What do you sleep under?

[jducoeur]

One thing I've been noticing on our current trip is the different assumptions about how a bed gets covered.

In the US, you typically have (bottom to top):

• Boxspring
• Mattress
• Fitted bottom sheet
• Top sheet
• Blanket
• Quilt

The three top layers are optional, and you use whatever makes sense for the weather.

In Europe (at least, most of the places I've traveled, both hotels and AirBnBs/VRBOs), the custom seems to typically be to just have a duvet on top, and that keeps throwing me for a loop.

I mean, I kind of understand the appeal: when I was growing up, I invariably just used a quilt, year-round. I didn't learn The Way of the Hospital Corner until after getting married.

But I'm coming to the opinion that I like the American norm better, because it's more modular. In winter, I'll have all three pulled up; in summer, I'll just be using the top sheet. Right now on our trip, I'm finding the duvet typically just a little bit warmer than I want, at least during part of the night.

No idea whether I'm typical or weird this way, but the difference has been catching my attention.

(Tangent: posts of more than 500 characters are going here, but short microblog-length entries about our vacation are going on my Mastodon, using the same #europe2024 tag as here.)

Comments

[laurion]

I've noticed this divergent model as well. I prefer the modularity as well, but duvet only is appreciable faster for making the bed. The duvet cover performs the same function as a top sheet - another layer of fabric that is 'sacrificial', e.g. easy to remove and wash and change out. But not as easy as a top sheet.

I do wonder if the modularity exists more in places where there are more cold nights, as putting another blanket on is cheaper than keeping the house warmer all night....

Now when do we return to bed curtains and bed boxes?

[desireearmfeldt]

I am baffled by the fashion (in a certain kind of victorian-aesthetic B&B for example) of 4-poster beds with posts but no hangings. Why would you want just posts?

[laurion]

Posts I've gotten used to. But when they have the rails across the tops, and no bed curtains, I get confused. Posts are often a part of head/footboards, so even if you don't have curtains, you can't remove the posts. And I've heard tell that there are some who use the posts for other purposes.

[desireearmfeldt]

:>