MY Summer Sleep Essentials

Welcome to my boudoir in my downtown Toronto home. When summer starts creeping in it’s time to switch over all things warm and heavy for bright and light. 

Here’s what my bed looks like in the winter months:

I have a neutral base to my bedroom that can be built upon all year round starting with my linen headboard which I made myself (Make sure to check out my blog post: How To Make A Linen Headboard!)

The rest of my space has light furniture, carpet, walls (painted Collingwood OC-28 by Benjamin Moore), and white cellular cordless blinds (available at Home Depot cheap, cut in store and easy to install) which I love for privacy but also lets in beautiful diffused light. I also love and keep my Charcoal Velvet Curtains  up all year round as they block out street lights, sun rises and also do a fab job keeping the cold out during the winter and heat during the summer months. Also, I just love they way they look flanking, framing & giving height to my windows. 

I HATE dusting so when it comes to having items on surfaces (like my sides tables) or in the rest of my house I keep things to a minimum.

I use the drawers in my side table to house all my bedside essentials that I like to keep close by like my iPad, Olive Body Butter & peppermint foot lotion from The Body Shop and this month's National Geographic, which I have a monthly subscription to. (I love science!) 

Bedding should ALWAYS be 100% breathable material, no matter what season or what climate you live in. Your body needs to breathe while you sleep, so choose materials like cotton and go for blankets, sheets, duvet covers that are machine washable not dry clean only.  Cause let’s get real, how often are you going to take those suckers to the Dry Cleaners?

Here’s what my bed looks like for the summer months:

In the summer, I switch over to white 100% Egyptian cotton sheets like theses Sateen Sheets from Parachute Home, and I’ve paired it with a light blue coverlet with matching shams which goes beautifully with my charcoal curtains and linen head board. My bird decorative pillow stays on my bed and matches both my winter/summer look. 

I’ve also dressed my side table with  another summer essential, some fresh cut flowers, which this week happens to be some very fragrant sweet peas from my garden. I've displayed them in a ceramic milkshake glass which is the perfect scale for side tables. I try and stick to fragrant flowers for beside the bed which smells amazing as you’re dozing off and waking up. I have central air conditioning, but try to not use it too often to save money. I try and use my tall floor fan as often as I can, and I like to keep at the foot of my bed. I also have a dehumidifier in the basement to keep the house dry and the basement from smelling due to all the humidity in our hot, summer, muggy Toronto air. 

Finally, two last tips:

#1 Before your feet touch the floor every morning think of 5 things you are grateful for it helps get your morning/day off to a positive and wonderful start, and 

#2 MAKE YOUR BED!!!!! Beds tend to be the focal point and usually take up the most space in your room, so if that's tidy then 50% of your room is already clean. Studies have shown that by having a clean & tidy home helps give us a clear mind!

Happy summer loves!!! Stay cool & sweet dreams....zzzzzzz
xo
Desta