Tis the time of year when my thoughts turn to blankets. I like having a range of blankets in the house, because they each have a specialized use. On the sofa, I have two that I keep in summer/winter rotation. For the summer, I have a gorgeous vintage yellow mohair throw.
While it’s very lightweight, the loft of the fibers keeps you cozy, and sometimes, even in the summer, there’s nothing like a throw to pull around you when you’re taking an afternoon nap.
For winter, I have a lush cream cashmere throw. 
This was a big splurge a few years ago, and I’ve never regretted having it. It’s so lush to snuggle up with and keeps you quite warm. And it matches the dog’s hair perfectly!
The beds all have a range of down and eiderdown comforters on them. As friends can attest, I like to keep the house cool cold in the winter. A down comforter with a wool blanket thrown over it, will keep all but the most cold-blooded person quite toasty. Of course, I use duvet covers with the down comforters. 
Eiderdowns are quite hard to find and they’re very expensive. If you ever see one in a charity shop or at a yard sale, snatch it up instantly. These amazing blankets are usually characterized by their floral or paisley covers. They are hugely fluffy, but don’t weigh much at all. And when you feel them, you won’t feel the quills from the feathers. I wrote about eiderdowns here. I wash my down comforters about once a year and use LeBlanc Violet Down Wash.
Down comforters are wonderful in the winter and they come in a range of weights so you can pick how warm or cool you want to be. You can find good down comforters at every place from Ikea on up! If you’re allergic to down, I would suggest a silk-filled comforter. 
I bought one of these for a friend who lived in Northern Arizona at Pearl River Mart in NYC. Silk is a great insulating fabric (think silk long-johns) and it barely weighs anything.
Do you like blankets? Heavy or light?
You keep your house cold? Brrrr...I fight the draft here and barely beat it. I also need an electric blanket to combat the winters here!
ReplyDeleteMy first house in Cardiff didn't even have central heat! And the castle was freeeeeezing!
DeleteMeg I agree keep it cooler and snuggle up! I cannot have anything heavy on me...so it must be featherweight down and I have not found an Eiderdown; so if you come across an extra that will fit over a queen, let me know and I will rush you $$.
ReplyDeletexoxo
Karena
2013 Designers Series
karen - also try the silk comforter. it's light!
DeleteOh and I love both your yellow mohair and the cashmere throws you have, very luxurious!
ReplyDeletexoxo
K
i keep my house cold in the winter also + love to sleep in a cold room + the better to snuggle + have a wonderful eiderdown covered in taffeta. fabulous post. xxpeggybraswelldesign.com
ReplyDeletelove a chilly bedroom!
DeleteI splurged on a wool duvet last year and what a difference it has made. The duvet comes in summer and autumn weights and has ties to make a winter weight. The upper level of my house never gets warm, "ambient heat" according to the furnace man and that's the main floor, but one autumn works well. Washable and better for those with allergies. Mine is by the English company, Devon Duvets. And if you are thinking of buying in England, their king size is an American queen. I brought mine back in a Space Bag. I figured if the duvet was made for an English house, it would work for me!!!!
ReplyDeletei will have to look at devon duvets! thanks for the tip.
DeleteHow to keep the down from shifting inside the duvet? I struggle with mine day and night.
ReplyDeleteask martha stewart! she suggests putting little ties on the inside of the cover to hold the duvet.
DeleteI'm allergic to down and so agree about the silk comforters! Our two-story house has the option of warm downstairs and too hot to sleep upstairs. So we prefer to keep it cooler during winter (It's also less drying for your skin). I think heating a house so you're comfortable enough to go barefoot and wear shorts is kinda' silly!
ReplyDeletei agree about heating the house. sometimes i turn the heat up to get the chill out, but then i turn it down again.
DeleteFor sleeping, I also love a cold room with a good comforter. You can really snuggle in on a winter night. Throws are so nice by the fire for reading and watching movies. I recently adopted a yellow rescue lab, so I know what you mean about light colored throws, they are a must!
ReplyDeleteAgree 100%. Although I do wear a lot of black!
DeleteGoodness. Just found out another Blogger I follow is in High point- a writer/contributor to Garden and Gun magazine THE Haskell Harris... oh my , do find her, I 'm sure you will be charmed!!.
ReplyDeleteFor me, the colder the room, the better I sleep. My bedroom has no radiator, and with the window always open--not cracked, OPEN--and my bed directly in front of it, I need blankets, lots of blankets, wool blankets, sometimes five or six of them. There's an olive drab US Army blanket that (contrary to popular belief) has a very soft hand and isn't all all scratchy, a pair of striped Hudson Bay blankets from the days when they came in colors like jade green & orchid, a 1940s Wedgwood blue herringbone Kensington, plus another one in old rose, a Lady Something-or-Other in buttercup yellow yellow and a regular multi-stripe HB trapper blanket. On a cold night, there are probably thirty pounds of blankets on my bed. And I'm always keeping my eye out for more, because one of these days, I'll find a vintage apartment with a sleeping porch and when I do, I'll spend the winters outdoors.
ReplyDeleteDown blankets are also a great idea!
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