Guide

Knowledge for better
sleep & living.

Well-founded answers to the questions we hear most often in consultations – researched and backed by independent studies.

Checkliste mit fünf Punkten für das Probeliegen beim Bettenkauf

Healthy sleepJuly 4, 2026 · 5 min read

Buying a Bed: Testing It Properly – a Checklist with Substance

When buying a bed, your subjective lying feel is not a “soft” criterion – it is the scientifically relevant one: studies show that a sleep surface subjectively perceived as medium-firm and individually fitting performs best, and that declared firmness ratings are not very reliable. Consumer tests add an honest caveat: a brief in-store test has its limits; more time and your own sleeping position make it meaningful.

Aufbau-Schema eines Boxspringbetts: Topper, Matratze und gefederte Box mit komfortabler Einstiegshöhe

Healthy sleepJuly 4, 2026 · 5 min read

Box-Spring Beds: Construction, Strengths and Who They Suit

A box-spring bed consists of three components: a sprung, upholstered box as the base, the actual mattress on top and usually a topper to finish. Typical of the design are the double-sprung lying feel and the raised entry height. Honestly put: there are no studies showing box-spring beds to be “healthier” – the choice is a matter of comfort and taste, best settled by testing the bed in person.

Die sieben Schritte einer Einrichtungsberatung vom Erstgespräch bis zu Abnahme und Styling

Living & interiorsJuly 4, 2026 · 5 min read

Interior Consultation: What It Delivers, How It Works, What It Costs

“Interior architect” is not a federally protected title in Switzerland – qualification shows in training (a university of applied sciences degree), association membership (VSI.ASAI) or an entry in the REG register. Interior consultation and interior design focus on furnishing, material, color and light without structural alterations; the typical process leads from the initial conversation through measurement and concept to delivery and styling. With us, the initial conversation, the first home visit and the initial concept are free.

Zeitachse der modernen Einrichtung: Bauhaus 1919, Compasso d'Oro und Design in Scandinavia 1954, erster Salone del Mobil

Living & interiorsJuly 4, 2026 · 6 min read

Interior Styles at a Glance: From Bauhaus to Japandi

Styles are maps, not laws: the Bauhaus (1919–1933) laid the foundation of modernism, “Mid-Century Modern” was only defined as a design movement in 1984 by a book, Scandinavian design conquered the world from 1954 with a traveling exhibition, and Italian modernism institutionalized itself with the Compasso d'Oro (1954) and the first Salone del Mobile (1961). Japandi, in turn, is a young label – with, however, a very real historical root.

Raumquerschnitt mit empfohlenen Reflexionsgraden: Decke 0,7–0,9, Wände 0,5–0,8, Boden 0,2–0,6

Living & interiorsJuly 4, 2026 · 5 min read

Color in the Home: What Really Works – and What Is a Myth

Light ceilings and walls make rooms appear measurably taller – floor color plays no role in this. That is experimentally proven. Not proven, by contrast, is much of what is said about color psychology: the definitive research review classifies the field as young and inconsistent, and blanket claims such as “blue calms” have no scientific backing. Color remains above all one thing: a question of light, material and taste.

Schema der drei Federkern-Bauarten: Bonellfederkern, Taschenfederkern, mehrlagige Federsysteme

Healthy sleepJuly 4, 2026 · 5 min read

Bonnell, Pocket Springs, Multi-Layer Systems: Understanding Spring Cores

Not all spring cores are alike: in a Bonnell spring unit the springs are connected and respond as a surface, while in a pocket spring core each spring works individually inside a fabric pocket – which makes the support more precisely targeted. Multi-layer and zoned systems refine this principle. Studies support the benefits of zoned, adjustable elasticity for spinal alignment; a “best spring type for everyone”, however, is not proven.

Checkliste mit fünf Prüfpunkten für Möbelqualität: Verbindungen, Innenleben, Emissionen, Zertifikate, Polsteraufbau

Living & interiorsJuly 4, 2026 · 6 min read

Recognizing High-Quality Furniture: Material, Craftsmanship, Certificates

Quality shows where nobody looks: on back panels, in joints and inside the upholstery. Objective anchors exist for emissions (class E1; from August 2026 the stricter EU limit of 0.062 mg/m³ formaldehyde applies) and certificates (FSC for wood, OEKO-TEX for textiles). And one prejudice deserves correcting: veneer is not a “cheap substitute” for solid wood but a quality construction method in its own right.

Kennzahl: 46,6 Quadratmeter durchschnittliche Wohnfläche pro Person in der Schweiz (BFS 2024)

Living & interiorsJuly 4, 2026 · 5 min read

Furnishing Small Rooms: What Really Creates Space

46.6 m² of living space per person – that is how Switzerland lives on average; in large city centers it is closer to 41 m². Furnishing compactly is everyday reality here. Perception research supplies clear levers: visible floor area dominates the impression of size, and light ceilings and walls make rooms appear taller. Plus one honest caveat: “less furniture automatically feels larger” is not proven in such blanket terms.

Schema der drei Lichtebenen: Grundlicht, Zonenlicht und Akzentlicht

Living & interiorsJuly 4, 2026 · 5 min read

Lighting Design for Living Spaces: Lux, Kelvin and the Three Layers

There is no binding lighting standard for residential spaces – practice takes its cues from the workplace standard EN 12464-1: around 100 lux for circulation areas, 500 lux for reading and work areas. Two principles come on top: warm, dimmed light in the evening (circadian research supplies the rationale) and a structure in three layers – ambient, task and accent lighting.

Zwei Kennzahlen der Betthygiene: Bettwäsche bei 60 Grad waschen, Luftfeuchtigkeit unter 50 Prozent halten

Healthy sleepJuly 4, 2026 · 5 min read

How Long Does a Mattress Last? Honest Answers on Lifespan and Hygiene

There is no scientifically proven rule such as “replace every 8 years” – such intervals come from the industry, not from research. What is established: worn-out beds that no longer support you impair sleep, washing bed linen at 55 °C or above reliably kills house dust mites, and below 50% humidity mites dry out. What counts is the condition of the bed, not its year of birth.

Härtegrad-Spektrum von sehr weich bis sehr fest mit hervorgehobenem mittelfestem Bereich

Healthy sleepJuly 4, 2026 · 5 min read

Mattress Firmness: Why “H3” Says Little – and What Counts

Firmness ratings such as H2 or H3 are not standardised – every brand defines them itself, and even the European test standard EN 1957 is based on subjective perception. Research shows that the most favourable sleep surface is one that feels subjectively medium-firm and fits your body individually. So rely on testing the bed in person, not on the label.

Kennzahlen zum Möbelabfall: 12,1 Millionen Tonnen pro Jahr in den USA, nur 0,3 Prozent rezykliert

Living & interiorsJuly 4, 2026 · 5 min read

Sustainable Furnishing Means Furnishing to Last

Furniture waste is measurably enormous: in the US, according to the environmental agency EPA, 12.1 million tonnes accrued in 2018 – 80 percent of it went to landfill, 0.3 percent was recycled. For the EU, a study estimates around 10 million tonnes annually. The most effective lever against this is not a label but length of use: durable construction, repairability and passing furniture on. That is exactly what the planned EU ecodesign rules for furniture target.

Schema: Seitenschläfer brauchen ein höheres Kissen, Rückenschläfer ein flacheres, damit die Halswirbelsäule in einer Lin

Healthy sleepJuly 4, 2026 · 5 min read

The Right Pillow: What the Evidence Shows for Neck Pain

Pillow height and shape determine the alignment of the cervical spine – not the marketing. A systematic review shows that the right pillow can reduce neck pain and waking symptoms; general sleep quality, by contrast, changes little. In comparative studies, latex pillows performed best. The right height is individual: side sleepers need more, back sleepers less.

Balkendiagramm der gemessenen Liegezeit: 54 % Seitenlage, 38 % Rückenlage, 7 % Bauchlage

Healthy sleepJuly 4, 2026 · 5 min read

Side, Back or Stomach: What Sleep Research Knows About Positions

Objective measurements of 664 adults show that on average we spend a good half of the night on our side (54%), a good third on our back (38%) and only around 7% on our stomach – and side sleeping increases further with age. Research knows no single “healthiest position for everyone”; what matters is that the sleep surface suits your preferred position.

Schema: Luftzirkulation durch eine offene Federkern-Struktur transportiert Feuchtigkeit aus dem Bett

Healthy sleepJuly 4, 2026 · 5 min read

Bedroom Temperature: Why Heat Is the Real Sleep Thief

Heat and humid warmth demonstrably disturb sleep – they increase wake phases and reduce deep and REM sleep. A fixed “ideal temperature” such as the often-quoted 18 °C, however, is not scientifically robust: a large field study found the best sleep efficiency between 20 and 25 °C, with large individual differences. What matters is avoiding trapped heat and moisture in the bed.

Empfehlung der National Sleep Foundation: 7 bis 9 Stunden Schlaf für Erwachsene

Healthy sleepJuly 4, 2026 · 6 min read

What Good Sleep Does for Body and Mind – the Research

According to the consensus recommendation of the National Sleep Foundation, adults need 7 to 9 hours of sleep. Research links sufficient sleep to a functioning immune system, to memory formation and to everyday safety: in one study, people who regularly slept 6 hours or less were around four times more susceptible to colds. In Switzerland, around a third of the population reports sleep disorders.

Schema: gerade Wirbelsäule in Seitenlage bei passender Stützung, durchhängend bei zu weicher Mitte

Healthy sleepJuly 4, 2026 · 6 min read

Which Bed for Back Pain? What Studies Really Show

The best available evidence supports a medium-firm, individually fitted bed for back pain – not the hardest one possible. In a randomised Lancet study, medium-firm mattresses performed markedly better than firm ones for chronic low-back pain. What matters is that the spine stays straight while you lie down: shoulders and pelvis sink in, and the middle of the body is supported.

Sechs Schritte zum Einrichten: Bedarf, Raumplan, Grossmöbel, Licht, Textilien, Accessoires

Living & interiorsJuly 4, 2026 · 5 min read

Furnishing a Home: The Right Order

From large to fine: clarify needs and budget, measure and plan the space, place the large furniture, define the lighting, then textiles and finally accessories – this order is proven consulting practice, not a standard. Real normative anchors exist for dimensions: passages from 80 cm clear width and corridors from 100–120 cm count as the reference in barrier-free building. And since the Swiss move less and less often (2023 relocation rate: 9.3%), a thorough concept for each home pays off all the more.

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Knowledge for bettersleep & living.

Buying a Bed: Testing It Properly – a Checklist with Substance

Box-Spring Beds: Construction, Strengths and Who They Suit

Interior Consultation: What It Delivers, How It Works, What It Costs

Interior Styles at a Glance: From Bauhaus to Japandi

Color in the Home: What Really Works – and What Is a Myth

Bonnell, Pocket Springs, Multi-Layer Systems: Understanding Spring Cores

Recognizing High-Quality Furniture: Material, Craftsmanship, Certificates

Furnishing Small Rooms: What Really Creates Space

Lighting Design for Living Spaces: Lux, Kelvin and the Three Layers

How Long Does a Mattress Last? Honest Answers on Lifespan and Hygiene

Mattress Firmness: Why “H3” Says Little – and What Counts

Sustainable Furnishing Means Furnishing to Last

The Right Pillow: What the Evidence Shows for Neck Pain

Side, Back or Stomach: What Sleep Research Knows About Positions

Bedroom Temperature: Why Heat Is the Real Sleep Thief

What Good Sleep Does for Body and Mind – the Research

Which Bed for Back Pain? What Studies Really Show

Furnishing a Home: The Right Order

Prefer personal advice?

Knowledge for better
sleep & living.