Winter is coming, and that means the days are shorter, the nights are longer, and they’re much colder! It also means it might be time to swap your lightweight quilt out for a nice, thick wool or down quilt and add a few cosy items to turn your bedroom into your favourite room in the house.
Your bedroom is an important space for so many reasons but mostly because it’s where you start and end your day. It’s that special place where you go to recharge and recuperate away from the world outside. When done properly, a comfortable and cosy bedroom not only looks good but it can also improve your nights’ sleep and your overall health and well-being, which is especially helpful during these cold winter months.
This comprehensive winter bedroom guide will show you how to decorate your bedroom for winter, tips on how to create a warm and cosy bedroom and ensure you get a solid night’s sleep throughout the cold season because it’s not only about surviving winter, we want you to enjoy too!
A good night's sleep = good health - we gain many wonderful benefits from a good night's rest: we feel better, we have more energy, are more alert, stress is reduced and we are better able to concentrate and perform those all-important tasks. Never before has our beauty sleep been so important to our wellbeing!
While we sleep our bodies repair themselves by making new tissue, our brains recover and process information properly and our immune system strengthens. These are just a few examples of the benefits of sleep, but how much rest is needed? An adult aged 18-65 years needs between 7-9 hours a night.
Many experts agree that one of the most important things we can do for our health is to ensure we get enough sleep each day. It’s as important as good nutrition and exercise! So, go to bed and you'll feel better tomorrow!
Using these winter bedroom ideas you’ll stay warm no matter how frightfully cold the weather gets outside.
Clear the clutter - there’s nothing worse than a messy room combined with the anxiety caused by the clutter. Keeping your room neat and clean will create a peaceful oasis. For a tidy bedroom, collect all the items that don’t belong during this season. A perfect winter bedroom decor item that you can use to update your winter bedroom is the storage ottoman, it’s both functional and plush. It makes an easy and tidy solution to add to the bottom of your bed.
Add a headboard - create a warming barrier between your head and the cold wall. This clever design feature will keep you warm all night and will make your bed look very cosy. Your headboard can pull the entire look of your bedroom together, so think creatively when choosing the colours, fabrics and textures. BeddingCo offers these in two fabric choices of Velvet Luxe and Paddington.
A plush rug - climbing out of bed on a cold winter's morning is hard enough but if you add a cosy warm rug to the cold surface it will be the perfect greeting to a pair of icey toes. Try adding a runner to either side of the bed, or a faux sheepskin rug to insulate warmth and ensure you start the morning right.
Window insulation - don’t discredit the value that heavier curtains can offer to those cold winter drafts through the windows. It makes a big difference having a little extra insulation. Add a luxurious-looking fabric to create more cosiness in the room.
A touch of velvet - cosy yet decadent, if there was ever a time to introduce this luxurious fabric to your bedroom curtains for winter, it’s now. All that’s needed are a few scatter cushions to add extra warmth and opulence to complete the look and feel in your bedroom.
Convert old furniture - buying new furniture can become pricey and if your table or sofa is looking a little tired, a clever money-saving tip is to add a beautiful winter blanket or throw over the piece to create a disguise. Just don’t forget to tuck in the sides so the older part of the furniture isn’t visible.
Keep a throw handy - during the warmer months, we pack away the winter quilts and winter blankets but now they can be unpacked and be within hands reach when it gets chilly... Fold them and let them hang over the back of your sofa or place them rolled up in a stylish basket for easy access.
Layer lighting - there’s nothing better than a bit of ambient lighting to create a warm atmosphere and help compensate for those darker days. A dark room can be gloomy at times and it can affect your mood, a great way to banish those winter blues is layer the lighting.
Fairy lights or string lights are a fun and festive way to add more ambience, as well as luminary LED candles that add soft light without the dangers of real flames. If you want to keep things simple you can always just add a small glowing lamp to any surface or dresser for an easy style solution.
Add warmth by layering - the best way to create a toasty winter bed is to always layer from the bottom and to work your way to the top. Start with a mattress protector. It will keep your mattress clean and it will also protect it against unnecessary wear and staining. Remember to regularly wash and remove the mattress protector as this will keep dust mites, irritants and allergens at bay - we want your bed to be a healthy place to sleep too!
Next, add a good mattress topper that will add a layer of comfort and provide insulation. The idea is to create a warm winter bed that traps air layers around your body and the mattress. A mattress topper with a cotton casing and a hypoallergenic down-like fill will be soft and comfortable. If you only add layers from the top this will cause heat, heaviness and ultimately, a poor night's sleep.
If you’re looking for something with extra support and something a little more firmer, then Latex mattress toppers are a great option. The sensation is springy, which creates a feeling of support and buoyancy. Made from the rubber tree, it’s well known for hypoallergenic properties.
Beddingco has partnered with Latex Green to offer Certified organic and 100% carbon neutralised latex mattress toppers - follow us on social and sign-up to our newsletter to hear more about this product offering!
Practising self-compassion may seem obvious but taking the time to observe and practise what is essential to your mental, physical and emotional wellbeing will make you healthier, stronger and more successful.
It can be a simple act of self-love like ensuring you’re getting enough sleep every night, being a healthy eater, writing in a gratitude journal or even building an evening routine to get you ready and warm for bed.
Soak it up - taking a bath or shower is a great way to warm up before climbing into bed. It’s also calming and therapeutic which is a perfect way to get ready for bed. If you don’t feel like either of these, don’t underestimate the power of a simple hot foot bath.
Wear something warm - We lose the majority of our heat through our head and our toes, therefore, we must ensure these areas are kept extra warm and snug. Another important factor to remember in maintaining body heat is to create insulation. Wear loose-fitting flannel pyjamas, fluffy socks and don’t forget a beanie, it works wonders! You can even warm-up cold feet in bed by placing a heavy throw at the bottom for added warmth.
Tip: Just remember to wear natural breathable fibres such as wool, cotton or silk which will keep you warmer than synthetic materials.
Keep the bedroom cool - think of your bedroom as a cave, it should be quiet, cool, and dark. If your room is cool, rather than warm your inner body clock gets notified that it’s nighttime and this tells the body it’s time for sleep. A higher room temperature will lead to restlessness and will disrupt your sleep. A 2012 study found that the temperature of the room where you sleep is the most important factor in achieving quality sleep. Sleep experts recommend ideal room temperatures of 18.3 degrees Celsius for optimal good nighttime sleep.
Temperatures outside of the ideal sleeping conditions will impact your sleep in various ways but essentially it will only disrupt your sleep which will have a knock on effect on your overall health.
Add a little something extra - the humble, old-fashioned hot water bottle is still one of the most effective ways to keep warm in bed. A tasty, hot drink also does wonders with warming you up. A plush bathrobe is another often overlooked item that can double up on insulation.
During winter cold feet are one of the body's normal reactions to colder temperatures - it’s just part and parcel of the season. Poor circulation is generally the cause and sometimes the simplest reason is lack of warmth. Either, cold feet are the worst part about winter.
Some of the quickest ways to relieve cold feet is:
Movement - helps the blood to circulate throughout the body which will warm you up in no time!
Socks and Slippers - well-insulated and warm socks will prevent any additional heat loss.
Heating pads or hot water bottles - keep the area surrounding the feet warm all nigh
Foot bath - soak the feet for about 10 - 15 minutes for a quick way to relieve cold feet and encourage circulation.
Good quality brushed and fluffy flannelette sheets are the ideal choice for winter. The name might suggest something old and fuddy, but flannelette sheets are good quality and won’t shed or pill. Linen is another good choice because it can be used during winter or summer, it’s a natural fibre which allows your skin to breathe, helps regulate your body temperature as well as being highly absorbent and hypoallergenic. 1200 thread count sheet sets are another option to use because of their heaviness but regulates the body temperature, making them a cosy layer during winter. Tip: High thread count and natural fibre bed sheets are what to look out for to ensure a restful and comfy nights’ sleep.
1200 Thread Count Egyptian Cotton Linen | Sheet Set
1200 Thread Count Egyptian Cotton Linen | Fitted Sheet
The great thing about Bamboo sheets is they’re not bothered by what the temperature is outside, they’re just as effective during a chilly night in winter as they are in the middle of summer. Sure, they’re cool when you first climb into bed but they adjust very quickly to your body temperature and maintain that temperature through the night.
This is because of the characteristics of the Bamboo fibres within the sheet, they have special insulating capabilities which no other bed sheet has.
Tip: don't forget your Bamboo pillow case. Invest in completing your bamboo bedding system to ensure a comfortable night's sleep no matter what the temperature is outside and you wont need to replace the bedding with the new season.
Choose warmer blanket materials - if you use a blanket, the warmest materials are wool and cotton fleece. The fibres of these materials are curlier, which creates air pockets that trap your body heat better than flat synthetic fibres. You want to avoid synthetic fabric where possible, they can feel heavy and can make you sweaty. There are many choices of wool, with sheep and lamb wool being the most common.
100% Australian Wool 550GSM Quilt
Invest in a good quality Doona - they’re exceptionally warm and luxuriously soft, a wool Doona will keep you warm on the coldest of nights. Wool fibres have natural temperature regulating properties and it’s a great choice for allergy and asthma sufferers being hypoallergenic, resistant to bacteria, mould and mildew. Tip - avoid having your doona slide off during the night by purchasing a doona that is a size too big for your bed.
Canadian Goose Down Quilt | Winter Warmth Doona
The right quilt - generally, there are two types of quilts that will keep you warm in winter: down and wool.
Wool is natural and breathable. Although it is heavier, it won't make you feel overly hot and sweaty due to its natural fibre, it will adjust to the body's temperature. For allergy sufferers, it’s a great solution because it prevents mould, dust mites and bacteria from developing. It’s easy to clean and maintain, as well as, being durable and long-lasting.
Down can be considered the creme-de-la-creme in the bedding world. Why? When the Down quilt expands to fill space, it generates warmth with the absolute minimum of weight, improving your sleep considerably. The perfect Down quilt should feel incredibly warm and cosy, yet light - making it a product of pure luxury. Another benefit is they’re able to draw excess moisture away from the body preventing any excessive clamminess and sweating. Ensure it's made with a baffle box design which will prevent any of the Down shifting throughout the quilt creating cold spots over time. If you suffer from allergies, Down quilts are ideal
Hungarian Goose Down quilts and Canadian Goose Down quilts are considered the warmest and best natural insulators. Some other features include:
Tip - If you suffer from allergies, Organic Mulberry Silk, Australian Wool, and Down Quilts are recommended. They’re made from the highest quality natural products, and have undergone a thorough process of examination to ensure that all impurities are removed!
Hungarian Goose Down Quilt | Winter Doona
Canadian Goose Down Quilt | Winter Warmth Doona
Top it off with a cover or throw - since this will be the final layer on your bed, finish your sleep sanctuary with the final touch every winter bed needs, a magnificently cosy cover. It’s important to choose a design you love and that compliments your wintery lush decor
What is all this Tog and Fill Power about?
The warmth of a Doona is measured and rated by a universal unit fondly known as a Tog? How it works is it measures the Doona’s ability to trap warm air, the higher the tog value, the warmer the Doona.
Fill Power is the measurement of the quality of the Down in a quilt. The higher the Fill Power, the fluffier the loft. This is also the ultimate indicator of the Quilt’s warmth and quality.
A nice rule of thumb for both are:
Tog
Fill Power
If you’re not sure what sort of quilt, pillow, mattress or topper you need for winter, check out our Buying Guide. (link to website)
Keeping the air in your bedroom clean, smelling great, and full of moisture can help to keep you healthier and feeling great.
Keep moisture in the air - during the cold and dry winter months, a humidifier can be really helpful in preventing you from catching a cold. The change in weather will make your skin feel dry and this also feels like the moisture in your skin is being sucked out. The mucus membrane produces cracks and this makes you more susceptible to getting a cold. It’s as simple as switching the humidifier on before falling asleep and will protect you from getting a nasty cold.
Get a diffuser - essential oil diffusers and reed diffusers can be great bedroom additions for any time of year. In winter, windows aren’t likely to be open and so there won’t be much fresh air circulating. A reed diffuser can alleviate the stale air by adding scents of your choice to your home to create a fresh atmosphere.
Essential oil diffusers can be another alternative to freshening up the home as well as boosting your immune system to potentially prevent colds and soothe cold symptoms.
Purify the air - during winter we’re spending more time behind closed doors and this means there it’s less likely that fresh air is flowing. Dust and other allergens might linger for longer than at other times of the year, therefore an air purifier can help reduce dust and allergens while you sleep.
Tip: plants have mould and other allergens which can irritate your breathing if you have breathing issues, moving them to another room during winter is recommended.
Here at BeddingCo, our ethos is simple. We firmly believe that your bedroom should be a restful and inviting sanctuary where you can sleep, dream, relax, and escape reality. Shop our range of natural bedding now!
