the aesthetics of the bedrooms. Designers use subtle colours and create openings that can add brightness to the bedroom
in the mornings. Appropriate curtains are being used to control the light falling into the rooms. Wall décors, also add
up some amount of personalization to the bedrooms.
As far as the beds are concerned, Deepa S, Architect at Bangalore-based A360 Architects explains, “A king- or queen-sized bed is generally used because it is comfortable for two people. The height of the bed, too, plays a very important role because when people get older, it becomes difficult for them to get on and off the beds and that’s where they would be spending most of their time.”
With increased income levels, consumers are now willing to spend on the aesthetics and design of their bedrooms. There are various options available for customized bedrooms and people are opting for various customisations based on their requirements and budget. Besides the bed, consumers are exploring other sleep accessories that can complement their mattresses. Some of the commonly preferred sleep accessories include:
• Mattress Protectors: Mattress protectors are those protective sheets that cover a mattress to protect it against any kind of spillage, bacteria and allergens. They allow an adequate amount of airflow and breathability as they are made of water-resistant materials.
• Pillows: The rectangular stuffed bag which is used to support the head while sleeping. These days, pillows are stuffed with various materials like memory foam, cotton, gel and other materials to add more comfort for the sleepers.
• Toppers: A mattress topper is that additional layer on the mattress that gives extra comfort. They are made up of gel, memory foam, feathers, latex, hollow fibre and microfibre.
• Quilt: These are those additional layers that provide warmth and comfort to your chair, sofa or bed.
• Duvets: Duvets are soft blankets that are filled with synthetic fibres, feathers or wool. They are not stitched
or quilted and have a less finished look. They provide adequate warmth and there is no need for an additional
sheet.
• Comforters: These are thick, fluffy blanket which is available in a variety of styles and patterns. It is a single-piece unit filled with soft and warm fill. They have a more finished look than duvets.
Challenges in Delivering Modern Bedrooms
While modern bedrooms are gaining importance, delivering one is quite a challenge for designers. Every consumer has a different set of requirements and matching up all requirements while ensuring the best design plan is quite
a task for architects and interior designers. As far as the bed is concerned, the choice of beds and mattresses is largely dependent on a customer’s age, lifestyle and health conditions.
Despite so many new technologies coming to the newly launched mattresses, people are still not able to find the right product to befit their requirements. Different people of various age groups have different health issues and finding
the right mattress for them is quite a challenge. “The biggest issue is it’s difficult to use the same thing for everybody
because everyone has different requirements for a mattress. Whatever technology has come, it has really not helped a
majority of people with health issues like back aches and therefore, little more customized offerings would be better,”
points out Deepa.
Striking a balance between consumers’ demands and introducing warmth with plenty of creative ideas is another
big challenge that designers face while being on the ground. “Bedrooms are always a challenge for designers, as the
owners always have never-ending aspirations and dreams,” expresses Shah.
Modern Bedrooms of the Future: How Can Mattress Makers Support Designers’ Ideas?
Despite current challenges, designers are quite positive about the future of modern bedrooms. With more purchasing power, new homeowners are reaching out to interior designers more than ever. People of different income groups are looking for customised bedroom plans based on their budget. “Day by day modern bedrooms are getting bigger and bigger because the financial growth has given rise to more needs and now bedrooms have become the ‘suite rooms’. Individuals want to spend the maximum time in their personal space rather than in a commonplace.
The mattress industry is in a boom mode, people are not concerned with cost, they are more concerned with comfort and relaxation, which this industry has very well understood. Today, a mattress can be brought from Rs. 10,000 to Rs. 10 lakhs. I think the mattress industry can generate more health awareness and create psychological, physical and mental satisfaction,” shares Shah.
Designers and mattress companies share a symbiotic relationship when it comes to delivering the right bed to customers for good sleep. While mattress companies launch different ranges of products, designers are the right people to sense what people want. Mattress companies could work towards creating more customized products based on the inputs of designers. Mattress brands can play around the mattress size and thickness while maintaining the same levels of comfort. As figured out by Deepa, “Currently, six to eight inches mattresses are generally used. However, we can use a thinner mattress for the same comfort or different levels of mattress thickness could be explored.”
” With increased income levels, consumers are now willing to spend on aesthetics and design of their bedrooms. There are various options available for customized bedrooms and people are opting for various customisations based on their requirements and budget. “
Architects and Designers Take on the ‘World of Sleep’
With more purchasing power, consumers are now willing to spend more on modern bedrooms. When it comes to designing a modern bedroom, it is all about making it look aesthetically sound, warm, cosy and functional at the same time. It is the place, where people rest and relax at the end of their hectic day. While designing a modern bedroom, Designers consider various quality materials, appropriate furniture, beds, mattresses, linens, wallpapers and well-chosen colours to create a dream bedroom.
Designers and architects are hopeful that people will prioritize sleep and the demand for customized bedrooms will grow. While they face various challenges while dealing with various projects, each of them with a different requirement, the good part is people are willing to spend more on appropriate design and aesthetics of the bedrooms. With consumer preferences getting inclined to the positive side, designers ensure that consumers are now willing to get
convinced about the idea of modern bedrooms.
It is the right time for the mattress industry to research more about its consumers and come up with more customized solutions that will help designers deliver a better bedroom. There are a variety of themes like modern rustic
bedrooms, sleek grey bedrooms, calming neutrals, bright and colourful themes, monochromatic bedrooms, layered
patterns, farmhouse themes, eclectic styles, old world themes and many more. Small bedrooms are also in high demand. People with a small space, too, want to make their cosy space more relaxing.
There are several other bedroom ideas and millennials are ready to try out new themes. Mattress manufacturers should
consider all these themes and have customized offerings that will suit the growing demand for variety among people.
Meanwhile, ISPF has adopted various measures to promote its ‘World of Sleep’ initiative.
There are enough opportunities for various stakeholders in the Indian mattress industry to collaborate with each other and help more people embrace the idea of good sleep. People spend one-third of their lives on the bed. So, at the
end of the day, it’s all about a good night’s sleep.