Hoteliers invest time and money in choosing the right bedding for their guest rooms. They recognize that guests who have slept well and awakened rested leave the properties with fond feelings about their stays, as well as the desire to return. Your bed at home deserves at least as much attention, and January is the perfect time for a bedding refresh to create the sleep nest that will get you through the winter.
Invest in New Bedding Now for Great Sleep All Year
We consider the beauty, comfort, and hygiene of each element as we build our bedding layer by layer. It’s the same system we use when working with our hospitality clients to create memorably great bedding for their guests.
1. Feather Beds
Feather beds (1) are often seen only at the most luxurious hotels; however, they’re also a wonderful alternative to an immediate investment in a more expensive mattress as they are placed on top of the mattress and deliver an extra level of cushion and comfort. We continue to recommend a waterproof mattress pad to protect the mattress, but the feather bed provides an additional layer of comfort between you and your mattress.
2. Waterproof Mattress Pads
Every sleeper drools and perspires. An unprotected mattress is susceptible to dust mites and other contaminants and can be ruined easily by spills and accidents. To protect your mattresses from these potentially ruinous events, we highly recommend the continuous use of waterproof mattress pads (2), which should be removed and laundered regularly.
We spent years developing and perfecting the lily pads® to meet your need for a waterproof, motionless, soundless, and breathable mattress pad. The 100% polyester nonwoven backing provides a waterproof barrier while the 100% cotton twill top layer provides a soft and silky base for the bottom sheet. The fitted skirt prevents the pad from moving. This mattress pad provides a protective barrier for your mattress and an extra cushion for sleeping.
3. Sheet Sets
Choose a sheet set to meet your aesthetic preferences. That way, you can change the look of the bed as easily as you change the sheets. After all, your bed is the centerpiece of your bedroom so it should reflect your personal style.
Although we’re fans of silk pillowcases for their benefits to skin and hair, our sheet sets (3) are created from 100% cotton. They’re breathable, comfortably cool, durable, and easy to launder. Sheets vary depending upon material, thread count, weave, size, and style. We have accounted for all these factors in creating our 100% cotton sheet sets.
White sheets are expected in hotels as they provide guests with a sense of confidence in the hygiene of the bed. Our sheet sets come in a variety of white-on-white patterns to work with your bedroom’s aesthetics, from the crisp white sateen of our classic fresh sheet set to the elegant paisley jacquard of our tuxedo sheet set. White sheets also provide a great backdrop for any type of decorative pillows and throws. Our sheet sets can be purchased with coordinated duvet covers (4), as well.
4. Comforters
The same considerations go into choosing the right down comforter (5) whether you’re looking at down comforters or down alternative comforters including fill, fabric, construction, weight, size, and style. It’s easiest to search for the right comforter if you begin with the fill and fabric you prefer. As each of our comforters is made with an eye for detail to make it durable and long lasting, all that’s left for you to choose are the right weight for the way you sleep and the right size for your bed.
White goose down creates a warm and cozy covering without too much weight. Spherical in shape, the down clusters trap air to retain your body heat while remaining highly breathable to allow temperature regulation. The white goose down fill we use in our comforters is 100% natural and has been subjected to the CentroClean™ process to ensure removal of any contaminants. Our down alternative comforters are filled with our signature aquaplush®, a hypoallergenic, 100% combed polyester fiber.
The material of the sack containing the fill is called the ticking. The ticking can be manufactured in a variety of fabrics but is most often woven from cotton. Our organic cotton ticking is Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS) certified.
The key factor is durability. Our comforters are made with 235-thread-count, 100% cotton ticking in white. We sew them with invisible seams, double stitching, and German cotton piping for strength and durability even through home laundering. Yes, you can wash and dry your down comforters at home, if you have machines large enough to allow movement during the cycles.
We manufacture our comforters in a variety of weights from summer weight, when you need the feel of a comforter without too much weight or warmth, to winter weight, when you want the maximum warmth. If you’re not sure how you sleep, or you and your bed partner sleep at different temperatures, we recommend you begin with one of our all-seasons comforters. Hotels often choose this weight as it provides a superior sleep experience to a wide range of guests.
Each of our comforters is available in a variety of sizes. Your choice of size can depend upon several factors including the size of your mattress, the type of bed frame, and your aesthetic. The size of your mattress and how you want your comforter to hang will be the main determining consideration in the size of the comforter you choose. If you want the sides to hang to the bottom of the box spring, you will need to calculate a size above your mattress size.
5. Pillows
You don't necessarily need a mountain of pillows to make your bed cozy, but you should have an assortment for the sake of comfort. Start with your sleeping pillow (7). It’s important to find the one that works best for your needs. Check out previous articles in which we give you tips for picking the perfect sleeping pillow.
The most important factor in choosing a pillow is firmness, which typically depends upon your sleeping position. We recommend our softest white goose down pillows for stomach sleepers, our rhapsody wrap down and feather pillows for side sleepers, and our 25/75 or 50/50 down and feather pillows for back sleepers. The goal is to find the pillow or pillows that let you sleep with your head and neck in proper alignment.
Our customer favorite 25%/75% white goose down and feather pillow combines the softness of down and the loft of feathers to make it a favorite of back or side sleepers and provides a good place to start. If you prefer a down alternative fill, our aquaplush® down alternative polyester pillow is a favorite of our hotel clients, offering the same softness and plush feel without the down and feathers. Our double chamber pillow, aka “The Hyatt Pillow,” has been discovered by hotel guests looking to have the same great hotel sleep at home.
Whether you choose a natural fill pillow (down or feather) or a down alternative, having a variety of shapes and sizes will ensure you have all the cushioning you need to get comfortable for reading, relaxing, and sleeping in bed. A body pillow can provide the extra support and cushioning you need to rest comfortably on your side, particularly if you like to hug a pillow while you sleep.
It’s much easier to launder a pillow protector (8) than a pillow! The essential cotton pillow protector in 235-thread-count, 100% cotton is beautifully constructed with an invisible zipper and teardrop pull. Put it on before the pillowcase when you put the pillow on the bed. Remove it for regular laundering or when it becomes soiled. Be sure to close the zipper before laundering.
6. Decorative Touches
There is a reason for decorative blankets (6) and decorative pillows (9) beyond the aesthetic joy they bring. They can provide an extra cushion for sitting up in bed or an added bit of warmth on cold nights. Seasonal throw pillows like our velvet decorative feather pillows offer the opportunity to change your room with the seasons or your mood with minimal effort. Our new periwinkle linen covered feather pillow insert brings a sweet pop of periwinkle to your bedroom. Because hygiene is always critical, our decorative pillows are made with zippered covers that can be removed and laundered.
Similarly, all our throw blankets are washable, in addition to being beautiful and deliciously soft. Our new cashmere throws come in a variety of neutral colors so they can be laid on the back of a chair in front of the fire or at the foot of your bed for chilly nights.
7. Choose to Sleep on Organic Cotton
Our d.o.e. down on earth® organic cotton-covered down comforters help you to create the cozy, comfortable, and luxurious bedroom retreat you deserve in a socially responsible way. Our d.o.e. comforters are made with 100% organic cotton ticking and filled with 100% natural white goose down. In combination with our d.o.e. pillows made with 100% cotton ticking and our 100% organic cotton sheeting, you can enjoy great sleep in a bedroom oasis made up with the healthy, as well as socially and environmentally friendly, bedding.
Stay warm and cozy this winter in a bed you’ve designed just for you.
-The Team at Down Etc
Read more:
5 Reasons to Refresh Your Bedding in January
What Are the Secrets to a Cozy Bed
Begin with a Waterproof Mattress Pad
Experience Hotel Luxury at Home with a Feather Bed
Why Choose down etc’s Organic Cotton-Covered Comforters?
Your Ultimate Guide to Choosing a Comforter
5 Factors to Consider When Purchasing New Sheets
