A question for my Brit friends:
Apr. 23rd, 2013 06:03 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
xiphiasLis is reading a book about the history of various rooms in the house, written by a British author. And she keeps saying things about modern living that sound so completely alien.
First: do British houses lack closets? Are closets basically an American thing?
Second, and more weirdly: this author appears to claim that everybody stopped using top sheets after the introduction of the duvet. If we're interpreting it correctly, she seems to claim that a bed goes, from bottom to top, mattress, fitted sheet, duvet, and that's it. No blankets, no top sheet.
Now, our beds in this house go mattress, mattress pad, fitted sheet, top sheet, from zero to two blankets depending on season, then a top layer which could be a bedspread, a comforter, or a duvet. In cases where the nighttime temperature is likely to be unpredictable, an extra blanket, afghan, or something like that may be folded up on the foot of the bed. You can kick it off, or leave it as an extra layer (well, two layers since it's folded) over your feet, or pull it up as an extra blanket.
The "just a duvet" thing seems unsanitary. Am I reading it wrong?
First: do British houses lack closets? Are closets basically an American thing?
Second, and more weirdly: this author appears to claim that everybody stopped using top sheets after the introduction of the duvet. If we're interpreting it correctly, she seems to claim that a bed goes, from bottom to top, mattress, fitted sheet, duvet, and that's it. No blankets, no top sheet.
Now, our beds in this house go mattress, mattress pad, fitted sheet, top sheet, from zero to two blankets depending on season, then a top layer which could be a bedspread, a comforter, or a duvet. In cases where the nighttime temperature is likely to be unpredictable, an extra blanket, afghan, or something like that may be folded up on the foot of the bed. You can kick it off, or leave it as an extra layer (well, two layers since it's folded) over your feet, or pull it up as an extra blanket.
The "just a duvet" thing seems unsanitary. Am I reading it wrong?
(no subject)
Date: 2013-04-23 10:36 pm (UTC)I generally always have a fan going for circulation reasons. In the winter, I keep the house at about 68ish, and duvet is fine.
In the summer, it gets down into the 60s reliably, even in July and August. (the few nights it doesn't, I don't use any blankets.) I have the window open and a fan with a thermometer that will go off if it starts getting particularly chilly.
All of my bedding (except, actually, the inside duvet thing, which I plan to replace sometime this year with wool) is natural fiber, so most of it breathes very well, and moisture evaporates rather than getting stuck.