Dux beds have been made in Sweden since 1926
How Swede it is...DUXIANA Dallas, which celebrates its 15th anniversary this month, is a new sponsor of the blog, and I couldn't be more excited!
The backstory of how owner SERENA COLE discovered Duxiana beds is a charming one:
Duxiana owner Serena Cole
Sleeping In
In 1995, the south Texas-born Cole was employed by the British government helping English companies set up operations in America. "This was before the Internet, when people needed help finding distributors and warehouses," says Cole, who traveled for months at a time in Europe, pre-kids (she and husband Michael now have a girl in middle school and a boy in high school).
At one point, Michael joined her in Europe for vacation, and they ended up in Copenhagen without reservations. The local travel office sent them to a hotel near TIVOLI GARDENS. After placing a wake-up call request to the front desk, they plopped down on the mattress for a short nap.
Duxiana's Preston Center store Princess and the Pea
"We slept for 18 hours straight," remembers Cole. "It was the best night's sleep we'd ever had. It wasn't jet lag, we'd been in Europe already for two weeks." Michael, who'd suffered from sleep disorders for years, was even scheduled to go to a special clinic when he returned to the States.
They immediately stripped the bed down to the mattress to see what kind it was. "Whatever it was we wanted to buy it," she says. But the mattress didn't have a label. So they went down to the lobby to ask. "They were all laughing because they'd been trying to wake us up for hours, but couldn't. They'd been calling and even knocked on the door."
The most popular sheets sold at Duxiana are made
from spun bark from beechwood trees in Switzerland.
Densely woven and lightweight, they come straight from the washer
and dryer wrinkle-free, if you can imagine.
Back to the Future
The hotel's staff explained that the mattress which had put them into such a deep sleep was a Duxiana. Soon, the Coles were loaded up on a hydroplane to Sweden to tour the Dux factory. They bought a queen mattress, and one thing led to another, with a Dux rep suggesting they open a store in Dallas where the couple was living.
Fast forward to 2011: Cole still owns her original Dux bed, and the original Berkshire Lane store in Preston Center is still thriving. "I tell people that a Dux bed lasts about 20 to 25 years," says Cole. "But I have a client in east Texas whose bed is 75 years old. It belonged to her mother, who brought it with her from Sweden."
Duxiana uses beautiful fabrics milled in Europe that are wider than
U.S. textiles for its custom bedding. Standard Dux King mattresses
are even bigger than California Kings.
1.25 Miles of Swedish Steel
What makes a Dux bed so amazing that it not only cured the Coles' insomnia, but it can last for almost a century? Much of it can be attributed to the 1.25 miles of Swedish steel used to create the continuous spring system, says Cole, which distributes body weight evenly and eliminates pressure points. "It's like the man who walks on a bed of nails," she adds. "He can do it because his weight is evenly distributed."
All their mattresses are topped with a removable pad made from natural latex from rubber trees. Replace the topper every 5 years, says Cole, and the mattress can last almost indefinitely. Dux mattresses are self-framed with strong pine grown in the northern region of Sweden, and are made to fit into your existing bed frame and attach to any headboard.
Dux beds are used in hotels all over the world, including the 137-year-old Grand Hotel in Stockholm, by appointment to H.M. the King of Sweden.
Tapestry pillows at Duxianan are made in Italy.
The Bigger the Better
While the biggest mattress made in the U.S. (unless you're going for bespoke) is a California King sized 82" x 84", a Dux-made made King is a roomy 83" x 83". That makes them immensely popular in Dallas where everything is bigger. Bonus: Cole has a warehouse stocked with Dux beds and European-sized sheets to fit the King mattresses, so there's never any wait.
No slow boat from Sweden, in other words.
Duxiana's Sensitive Towels organic and completely biodegradable
A Good Yarn
Says Cole: "Sensitive Towels are made of 100% of the finest combed long staple cotton, hand picked in Egypt. The yarn has been ring-spun. The fabric's wrap consists of twisted yarn and long loops, and a newly developed dobby creates a modern and sporty look. Made from 100% recyclable materials, including the label, and thread. They feature a high absorbency from the first use, and natural ingredients prevent musty odors, and are available in 16 colors and 7 sizes. Cradle to Cradle, Gold Certified."
Duxiana linen wash
Under Control
For those who want to read, work, and remain in bed as long a possible, there's the adjustable Axion bed, pictured below, that allows you and your partner to adjust your own side. The King is made up of two twin mattresses, each with its own control. It's the most popular bed among the 30-and-40-something set, who are just discovering the virtues of autonomous settings, says Cole.
Dux beds start at $5,000 for a Queen and $12,500 for a King.
Axion Bed
