This is the weekly Style File, featuring what’s on the radar of The Globe’s lifestyle desk. This week, we’re looking at what’s new in sleep, in the areas of home and design, wellness, and fashion. Sign up for The Globe’s arts and lifestyle newsletters for more news, columns and advice in your inbox.
Earlier nights and brighter mornings are ahead for most Canadians as we set our clocks back by one hour on Nov. 5 at 2 a.m. It may seem like an opportunity to snatch a much-needed additional hour of sleep, but research shows that few actually reap that benefit. After the fall switchover, people usually have more trouble falling asleep, and are more likely to wake up during the night, according to a review in the journal Sleep Medicine Reviews.
There are ways to prepare, such as incrementally adjusting your wake and sleep times ahead of the time change, or altering your eating and exercise habits. But if you’re looking to invest in getting better and more cozy rest throughout this fall and winter, refreshing your bedroom furniture and nighttime wear can also help – or simply be a self-care treat.
It’s all about that base
Silk & Snow Bouclé Bed Frame.Supplied/Supplied
If you’ve ever had a creaky or squeaky bed frame, you know how much it disrupts a good night’s sleep. But how do you find a solid base that’s comfortable, and won’t break in one year? “You need to look at the frame construction, which will tell you a lot,” interior designer Iman Stewart says. She suggests staying away from materials such as plywood, laminate and particle board, which are not going to hold up for long. “If you’re going with wood, find solid wood. Kiln-dried – which means it is dried in a way that helps with durability and prevents cracking – and oak and cedar tend to be stronger.”
The new bouclé bed frame base from Canadian company Silk & Snow (silkandsnow.com) fits this description well: Made of solid kiln-dried acacia wood (which is high-density), it uses Japanese joinery for durability, sturdiness and no-tool construction. And it comes with a headboard that has a removable, machine-washable bouclé cover. The retail price is $1,350 for a twin and $2,300 for a king, which is within the normal range for a quality choice. “Anything under $1,200 to $1,500 will probably last only three years,” Stewart says.
The longest-lasting option is Italian steel-frame construction, which will hold up for 25 years or so, but they cost the most, upward of $2,200. For more budget options, Stewart suggests looking more locally at Style in Form out of B.C., or at Titus Furniture in Ontario, which has one Canadian-made bed (the R185, $1,230.60 for a king) that she loves. “The frame is wood, a good starter if you want one that lasts around five years.” For young professionals looking for luxury options at a better price, she suggests Elte’s marketplace sale section, where depending on timing you can find high-end designs such as the Curvo Bed.
Snooze in silk
Veronica Beard sleepwear.Supplied
Inspired by Audrey Hepburn’s iconic sleep set in the film Breakfast at Tiffany’s, American ready-to-wear fashion brand Veronica Beard and luxury sleepwear purveyor Petite Plume have teamed up to create a capsule collection of sophisticated PJs that would definitely get Holly Golightly’s stamp of approval. The limited-edition, five-piece set includes a classic nightshirt in 100-per-cent Peruvian pima cotton (reminiscent of when Hepburn borrowed her leading man’s dress shirt), a matching white (with black piping) long-sleeved short set, a 100-per-cent mulberry silk nightshirt in Veronica Beard’s signature leopard print, a matching pyjama set in the same leopard print, and a cheeky “Tonight/Not Tonight” sleep mask. Prices range from $158 to $395 for the pyjamas, and $62 for the reversible mask. (Available at all Veronica Beard locations, veronicabeard.com and petite-plume.com.)
Test out a Canadian mattress
Endy's first brick-and-mortar retail store is opening in November at CF Sherway Gardens in Toronto.Endy
Online Canadian mattress brand Endy is finally moving into its first brick-and-mortar retail store, opening in November at CF Sherway Gardens in Toronto. The eight-year-old company is putting the finishing touches on a 1,000-square-foot retail space that will allow customers test drive its various mattresses as well as shop an ever-expanding range of products that includes sheets, pillows, duvets, weighted blankets, rugs and other decor. The company, started in 2015 by Rajen Ruparell and Mike Gettis, who met as high-school students in Calgary, has grown into one of the leading sellers of mattresses-in-a-box online. Turns out customers love the convenience of having a mattress delivered to their home in a cardboard box about the size of a large duffel bag – a concept that was a novelty when Endy started. In November, 2018, Sleep Country Canada purchased Endy for more than $88-million. For more information, visit endy.com.
Step into sustainable luxury
Calla slides.Heaps Estrin/Supplied
If you’re looking for statement footwear that is sustainable, supercomfy and can easily transition to the backyard from the bedroom, then Toronto-born fashion designer Calla Haynes has created the slipper for you. Called the Niki Babouche, Haynes’s slipper is handmade by craftspeople in the souk of Marrakesh from upcycled vintage Berber rugs. Haynes, who is based in Paris, launched her namesake label Calla in 2009, and has always struck a balance between refined and relaxed. The Niki Babouche embodies both, comes in a multitude of colours and textures and retails for $240. The babouche has a soft leather sole and can be worn outdoors (but it’s best not to get them wet). They are available for purchase online through thelobbybyheapsestrin.com.