As we kick off Bedroom month on Apartment Therapy things are just starting to thaw a bit across much of the country, but the desire to stay toasty and cozy hasn't let up. Sure, anyone can turn up the heat, but our readers have shared many ideas on how to use bedding to create an oasis of nightly warmth in even the chilliest home...
Check out these tips from our wise readers and then share the wealth by adding yours to the comments...
We live in Chicago and it's a huge benefit to be able to drop the heat down at night and snuggle under some layers. Gas for heat is flippin' $$$ here. It's not unusual for us to get a $700 gas bill in the coldest months and we live in a tiny house. Winter I do an electric mattress pad, flannel sheets, a cotton blanket, and a thick down comforter with a velvet duvet cover. We can pull off or add layers as-needed. - kitschykitten
Instead of flannel or jersey knit sheets, I was recently given fleece sheets. I was a bit dubious at first, but have since fell in love with them. The fleece is pretty fine, not like a jacket, and ridiculously soft! I am a really warm sleeper, so I was kind of worried about getting too hot, and sweating, but fortunately, I've only been warm and cozy, not hot and sweaty! - GretaGrace
It's not glamorous but a hot water bottle works like a charm! - dianapappas
Lands' End's HeatComfort Mattress Pad has made cold nights exponentially more comfortable for me...haven't climbed into a cold bed in more than a year. And it makes rainy afternoon naps almost impossible to wake up from! - mr.O
In my uninsulated PNW house, it's all about the family bed. A couple months ago, I finally succeeded in getting my 4 year old to sleep in his own bed consistently, all night long. Then it got real cold. I can't undo all that hard work and let him back in my bed... so I joined him. Now it's the 2 of us snuggled up in his twin loft bed, with the dog underneath. Pretty hilarious, but this way I only have to heat one room at night, and it's the room with the fewest windows and exterior walls. - mjoe
It's not glamorous, but wearing clean white athletic sox to bed helps a lot. If my feet are warm, the rest of me is usually comfortable, too. Also, we bought comforters and top sheets a size larger than the bed -- so queens when we had a standard double, kings when we had a queen. This can be tricky for a neaatly made bed, but the extra overlap is great for covering two bodies without battles. - SherryBinNH
400 thread count sheets, reversible flannel blanket under my down comforter w/duvet, all tucked nicely under my mattress to keep the cold air out. My boyfriend hates it since he's a warm sleeper - he just sleeps on top of the entire pile when he comes over - flipchik0037
We sometimes get too warm with flannel sheets so I usually have a flannel bottom sheet and an Egyptian cotton top sheet of coordinating colors. Instead of a hot water bottle or herbal microwavable bag, I made several microwaveable bags from fabric remnants and rice for myself and friends. I pop it into the microwave for a couple of minutes and it keeps my toes nice and toasty for at least half the night. If my feet are warm, then the rest of me is warm. This past week was minus 23 wind chill here so it's been tested! - jlanier
I put the "sleeping pill" on my bed. This is a wool throw from Norway that every time I cover myself with it, I fall asleep. I learned about this from my sister who bought a mohair one when she was in Scandinavia and then gave it to our mom. Every time we used it at mom's we zonked out. So I had to get one--mine's not as fluffy, but works just as well. Comfy! - kaanswfm
You know what I love even more than flannel sheets? These cozy, very affordable, fluffy "Cashmina" sheets from Domestications.com. They feel wonderful on these cold, cold nights -- like curling up with a big, friendly animal. - LolaDanger
Flannel during the fall/winter/spring paired with thicker pjs, then bamboo cotton during the summer. The same comforter stays on the bed year-round but usually gets kicked off the bed from May - August. - Kehaulani5
Flannel sheet, two down comforters with flannel covers, one more down blanket over the feet, one husband and four cats. What can I say--we live in Wisconsin and sleep with the window open until around -5F. I love to sleep cold and snuggle in! - kariwk
Flannel sheets, an electric blanket, and duvet in the winter. - beckestra
I use those herb-filled things you put in the microwave. Great bed warmers. - unabridged
Lands End Flannel Sheets & Duvet covers. They don't pill like el-Cheapo flannel and last forever. - bepsf
A silk-filled comforter is very warm and very luxe! - Vollhardtandschore
My kids each go to bed with two hot water bottles, one for the feet and one to hug. Hubby and I have a heated mattress pad. - avimom
I love flannel sheets but nothing tops fleece. So warm and cozy - it's hard to get up in the morning. - anabelle
I got tired of the comforter disappearing in the middle of the night and waking up bare and cold. So when we changed the bedding, we bought a dual control electric mattress pad and king sized down comforter and duvet for our queen sized bed. Now the bed looks spectacular since the oversized duvet drapes handsomely over the sides of the bed. Plus there's no more nightly comforter snatching or tug-of-war as there is plenty of comforter for each of us, and with the electric mattress pad prewarming, no more cold bed at bedtime. - John H
For a cheap, makeshift version of the dual-warmth comforter, get a super thin King size down comforter from Target (I got the REstyle one for $35). Fold over the extra width so it's double-thick on one side, and put it inside a Queen size duvet cover. - HollyCow
70 pound pit bull under a blanket makes a lot of hot - dtland

Sheex Bedding
we do sheets on the mattress, a down feather bed covered in cotton jersey, a cotton jersey top sheet, a king sized percale sheet, two cotton waffle blankets and a duvet covered down comforter. toasty!
We put an electric blanket under the matress pad, crank it about an hour before we go to bed and then turn it off when we climb into our toasty, cozy bed. My husband is also always incredibly warm. I call him the Irish furnace. So ... just get yourself one of those.
I have a stack of winter bedding items - two comforters, a twin-sized quilt, an electric blanket and a set of snowflake-printed flannel sheets. There have been times when I've needed everything, but for right now, I've got the flannel sheet, one comforter, and the twin quilt my Grandma made me across the bottom of my full-sized bed. Keeps my feet warm. :)
Also, I've found that when it's super-cold, all I really need to do is put on a pair of fleece or wool socks. When I've gone cold-weather camping, I've worn a hat and long pants to bed.
Tempurpedic (this mattress tends to be warmer than regular ones), down comforters, and 2 dogs'll do ya! Oh and a hot toddy before bed never hurts, either.
dtland got it right!! the fur babies make it juuust right! :) Flannel sheets are too warm to have the whole set but using the fitted flannel sheet and then my regular cotton sheets, duvet and comforter work just fine.
I'm in Arizona and my house surely wasn't built for the cold weather we've been getting. Turning up the heat actually does very little, so I have to wear layers and at night an electric blanket does the trick. It's wonderful! Preheat the bed while you're doing your nighttime routine and then slip in to a warm bed.
You already know that someone is going to go off topic and tell you that that bed is gorgeous. I thought it would be me. At least I'm not asking you for its source!
I take my heating pad, turn it on high, and stick it under the blankets where my feet will be. I wash my face, brush my teeth, and lock up the house, and then remove the heating pad and turn it off. When I stick my feet in the warm spot, the whole rest of my body heats up and I'm warm and snuggly!
Okay, I'm a newbie so I'm not sure why it's not okay to ask about that bed, because it IS gorgeous :) So I guess it'll be me - I am in love.
My boyfriend bought me the most amazing tool for keeping the bed warm when he's not there- a heated body pillow! It works just like an electric blanket...when I get home I bury it under my blankets and sheets (on his side of the bed of course) and when its time to get in, my bed is so warm and cozy. Also works as an amazing muscle relaxer at the end of a long day or tough yoga class, I'll lay on it lengthwise and it releases all the tension from my back and neck. It's the best! Also, allows me to keep the thermostat at 55 when i sleep (hearty New England girl right here!) The model I have can be found at the link below:
http://www.amazon.com/Perfect-Electric-Heated-Body-Pillow/dp/B0039AAIIM
Ugh. It's -30 F where I live today. :(
Can't wait for spring!
the bed is from this house tour- one of my all time favourites!
http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/boston/house-tours/tyler-sarahs-primitive-modern-retreathouse-tour-104156
A partner & a dog, along with a good down comforter do the trick for me, here in Chicago.
I don't think I've ever had a problem keeping warm, and we often get -30 C or lower ( which is about -22 I think) where I'm from. I've been told I'm feverishly hot when I sleep
SF apt with no bedroom heater – plush mattress pad, 700 count sheets, cotton blanket, Pendleton wool army blanket, duvet with cotton cover. Add a dog on top when really cold.
I put a heating pad at the foot of the bed. If my feet are warm, I'm warm, and no matter how cold it is, I like cool sheets.
A great down comforter from the good folks at Cuddledown. Regular percale sheets, and a small dog who just knows it's his job to burrow under the covers on cold winter nights, and curl up against my feet! Ahhhhhh!
i use a wellness bag. its heat therapy you can microwave or heat in the oven. they are functional and gorgeous! handmade from reclaimed designer fabrics. it will stay warm for hours. get one for yourself @ www.wellnessbags.com
It doesn't get that cold in our well insulated house, although we have large windows throughout and the heat is being turned down during the night. So I sleep under the same thin cotton filled comforter all year. But I put a soft and very warm blanket on top of it during the winter months and wear a large soft fleece shirt with long sleeves and a high collar so that the neck and the shoulders stay warm. I agree with many commenters that socks really help, too. And a cuddly cat. :)
We use a pendleton blanket with a down duvet on top. Not even a little bit cold. We turn the heat way down at night and put a space heater in the kid's room.
menopause
OMG! I LOVE that bed!!! Want, want, WANT it!!!
I have a firm Royalpedic bed that I love, but after a car accident, started feeling that I wanted a little more cush underneath. The mattress topper made for the bed was $800, so after researching how it was made, I got a 1" memory foam channelled mattress topper from Target at their back-to-school sale and layered it under a featherbed topper on sale at BB&B. Spent about $150 for the whole king-sized thing. Layered this way, it's not hot or sweaty like memory foam, very cush without that "water bed" feeling of a thick memory foam topper, and as a bonus, I only have to use one down quilt and the quilted bedspread and some socks to stay toasty this winter instead of 2 down quilts and the bedspread, flannel pj's and socks last year. I turn the heat off at night. We'll see how I feel about it this summer, but for now, highly recommend !
I'm with IrishSpider, that bed is fantastically gorgeous!
Regular sheets, down blanket and down comforter. The comforter was a gift and it's not the best--all the down ends up in the edges and I keep having to fluff it up to get the down back on top. Adding the down blanket helps to deal with the spottiness of the down in the comforter.
Also, I wear a silk longsleeved undershirt and an old, starting to get holely, cashmere sweater to bed as pajama tops. Silk. Cashmere. Warmth and softness.
a hat.
Try with A THICK BLANKET BETWEEN THE MATTRESS AND THE SHEETS. It makes a real difference!
here's another vote for the old school hot water bottle!
i fill it up and either stick it down by my toes which is just lovely (until the cat starts attacking my feet, heh.)
but, i have to say, if you take the hot water bottle and put it right over your heart, it's even better. i swear that warms me up super fast every single time. i think it must warm up the blood that pumps through your heart before it goes racing through your body.
Opposite problem in the Southern Hemisphere at present...staying cool during a Sydney summer!
The Breakers in Palm Beach used to layer a blanket between two sheets. Have aped it ever since; perfect in any climate & on any bed; from my Manhattan twinnie to current midwestern queen. Sigh; a vacation is loooong overdue.
Electric blankets create high electromagnetic fields (EMF) and are hazardous to your health.
http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2009/02/24/Is-Your-Electric-Blanket-Safe.aspx
Fleece blanket beneath a duvet and a hot water bottle. Yeah!
We use Martha Stewart flannel sheets (the luxury flannel - it's thicker, almost like felt), and two washable wool blankets.
lol...I like the pitbull comment. cute. Big dogs are very warm. I have three (2 huskies, 1 lab/pit). They are good at sneaking onto the bed.
I cannot get to sleep without my 19-lb cat on the pillow next to me. Sometimes, he IS the pillow lol
I have used heated/electric blankets in the past, but I would definitely try the fleece bedding too.
Flannel pajamas, flannel sheets, a down comforter, and another, thinner comforter on top when it's really cold!
I also love the bed, and the beautiful wood floor in the photo.
@syboy
I feel your pain -- even in the southern US it's gotten unseasonably warm. 78F in February? I miss the winters where layers of blankets were needed. =(
Hear bricks in the oven, wrap them in old towels, and put one or tow in the bed. Toasty all night. I used this in a place I lived that had no heat.
A snuggly pug
How can someone afford a $700 gas bill on top of mortgage or rent??
I would LOVE to know the source of the quilt/sham set that is in the picture?!?!?
I currently have a king size down comforter and we do the sheet change during the NY winters and my hubby is a VERY good heater...as long as I get to KEEP the covers throughout the night LOL. So we are currently looking for a cal-king quilt set that is reasonably priced to kinda "keep" the down comforter in place.
@kedvadi - I've done the blanket between two top sheets thing myself. Since I'm in the tropics, it's fleece instead of wool.
Cannot believe that someone has not mentioned using bed buddies, which are rice or buckwheat hulls stuffed into a sausage like conatianer. You heat them in the microwave. We have three in our bed and no heat. We live in Southern California.
Two duvets above and one below me plus a hot water bottle in a furry cover. That sorts out a northern British winter. I'm coveting Amymj's snuggly pug though.
When it gets really cold and nothing else will work I wear an adult-sized onesie to bed! It might sound silly, but it works.