It might be crisp cotton sheets or silky indulgent pillow cases you like best, but the fabric you choose for your duvet cover also affects how the whole bedroom feels. Since you spend a good part of your life under a duvet, it’s important to create the atmosphere and sleeping experience that best suits you.
It might be tempting sometimes to pick the one that look about the right colour, but putting a little more thought and effort into choosing your duvet covers can mean the difference between a good night’s rest and a night being not quite comfortable in a way you can’t quite put your finger on. All kinds of fabric are used for making duvet covers, but the most common ones are cotton, polyester, flannel, satin and linen. Each of these makes lovely covers, but everyone has their favourite and that might depend entirely on mood or season.
Cool cotton covers are crisp and fresh, making the bed feel clean and welcoming. They’re also a pain to iron, sometimes! Hanging them on the line helps, as does a few drops of fabric conditioner in the final rinse, or a little white vinegar if you prefer. A higher thread count is more expensive but softer to the touch and will last much longer. Cotton/poly mixes are easier to care for and for that reason alone they’re a very popular choice.
In the summer months, a linen cover is a delight, helping you get a good night’s sleep. Cotton is another good choice for this. Both will wick moisture away from you, keeping you cooler. Conversely, in the winter both fabrics can make excellent layers to help you keep cosy. The best fabric for winter, though, is flannel. Warm to the touch and lovely to snuggle into, flannel is made from a brushed fabric that washes well and dries easily, which is crucial when drying outside isn’t possible over the wet and cold part of the year.
Satin is popular because of the way it moves and feels on the skin and how shiny it is on the bed. Though satin doesn’t last as well as the natural silk, it does give a smooth, glossy look to a bedroom. A romantic touch for many, satin duvet covers will lie flat on the bed and require very little care. Some people find that the way the sheets move isn’t the most conducive to a good night’s rest but this is, of course, a matter of preference.
The fabric you choose will influence how the room feels and this is true of the colours you pick too. Whatever your preference of materials and colours, the combination of both should create a relaxing atmosphere, ideal for helping you to wind down in the evening and drift softly into sleep.
