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This cosy £20 M&S autumn bedding is already being snapped up by savvy shoppers – and I’m not surprised, it was a sell-out last year

This cosy £20 M&S autumn bedding is already being snapped up by savvy shoppers – and I’m not surprised, it was a sell-out last year

by | Aug 25, 2026 | Design Inspiration

I don’t know about you, but where I live, it suddenly seems to have become autumn.

Only a week ago, I was hot, sweaty, and struggling to sleep during the latest summer heatwave, and now overnight temperatures have dropped to just 6°C, and it’s suddenly chilly when the sun goes down.

Little wonder, then, that savvy M&S shoppers are already snapping up the brand’s latest launch: the £20 M&S Brushed Cotton Striped Bedding Set.

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Soft, cosy, and selling out in record time last year, I think this is the autumn bedding to snap up now, before the cold weather really hits, and this budget-friendly buy disappears from the shelves.

When it comes to where to buy bedding, M&S is always one of my top recommendations. However, I always think it’s the brand’s winter bedding that really hits the mark.

Last year, Marks & Spencer nailed one of the winter’s biggest bedding trends with a sell-out brushed bedding collection that was one of the most stylish – and most affordable – ranges on the high street. And it looks like this year is going to follow suit.

The brand has just quietly dropped the first few lines of its autumn 2026 bedding collection, and this brushed cotton bedding set is already being snapped up by shoppers.

In fact, it’s one of the most shopped bedding sets on the M&S website right now, according to the brand’s on-site data.

M&S Striped Brushed Cotton Bedding Set

(Image credit: M&S)

I’m not surprised this set duvet cover and pillowcase set is proving so popular. To my mind, it nails the look and feel that many of us are craving after one of the hottest summers on record.

I, for one, can’t wait for some cooler weather, and this is one of the first years I’m actually looking forward to getting cosy in bed as the nights draw in.

The best brushed cotton bedding is perfect for creating those cosy-core vibes. Plus, M&S has upped the cosy vibes even further by combining this tactile flannelette fabric with a traditional ticking stripe.

For me at least, the overall effect feels nostalgic, comforting, and a bit like being tucked up into bed at a favourite Nan or Grandma’s house!

M&S Striped Brushed Cotton Bedding Set

(Image credit: M&S)

The striped collection is available in four autumnal shades: fern green, slate blue, dove grey, and a neutral linen colourway. And right now, they’re all still in stock.

However, I have a feeling they won’t stay that way. Especially once the cooler weather really hits. If last year is anything to go by, I imagine sizes will start disappearing fast.

Personally, I can’t imagine any cosier bedding to hunker down under this autumn. That said, M&S does have some more great winter-warmers beginning to land on site and in-store. I’ve rounded up a few more new-season favourites below.

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I’m telling every parent I know to snap up this £16 Dunelm buy before their child starts uni – it’s the simple upgrade for a grotty student mattress

I’m telling every parent I know to snap up this £16 Dunelm buy before their child starts uni – it’s the simple upgrade for a grotty student mattress

by | Aug 18, 2026 | Design Inspiration

It’s been a while since I went to university, but one thing that’s still fresh in my mind is my student accommodation, and in particular, the less-than-ideal sleep setup.

Anyone who’s lived in student halls, or indeed any type of pre-furnished accommodation, will no doubt have horror stories to tell about the furnishings they inherited from previous occupants. But the most traumatic tales I’ve heard tend to revolve around the mattress.

Suspect stains, broken springs, and lumpy sleep surfaces soon paled in comparison when I heard friends’ stories of bites, rashes, and bedbug-infested mattresses.

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Thankfully, I’ve found a simple solution to this very unwanted risk: Dunelm’s £16 Fogarty Cotton Anti-Allergy Zipped Mattress Cover. And after it sold out online last year, I think it’s well worth snapping up whilst it’s still in stock.

Now we probably all realise student accommodation isn’t going to involve sleeping on one of the best mattresses on the market. Mattresses are expensive, and, understandably, uni accommodation will involve some cheap and cheerful fixtures.

But one thing I hadn’t factored in when I started uni was that, of course, the student accommodation provider also isn’t going to change the mattress in the room with each new occupant.

The IKEA VALEVÅG pocket sprung mattress being tested

(Image credit: Future / Rachel Tompkins)

According to details on numerous university websites, I’ve discovered that mattresses in student accommodation are generally replaced every 3 to 10 years, which means a *lot* of bodies could have been lying on that mattress before you.

Yes, this could be deemed ‘character-building’, which is of course a key part of the uni experience.

But, based on the cleanliness and housekeeping skills of many of my fellow students during my uni years, we could perhaps also term the ‘pre-used’ mattress situation… ‘gross’. Extremely gross.

In fact, as I’ve gotten older – and especially since I became Ideal Home’s Sleep Editor and started learning about bed bugs, dust mites, and how much sweat the average person oozes each night (yuck!) – it amazes me how relaxed I was about the whole student mattress situation at the time. Ignorance is bliss, as they say.

Bensons for Beds Simply Support Pocket Sprung Mattress being tested at home

(Image credit: Future / Rachel Tompkins)

Now I’m older and wiser, I would do things very differently, and this £16 Dunelm Zipped Mattress Cover is the one thing I’m advising all my friends with children starting uni this September to snap up whilst it’s still in stock.

You’re no doubt already familiar with the importance of a good mattress protector, which can protect a mattress from spills, stains, and general dirt and grime. But a zipped mattress cover, also known as a mattress encasement, is a slightly different beast.

Unlike a mattress protector, which only covers the top surface of the mattress, an encasement covers all six sides and zips up to prevent dust mites or creepy crawlies from penetrating the mattress.

And should you be dealing with a worst-case scenario, it should also keep any nasties already *inside* the mattress contained within the encasement too.

Dunelm Zipped Mattress Cover

(Image credit: Future PLC / Amy Lockwood)

Unpleasant as it may be to think about, dust mites, dead skin cells, sweat, grime, and other bodily fluids (yep… yuck) can all seep into a mattress over time, and a mattress encasement provides another layer of protection between your body, and them.

An encasement can be a little awkward to get onto the mattress, but once it’s on and zipped up, you can leave it on and simply wash your mattress protector and fitted sheet as normal.

Dunelm’s isn’t the only option on the market; Soak & Sleep’s £35 Anti Bed Bug Mattress Encasement is one of the best I’ve tested, and it’s also waterproof. But if you’re looking for an affordable option, Dunelm’s is one of the most budget-friendly I’ve tried. Amazon also has plenty of cheap mattress encasements, although reviews tend to be mixed.

And of course, an encasement isn’t the only thing you might want to consider to make a student mattress more comfortable.

I’m pretty sure I didn’t know a mattress topper was a ‘thing’ when I was tossing and turning on my lumpy student mattress, but now I’d definitely add one of the best mattress toppers to my uni checklist.

In fact, my student bedding wishlist would now include: that all-important mattress encasement. A good mattress topper, and a mattress protector to cover it. Two fitted sheets so you can wash one and use one, a duvet with two duvet covers, a pillow and two pillowcases.

Get the essentials sorted before the new term starts, and then you (or your young adult who is flying the nest) can focus on fun, new friends, and of course, learning.

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The White Company has slashed the price of its bedding in its end-of-season sale – these are the luxe pieces you don’t want to miss out on

The White Company has slashed the price of its bedding in its end-of-season sale – these are the luxe pieces you don’t want to miss out on

by | Aug 16, 2026 | Design Inspiration

With autumn tiptoeing around the corner, it’s almost time to bring your duvet back out of hiding and to pack that fan away in the loft for some well-needed R&R. If you’ve already been dreaming of cooler nights and cosier days (same!), then what better place to start than with a bedding glow up.

High on most of the Ideal Home team’s wishlist is a set of bedding from The White Company: crisp, high-quality sheets, plump duvets and gorgeous textured bedspreads. However, for most of the year, The White Company’s prices are just a little out of reach, which is why our insider secret is to stock up on the brand’s staple pieces in their amazing sales.

Right now, The White Company is holding an end-of-season sale, and some bits in this sale are better than Black Friday at 60% off. Here’s everything you don’t want to miss from the current The White Company sale — from aesthetic bedding buys to comfort necessities.

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If your bedroom is crying out for an upgrade, don’t miss your opportunity to snap up some luxe pieces for your bed.

I’m calling it, this Next pumpkin bedding set will be an instant sellout – it nails this year’s biggest autumn trend

I’m calling it, this Next pumpkin bedding set will be an instant sellout – it nails this year’s biggest autumn trend

by | Aug 15, 2026 | Design Inspiration

Yes, I know, it’s summer, and depending on where you live in the UK, you may be recovering from yet another heatwave.

However, bedding trends wait for no man, woman, or well-dressed bedroom, and pumpkin bedding is already having a moment.

Plus, Next has just quietly dropped a pumpkin bedding set that I think will soon be an instant sell-out, so if you want to get your hands on this autumn-themed duvet set before it disappears, you may need to move fast.

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As Ideal Home’s Sleep Editor, I’ve spent the past five years immersed in the world of bedrooms, and when it comes to where to buy bedding, Next is always one of my top recommendations.

Plus, in recent years, the brand has absolutely nailed the most sought-after bedding trends.

Last Christmas, Next launched its Robin Fleece Duvet Cover and Pillowcase Set, which quickly went viral and became one of the most-shopped bedding collections of the year.

That winter-themed bedding set featured robins leaving footsteps on a snowy fleece duvet cover, and I predict the brand’s new pumpkin-themed bedding is going to follow its lead and become an instant autumn bestseller.

Next pumpkin bedding set

(Image credit: Next)

In fact, with ‘pumpkin bedding’ searches already spiking on Google, I don’t think it will be long before this trending bedding set starts selling out.

Not least because Next has nailed the double autumnal whammy with this design.

There are smiley-faced pumpkins embroidered onto the duvet cover, but to up the cuteness factor even further, the brand has also stitched that autumnal favourite – the now iconic pumpkin-spiced latte – to the surface.

And did I mention this duvet set also features a gingham background (still one of the biggest bedding trends of the year) *and* is made from super snuggly and cosy brushed cotton?

Next pumpkin bedding

(Image credit: Next)

To my mind, this duvet cover and pillowcase set nails everything you might want in an autumn bedding set, and what’s more, there’s a whole collection of coordinating items available.

Personally, I think the £125 pumpkin-spiced latte-shaped side table may be a step too far, but the rest of the collection is *far* more stylish! And it means you can choose whether your nod to the cosy season is subtle or as OTT as you like.

I’m generally not a Halloween lover, but I have to admit, even I’m tempted by this autumn-themed collection and its understated Halloween-ish vibes.

After all, considering how long and hot it feels like this summer has been, for the first time in a long time, I’m actually looking forward to the change in season.

Some cooler weather, cosy bedding, and a pumpkin-spiced latte sounds like something I could definitely get behind right now!

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M&S just elevated linen bedding to a whole new level – I’m a Sleep Editor, and I’ve never seen this cool and breathable fabric look so luxe before

M&S just elevated linen bedding to a whole new level – I’m a Sleep Editor, and I’ve never seen this cool and breathable fabric look so luxe before

by | Jul 28, 2026 | Design Inspiration

I love linen bedding. As Ideal Home’s Sleep Editor, I’ve spent the past five years testing the best bedding on the market, and, as a hot sleeper, I’ve learnt that I definitely sleep best under a cool and breathable linen bedding set.

However, I know that not everyone feels the same way. If you prefer the look of crisp, crease-free cotton sheets, then even the best linen bedding can feel a little *too* laidback and crumpled.

However, Marks and Spencer has just changed all that. In my opinion, the new M&S Pure Linen Bedding Set is the ideal solution if you want to benefit from a cooler sleep whilst still retaining elevated hotel-luxe vibes in your boudoir.

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Why is this bedding set so different? Two things. First, this 190gsm fabric has a more structured feel than most linen bedding. That means that it drapes a little more smoothly when it’s on the bed, which results in a more refined look.

And secondly, those smart piped edges. It may seem like a small detail, but when it comes to bedding that delivers hotel-luxe vibes and brings a more ‘expensive’ and elevated feel to the bedroom, it is *all* about the detail.

M&S Pure Linen Bedding 190gsm

(Image credit: M&S)

Piped edges frequently feature on high-end cotton bedding, but it’s a detail I haven’t seen incorporated into a linen bedding set before. And, to my mind at least, it adds a whole new look to this timeless fabric.

Plus, you still get to benefit from linen’s *fantastic* breathability. Something especially important in this increasingly long run of hot weather we’ve been experiencing in many parts of the country.

That’s because good breathability equals good airflow, and bedding that allows good airflow enables the body to regulate its temperature better, which in turn results in a deeper and more restorative sleep.

Little wonder then that I’m not alone in being impressed by M&S’ new launch. ‘Beautiful quality linen,’ says one 5-star review on the M&S website. ‘Smart piping elevates the look.’

M&S Pure Linen Bedding 190gsm

(Image credit: M&S)

‘Great quality,’ raves another owner. ‘The piping on duvet cover and pillowcases is a nice addition… so far best linen bedding I have purchased. Highly recommended.’

‘Cool to sleep in and washes well,’ says another happy M&S shopper.

When it comes to where to buy bedding that offers both cool sleep and hotel-luxe design, M&S is clearly the place to shop.

Plus, Marks and Spencer is one of the best places to snap up affordable linen bedding; its non-piped bedding set is the most budget-friendly I’ve tested. I’ve rounded up a few more of the brand’s most cooling sleep solutions below.

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