The bedding essentials to guarantee peace at home during the season of chaos

Words: Josh Lee

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Like a pair of brogues, a clean-cut bomber jacket, or an ever-reliable chambray button-down, a mattress is a lifestyle item that’s worth investing your money in – after all, we spend roughly a third of our lives asleep, so the level of quality that’s gone into making yours will determine whether you will wake up revived and refreshed, or have a night of restless slumber.

With the upcoming chaos of Christmas soon upon us, now, more than ever during the year, is the time to start investing in your down-time essentials – because while the events and deadlines during the final stretch of 2022 start to speed up and sweep you and all your energy with it, we recommend you carve out some time and space in which to slow down.

Finding the right pieces to gather, however, can be a taxing job, what with all the myriad options available today and the boom of startups now purveying mattresses – but, for something that’s a sure thing, we’d nudge you towards Savoir Beds, a company that’s been crafting cloud-like bedding ever since it first started producing for The Savoy Hotel, in 1905.

Hand-made by skilled craftspeople in the UK who use time-honoured, traditional techniques and make use of only the most premium of natural materials, each Savoir Beds sleeping system – of which fewer than 1,000 are made annually, something that the brand does due to being focused on “making the best, not the most” – offers respite from the chaos of the everyday.

So, though your calendar for the winter period may have you feeling drained by just looking at it, we recommend the following edit of items that’ll help you recline into a deep night’s sleep and wake up with an extra spring in your morning step.

Like a capsule wardrobe – or a collection of any lifestyle essentials, for that matter – we’d always recommend starting from the baseline and creating a solid foundation from which you can build on. The Harlech headboard, most notably, is a fine place to begin, due to its duality: upholstered in velvet Rubelli Donghia in ‘Hunter’ green, and finished with polished-brass nailing and Georgian-style legs with brass caps, it is a subtly opulent, regal design, but its slender, regular profile also allows it to act as a neutral backdrop from which you can spotlight more elaborate fabrics and patterns.

Here, it is shown with a No.4 bed set, which comprises a topper (knotted and hand-tufted to ensure plumpness, and whose core of soft cotton is enshrined in thick wool), a mattress that cushions every inch of your body, and a base made from durable pine.

For those who prefer more traditional aesthetics, the Claudia headboard features Lelievre ‘Graminae’ upholstery with a base of Loro Piana cashmere, as well as detailed piping and Rococo contours and curves that bring to mind those often seen in grand-dame hotels. It is finished off with the No.3 bed set (topper, mattress, base) that’s a cosy concoction of loose tail hair, a hair pad and layers of cotton and wool that come together to ensure heat regulation and moisture control throughout the evening.

Now that the building blocks have been firmly entrenched, it’s time to start adding further personality and customisation into your sleeping cocoon. For a slight dash of pattern – a perfect solution for those who prefer a more pared-back look – try some bed linen from the Vision collection, which is dressed in a textured Italian jacquard that highlights Savoir’s trademark trellis design – a century-old creation by Lady D’Oyly Carte, wife to the founder of The Savoy Hotel.

Featuring a 600-thread count and extra-long staple cotton, it has a soft drape and its slight sheen works harmoniously with light, highlighting the grid-like pattern as a result.

Despite the abnormally warm autumn we’ve had in the past months, the mercury is now beginning to drop – not only outside, but in the home, too. For pure protection from the late-evening frost, this down duvet is the first point of call. Made from 100 per cent white Siberian goose down – large, lofty fibres widely considered as one of the finest natural fillings that allows for both insulation and a light, airy touch – and encased in a 100 per cent cotton cover, it will, like jackets made from the same material, keep you guarded in your battle against the breeze. For winter periods, we recommend plumping for the 12 tog, which offers a high thermal resistance.

Now for the head support – we recommend continuing on the down route, such is the quality that it guarantees, and investing in a three-chamber pillow whose centre is packed with 60 per cent white Siberian goose down and 40 per cent smaller feathers; outer layers are padded in even more Siberian goose down; and cover is made from 100 per cent cotton. Owing to its firm-tension touch, it provides both comfort and support, making it ideal for side sleepers.

And finally, despite all the pattern, colour and elegant designs that you’ve curated, we now recommend you shut it all out as soon as your head hits the hay. For a full night of black-out sleep, try this eyemask that’s been handmade from herringbone wool and crepe satin silk, providing a soft, luscious feel to the face while keeping out any hints of light. For ease of drifting off, slip this lavender bag into your pillowcase – the soothing, relaxing qualities that come with its aromas are said to help lull you into a night of bliss.

Still struggling to get a good sleep? These are the 6 reasons you’ve not been sleeping well — and how to fix them…

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