Home Front is a weekly deep dive into the rising—and returning—trends, decor, and teeniest of design details fresh on our radar. Today, Julie, Domino’s deputy editor, gets in bed—and stays there.

Not to be a total downer, but lately I’ve been sick. As in, curled up in bed with tissues and a thermometer sick. And though I’m finally starting to feel better, this time of rest has taught me that not leaving your mattress for extended periods of time can be healing for your body—and your mind. The practice is so legit that it even has a not-so-sexy name: bed-rotting.

Bed-rotting. Hurkle-durkle. Plain old laziness. Whatever you call it, staying in bed well after your alarm has gone off is a certified trend. This is one I can get behind: There’s nothing I love more than waking up, grabbing a book, and lounging with my duvet until I really have to get up. In fact, TikTokers (beacons of truth and science as they may be) even call it self-care. According to a New York Times article, actual sleep experts agree, saying it can be harmless in moderation. And I, very much not a sleep expert, say that if you’re going to be spending extra time in bed—sick or otherwise—why not make it the most stylish and comfortable experience possible?

Photography Courtesy of Dusen Dusen

Here are the things I spend my waking hours thinking about:

01. While I was sick, I devoured this novel about a woman who plans a solo cross-country road trip but never makes it farther than just outside her town. There’s even a redecorating moment! That’s all I’ll say.

02. It’s linen-sheets-only in my household until October, and these don’t stretch out as much as the other ones I’ve tried.

03. Trust me: Terrycloth is too heavy for all-day lounging. This cotton and linen robe breathes, plus it’s cute enough to wear while answering the door for delivery ramen.

04. This durable mug prevents spills and keeps bevvies hot for hours, which is important if you don’t plan on getting up for a while.

05. Ellen Van Dusen makes the best dopamine-inducing bedding on the planet. Her new Tommy Stripe duvet set, complete with tissues and snacks, perfects my spend-the-day-in-bed aesthetic.

06. Sleep-tracker, temperature-taker, and jewelry. If you’re gonna rot in bed all day, you might as well track your “progress”—and look good doing it. I never sleep without mine.

07. I’ve had these pillows for years, and they still fluff up beautifully while adding just-right support for a stomach sleeper like me.

08. Until tissue companies finally come out with a stylish cardboard box, I’ll be covering mine up with this bright merino-wool-felt version.

09. Without space for a proper nightstand and as a firm believer that lap trays are too precarious, I rely on this bucket stool, which I can easily move from room to room—that is, if I move at all.

10. I can’t tell you how many pots of tea I (er, my husband) brewed in this while I was bedridden. And because our kettle holds 34 ounces, I never had to go to the kitchen for a refill.

11. On a recent trip to Stockholm, I got fitted—yes, you read that right—for a Hästens bed, and it turns out I’m a 200T girl. It’s made by hand with horsehair and costs about as much as a down payment, but after sleeping on it for a few days, I’d say homeownership is overrated.

Lying in bed all day requires a few essentials. Here’s how I’d spend my money.

Splurge on… Pajamas

I’m no scientist, but I swear that a nice pair of pj’s helps me sleep better than a ratty old T-shirt. Proof: I accidentally left my Boll & Branch sleep shirt in Milan and have been tossing and turning ever since.

• Marina Pajama Set in Shadow Stripe, Sleepy Jones, $89

• Signature Sleep Shirt, Boll & Branch, $99

• The Bloom Party Pajama Set With Pants in Blue, Sleeper, $390

Go Either Way on… a Mattress

Did I link a Hästens bed, above? Guilty. But in reality, I sleep on a Nest, which is less than $1,000 and works for both me (stomach sleeper) and my husband (side sleeper). With such a wide mattress market these days, you don’t really have to splurge on your z’s—unless you want to.

• Queen Sparrow Signature Hybrid, Nest Bedding, $1,599

• Queen Classic Mattress, Saatva, $1,795

• Oxford Mattress, Vispring, price upon request

Save on… Sheets

I’ve had expensive sheets and I’ve had IKEA sheets, and honestly, the difference isn’t always obvious. Instead of shopping by thread count, look at fiber content—the more natural the material (organic cotton, for example), the cooler your sleep.

• Dvala Queen Sheet Set, IKEA, $25

• Organic Brushed Cotton Queen Sheet Set, Quince, $100

• Gingham Classic Cool Organic Cotton Percale Queen Bedsheet Set, The Company Store, $115

I know I’ve been hyper-specific today, but a good night’s (or day’s) rest involves so much more than just your sheets. Your entire bedroom can help set the sleepy tone, from the material mix to the color palette. Here are some of my favorite ideas I’ve stumbled upon recently.

• Imagine waking up to a glass-paneled ceiling! This Copenhagen designer doesn’t have to.

• I think about Jen Mankins’s Shelter Island home from our Summer 2020 issue a lot, and most of that has to do with the mix-and-match textiles. What’s better than stripes on stripes? Stripes on checks on florals, of course.

• Stylist Colin King’s bedrooms always make me want to take a nap—in a good way. He gifted me this twill weave bed cover, and the way it purposefully pools on the floor is so dreamy.

• A recent stay at the new Wickwood Inn in Saugatuck, Michigan, has me rethinking my plain white bed frame. My guest room had a dramatic bamboo one that the owners sourced themselves from an antiques market.

• Furniture, schmerniture: Truthfully nothing is more calming in a bedroom than a front row seat to nature, like at Piaule, one of my go-to getaways in the Catskills.

Today’s Topic… What’s your nightstand non-negotiable?

A current read with a lamp that gives good glow

From Last Week… What are you desperately trying to disguise in your space? TV 29% Downright ugly kitchen cabinets 24% Appliances, small and large 25% Off-season clothes, kids’ toys—all the regular clutter 22%

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