Keeping your bedroom cool
Summer nights are heating up and although I love a hot, sunny day, I adore a cool night, especially to help me get a good night’s sleep.
While upping the air conditioning, adding a fan or leaving windows open are all great options, there are also some decorating ideas that can help cool down the bedroom, literally and visually. These designer tricks will help you keep your cool and send you peacefully off into sweet summertime dreamland.
COOL DECORATING
Colour instantly sets the mood of a room and cooler colours like blue, green, grey and white cool down a space, visually and psychologically. With the palette in place, look to other elements to switch out when the mercury rises. Choose bare floors and breathable fabrics like cotton and linen for draperies and bedding.
Myth buster: High thread counts aren’t always better. Tighter weave (higher than 400 threads per square inch) bedding can make for a heavy, dense and warm sheet that traps heat rather than releasing it while sleeping. Canadian company Envello makes cool and crisp blue striped chambray bedding sheet and duvet sets in highly breathable cotton to keep you cool and dry, and their duvet is reversible with a solid or striped look. For a casual summer look, avoid ironing and live with the bedding’s natural creases. Love drapes in your bedroom? White cotton (with black-out lining if you want a dark room) or gauze fabrics are always a winner for a refreshing summer vibe.
THE BED
While bedding might set the tone for comfort and style, the bed itself should provide comfort. There are many mattresses that cool you down while you sleep, but their price tag isn’t always practical in short Canadian summers. Gel pillows are a great bed accessory to keep your head cool while sleeping and now you can cover your existing mattress with a pad that helps wick moisture and heat away from your body. Climatech Mattress Pad has a rayon (from bamboo) cover and is filled with a temperature-regulating filling that keeps moisture away from the body and helps to maintain a regular temperature throughout the night. Sounds like something we folks of a certain age might need not only for the summer, but year-round.
KEEP THE HEAT AND LIGHT OUT
The best way to block direct sunlight is with a cellular shade. When closed, the cell shapes form a barrier that traps all that solar power and prevents it from beaming directly into your room.
Draperies that block light are excellent, too. These days, most drapes tend to be for decoration only. They can look unstructured when drawn and don’t wear well after being drawn and opened frequently. If you want functional drapes, invest in a set that are well-tailored from high-quality lined fabric. Also consider a window film that blocks the sun’s rays and is also great for keeping fabrics and natural materials from fading.
QUICK TIPS TO DIP THE TEMPERATURE ON HOT SUMMER NIGHTS
1. Keep shades and draperies closed during the daytime to reduce the temperature in the bedroom while you are not there.
2. Sleep with chilly water. Add ice cubes and water to a hot water bottle or simple water bottle and wrap in a towel. Place along your feet or lower back or neck to cool your hottest spots.
3. Use relaxation-inducing scents like lavender, rose or bergamot to help relax your mind and forget about the summer’s blazing temperatures.
Karl Lohnes has worked as a home decor expert and product designer for 25 years.