John Downs
A parents’ retreat is supposed to be a blissful space, one that lets you recover and recharge at the end of a busy day. At the heart of any carefully created parents’ retreat is the bed. We have put together a few handy points that will help you choose the right bed and sheets so you can create a comfy recovery zone you’ll enjoy for years to come.
Choosing the right sheets
When you’re a parent of little ones, you have two requirements of your sheets: blissful comfort and low maintenance. Sue Morris, head of design at Linen House, has this advice: “Ideally, it would be great to have a parents’ retreat where you can have beautiful grown-up things. In reality though, little visitors are going to rocket through that door and crash land on your bed – at least while they are still small – so go for bedding that is easy to wash and looks good with few creases. Linen is great for that – to get the right look, you actually avoid pressing (who’s got time for that?) in favour of a casual, rumpled look.”
What about thread count?
The best advice on the subject of thread count is – ignore it. A high thread count is no guarantee of quality and, in fact, high thread count sheets will be heavy and less breathable – no good if you’re a hot sleeper. Linen is made from thicker threads and therefore has a lower thread count, which is actually what makes it so cool and comfortable to sleep under. “What you need to look for is a beautiful quality cotton,” says Sue. “We suggest bamboo or long-staple, around the 300-500 thread count mark.”
How to find the right bed
It’s the main event. Here’s what you need to know
- Bigger is not always better. Before jumping to king-size, check the dimensions of the room – there should be a comfortable clearance zone around three sides of the bed. If you’re living large to avoid roll-together, the quality of mattress is actually more important than the size of the bed.
- Think about how your bed relates to the room. Four-poster and canopy beds are the height of romance, but not if they block your gorgeous garden view. Check also how it will sit with other furniture and whether it will encroach on thoroughfares; a sleigh bed is tricky if you were planning on lining up a settee at the foot.
- If you habitually read in bed, an upholstered bedhead might be the right choice instead of that gorgeous but rock-hard timber number you were eyeing up.
- Keep the finishes fairly neutral to allow you to change your bedding and tweak your bed’s look to suit changing trends and seasons.
Want to find out how to create a lavish parents retreat from scratch? Check out our June issue on sale now.
