Local Life - St Helens - Mar/Apr 2021

26
Create a
Full-length curtains help block out light, sound and
draughts. Curtains and headboard in Knot Garden Grey,
£75 per metre, James Hare: 0113 243 1204; james-hare.com.
Cosy Retreat
Warm and quiet, dark and comfortable – ensure your bedroom
has all the ingredients for a great night’s sleep.
Lack of sleep has a profound effect
on our physical Lack of sleep affects
our physical and mental health,
and as many as one in three of us
suffer from poor sleep. So, make
your bedroom sleep-friendly: dark,
quiet, tidy and comfortably warm.
Start with the mattress
First, decide whether you would
prefer a sprung or non-sprung
mattress. Sprung mattresses are
filled with lots of springs and
the best are individually ‘pocket’
sprung to adjust to the body and
eliminate ‘roll-together’. An option
is a sprung mattress ‘zoned’ across
the middle to give extra support
for heavier hips and shoulders, or
made ‘half and half’, to provide
different tensions on each side
of the bed. Another solution for
sleeping partners of very different
weights is a ‘zip and lock’ system of
two different mattresses fastened
together.
Sprung mattresses can be filled
with a variety of materials and
tufted construction is generally
considered better than quilting. In
cheaper mattresses, fillings usually
come in compact pads, while in
better quality mattresses there
will be layers of loose fillings in
greater volumes. Look for a highquality
mattress cover with hand
stitching on the sides and sturdy
handles to help with turning.
Non-traditionalists might consider
a non-sprung mattress where the
A handmade bed frame with an entirely natural,
organic mattress. Eva bed with storage, from
£1,470 for a small single, Naturalmat: 01392 877
247; naturalmat.co.uk.
A soft, curving headboard could help your bed
feel enclosed and cosy. Matilda Dove Grey bed,
from £549; Amazonia Toile duvet cover set, £28;
Farrah Palm Leaf ceiling fitting, £65; all Dunelm:
0845 165 65 65, dunelm.com.
choice of materials includes latex,
memory foam, polyurethane foam
and gel. These mattresses mould
to the sleeper’s shape and are often
warmer than sprung mattresses.
Alternatively, ‘hybrid’
mattresses
provide the traditional support and
comfort of springs with a pressurerelieving,
non-sprung top layer.
What about the windows?
Windows can be a source of earlymorning
light, and noise, heat
loss and draughts at any time. For
regularly opened single-glazed
sash windows, specialist seals fitted
into a rebate will improve draughtproofing,
while secondary glazing
is ideal for seldom-used windows.
Well-fitting timber shutters can
be at least as effective as double
glazing. The traditional solution
is a thick, floor-to-ceiling curtain
with a thermal or blackout lining.
Extend the curtain pole beyond the
window edges so that light cannot
creep in. If using blinds, thick,
blackout versions fitted close to the
wall are best.
Don’t forget about the
floor
A fitted carpet with thermal
underlay deadens sound and
prevents draughts from suspended
timber floors. If you prefer original
timber floorboards, seal any gaps at
the base of the skirting boards and
add thick bedside rugs for extra
comfort. Insulation added below
the boards is also effective.