Murray has ringworm, which was the catalyst that started The Great Cleanse of 2007. (I know some of you may be wondering if this whole ringworm thing is OK for me since I’m pregnant. I have spoken to my doctor about it. Ringworm is harmless for me and the unborn baby.) After Toby dunked the little guy in a sulfur mixture, we scoured the floors with bleach and water. We washed every piece of clothing we own. We stripped down the bedding and washed whatever we could, and boxed up whatever we couldn’t. One of the items we couldn’t wash was our bedspread. I washed it twice before (because I’m a moron) and the second time it nearly came undone. So I’ve stopped washing it, which means it needs to be boxed up until I can figure out a way to get it clean. (Or until the ringworm spores die, which I believe takes a month or so. Oh, and by the way, ringworm is not a worm.)
Well, all of this has left us with one of the most schizophrenic looking bedrooms I’ve ever seen. Because I’ve had to make due with an old duvet and its cover, which doesn’t go with the red and gold curtains. It’s not pretty. And the whole ordeal has me looking for new bedding.
Here is a shot of the only duvet cover we currently own. (Ignore the cat. She just likes to sleep in my pregnancy pillow whenever I am not.)
Here is a picture of our curtains. (Ignore the cat hair all over them. How embarrassing.)
Here is a picture of our sheets.
Here is a picture of Murray sleeping on my belly. (This has nothing to do with the post, but it’s freaking cute, so I had to share.)
I was going to buy a new duvet cover from Overstock yesterday, preferably one to match our curtains and sheets (also the cheapest way to solve this problem) when I realized that even though the Eastern seaboard seems to be fighting it right now, it’s going to be summer soon. Buying a new duvet cover for our existing duvet seems a bit silly right now, doesn’t it? I mean, we do usually use the AC in the summer and I am always cold from it which means on any given night you can find me snuggled beneath the covers as the AC blows cold, Arctic air onto our heads. Meanwhile, Tobyjoe is usually flopped down on top of the comforter, legs thrown about, arms spread as if he surrendered to the heat. Point is: I often need blankets even in the dead of summer and Tobyjoe is often annoyed by them. I’m starting to think that a duvet might be a little too much and sheets aren’t enough.
What do you do about this sort of transition? Do you have seasonal blankets for your bed? Do you use a duvet as well because it looks good? Do you strip that duvet down at night and use a blanket for warmth? As simple and trivial as it may seem, I have no idea what to do about our bedding situation. And obviously this is the single most important aspect of our lives right now. I am willing to send you cookies if you can make this work. What do you do about your summer bedding?
Hmmm … I used to switch out my comforter for a blanket every spring/summer (back when people still used comforters – also, this was in Texas). Now I got myself a light-weight duvet and cover that will hopefully be OK throughout the summer. IKEA has a nice range of them in a variety of weights (both real and synthetic) with really, really cheap covers in cool patterns. I got the one in our bedroom at Pottery Barn as a wedding gift (also a synthetic – I don’t like the goose down), and while it’s fine warmth-wise, I think the IKEA one we have in the spare room is actually a bit nicer feel-wise, though of course it takes less abuse.
I don’t like down either. We’re trying hard to avoid that as much as possible. For many reasons, I won’t get into right now. :]
I will check out Ikea. Hadn’t even occurred to me.
More cookies? I will definitely share my opinion for snickerdoodles:)
We have a coverlet on our bed and then a cotton blanket between that and the sheets. I love plain 100% cotton blankets as the in between layer especially in the summer. Plus, they can be washed over and over which is a big plus with cats and babies. I would probably switch to something warmer in the winter if we still lived in DC but it isn’t neccessary in AL. You can pick them up in almost any color at Bed, Bath, and Beyond or Target or anywhere else that sells linens. I prefer the cheap ones just because we have small kids and a cat. I don’t want to be obsessed over it getting ruined. One warning though is to not get too loose of a weave in the blanket design because the cat claws will create millions of pulls.
i don’t have anything particularly useful to add to the seasonal sheets discussion, but I generally switch from cotton to jersey beech sheets for the summer. i am also cold all the time, which means the only change I make for summer is using just a down comfortor and sheets (whereas in winter there would also be a polar fleece blanket in the mix).
i am just commenting to say 1. thank you on behalf of all barbarians for the delicious snicker doodles, and 2. that photo of Murray on your tummy is AMAZING.
Yeah, the temperature in our bedroom can be a little weird and difficult to regulate. We used my big old down comforter (with a duvet which could be removed for washing) up until a few months ago, when we purchased the Uneven Squares quilt and shams from West Elm. We’ve got that plus a top and bottom sheet and an awesome queen-sized polarfleece blanket. The quilt is a nice light layer, and it is holding up pretty well with the cats. Mike still ends up sleeping on top of the bedding some nights, but I’ve generally been pretty comfortable with this setup.
Yeah, I’m a semi-vegetarian (“pescatarian”) so I couldn’t very well cover myself in goose down. But seriously, I never thought of IKEA for much other than post-dorm room furniture, but they’re ubiquitous here in the UK and were wonderful for furnishing our extra room on a budget. I was surprised to find that they sold everything from light-weight synthetic to heavy-weight down to everything in between and totally cute (though somewhat disposable, probably) covers to match. Hey, you could even get two and alternate!
BTW, Murray is adorable! And don’t worry, he knows you’re doing it for his own good. They hate it, but they know you don’t mean to harm them. I’m sure of it.
Alright, so now I don’t know what to choose from. I was eying the cotton blankets yesterday and now Jen goes and puts up that West Elm link (the comforter we are storing because of the ringworm was from there. I love(d) it but it’s time to move on, methinks. Good quality, however.)
Perhaps I’ll get both if we can afford it. I know that the cotton blankets run about 50. I can swing that this month for sure. Maybe I’ll start there and move on if it’s not enough.
here’s another question: we have a super tall bed and I’m noticing that most queens barely fit, plus, you can see the mattress through our bed frame at the end of the bed because the comforter covers never cover the entire thing. Are there tricks to this? Should I get the king and pull it down really far, stuff it down there to cover up the mattress? Am I making sense?
I am happy to bake more cookies.
IKEA will solve your problem. I bought a duvet set from there about two years ago that includes a both a light-weight and a medium-weight duvet. Both have snaps around the edges so you can combine them for a heavy-weight duvet in the winter! They’re available in both down and synthetic fillers. Best solution ever, and inexpensive too.
Hmmmm, just hit the Ikea website, might need to actually go to the store, which isn’t going to be possible since our 31 year old car is currently expelling antifreeze like it’s got a case of the shits. I can’t seem to find much online over at Ikea. Probably a user error. When it comes to shopping online, I leave all things up to Toby. It’s second nature to him.
The more and more I look at this post, the more and more I want to get rid of the dark curtains. They were awesome through the winter months, and they do a great job keeping the sun out, but now I’m thinking I may have gotten over them.
Crap, I don’t know.
They didn’t really match the bedspread I took off this weekend. Check it out.
I suck at this sort of thing. Totally suck.
Our coverlet is very similar to the quilt on West Elm. We use both it and a blanket. Quilts and coverlets tend to be longer/wider than comforters and duvets so you might be ok with a queen. Check and see if the one you like has measurements. Also, be leary of things that fit both full and queen beds. They tend to be smaller.
If it is a little short, just don’t pull it all the way to the top of the bed. Make sure the mattress is covered at the bottom and then fold your sheet over so you don’t realize that the comforter is short at the top. Does that make sense? There is nothing wrong with using a king but it will really hang long on the sides.
It does make sense, Mel. Thanks. Also, you need to live closer to us/me. That’s all there is to it. This Alabama nonsense must end. (Oh, and the NYC stuff does as well. I’m so over city life.)
Yes we do! Rob and I definitely have the moving bug again. We can’t seem to last more than 2 1/2 years anywhere. How about we find a big farm somewhere we can all live on and you and Simone can have ponies?
I am sure Rob has told you that a dream of mine since I was a little itty bitty tot was to have a pony. Also, Tobyjoe and I couldn’t stay still for a year prior moving into this place, so you totally have us beat. You’re in good shape with your 2.5 years.
(We’ve been here for 3.5 now, I think. That’s remarkable.)
But I’m ready for more country. I am so ready.
Rob did tell me that you wanted a pony as bad as Simone does when you were little. We were at a restaurant yesterday and when the hostess asked Simone her name she said, ‘Pony!’
I can totally understand wanting more space and a slower pace especially with a baby. That’s how we ended up in Alabama so be careful:)
Cookies?!
…. damn, the ONE time I don’t have an opinion!
we have the same duvet cover as you in the first pic!
i have a heavy down comforter for fall/winter and a light one for spring/summer. i rotate between two duvet cover sets whenever it’s laundry day. no worrying about matching curtains as we have neutral off-white curtains. now the not-so-neutral red walls i have been considering repainting for awhile :)