Alternatives to IKEA Mattresses: Handmade Sleep Excellence

So you’ve read our thoughts on IKEA mattresses and you’re wondering what your next move should be? If you’re looking for something that’s going to outlast those one-sided Swedish offerings whilst giving you proper value for money, you’ve come to the right place.

Having spent years reviewing mattresses from budget retailers to luxury brands, we can confidently say there are two models in our range that represent genuine alternatives to the IKEA lineup, each serving different needs and budgets.

The Budget Champion: Origins Pocket 1500

If you’re shopping in that sweet spot where IKEA’s top models like the VATNESTRÖM (£799 for kingsize) start to feel like an investment, but you still want proper British craftsmanship, our Origins Pocket 1500 is the mattress that consistently punches above its weight.

At £1050 for a kingsize, it sits comfortably within the budget many people allocate for their sleep setup, yet delivers something IKEA simply cannot: a properly constructed, two-sided mattress that you can actually turn and rotate.

Why the Origins 1500 Beats IKEA’s Range

The difference becomes clear the moment you compare specifications. Where IKEA’s VATNESTRÖM gives you 650 synthetic pocket springs in a kingsize, our Origins 1500 provides 1500 spunbond pocket springs. That’s more than double the spring count, which translates to better support distribution and far superior comfort.

But it’s not just about numbers. The upholstery tells the real story:

Key Differences Between Origins 1500 and IKEA’s Top Models:

• Spring Count: 1500 vs IKEA’s maximum of 650-800
• Two-Sided Construction: Can be turned and rotated vs IKEA’s one-sided models
• Upholstery Depth: 1550GSM of quality fillings vs IKEA’s undisclosed minimal layers
• British Manufacturing: Handmade to order vs mass-produced imports
• Durability: Expected lifespan 8-10 years vs IKEA’s typical 3-5 years
• Support Zones: Natural spring response vs artificial comfort zones

The Origins 1500 contains 300GSM of wool and silk blend, 750GSM of very soft polyester, and 500GSM of polyester padding, all sitting atop that substantial spring unit. Compare this to IKEA’s models where they don’t even disclose the GSM (grams per square metre) of their upholstery layers because, frankly, there isn’t enough to shout about.

The Two-Sided Advantage

This is where the Origins 1500 absolutely trounces the IKEA competition. Every single IKEA mattress (bar the basic MALFORS foam model) is one-sided. This means all your body weight, all the wear and tear, all the natural compression happens to just one surface.

With our two-sided Origins 1500, you can flip it monthly, distributing wear evenly across both sleeping surfaces. This isn’t just about longevity (though that’s important), it’s about maintaining consistent comfort throughout the mattress’s life.

Value Proposition

When IKEA’s VATNESTRÖM costs £799 and you can’t turn it, you’re effectively buying half a mattress. To get equivalent wear from a one-sided mattress, you’d need to replace it twice as frequently. Suddenly, our £1050 two-sided Origins 1500 starts looking like the bargain it actually is.

The Premium Choice: Artisan Naturals

Now, if you’ve been looking at IKEA but secretly wondering what a properly premium mattress feels like, this is where the conversation gets interesting. At £2,140 for a kingsize, the Artisan Naturals isn’t competing on price; it’s competing on quality, comfort, and the kind of sleep experience that transforms your nights. This is our flagship model that owners have loved for decades and will never let go of!

Where Premium Actually Matters

The Artisan Naturals contains an eye-watering 3950GSM of upholstery. To put that in perspective, that’s more filling than some entire IKEA mattresses weigh. We’re talking about 1200GSM of blended British fleece wool and cotton, 1250GSM of rebound polycotton, and 1500GSM of pure mohair.

This isn’t marketing fluff. These are materials that breathe, regulate temperature, and provide the kind of comfort that makes you look forward to bedtime.

The Natural Difference

Where IKEA relies on synthetic foams and basic polyester, the Artisan Naturals is built around natural fibres. The difference is immediately apparent:

• Temperature Regulation: Natural fibres wick moisture and allow airflow, whilst synthetic materials trap heat
• Durability: Quality natural fibres maintain their loft and support properties for years
• Comfort: Natural materials provide a more responsive, less ‘dead’ sleeping experience
• Chemical-Free: Our covers use plant-based fire retardancy, not chemical treatments

British Craftsmanship vs Mass Production

This mattress features 1600 calico-encased pocket springs, each individually wrapped and tailored to your specific weight requirements. We’re not talking about the mass-produced spring units that end up in chain store mattresses; these are properly engineered support systems.

The construction method is traditional hand-side-stitching and tufting. When you run your hand along the edge of an Artisan Naturals, you’re feeling craftsmanship that’s been perfected over decades, not machine assembly that’s designed for speed and cost-cutting.

Making Your Decision

The question isn’t whether either of these mattresses is better than IKEA’s range they absolutely are given they are hand made vs being mass produced. The question is which one fits your sleep needs and budget.

Choose the Origins 1500 if:

• You want to escape IKEA’s quality limitations without breaking the bank
• You value the ability to turn and rotate your mattress for even wear
• You’re looking for proper spring support (1500 vs IKEA’s 650-800)
• You want a mattress that will last 8-10 years, not 3-5
• You prefer British manufacturing and craftsmanship

Choose the Artisan Naturals if:

• You’re ready to invest in transformative sleep quality
• You suffer from temperature regulation issues with synthetic mattresses
• You want the luxury of natural fibres and premium materials
• You prefer a softer, more enveloping sleep experience
• You’re looking for a mattress that will last 10-15 years
• You want bespoke spring tensions matched to your body weight

The IKEA Reality Check

Look, IKEA mattresses serve a purpose. If you need something for a guest room, a rental property, or you’re furnishing your first flat on a shoestring budget, they’ll do the job. But if you’re planning to sleep on it every night for the next decade, you deserve better.

The one-sided construction alone should give you pause. IKEA’s own sleep experts would tell you that turning a mattress extends its life and maintains comfort but they’ve eliminated this option from their entire range to save on manufacturing costs.

The Origins 1500 gives you everything IKEA promises but can’t deliver: proper spring support, quality British construction, and genuine longevity. The Artisan Naturals takes you into a different league entirely, where sleep becomes genuinely restorative rather than merely functional.

The Bottom Line

Both mattresses come with our 60-day ‘love it or return it’ guarantee and proper manufacturing warranties (7 years for Origins 1500, 10 years for Artisan Naturals). They’re handmade to order in the UK, delivered within 4 weeks, and built to standards that make IKEA’s offerings look exactly like what they are: budget compromises.

Your sleep is worth more than what IKEA can offer. Whether that’s the honest value of the Origins 1500 or the premium luxury of the Artisan Naturals, both represent a step up to proper, adult sleep quality.

The question is: are you ready to experience what a real mattress feels like?