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An EPIC Gift for My Mummu | Nora Mattress Review

I am really, really excited to share today’s post!  I know that this time of year you’re inundated with gift guides and sponsored posts so you probably tune out a ton of them – but this one makes me SO happy!!!

I’ve nudged readers toward some practical gifts and that’s from the heart because I had been saving up to purchase something big – and practical – for my Mummu.  My Mom, Mummu, and I had been playing Scrabble one night in the fall and our games always take so long because we talk and talk and talk.  Mummu casually mentioned that her decades old mattress had been really causing her some sleepless nights as well as aches and pains.  I’m not sure exactly how old that mattress is, but it’s way older than me and that’s old enough, so after that conversation I decided that I would surprise her with a new mattress.  After getting a foam mattress ourselves, I was thinking about getting her a foam mattress too because I thought it would be a crazy good surprise to have it shipped to her door!  The only problem was I wasn’t sure if she would find ours soft enough, so I was going to do some comparison shopping online before committing.

In a funny coincidence, Wayfair, a longtime collaborator, reached out to me about reviewing the Nora mattress!  I promptly ordered a double mattress for Mummu but I couldn’t even wait for the package-on-the-doorstep surprise idea (I never could keep a secret) and immediately phoned her to spill the beans.

Her new Nora mattress arrived and my Mummu is SO thrilled!  Granted, her old mattress was terrible to sleep on so it probably isn’t a fair comparison, but she is seriously smiling ear to ear.

We both tested it out and it’s really cushy.  It’s firm and offers great support, but you definitely sink into it a little, which feels amazing.

The one thing Mummu noticed right away is that it’s cool to the touch, thanks to a 3″ thermo-regulating layer of gel-infused cooling foam.  There’s also a 2″ gel-infused memory foam (which gives it that cushy feel), plus two 3.5″ layers of high density support foam (which keeps it from getting too cushy).  It really does feel quite different from our mattress, especially the cooling sensation and that memory foam – even the mattress cover is unique, crafted from a material derived from jade (!) which enhances the cooling effect.

I think my Mummu will enjoy the cooling properties because, being Finnish, she never seems cold.  Sure, she’ll put on a cardigan but all summer long she keeps her house cool as an icebox and I have never, ever seen her don a hat in the winter – even if the rest of us are in toques and snow pants.  I wish I had inherited that gene because I am always cold.

The Nora mattress is a really competitive price too.  The queen is $749 and the king is $949, but I’ve seen great sales, so watch for those.  There are nearly 500 reviews on Wayfair and the rating is almost 5 stars and because of that amazing return policy, it’s a pretty safe bet!

There are a few small drawbacks though, which are worth mentioning.

1. For some reason, even though the mattress was allowed to relax for the 12 hours it requires after unrolling it (and then another 24 hours before I snapped the final photos) the mattress cover seems too large and that creates a sort of wrinkled effect.  But really, it’s going to be covered with sheets anyway but I wanted to point it out, because it gives the illusion of the mattress not having expanded enough in the photos.

2. Like our foam mattress, the edges collapse when you sit on the edge of the bed.  The same thing happens with our mattress, but I honestly don’t notice it anymore.  Even though this doesn’t bother her, I did caution my Mummu to be careful when she sits on the edge of the bed.  If you’re buying this for someone who isn’t very mobile, or prone to falls, it might not be the right choice.

3. I didn’t realize until we were ready to unroll it in a dramatic unveiling that the company doesn’t recommend a typical boxspring for underneath, because it can cause the mattress to sag.  Oops!  That was definitely an oversight on my part.  Hubby and I will have to hack her bed to create a base that’s suitable but that’s okay – and it makes total sense, so that’s not even a drawback, just a head’s up.

Edited (Jan 14th, 2018): Yay! More testing has determined that you can use the Nora with any foundation or base.  I love that the company was so thorough and made sure this was possible.

Those are really my only concerns and they’re so minor.  Otherwise we loved the convenience of having it shipped to the house – what a fun way to surprise someone, right?! (if you don’t already spill the beans) – and it was a snap to unroll.  Once it puffed up, it was ready to sleep on and I didn’t notice any off-gassing like with other brands, which was really nice.  I would have felt really terrible if the mattress had smelled bizarre, even if it was only for a few days.  Unlike ours, this mattress feels more plush and you sink into it more, without giving up support, so if you like a softer mattress that hugs you, this one might be a great fit.  And if you are someone who gets sweaty at night – or you sleep beside someone who does – the incredible cooling properties of the memory foam might be perfect for you.

After getting our foam mattress, I really thought all of these roll-up-and-ship mattresses would be the same but this one feels so different.  If you’ve been considering one, it will definitely help to comb through some reviews and find the one with features that suit your needs.

I was provided this Nora mattress through Wayfair but all words, thoughts, and opinions are my own.  A HUGE thanks to my friends at Wayfair for letting me give my Mummu this amazing gift, especially at this time of year.  She is such an important person in my life and my connection to my Finnish roots, so I cherish the time we spend together.  Once a year , I sleep over and we have a gals weekend but I always sleep on a pullout sofa (that’s also older than me), so I think that might be the next thing I’ll need to replace…

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8 Comments

  1. the optimist
    December 16, 2017 / 3:34 am

    Please keep us in the loop about the bed hack/retrofit! I've got a vintage bedframe to which I'd like to do something similar, and I haven't been able to find good instructions…

    • Tanya from Dans le Lakehouse
      December 16, 2017 / 4:21 pm

      I will for sure! We’re even wondering if just a sheet of plywood between then box spring and mattress would work… or some DIY slats. I think IKEA sells their slays, I wonder if you could use those and affix them to the frame?

  2. Heather
    December 16, 2017 / 2:39 pm

    I LOVE you Mummu’s furniture!I am going to pass this post along to my mom as she is looking for a foam mattress.

    • Tanya from Dans le Lakehouse
      December 16, 2017 / 4:23 pm

      Isn’t it pretty? I’ve always been smitten with her vintage furniture. Her house is from the 1960s and it still has the original pink bathroom, although they broke my heart when they replaced the pink toilet with a beige one. The sink and tub are still pink though! If your mom gets hot at night or wants the cushiness of memory foam she would love this. And there’s no risk to try, just in case she doesn’t.

  3. Sarah McG
    December 20, 2017 / 8:17 pm

    THAT FURNITURE! I snap up as much vintage furniture as I can. Your Mom's set is absolutely gorgeous. (We live in a 1961 house with both a pink and a blue bathroom.)

    • Tanya from Dans le Lakehouse
      December 20, 2017 / 9:42 pm

      So deeply jealous of your pink and blue bathrooms!!! So happy they found an owner who loves them instead of gutting them.

  4. September 3, 2018 / 1:32 pm

    Did this mattress lay flat right away or did you have to wait some amount of time for it to flatten out? Although now that I think about it, I suppose sleeping on it would flatten it out pretty quick even if it was a bit curled up after you unboxed it.

    • Tanya from Dans le Lakehouse
      Author
      September 6, 2018 / 1:26 pm

      I have a Leesa myself and it flattened out so quick but this one needed way more time. I think my grandma slept in the guestroom the first night but then it was ready for sleeping the next day. I wouldn’t force it to flatten by sleeping on it because it also needs to kind of puff out a bit.

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