This is a collaborative post with Bensons for Beds.

On Saturday, we took a trip over to Wednesbury in order to check out the new Bensons for Beds store there, and take part in a storytelling session. Bedtime and stories go hand in hand, and Pickle is quite the fan of cosying up with a good book (I lose count of how many we get through on an average evening!), so I was excited to hear a story told by a proper expert: Nikky Smedley, perhaps best known for playing LaaLaa in the Teletubbies, but also a professional dancer, physical theatre performer, conference speaker (there’s a fantastic video on YouTube of her TedxWarwick talk from 2013) and storyteller.

Nikky Smedley the Storyteller at Bensons for Beds

When we arrived (half way through a storytelling session), Pickle was quite dozy having just been woken from a nap in the car, which meant I enjoyed some very lovely cuddles as we listened to the stories and took in our surroundings, before saying hello to some of my chums: Emma a.k.a Mrs Shilts and her two gorgeous boys and Lucy from Real Mum Reviews with her lovely family too.

I’ve often admired whoever’s job it is to style home furniture stores. It’s always really inspirational having a look around, isn’t it? They use wall colours I wouldn’t have thought of, put together really beautiful pieces of furniture and manage to tie a whole room together effortlessly. The new Bensons for Bed store in Wednesbury gave me lots of ideas for bedroom decorating. I sort of just imagined lots of bare mattresses lined up in rows, covered in plastic and ready to be tested and rated on their softness, firmness and springiness, but what we saw was quite different. Mini bedroom set ups showcasing how their different styled bed frames could look in ways to suit all tastes, made homely with throws, cushions and gorgeous lighting.

Yellow and wood bedroom setting at Bensons for Beds

Calm blue bedroom inspiration from Bensons for Beds

I’d love to give our bedroom a makeover. We still live in a rented house, and whilst I’m sure our landlord would be open to us decorating to our own tastes, we’ve never really bothered. We are definitely in need of a new bed though. Not only have I been toying with upgrading to a King size ever since Pickle became a nightly visitor to our bed, but our current basic wooden frame has been subject to quite a few bodge-job DIY fixes over the years. We even have some decking panels being used for replacement slats! (Not sure if I should admit to that…).

Pickle running riot around Bensons for Beds

It meant I was quite happy to let Pickle have a run around, as chasing him around gave me a good chance to have a good nose and see what kinds of styles were available. We’d really like a bed that has lots of inbuilt storage (either drawers or ottoman style) so that we can attempt to keep our bedroom much tidier than it’s current state, and I’d rather go for a fabric or wooden style than a leather bed. I really liked the look of this Virage Ottoman bed frame and even though it doesn’t have inbuilt storage, I love the mixture of wood with a fabric headboard on the Yasmin frame.

Relaxing in bed at the new Bensons for Beds store in Wednesbury

Pickle enjoying a children's bed at Bensons for Beds

The visit also served as a great opportunity to test the water of putting Pickle in a proper bed. He’s still in his cot at the moment (for the small portion of the night he spends in his own room!) and I’ve been thinking of turning it into a toddler bed for a while now – even though the thought of him being able to get in and out on his own terrifies me. The thing is, he loves a good pillow! I think because he spends so much time in our bed, he delights in putting his head on a pillow, pulling the covers up to his chin and having someone lie next to him. He knew exactly what to do with the beds in the children’s section. I definitely think he’s ready…

The Children's section at Bensons for Beds in Wednesbury

The children’s section itself in Wednesbury was really impressive. So many cool beds! I was particularly impressed by a cabin bed with the loveliest little seating area underneath, including a pull out desk. And the cherry on the cake? Lots of fun little toys in that area to keep little ones amused – Pickle loved playing on the rocking horse (and was adamant I needed to play on the rocking caterpillar next to him), which meant LPD got a few minutes to himself to peruse the beds properly.

The childrens section brought to life with cute toys

Getting cosy at Bensons for Beds

Last night, LPD and I were talking about the importance of having a really good bed. Let’s be honest, it’s the piece of furniture that gets the most use in your home, isn’t it? Yet, I bet many of us have bigger budgets for our sofas, which are probably used a small fraction of the time we spend in bed. We need to save up a few more pennies before we treat ourselves to a new bed, but when we do, I think we’ll be heading back to the Wednesbury Bensons for Beds store (even though we have a Bensons for Bed store in Redditch), as it was genuinely that impressive! I never thought I could enjoy being in a bed shop as much as I did!

Mommy and Pickle at Bensons for Beds

Pickle looking in the Children's Section

Thank you for a lovely morning, Bensons for Beds. We’ll be seeing you again soon, I’m sure!

Disclaimer: we were invited to attend the Bensons for Beds storytelling event to help promote the new store opening in Wednesbury. Although we have been compensated for our time, the contents, views and opinions expressed in this post are my own, and as always, are 100% honest.