I use all covers. But I do have a quilt folded at the bottom of the bed that I can pull up when I'm feeling cold. This week is looking like extra warmth will be needed. In a guest bedroom I'd err on the side of extra bedding and let the guests remove what they don't want.

I have a blanket and a down comforter on my bed and use them both. There's a quilt folded at the foot of the bed that gets used frequently when it gets too cold.

For a guest room, I'd layer, so the guests can have options. Some people sleep hot; others sleep cold. So I'd have a blanket on the bed, plus a decorative cover (which could be a comforter), plus a quilt or something folded at the foot of the bed, plus a spare blanket in the closet just in case all that isn't enough to keep someone warm enough.

I will wake up during the night if I get too cold. I have not-very-fond memories of staying with relatives once. I got up in the middle of the night to take the towels out of the guest bathroom to put on my bed, and tossed my winter coat on there as well. I added a sweatshirt to my flannel PJs and finally got warm enough to sleep. And there was a wool blanket and two quilts on the bed to begin with. They just kept their house very cool at night.

I think for anything you put on a guest bed, you have to assume that at some point, someone's going to keep it on the bed and sleep underneath it.

I don't know what's most common, but I agree with the other posters who have suggested having many layers available in a guest room so that guests can pick and choose which layers will make them the most comfortable. In my guest room, I make the bed with sheets, a blanket (cotton in summer and silk in winter), and a duvet. Extra blankets are available in an armoire as are pillows of all types with a selection of pillow cases.

Does anyone use a top sheet?

I agree with cam, anything you put on the bed is fair game, but I keep a quilt draped on a chair handy and a if it's winter I put a folded blanket nearby so it can be used if necessary (usually not needed but you never know). We try to keep our home comfortable but you never know what a guest's needs are.

I have blankets everywhere, throws in the living rooms, Extras in the bedrooms. I use them, What else are they for?

What are you referring to as your "top cover"?

We have a matelasse coverlet on our bed. It's not used as "cover". Growing up bedspreads were the thing and they were always turned down at night, not used as cover. I can remember spending the night at my grandparents, and my grandmother coming in and turning down the bedspread before I went to bed. I guess my mother learned that way, and in turn me. But we've also always used bottom and top sheets and blankets and that's our "cover". We all have quilts that were made by my great-grandmother and my aunt. I love the feel of sleeping under a quilt. So sometimes we use a quilt in place of a blanket. Or if it's really cold (not so much here), sheets, a cotton blanket and then a quilt topping it off. I also have a matelasse coverlet on the bed in the guest room and a down comforter folded at the bottom. Sheet and lightweight blanket on the bed. There is a quilt in the room - so any or all that a guest would want to use is fine with me.

tina

camlan, I stayed with a friend this summer and had the same experience. I think they must have turned the thermostat to 55 at night. I had sheets and one acrylic type blanket and nearly froze. I too got up in the middle of the night searching for blankets and finally got two big towels and huddled under them for the rest of the night.

tinam61, by top cover I mean whatever you put as the top layer, usually the decorative layer. On top of the set of sheets, I put a fairly thin quilt, a warmer blanket on top of that, and on my bed, a matelass�. I remove the extra pillows and matelass� because it is off white and I don't want it to get dirty.

Growing up, my family used the top layer (bedspreads were popular then) as if it were another blanket. I think we all had chenille at one time, either white or white background and I remember them being dirty at the top because for some reason my mother didn't think they should be washed.

So when I started housekeeping, the bedspread came off at night and blankets are washed regularly. The quilts do age faster that way though.

My kids however, like a big, fluffy comforter as their top and they want to use it as blanket too. So one of my guest rooms has a big fluffy duvet with a washable cover. I'd like to put some hand-stitched quilts in the other room, but if I did, I'd either have to turn them down at night myself (and I hate invading the privacy of a guest), or ask them to do that. Or take them off when guests come and just leave the under blankets.

GWlolo, I like the way you do it too.

k9arlene I don't require many special items to be comfortable, but one of the basics for me is a topsheet.

We use our top comforter as a blanket. I'd rather we didn't, but I can't stop DH from using it, so I have no choice.

My guestrooms are stocked with every possible option in the way of pillows and bedding.

Tina, I think you just solved a problem for me! I love bedspreads but don't use them because they just get in the way when I'm trying to stick a leg out when sleeping. Growing up we never turned them back. So now I can buy a pretty bedspread!

A couple of weeks ago I slept in a friends guest room. Top sheet, matelasse, coverlet, then blanket. Another blanket was folded at the end of the bed. Plus there were about 10 decorative pillows I had to deal with before getting in bed. The pillows were a pain.

I folded everything to the end of the bed except the sheet and matelasse, because I'm also a hot sleeper. Making the bed was a challenge though.

I don't use top sheets. I've tried but I end up untucking them with my feet when I get hot. I do like the feel of them but in the morning my bed looks like a tornado hit. lol

We keep it simple...a comforter with coordinating sheets. Spare wool blankets are in the closet as are oversized terry cloth robes.

Sometimes, when I'm reading in bed, my arms will get cold, so I throw a robe upside down on top of me and slip my arms through the sleeves, pulling the collar up around my neck for comfort....

My guest bed is made with a fitted and flat sheet, cotton blanket, coverlet, and a down duvet in a duvet cover folded at the foot of the bed. I have one pair of fiberfill and one pair of down pillows, and they're in pillowcases inside the shams.

Our bed is made in almost the exact same fashion, except that we don't keep our sleeping pillows inside the shams. We have a white coverlet that we turn down by about 1/3 in an effort to keep it clean.

In my own bed, I have a bottom sheet, top sheet, and down comforter covered with a duvet. I don't remove any of them to sleep (although if it's hot, I'll fold the down comforter down). I have never had any type of decorative bedding that could not be slept under (even growing up). So if I stayed as a guest in someone's home with such bedding, I'm afraid I might not realize some bedding was not intended for use and would probably leave it on the bed at night. I'm used to always having a top sheet to help protect the more expensive bedding (duvet, quilt, comforter, etc).

I too have on several occasions experienced waking up as a guest and freezing in the middle of the night. Not only do some people like to keep the house cool at night, but often temperature varies from room to room (especially in older homes).

For our bed, we use it, It's a matelasse coverlet, though, and I bought it to use as an extra blanket for just that reason.

For our guest room I use a lightweight, washable down comforter in the cooler months and a lightweight cotton coverlet instead of a bedspread and keep a cotton blanket folded at the foot of the bed, in case it's needed. Every piece of bedding has to be washable, including the pillows, and gets washed after every use. I'm kind of paranoid about that. It stems from me not being able to use a hotel pillow. The thought of sleeping on a pillow that, regardless of a clean pillowcase, (many) other people have slept on, breathed into, sweated and probably drooled into totally creeps me out! As a result, we always travel with our own packable down pillows. And, if the hotel uses a bedspread or comforter that obviously isn't washed after every guest, it gets folded up and put on the floor in a corner for the duration. So, that's why I don't use a bedspread or regular comforter in my guest room. I'd have them ruined in no time washing them (LOL).
Lynn

We have a top sheet and duvet with a cotton cover. The sheets are washed weekly but the duvet cover gets washed once a fortnight, unless dogs with muddy paws make it necessary more often.

Since a bed is in use on a regular basis, I don't see the point in having anything purely decorative on it. You wouldn't keep a slipcover on a chair that is taken off and folded to one side when you want to use the chair.

There may not be a "point" KSWL, but it's how I grew up and it works for us. Years ago I can remember my grandmother having a bedspread that had to be drycleaned. It was beautiful, but I'm pretty sure the fabric it was made from would not even be that warm. We don't remove the top cover, just fold it back (we have a chest at the end of the bed). Works well for us and the top cover stays nice and needs cleaning less. Ours right now - looks new. Plus, hubby and I both prefer the feel of sheets and regular blankets to a comforter, etc. To me, the top cover is just not part of covers you actually use.

Lynn, I never thought of using matelasse as a blanket! With it being cotton though and washing it often, I bet they become very soft and cozy.

I actually do not like bedspreads at all. I would think they are very hard to find now days. They seem dated to me.

tina

There may not be a "point" KSWL, but it's how I grew up and it works for us. Years ago I can remember my grandmother having a bedspread that had to be drycleaned. It was beautiful, but I'm pretty sure the fabric it was made from would not even be that warm. We don't remove the top cover, just fold it back (we have a chest at the end of the bed). Works well for us and the top cover stays nice and needs cleaning less. Ours right now - looks new. Plus, hubby and I both prefer the feel of sheets and regular blankets to a comforter, etc. To me, the top cover is just not part of covers you actually use.

Lynn, I never thought of using matelasse as a blanket! With it being cotton though and washing it often, I bet they become very soft and cozy.

I actually do not like bedspreads at all. I would think they are very hard to find now days. They seem dated to me.

tina

"Since a bed is in use on a regular basis, I don't see the point in having anything purely decorative on it. You wouldn't keep a slipcover on a chair that is taken off and folded to one side when you want to use the chair. "

I feel the same way!

OP: what kind of climate are you in and how high do you keep the heat at night?

It is very cold here in winter, and I provide guests with a top sheet, a down comforter and a coverlet/quilt. If the comforter is too much, they could just use the coverlet. There are also extra blankets, a fan, and a variety of pillows in a closet nearby.

I am with kswl in not understanding having purely decorative blankets on a bed. I never even realized that happened, so it was interesting to read the comments on here. Are the people who do this in warm climates?

Growing up we had bedspreads that were completely removed at night. In fact, my dad installed towel bars on the backs of our doors to put the bedspreads on. Then we slept under blankets and yes, top sheets. No wonder I never liked making my bed! Now we sleep under our decorative comforter and always use both top and bottom sheets. I have pillows in shams that cover go on top of our sleeping pillows during the day. My husband tosses his on the floor to sleep, while I like to have mine behind my sleeping pillow.

I live where it gets cold in the winter and hot in the summer. I am always playing musical blankets. In the summer I use a top sheet and a quilt. No matter how hot it gets, I like the weight of a light blanket or quilt. In the winter I put a down comforter between the sheet and quilt. If it get really cold, I'll throw an extra blanket over all of it. I use everything on the bed as a cover.

Annie, I thought I was the only one to do the backward robe thing. I like to read in bed and my arms get cold, so I put my robe over the blankets and then stick my arms in. It's kind of like one of those silly snuggy things.

For my guests, there is a top sheet, a blanket, a down comforter and a matelasse cover. They are welcome to use whatever combination works for them.

My mother used to be horrified when she realized guests had not turned back the bedspread. I guess she thought everyone knew not to use it as a blanket.

I love when a hotel offers french sheeting -- a down comforter covered above and below by sheets. That way, hopefully, the occupant of the bed never comes in contact with the comforter and gets clean sheets each time.

I also do not like those piles of decorative pillows. I'm sure they get thrown aside and stay there for days in many cases, but to each his/her own.

I'm in Texas. We're having a mild winter and the house probably doesn't get below 68 at night. I'd rather sleep cooler than that but I'm not going to turn on the a/c. I do sleep under a ceiling fan.

Summers are hot and humid and I keep the a/c at 65 and it's still too hot for me.

I enjoyed reading all the comments. Seems like people are pretty divided, so I'll make sure whatever I put on the bed can be used or pulled back.

lynninnewmexico, I'm the same way with hotel bedding. This summer we went to my grandfather's hometown to do some research. There were two hotels in town, both pretty run down. Our room had a king size bed, but the sheets must have been full size flat sheets as they didn't cover the end of the mattress by about 5 inches. No mattress pad either, and one of those bedspreads with the white fiberfill on the underside. But we lived through it.

I NEVER use my comforter/decorator covelet! I haven't used them in years, mainly because my dog use to sleep w/me and I could not stand the dog hair or if he accidentally threw up at nite. I actually started putting an extra folded sheet on "his side". So, that got me in the habit of turning it down. Problem is they never wear out! I end up giving to my mom or sister since I get tired of them and they still look brand new.
I do sleep with a top sheet (doesn't everyone)? then I have a down comforter in a pretty duvet cover, then my covelet or comforter on top of that. For the winter I have a heated mattress pad to keep me toasty. Also have a blanket folded at the bottom of the bed, though I have never had to use it.

In my guest room, I have a blanket then a comforter, also a throw over a chair, and another one at the bottom of the bed. Seems that my guests use the comforter - though, I wish they didn't LOL...

I didn't use a top sheet until I got married. Compromise... :)

"In my guest room, I have a blanket then a comforter, also a throw over a chair, and another one at the bottom of the bed. Seems that my guests use the comforter - though, I wish they didn't LOL... "

I don't have anything in the guest room that is off limits for the guests.
And, as a guest, I would think I have use of the comforter too.
Perhaps you can remove the item(s) prior to their arrival.

Our guest rooms have pillows (in pillow protectors), nice qualtiy sheets, a comforter in a duvet cover and an extra blanket or folded comforter at the foot of the bed. We live in a four-season climate so the above is adjusted accordingly.

We stayed in a B&B in Maine on Saturday night and I really liked the way they arranged their bedding. The sheets were a nice quality with a high thread count (for sale in their gift shop, but I resisted!). They layered: fitted sheet, top sheet, wool blanket, another top sheet (key point-the blanket that touched other guests did not touch us!), all covered by a gorgeous cotton spread (which we didn't need and I would not use, so we folded it down). Extra blankets and pillows were available.

In a guest room, I think the most important consideration should be having options to maximize the comfort of your guests. You want to make sure you have enough coverage in cold climates. Guests can always opt out of the extra coverage if they don't need/want it. Another consideration is to make it easy for you to change the sheets, wash the duvet cover and be good to go for another round of guests!

In your first reply Tina, you implied you did use a bedspread when referring to your grandmother and mother.

In fact, bedspreads are everywhere in stores and online. I've admired quite a few, especially chenille bedspreads. Easy to find.

I agree about the purely decorative bedding that's not to be used. I make sure my quilts are pretty, but also usable.

The night I had to take off the thousands of decorative pillows was a chore, considering we had been drinking. lol.

The things I can learn here. :)

I swear to you it would have never occurred to me that people didn't use the bedspread or comforter!

I understand turning it down or removing it in the summer, or if you live in a very warm climate. But beyond that, I guess I would have never realized some people view them as purely decorative and that they should never be used!

It gets below zero here in the winter...and trust me, I use all the layers I have on my bed. :)

So, to any prior hosts that I may have offended by using something that was supposed to be decorative - please accept my apologies!

It's funny that people have such different views on these things. I always thought it was obvious that a sham should not become a place to actually lay your head! But no, I frequently have guests that slept on the shams, which requires me to wash them.

I see characters on TV sleep directly on shams too. I don't get it, lol.

What is a coverlet? I googled it but the company store site seems to term it interchangably with a matelasse. (?) which I think is a quilt made of a certain material?

I like the weight of a comforter, even when it's blazing hot. I just crank up the fan. So I sleep under a percale top sheet, lightweight quilt, and down comforter. I'm wondering if now I should reverse the quilt and comforter, since quilt is really just for looks and comforter gets folded down when I make my bed.

Top sheets are not standard in Europe.

I never would have thought that a bed covering in someone's home was not meant for sleeping under. I did have a quilt when I was little that I was not allowed to use for sleeping. It was a yo yo quilt made by my grandma. I think it only lasted a few months on my bed before my mom got tired of reminding me not to sleep with it.

Anyone else have one of these?

To me, a coverlet is like a bedspread, but it is not as wide. A bedspread will come down to the floor on both sides of the bed, while the coverlet will come down just far enough to cover the sides of the mattress, requiring the use of a dust ruffle. A twin bedspread on a full bed will look just like a coverlet. Coverlet refers to the size of the bed covering. It can be made of just about anything you'd typically cover a bed with.

Matelasse refers to the way the fabric is woven. It is a fabric that is supposed to mimic the way a quilt looks, without actually being quilted. It is made into bedspreads and coverlets. I have a tablecloth that is made of matelasse. Some people use a kind of shorthand and instead of saying "matelasse bedspread" they just say "matelasse."

Yo-yo quilts are pretty, but they are also a big fragile. I can understand why your mom didn't want you using yours--it's pretty easy to rip one of the yo-yos open.

Coverlet and bedspread refer to size. Coverlets don't go to the floor and don't cover the pillows. Bedspreads cover the pillows. Matelasse refers to the way fabric is stitched. It looks like it's quited, but it's really not. You can have a matelasse bedspread or coverlet.

I never implied I use a bedspread in my home. The talk about my mother and grandmother and bedspreads was when I was a child, growing up, etc. My second sentence says "we have a matelasse coverlet on our bed".

Drybean - to me, a coverlet is a top cover that is similar in size to a comforter or duvet - not as long as a bedspread. Matelasse is the type fabric. A coverlet is generally (all that I have seen) one layer of fabric. Matelesse is almost an embossed look on the fabric. In our master bedroom, the bedskirt is also matelesse.

Not long ago someone was on here searching for bedspreads, having a hard time finding one. Was that Pal? While I do not care for spreads, I can visualize them more so for men.

Cindyloo, I've wondered about that too. But on tv, they sleep on at least 2 pillows too. I can't imagine anyone really doing that - but then we don't have to have our heads propped up for the camera. ;)

Since the top/bedcoverings - covelets, bedspreads, duvets can be quite pricey and most require dry cleaning I'm suprised the I seem to be in the minority by not using mine. Some will even get very smooshed or wrinkled when used so by not using it they stay in great shape and also look fresh IMHO.

I have stayed in hotels where they have a top sheet, then a down comforter, then another sheet. I guess they do that to protect the down comforter and the user from germs.

Since the top/bedcoverings - covelets, bedspreads, duvets can be quite pricey and most require dry cleaning I'm suprised the I seem to be in the minority by not using mine. Some will even get very smooshed or wrinkled when used so by not using it they stay in great shape and also look fresh IMHO.

I have stayed in hotels where they have a top sheet, then a down comforter, then another sheet. I guess they do that to protect the down comforter and the user from germs.

I have cats. I sometimes have a cup of cocoa or tea in bed. All my bedding is washable for those reasons.

It's a lifestyle choice, I guess. I like to make my bed every morning, but I don't like to spend a lot of time doing that. So I wouldn't want the extra step of walking across the bedroom to retrieve a comforter/coverlet/bedspread, walking back to the bed, spreading it out, and evening up the sides and making it neat. Same reason I don't have decorative pillows on the bed, either.

But I'll agree that I'm more limited in my choice of bedding because I will only buy washable stuff.

For someone else, the extra work wouldn't *be* work, because they really like the bedding and are willing to do the extra steps necessary to keep it looking nice and clean.

" covelets, bedspreads, duvets can be quite pricey and most require dry cleaning"

Yes, they ARE pricey... but I choose ones that can be washed. No way *I* want to be dragging bedding to the dry cleaners on a regular basis.

Thank you for the clarification on coverlets vs. bedspreads vs. matelasse. Very helpful!

I want to clarify when I use a bedspread..I use a bedspread to keep the guest bedding dust free. When I have guests, I (not the guest) will remove the bedspread and fold it away in the closet. When the guest leaves, I will wash all the bedding and redo the bed and cover it again with a bedspread. The function of the bed spread is just to keep the bedding dust free. For regular bed, we just use a simple down duvet. No top sheet as it is warm here. I am thinking of moving to a top sheet and a simple blanket as I am tired of the rumpled look of down comforter. I want it to be quick and fast to make the bed in the morning.

I also grew up with bedspreads. They were always washable and if a guest didn't fold it down, there was no problem. We always folded them down to the foot of the bed. It seems odd to me to hear people say that that isn't "using" them. The purpose was to keep the bedding clean (and maybe hide wrinkled pillow cases/top sheets) as GWlolo says and also as a decorative element in the room. The 'point' of using it is the same as making your bed. I have heard people say, "what is the point of making your bed? You are just going to get into it again at night." The spreads were always pretty and easy to unfold and pull up when we made our beds. We used top and bottom sheets, a blanket (wool for winter, lighter for summer-no AC since we lived in PA and didn't need it), and an extra quilt if needed for winter which would be folded on top of the bedspread at the foot of the bed during the day.

Now, I have a washable duvet with a down comforter. Love it and don't fold it down since it is both for warmth and because I like the way it looks. In the guest bedrooms, I have myriad choices, so the guests can be as cool or warm as they like: top sheet, blanket (wool in winter), quilt, a throw across foot of beds, and extra quilts and throws just in case.

Do people who don't have "anything decorative" on their beds not use any throw pillows? Just curious.

I don't have any throw (decorative) pillows on my bed. Or pillows in shams (I did have some years ago but neither DH or I liked having to throw them somewhere when we went to bed). If it's on my bed it's for using. I don't think a bed needs to be "decorated". Can't stand staying somewhere and having to move decorative pillows off the bed and then arrange them on the bed in the morning.

Everything on my bed is chosen for insulating properties, looks, and a nice soft feel. We usually have a fitted bottom sheet, a top sheet (heavy linen), and a fleece blanket, topped by a quilt. I prefer cotton quilts for looks and comfort, because I actually sleep under them and I like them better than bedspreads. During incredibly cold winter weather, I'll add a second blanket under the quilt, for mediocre cold winter weather I'll fold the extra blanket at the foot of the bed. The key to comfort is light layers.

In a guest room, I'd be sure to have an extra blanket (or two) and pillow available in the room, so they won't have to ask you if they wake up freezing. Let everything be functional, not just decorative.

We have dust mite allergies and we fight over covers and I am lazy. This means that our bed has a fitted bottom sheet, a king size (even though our bed is a queen) down comforter in a dust mite encasing covered by a pretty comforter cover, pillows in washable pillow cases (four because we both like to prop heads up to read in bed) and that's it. Nothing else. The bottom sheet, pillow cases, and the comforter cover are washed on hot and dried every week.

For a guest bed, I do fitted sheet, top sheet, blanket, comforter inside a nice but washable comforter cover and usually a quilt folded at the bottom. I like to give guests options because I never know if they run hot or cold and since I don't usually sleep in the guest bedroom I am never quite sure if it runs hot or cold at a particular time.