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I looked a long time online at the down carried by Pottery Barn, but I found the duvets which would fit the down comforters to be too expensive. I also did not trust the descriptions given online. I looked at BB & B but I knew I'd be locked into a cover from them for the duvet, and I couldn't find one I liked. I think the Bean duvet is a better quality than those. But I am locked into buying duvet covers from them. At least I think the covers will be good quality, but my first choice in covers turned out to be the wrong shade of blue! I bought a neutral cover, which is disappointing, but on the other hand, washes beautifully.
I think you are right to take your time with this. You will be using the duvet for years, and you will be buying covers for it for all that time. One thing to note--making a bed with a duvet is a piece of cake!
Why do you think you're locked into buying your duvet covers from the same store you buy your duvet?
I have more than 10 down duvets, two for each bed in the house, that are excellent quality and still in fabulous condition after over owning them for 10 to 15 years. I buy my duvet covers from all sorts of places and interchange them between all of my duvets too. There are measurements to ensure a good fit.
I went again to the stores and frankly, I am a tad frustrated. First, I realized the touch-and-see choices are minimal, in general. I feel like merchants are secretly conspiring to train the population to buy blind, without trying anything anymore.
The department stores and big box types either have no trace of down, mountains of polyester and other synthetics, or very little choice displayed, if at all.
TJ: no trace of down in the store.
Marshalls: same
Target: feels surprisingly fine for a kids room, but can't quite trust it based on reviews. I like it that it has some heft, probably from the feathers.
Nordstroms: the "choices" were limited to a pitiful "nordstroms at home" display at 189$ for a king, from which feathers were already flying out like crazy. I closed the package and ran away.
Macys: the only down comforters present were from Charter Club. They felt fine. Not the most luxurious thing ever, but fine. The line has 4 levels: light, medium, extra and ultra. I liked the feel of extra most, maybe medium but I am afraid medium felt a tad empty. I learned I don't like barely filled comforters even if they are made like this on purpose to achieve the light weight/ less heat version. If I wanted so little heft inside I would just cover myself with an empty duvet cover, after all.
I am just afraid that if I go for heft only to achieve the full feeling, I will end up too hot here in the the south.
Macys was also supposed to carry Hotel Collection but there was no trace of it on display.
IKEA: I saw one on display that felt quite ok, close to charter club.
Tuesday morning: they had a nice one there similar to charter club.
Finally, I wasn't able to make it to Sears and Costco (opposite direction) but maybe I'll run there after the Brazil-Netherlands game is over.
All in all, I am yet to touch one comforter that is considered high-end / very high quality so I can compare with what I was able to see in depart store / big box stores. This way I would know what I am missing, whether the extra money really is worth it, have more real choices, etc.
Unfortunately, I don't know of any small, speciality, mom-and-pop type shops like "three dog down" in the area. Most people seem to be stuck with "big box" if they want to see and touch.
I love down/feather. The most warmth you can get for the money. Good down comforters are not supposed to be overfull. I have a few comforters I've had for more than 20 years and they are still in good shape. And guess what? I wash mine every year in the washing machine. One cycle to wash and another full cycle to rinse. Then I hang them to dry outside. Shaking will fluff them back out, or a couple minutes in the dryer works too. If you want to keep your comforter fresh smelling, hang it outside for a day every now and then.
Using duvet covers help keep the comforters clean between washings. You don't have to buy those expensive ones either. 2 flat sheets sewn together make a great duvet cover.
Sure, why not ? .
No shocker here, right in the middle of 1 percenter land.
I know the area well ... so I will go to see and touch - with whatever percentage I can carry - just so I can learn.
I love down/feather. The most warmth you can get for the money. Good down comforters are not supposed to be overfull. I have a few comforters I've had for more than 20 years and they are still in good shape. And guess what? I wash mine every year in the washing machine. One cycle to wash and another full cycle to rinse. Then I hang them to dry outside. Shaking will fluff them back out, or a couple minutes in the dryer works too. If you want to keep your comforter fresh smelling, hang it outside for a day every now and then.
Using duvet covers help keep the comforters clean between washings. You don't have to buy those expensive ones either. 2 flat sheets sewn together make a great duvet cover.
I have a feeling I would like a feather down combo as long as the feathers were good, wouldn't poke out, wouldn't make noise, and the overall comforter was high quality. Unfortunately, it seems that anything with feathers is relegated to lower overall quality.
If you have any specific recs I would appreciate it.
All in all, I am yet to touch one comforter that is considered high-end / very high quality so I can compare with what I was able to see in depart store / big box stores. This way I would know what I am missing, whether the extra money really is worth it, have more real choices, etc.
If there isn't much at Sears when you get there, you might have to wait until Fall for these stores to have more of a selection for you to feel up. btw, I don't think the hotels are using high end and you enjoyed whichever hotel duvet you experienced.
Quote:
Originally Posted by syracusa
I am just afraid that if I go for heft only to achieve the full feeling, I will end up too hot here in the the south.
That's my concern too. I mentioned previously that you can buy a lighter weight down and put a quit over it to make it heavier without it being too warm. Something to think about.
You guys are probably tired of my down comforter travails by now, but a new question popped up:
Should I get a queen size instead of king if the duvet cover I am using on our current comforter and which I intend to use on the down comforter too measures only 102 x 88 ? This is smaller than what current king size comforters measure.
The interesting part is that our current comforter which was sold as king 20 years ago (synthetic fill with cotton cover) itself measures only 87x100 and it fits fine in the duvet cover. Apparently kings of yesteryear were smaller than today's kings.
Comforter king sizes I have seen have 110 in length.
We have been sleeping just fine with an old king (87x100 ) and our bed is officially a king but dates a while back.
I am not sure if the new king mattresses are bigger too as we intend to change the mattress soon.
It just sounds to me like we could sleep just fine in a modern queen and it would also fit fine in my current duvet cover from Peacock Alley, which I love a lot.
Any advice or wisdom on the size to buy, given the parameters ?
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Easy to buy in person
