The Eco-nomical Bedroom

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PRODUCT CHOICES

Greener

Ikea's affordable $159-and-up mattresses contain alternative flame retardants that, according to the U.S. Green Building Council, haven't raised significant consumer health or environmental concerns. But I settled on a conventional Sealy Posturepedic full mattress/ box-spring set (about $399), which is free of Teflon stain- and water-resistant treatment and uses the new fiber-based flame-retardant barriers. I also chose a coilspring mattress, which contains less PU foam. To further reduce my exposures to VOCs, I'm saving up to buy an organic-cotton mattress encasement, which will also block allergenic dust mites (see Resources).

Greenest

A Natural Home's "Simply Affordable" furniture line includes twin- and full-sized organic cotton and organic wool mattresses ($450 and $500, respectively). Savvy Rest has two styles of natural latex mattresses (with organic wool quilting and organic cotton casing) that, starting at $1,049, cost less than most made with these materials.

Bed Frames

For my bed frame I chose metal, which resists bed bugs--a growing problem in New York City. When it comes to wood, the most verifiably green products are those that bear the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) label, such as If Green's Sleigh Bed (from $1490) and Tamalpais's Eco-Styler bed kit. The latter includes unfinished wood and hardware for twin through king beds from $400 (some assembly required). Choose solid wood wherever possible, as glues that bind plywood and particleboard cores can emit formaldehyde and other VOCs.

The following, more affordable frames aren't FSC-certified, but the companies assured us that the wood is responsibly harvested from well-managed forests. A Natural Home says that their bed frame is made from locally sourced, non-clear-cut solid oak and finished in tung oil, which is petroleumfree and made from nuts. If you buy one of their mattresses, they'll knock $100 off the $525 frame price. The Bedworks of Maine makes a solid North American ash hardwood Freeport frame with low-VOC finish ($230/twin). Also check out the Pecos Lite Bamboo Platform Bed with a tung oil finish from Abundant Earth ($221.95).