Carpé Diem vs. Aya of Sweden: Scandinavian sleep comfort

Swedish design 

Within Europe, there are two countries that are far better known than the rest for their furniture design. In the south, that is, of course, Italy, and in the north, it is Sweden. Everyone has something from IKEA in their home, but it is certainly not the case that the Swedes are known only in the lower-priced segment. In fact, it is Swedish brands likeAya of SwedenandCarpé Diemthat have really put comfortable sleep on the map in the Netherlands.

Calvinist sleep 

How did they do that, you might wonder? It wasn’t as difficult as it seems. If, somewhere in the 1980s, circumstances had landed you in prison, there was a good chance you’d end up sleeping on a bed similar to the one you had at home. Back then, the Dutch were rather averse to comfort. We had a Calvinist view of sleep, which called for a firm box spring and a mattress that wasn’t too comfortable. The lengthwise-stretched hammock springs of decades earlier had sometimes even been replaced by a hard plank to combat lower back pain, which cheerfully contributed to this self-flagellation.

Saved by the Vikings 

You can imagine what a relief it was to hear from a down-to-earth Scandinavian neighbor—“who hunts his own moose for protein”—that you’re not a wimp at all just because you like a nice, soft bed. And they certainly made that clear. Ever since then,luxury box springshave been arriving in the Netherlands by the truckload, transported in large Scania trucks from Scandinavia.

The highest level of compliance 

Carpé Diem doesn’t just use loose, “fluffy” materials like wool and cotton; it combines them with a layer of Talalay latex. This makes it technically possible to achieve a very high level of contouring from the pocket springs. The springs in a Carpé Diem bed are individually encased in a cushion, rather than using a continuous layer of foam. On top of that lies themattress topper, which consists of a core of Talalay latex surrounded by a thick layer of wool and a thick layer of cotton.

Starting over

The founders of Carpé Diem sold the brand in 2013 and relaunched it in 2017 under the name Aya of Sweden. AtBröring’s “ ” showroom in Amsterdam, you can now view both brands side by side and, of course, try them out for yourself.

Aya of Sweden

With Aya of Sweden, the creators haven’t taken a completely different path, but they’ve put the four years between brands to good use by thinking about what they’d like to do differently. One common problem with soft mattress toppers is always the fitted sheet. You often can’t get it to fit snugly around the topper, because a fitted sheet that’s too tight causes your mattress topper to turn into a sort of bird’s nest. Aya has found a solution to this by attaching the mattress topper to the mattress with a zipper, so the fitted sheet can then be zipped directly onto the topper. For protection and hygiene, a molton sheet with hooks is first attached to the mattress topper under the fitted sheet.

Another major difference from Carpé Diem is that Aya has incorporated a supportive center panel into all of its feather-filled bedding sets to provide pelvic support. This feature ensures that luxurious Scandinavian comfort is now combined with added stability.

However, anyone who thinks that Carpé Diem has been replaced by Aya of Sweden is mistaken. Ultimately, a comparison in the showroom is always the deciding factor. This comparison takes all aspects into account—not only comfort and support, but also aesthetic preferences such as a matching headboard, and ultimately, the price. As a result, the choice between these two brands is always a personal decision. A good consultant can guide you perfectly through this process with honestsleep advice.

Top service!

About four years ago, I bought a beautiful bed at Broring, Gelderlandplein. Stephan helped me.
I lived nearby.
Now that I've moved in with my partner and live in Bloemendaal, I was having problems with the bed's controls.
My boyfriend contacted Broring about this many times by phone and email. When that didn't work, Stephan came by to fix it!
We thought that was great service because I no longer live in Buitenveldert, so I'm not next door!
I was also helped in the store by a somewhat older person, blond/gray hair, glasses, who was always very friendly!
The quality of the items, including sheets, towels, etc. in the store is also very good.
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