Regardless of where one may live, there is often a need for a top cover on the bed in the spring and summer months. Even as the days get warmer and the nighttime temperature stays moderate, many of us need a blanket to make our sleep more pleasant during the warm months. Air conditioning has overcome the steamy hot nights we may remember from our early childhood, providing we are old enough to remember the days when window fans were about the only means of staying cool. Needless to say, they did not do the best job of keeping the temperature moderate on a sultry summer night.
However, with air conditioning now being standard fare in most homes, nights can create a chill even in the hottest summer months. Most of us reach for more than a sheet some time during the night. That brings us to the question of choosing the best coverlet. Most bedding ensembles come complete with a comforter. If there is a drawback to the comforter it is that we must change the top cover when we change the ensemble. Comforters can be bulky to store when not in use. Although many of us prefer the comforter to other top covers there are two suggestions that will work well year round.
The first selection is that of cotton blankets. Generally speaking, they are relatively light in weight, easy to care for as most can be washed in the home washer, and available in a variety of colors. The weaves of the blankets have created many looks in many textures. Although most of us think of cotton blankets as spring and summer covers, it should be noted that adding an extra blanket will often keep us warm during the winter as well.
The second choice could be from a selection of summer duvets. The summer duvet is more of an investment than a cotton blanket, but can be used will all bedding selections. Many bedding ensembles now come with a duvet cover rather than a comforter. This allows for the use of a single goose down duvet with all bedding decor. Unlike the blanket, the duvet requires a duvet cover to keep the duvet shell clean. Filled with down, these covers cannot be machine washed, but will proper care there will be little need for cleaning. Additionally, the lightweight duvet, known as a summer duvet, can be used year round in much of the United States.
When looking for the perfect cover for spring and summer, look beyond the comforter as the only choice. Perhaps, either a cotton blanket or a summer duvet would be a better choice.