apartment therapy changing the world, one room at a time

Just piping in...I do the duvet only thing too..after living in Europe. So, when I go to hotels or others' houses, I hate having a top sheet and blankets, etc. I recently got a bedspread from IKEA to use to make my bed look less messy..so I fold my duvet on top of that. Makes it much more work, though!

Howabout thumbs sideways. I really like the pillow and bedspread I got, but I agree about the sheets. I had a duvet cover at one point that wasn't too scratchy.

I have an Ikea down duvet and Ikea bedding, and for the price they can't be beat. The sheets wear out a little more quickly than other brands, but at that price you can afford to replace them. I think the more subdued colours and prints don't scream "Ikea" either, and can actually be nice in a more traditional space. I have a duvet cover that is white with a very light red check that works well with our antique bedframe.

I like that the duvet is sewn with quilted "pockets" that keep the down in little squares. That prevents the down from bunching up at one end.

I (heart) many things Ikea, but the sheets and duvet covers,
not so much

I find them scratchy.

Quite fond of some of their bed pillows tho.

The difference between a high quality down comforter is in the weight. The good stuff (not really expensive in Scandanavian countries, and it lasts a lifetime) is astonishing light and versatile in many temperature conditions.
Once you go eiderdown, you don't go back.

Love their version of the Tempur-Pedic pillow. Comes with a quilted pillow cover.

I haven't quite understood why some companies make the duvet covers in a better quality fabric than the sheets. IKEA does that. The sheets are on the body while the duvet cover is not. I usually pass on IKEA for sheets and stick to Target, et al for inexpensive but nice sheets.

Agreed. Thumb sideways. My duvet is superfluffy and even and is goose-friendly...and the cover is nice (but could use some snaps or buttons). But the sheets? Add some threads, folks. Your home goods are sexy and I wanna get naked, but not on those scratchy sheets.

In all of the Scandinavian countries I've been to (Denmark and Sweden) the duvet cover IS touching your body. It's your top sheet. Maybe that explains it?

I'm still in search of decent pillows so I'd love to hear about which IKEA pillows people like. I asked about the DWR memory foam ones in an earlier thread and got no takers, so I'm interested to hear that the IKEA version is good. Both of us have terrible allergies so we like to wash our pillows frequently. But the synthetic down doesn't do well for more then one or two washings. I assume the memory foam ones have a washable cover but are not washable themselves?

For sheets, especially the flannel ones, I've always been a Garnet Hill junkie. I wait for them to go on sale in January though. The cheapest ones are usually the ugliest, but you can score good stuff sometimes. I'm also fond of those untreated cotton "natural" sheets, I love how they feel, but not so fond of the need to iron them before use. Lately I've been contemplating linen sheets for summer, but they are awfully pricey.

regards,
trillium

I agree that IKEA's duvet covers are a lot better feeling than the sheets. I have one that came with 2 pillow cases and they are pretty good for the price. However, I haven't bought their sheets yet because all the ones that I've liked design-wise are a poly/cotton blend and just looking at them through the plastic makes my sensitive skin crawl. Do they make 100% cotton bed sheets?

Where's the mattress in the above picture? I see a tiny strip of mattress pad - or something - in dark brown. Where's the mattress?!?

I mention this because I'm going crazy trying to find hip bedding that actually covers the bed and is comfortable to sleep in. Again, looking at the pic above... that comforter barely covers the bed. It's hanging over the sides by three inches maybe?!?

This whole 86x86 size for full/queen duvets is silly. It's just too small for me, and my bed is a full. I can't imagine how that's big enough for a queen bed.

trillium, I have a synthetic down pillow. You can wash that in the machine? I took the tag off (arrest me) so I didn't know you could throw those things in the washing machine.

yeah, in europe the duvet is your top sheet.... try it out. it's kind of nice and soon you may start to wonder why you needed that top sheet to begin with.

AND it makes making the bed really quick

Trillium,
You solved a mystery that has been puzzling me for many years. When I visit my father and stepmother in Sydney, I've always noticed there is no top sheet. It always struck me as odd and I thought maybe it was an Australian thing, but apparently it has more to do with my Swedish stepmother. :) thanks

anne- the Qualofill and Primaloft pillows I have bought have been machine washable, that's why I bought them. However, after the 2nd wash they have both been very lumpy.

rob - if price isn't a problem, check out the DWR line of bedding. the blankets and coverlets are very generously sized and you might find them hip, I dunno exactly what hip means in this context, but there are no english tea roses. I sleep with a cover-hog, so whenever I can swing it, I buy king size for the top layers so some is still left for me. you might try the same.

stephenb- glad to have solved a mystery for you!

regards,
trillium

the other fun fact about the Scandinavian duvets (Rob) is that they tend to be small. The traditional way is everybody gets their own.
So for Americans it looks like a twin bed duvet.

oh thank goodness, I was beginning to think I was the only person using my (Ikea) duvet cover as a top sheet! It's so much less fussy than using a top sheet, easier to make the bed, and I think the Ikea one is pretty soft.

I liked my duvet cover when I bought it, thinking it was these giant abstract flowers, but when I got it home and turned it around was horrified to see that they are, in fact, butterflies. I'm learning to live with it though.

Actually, Stephen, it *is* also an Australian thing. My mother is Australian, and while she always uses sheets, no one in Australia does. It's the duvet only.

It's much easier, but doesn't work for me, because I'm always getting too hot and too cold, and I hate to be totally uncovered when I sleep.

Ikea Bedding?
Absolute scratchy madness!!!!!!
Target has a few great styles of sheets I use, as well as Dwell (great Patterns), and Garnet Hill as well (but not the Icky flannel ones)....Cotton sateen or Linen for me....
I've been thinking about getting a new bed this year...Does anyone sleep on one of the Sonno Matresses?

After a year long search for bedding, I ended up buying a duvet set from IKEA and couldn't be happier. I got the ETHEL BLAD design, which has a white background and the most delicate framework of leaves in brown and blues on it.

http://www.ikea.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?topcategoryId=15558&catalogId=10103&storeId=12&productId=55135&langId=-1&parentCats=15558*15824*15836

Nearest IKEA is several hours away, so I'll say: their sheet designs look OK in the catalogue, but it's always made me suspicious that they're sketchy about giving fiber and thread-count information.

I'm glad (? maybe it's not something to be glad about? the spreading of misfortune?) that I'm not the only one who had massive problems with a synth-down pillow. Hate it. Replacing it this fall, I think.

Tried to buy flat sheets in Thailand for queen bed and couldn't find any. Stores only stocked fitted sheets and duvet covers. so had to give up idea of having top sheet and ended up using fitted sheet on mattress and duvet as cover. Does get too hot sometimes with duvet but previous posters are absolutely right about ease of making bed in the morning; it's a snap.

Also couldn't find duvet in queen size. Stores only carried king size b/c apparently local preference is for duvet to drape over side of bed until almost touching floor. (as opposed to the duvet in the photo above which just covers the mattress and doesn't drape down over the sides) For king size bed, king duvet also drapes over side of bed but isn't as close to the floor as the queen.

Sorry to drag this on.. but no sheets isn't an Australian thing as far as I'm concerned. As a Queenslander now living in Sweden, I've been converted to no top sheet living. Easier bed-making and the weather is right for it. Much easier to snuggle under a doona in Sweden all year round.

Just bought the Alvine Spets doona cover from Ikea, very happy with it. Lovely crotchet detail (although quite different from the image on net), nice and fresh.

Enrique- I bought 2 of those 'Tempur-pedic' IKEA pillows with the quilted covers. Like them!
I have been putting regular pillow cases on top - doesn't look perfect, the cases look a bit baggy...
Do you use regular pillow cases on them too?

I have always just used a duvet, no top sheet. I really hate making a bed in the morning, but don't feel good unless it is made (thanks, FLYLADY). That's why personally I love duvets (and I mean duvet covers when I say that).

I got a duvet cover and matching pillowcases at Ikea a couple of months ago for $4.99. It was one of those 'loss leaders' - I kind of love it because it reminds me of camp. I wish I had a pic to show - it is black/blue and red stripes. It has washed well and constantly refreshes itself when I remember to add oxyclean to the wash. I also have a twin duvet cover that is about 6 years old that I love and am saving for a twin guest bed, when I have a guest room to put a guest bed in.

I find Ikea linens wash well and no, they will not last forever, but that's a great excuse to go buy another set for very cheap and change the whole look of our bedroom. So, thumbs up from me.

I am from the UK and we just sleep with the duvet , no top sheet. Nice and easy. I find the top sheet is harder to keept around you in the middle of the night, and the duvet is nice easy to make in the morning!!64268

Rob...about where the mattress is...I have that bed from Ikea and the mattress drops in. So the side of the bed cover most of the sides of the mattress. The bed holds a regular size mattress. :)

I've gone the other way. My parents are European so my mom always made my bed with just a quilt. But now I've gotten into the habit of using a top sheet. I've been Americanized.

I love love love the IKEA quilts & quilt covers. I bought my 1st set 7 years ago when we were living in Baltimore, and still have it (though I'm pissed that IKEA changed their quilt sizes so that the new covers don't fit the old quilts). I've never tried their sheets. My only beef with their quilt covers is the color selection - so much white, taupe, beige, etc. Give us more COLOR, dammit!

Maybe it's because I've lived in France, but it seems perfectly normal to me for each person to sleep under his/her own quilt/duvet/couette with no top sheet. Even as a kid I found top sheets to be a real PITA.

I agree with Rob, the 86x86 inch duvet on an actual queen-length bed is uber-annoying, especially for anyone who is somewhat tall. I always assumed Ikea was just being cheap by making them so small, but maybe European men are just short or perhaps only like their duvets to come to their nipples to keep their nipples and shoulders cool while sleeping for some reason.

Seriously, though, I bought the 86x86 duvet at Ikea since it was labeled to fit a queen bed. I even have a somewhat smaller bed than a queen since I'm using an Ikea couch thing that turns into a bed and is actually 54x80 inches when laid flat (a queen length, but a full width).

All the queen beddings I saw (and bought) at places besides Ikea are cut long enough to be tucked in at the bottom and still come to my chin. Quite simply an 86 inch length that is tucked in at the bottom with a 6 foot 1 inch man stretched out fully only comes up to about mid-upper chest or sub shoulder level. It also becomes perilously easy to untuck at the bottom while turning over while asleep at night with almost none tucked in at the bottom.

Did they even bother to do the math or do they just not care? 80 inch length of bed, plus 4-to-6 inches to hook around mattress and tuck in leaves basically zero for tucking in. I mean in theory it covers the bed with no one in it, but with someone in bed there are feet and body to go up, around, and over. And I abhor having the area around my feet and ankles pulled really tight like I'm in some Chinese foot-binding ritual to try and make it come to my chin when the duvet is too short. IMO, it should be at least 92 inches long to be labeled to fit a queen bed (just as nearly all the other manufacturers do). All my other bedding made for queen size is easily long enough.

And yeah, I could buy a king-size Ikea duvet, but then it would be longer than needed on the sides.

Plus, everyone talks about Ikea's "great designs" for cheap prices. If it's such great design then why do I have to buy a size bigger in order for it to fit a queen-length bed appropriately? And how am I supposed to know that it's not going to fit right (when it says it will) before buying unless I've experienced the nipple-length angst of their queen duvets before? Now I know not to trust Ikea bedding to fit what it says and to look carefully at the measurements, not the size it says it's supposed to fit. Or maybe they're only counting on five-foot-six women buying their merchandise?