The Sunday Times May 29, 2022 17
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Kara is the White Company’s fine-stripe bed linen collection,
made from spun European hemp and linen. From £40 for an
Oxford pillowcase, thewhitecompany.comCOOL COMFORT
Dream of crisp white sheets, silk pillowcases and billowing curtains this summer for a sound sleep
minimal ironing, but they will
also hold the heat more than
natural linen or pure cotton,
which allow better air
circulation and moisture
wicking. But, bed linen buyers
beware, when choosing a new
cotton set paying a premium
does not necessarily net you a
more comfortable sleep. Don’t
be seduced by “hotel quality”
thread count in the summer.
A lower thread count means
fibres are less closely woven
and will trap less heat.
The French Bedroom
Company has a 100 per cent
cotton 180-thread-count set
scented with lavender to aid
sleep. The founder, Georgia
Metcalfe, says that her
customers are buying pairs of
silk pillowcases to use with
their cotton or linen sets in the
summer. “Silk is always cold
to the touch. It has other
benefits for the skin and the
hair as well.”
Curtains are an underrated
weapon in the battle to stay
cool. Try your granny’s trick
of drawing the drapes during
the day, especially in south-
facing bedrooms. If you are
buying new, it’s worth paying
a little extra and choosingcurtains with a thermal lining,
to help to regulate room
temperature, in summer and
in winter. For a less expensive
fix adopt the stylists’ choice of
fine linen sheers, which filter
sunlight and allow air to
circulate (£39.99 at Zara).
The right bedside table,
decluttered, can have a
positive impact on sleep.
When it comes to such tables,
small delivers the most
benefit. One with a large
tabletop is a magnet for mess
and a source of bedtime
distraction. Much better to
have a model with room just
for a book, a mug and a lamp,
and banish everything else to
the dressing table.
Sallie King, the founder of
the furniture-maker
Urbansize, explains why a
small wall-hung design is best.
“The floating designs create
that feeling of space. The
more you can see of the floor,
the more it gives you an
illusion of light and airiness
and makes the bedroom a
calmer space.”Colourful knit throw by
Sage and Clare, £159,
wanderlustwares.co.ukAltura step stool designed by Patricia
Perez for Case Furniture, £210,
casefurniture.comLoop-top curtain in 100 per cent
linen, £69 for a single,
secretlinenstore.comThere are 37
products
dedicated to the
hot sleeper at John
Lewis, including
a gel pillow
H
ave you packed
away your
chunky socks yet
and moved the
big coats to the
back of the wardrobe? As
temperatures rise, we change
our outfits — and our interiors
also need a makeover. This
season it’s all about making
the bedroom into a place of
self-care and serenity.
Wendy Nicholls, the head
designer at Colefax & Fowler,
says this season has sparked a
craving for sanctuary
bedrooms. “Everybody
dreams this time of year of a
white bedroom with billowing
muslin curtains, the windows
open and the sound of bees
buzzing outside. When you
are exhausted and you’ve
overdone it you want to be
taken to a spa where it’s all
white. I want to be on a
polished floor with an all-
white bed looking out towards
the gardens — and I want to be
looked after.”
We can all relate. Retailers
from Dunelm (whose Dorma
Purity line is almost entirely
white) to Next (whose
extended edit of white bed
linen has been a summer hit)
report that customers are avid
for white linens. Three out of
four of Habitat’s bestselling
sets are white and textured.
In spring/summer 2022 a
bedroom is more than just a
pretty space. It must support
our wellbeing. The hot topic in
bedding circles is the hot
sleeper — who suffers
insomnia from feeling too
warm at night, whether due to
a memory foam mattress or
the menopause. There are 37
products dedicated to the hot
sleeper at John Lewis,
including a gel pillow (£176).
Some hot sleepers swear by
a spendy fan. They may be
pleased to discover Duux’s
rechargeable fan, Whisper
Flex Ultimate, which is
portable and controlled via
smartphone (£249.99). The
key swap to make is
substituting a winter-weight
duvet with a lighter-tog
alternative. Sales of Scooms’s
lightest duvet, the 2.5-tog
Hungarian goose down (£115),
tripled in the past 30 days.
When it comes to bed linen,
those snazzy printed
polycotton sets that we bought
as pandemic pick-me-ups
should probably be retired to
the airing cupboard while the
hot weather lasts. They may
be quick to dry and needKATRINA
BURROUGHS
@Kat_BurroughsBurnt-orange linen bundle,
from £227,
pigletinbed.comCOLLEEN O’TOOLE