Category: Bedroom

Don’t sleep on this: Plants in the bedroom

.Reading time 1 minute.

I’ve always loved plants, but making a few cross-country moves in my life (plus living exclusively in small apartments) has meant that I’ve rarely been consistently able to maintain many plants in my home. In fact, I still think about the tiger fern I gave away to a friend before a move over a decade ago.

But now that we’re all living Extremely Indoor Lifestyles, I’ve been making the trek to my local independent garden center every few weeks to pick up a new green “friend” or two. And while I love that my living room is approaching jungle status, what I really appreciate is the bit of green I’ve been able to fit into my bedroom, which doubles as my office during the day. Having a view of something living and green from every angle brings me peace, and the ritual of daily misting and regular watering grounds me in this uncertain time.

Do you keep plants in your home? Are there daily rituals that are bringing you peace in this season?

Four cozy bedroom upgrades for fall

.Reading time 3 minutes.

We’re about to hunker down for a long fall season. From the continued stresses of the pandemic to the election to our day-to-day concerns, we’re going to have plenty going on, and we’ll want to make sure our bedrooms are a true sanctuary and escape from the worries of the world. Here are my picks for four upgrades you can make to ensure maximum bedroom coziness.

Throw blankets

A lighter-weight cotton throw blanket is just the thing to get things extra cozy while not overheating us (the wool blends can wait for winter!). The fair trade Como throw blanket from Steven Alan ($175) features gorgeous, textured striping. Scandinavian Designs‘ Hvaler sweater blanket ($49) is a more affordable way to add another layer of cozy to your bed. The Bloom & Duka ivory throw blanket from Made Trade (pictured, $75) is fair trade and sustainably sourced.

Lap desks

Sure, spending all day working on our beds is the path to backache. But since we’re going to do it anyway, we might as well add some convenience to the mix. This multi-tasking lap tray from Walmart ($50) has a place for all your electronics and your mouse pad, too. The Fleur Blue lap tray from TROVEHome on Etsy (pictured, $43) features an easy-clean, tile-patterned laminate top and a beanbag base for maximum comfort. And if you’re looking for a project, Jen Woodhouse has instructions for a DIY lapdesk featuring a convenient storage compartment.

Aromatherapy candles

Multiple studies have shown lavender to have a positive impact on healthy sleep, and when science tells you to buy lavender candles, you buy lavender candles. Pretty Honest Candles offers a Lavender Soy Candle (pictured, $20) featuring notes of bergamot, lemon, lavender and cedar wood. Mrs. Meyer’s petite lavender tin candle ($5) is cruelty-free and promises a twelve-hour burn. Lavender, bay laurel, lemon and cedar are the notes in this Lavender + Bay Laurel scented soy candle ($30) from Sydney Hale Co., which features a double wick for a smoother burn.

Art objects

The more time we spend in our homes, the more important it becomes to surround ourselves with beauty. The Dune vase from Signe Ceramics ($160) is the perfect vessel for a single bloom or an evergreen sprig. This extremely cute stone bear figurine from Chairish ($360) may be just the friend you need at your bedside. Hollowwork‘s made-to-order Rainbow Pattern Ware Vase (pictured, $80) features a subtle splash of color in a minimalist design.

How will you get cozy this fall?

Do you plan to make some upgrades to your bedroom this fall? Share your ideas with me!

Sources

Sources consulted for this article include:

Effect of Inhaled Lavender and Sleep Hygiene on Self-Reported Sleep Issues: A Randomized Controlled Trial, Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine

Lavender and the Nervous System, Evidence-based Complementary Alternative Medicine

Transitional bedding: Linen edition

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Your best bedding for the transition between summer and fall just might be linen.

Why linen bedding?

We usually think of crisp cotton when we imagine the perfect sheet set, but it turns out that linen can offer a ton of benefits, particularly as the weather changes. In many parts of the U.S., September weather can be a bit finicky– hot one day, cool the next, and back to hot again. Linen is temperature-regulating, highly breathable, and even has anti-bacterial properties, which make it a great choice for when we’re careening between hot and sweaty and chilly over the course of just a few days.

I’ll admit that I’ve never owned linen bedding. Having only recently replaced several sets of holey, mismatched sheets with a few sets in colors and textures I actually enjoy, I’ve been reluctant to make the jump from high-thread count cotton to something even more expensive. But one look at the gorgeous, casually rumpled bed aesthetic we can achieve with linen has me thinking about saving up for a set of my own.

Show me the linen!

Today I’m sharing with you five great options for linen bedding from a range of retailers. You won’t see much of a range in price here, however. Because linen is so much more labor intensive to produce than cotton, there are no real budget options for 100% linen bedding.

The French linen sheet set from Sijo is made with stone-washed linen imported directly from its namesake country and comes with or without a flat sheet. It’s available in a range of cool earth tones. Also made from European flax are the linen sheets from Parachute. Manufactured in Portugal, this set from Parachute has an optional top sheet and comes in a similar earth-tone color range but includes a very “now” terra cotta option.

Linoto offers its 100% linen sheet sets in a wide variety of colors, including fun choices like stripes and a particularly vibrant shade of red. Linoto also offers a wide range of sizes, including split, European, and Olympic options in King and Queen.

Coyuchi’s linen sheet set takes French linen up a notch with organic flax. The color options are somewhat limited, but Coyuchi offers a couple of chambray options that highlight the natural texture and beauty of their linen fabric.

Finally, if you’re on the fence about linen, Target’s Threshold brand offers a linen-cotton blend sheet set that could give you a little more crisp sheet feel for a lot less money. Threshold sheets are affordable but not cheap, with nice additions like placement labels inside the fitted sheet.

Where do you stand on linen?

What do you think about linen bedding? If you’ve tried it in the past or are about to hit “add to cart” on any of my picks, I’d love to hear about it!