Okay, here’s a somewhat gross but honest confession: our master bedroom mattress was ancient — a true hand-me-down relic. John’s sister kindly passed it along when we moved to Richmond three years ago after years of her own use. Over time, the mattress had stiffened into something resembling a brick, offering about as much comfort as one. It served its purpose during our staged, room-by-room renovations, but each morning we woke up stiffer and sorer than the night before. Here’s John and Burger showing exactly how unpleasant that old mattress was.
After three years of patience, we finally replaced that ancient slab with a new mattress. With my interest in eco-friendly products, I wanted a mattress made from natural materials, free of synthetic fire retardants and other questionable chemicals. I spent hours researching and discovered an organic mattress comparison site that pointed me to our new pick: the Organic Serenity Natural Dunlop Latex Mattress by Savvy Rest. It topped the list for quality and value.
At $1,999 for a queen, the mattress was a significant investment — more expensive than any other furniture piece we own. But considering how much time you spend sleeping and the mattress’s 20-year warranty, the cost breaks down to a small daily investment in comfort and health. We saved up specifically for it and, after a few months, three boxes arrived at our door. I admit I squealed a little when they came.
One of the best features of the Organic Serenity mattress is customization. It’s built from three 3″ layers of natural Dunlop latex, wrapped in a certified organic cotton and wool cover. Each layer ships separately, which made the boxes easy to handle. Shipping from nearby Charlottesville, Virginia, was an added plus — less travel distance for the product.
During ordering, you select the density for each layer — soft, medium, or firm — so you can build a mattress that suits your preferences. You can even split each layer down the middle for differing firmness on each side if partners have different needs. We both prefer a moderately firm feel (since we sleep on our backs and bellies), so after consulting with a phone advisor we chose medium, medium, and top it off with a soft layer. When the boxes arrived, we were eager to assemble them ourselves.
We cleared out the old mattress — we were able to give it away through Freecycle — and followed the simple instructions included with the new mattress. First we spread out the bottom of the organic cotton and wool cover.
Next we inserted the bottom layer labeled “bottom, medium,” wiggling it into place until it lay centered and even. Even with just one 3″ layer of perforated latex, the comfort upgrade over our old innerspring was dramatic.
We added the middle medium layer and then the top soft layer, making sure each was aligned and stacked evenly. John adjusted the top layer until everything sat square and comfortable.
Once the layers were in place, we zipped on the top of the organic cover to secure the latex layers. John zipped around the mattress until it was fully enclosed. The result is a plush, 11″ mattress when you include the quilted wool and cotton cover — a huge improvement over our old 6″ innerspring.
We were delighted with the final product — it felt luxurious and supportive in equal measure. It also happened to make us a bit silly and posey, like those mattress commercials where people lounge with a glass of wine.
In short: aching backs, hours of research, and a little patience resulted in nights of excellent sleep. Our anniversary isn’t until July 7th, but this mattress felt like the perfect two-year anniversary gift (cotton is the traditional two-year gift, and our cover is genuine organic cotton). As a bonus, Burger loved it from the first night and was still sprawled out on it hours after we finished assembling it.
Are you in the market for a new mattress, couch, or another household essential? Any anniversaries or special occasions coming up where a thoughtful, lasting gift might make sense? Share what you’re considering — a quality mattress makes a huge difference.
P.S. For an update on how we like the mattress after extended use, see our follow-up post detailing our long-term impressions.