<p>We wash our comforters only yearly or less. </p>
<p>I’ve tried 2 duvet covers. A very cheap one. And the llbean one linked. Never had much luck keeping the comforter from bunching. Perhaps if you bough a down comforter / duvet togethre as a set, the sizes and ties would mate better.</p>
<p>Wow, we’d have a horrific time with allergies if we only washed annually or less. We have never had bunching issues with any of our covers, with any of our comforters (down or cotton or others).
Might be because with a full/double, it’s not as susceptible to bunching? Who knows!</p>
<p>I quit using down comforters as eventually the feathers bunch up, et al. I like the down alternative comforters- light and warnm enough (house set to 65 at night when heating season- nothing you get in HI). Wash them once a year as we don’t use them in the heat of summer. Bought at Kohls, and available at other stores. No more duvet/covers either- they were a pain to remove/replace.</p>
<p>I hadn’t considered bunching with the duvet cover, is that a serious problem? My new mattress will be a queen size, and I’ll probably put a down alternative comforter in it. If it got all bunchy that would drive me NUTS! There were some duvet covers I liked and I’d about decided to do that, but this is a factor I hadn’t considered.</p>
<p>We do have allergies in this family, I don’t do well with dust-- but I like to launder stuff a lot anyway because I’m a germaphobe so it’s never been an issue even though I sleep with like ten blankets. Never even tried down because NOBODY here ISN’T allergic so we just assume.</p>
<p>The bunching isn’t with the duvet cover but with the down comforter which you put into the duvet cover. </p>
<p>But I’ve had down comforters for decades and never experienced serious “bunching” problems. Regular gentle ‘fluffing’ of the comforter, plus washing and drying (with something thrown into the dryer to created the fluffing effect) takes care of any bunching I come across.</p>
<p>Have you had a chance to look at the Allerest by Pacific Coast??? It works for dust mite allergies.</p>
<p>I am done with comforters. I used covers on ours, but they were never as pretty as the comforters themselves and bunching was a big problem. I am going with layers of fleece blankets. I remove the outer layers more frequently for washing but will hot water wash everything several times per winter. I am keeping the big queen comforter folded at the foot of the bed for emergencies.</p>
<p>I really wish that washable bedspreads were more available! End pet peeve.</p>
<p>I just really want something that’s going to look pretty and grown up. This new bed and its associated fixings is the first thing I bought for myself with the earnings from my first post-college job, and I am redecorating my bedroom as consolation for the fact that I can’t afford to move out any time remotely soon. 
I want this bed to be kickass. </p>
<p>Ikea had some duvets that I liked, but the set up I saw and liked actually had two different duvets on it. They had one that was folded back at the top to show a pattern on the inside of it and a different color one on top of it going under the fold. Not sure if that’s something I’d actually do, or if I’d like it with just the one color.</p>
<p>I much prefer a cotton duvet cover, with a down comforter inside. We do live in California, so for the entire year, we don’t even need blankets or the top sheet. </p>
<p>I got used to this when travelling in Europe, and loved the ease of not worrying about blankets and top sheets.</p>
<p>We have a cream duvet cover, so it goes with most anything. I will never go back to a comforter.</p>
<p>Emaheevul-I can totally understand you wanting this bed to look great. It is a turning point in your life. The nice thing about going with the duvet is that you can easily change it up in a year. I have a nice embroidered cream duvet on my bed. I also have draped across the bottom a nice wool blanket. It gives a nice bit of added color to the bed.
One way you can add dimension to your bed is not by doing the 2nd comforter but adding a cotton coverlet folded up at the bottom. Or draping a colored chenille blanket over the bottom of the bed.[Pick-Stitch</a> Quilt & Sham - Select Items | Pottery Barn](<a href=“http://www.potterybarn.com/products/pick-stitch-quilt-select-items/?pkey=csolid-quilts-shams]Pick-Stitch”>http://www.potterybarn.com/products/pick-stitch-quilt-select-items/?pkey=csolid-quilts-shams). See how they use the quilt under the duvet. You could do something like that or just fold it and drape it at the bottom.</p>
<p>Emaheevul, I have a down alternative blanket and a duvet on my bed. I have never had any issues with bunching. </p>
<p>It’s easier to change the look of your room with a new duvet than buying a whole new comforter set. If I get bored with a particular look or need to wash it, I just change out the duvet. I like the feel of the duvet on my skin better than alot of the comforters and blankets I have felt in the store. </p>
<p>If you found sheets you like but could not find a duvet, you can very easily make a duvet using two flat sheets and sewing ties (or button/button holes) at the top or bottom to open and close the duvet.</p>
<p>You might want to check out Target. I was at my Target today, and alot of their bedding was on sale. I saw alot of duvets on sale as well as comforters/sets.</p>
<p>If you’re shopping on sort of a budget, try the DwellStudio line at Target. I got my bedding there a few years ago (picture here: <a href=“http://cn1.kaboodle.com/hi/img/c/0/0/3e/3/AAAADMZrtOoAAAAAAD40dw.jpg?v=1238094943000[/url]”>http://cn1.kaboodle.com/hi/img/c/0/0/3e/3/AAAADMZrtOoAAAAAAD40dw.jpg?v=1238094943000</a>) and get compliments on it all the time. It’s 100% cotton and super cozy. I have a queen sized comforter and wash it in a standard sized washer and dryer no problem (toss a few new tennis balls in with the dryer!), but I prefer to use the big ones at a laundromat because I think they do a better job. </p>
<p>And have you checked out these sheets from BB&B? ([Pure</a> Beech® Jersey Knit Sheet Set - Bed Bath & Beyond](<a href=“http://www.bedbathandbeyond.com/product.asp?SKU=112370&RN=145&]Pure”>http://www.bedbathandbeyond.com/product.asp?SKU=112370&RN=145&)) Absolutely luxurious. Mine are “eggplant” which is no longer an option. I even tore them once while washing them (got twisted around that thingy in the middle) and BB&B replaced them no questions asked. However, it looks like the blend has changed since I got mind :(</p>
<p>I use a bedspread over the down blanket in the same fabric as the curtains - I fold it back to the foot of the bed at night - looks pretty and keeps everything fresh. The Garnet Hill down blankets are stitched into squares, so the down cannot shift much during washing. I put a tennis ball in the dryer to fluff it up a bit.</p>
<p>If you do go with a duvet cover with a comforter inside, using comforter clips to hold the comforter in place would help. If you are worried about bunching, how about putting your current comforter into the duvet cover? Bunching is due to the shift of the down; you won’t have that problem with a traditional decorative comforter as they usually aren’t made with feathers. Or buy and inexpensive plan comforter that is cotton, or whatever they are made of and then a nice duvet cover.</p>
<p>It was mentioned earlier, but you need to check the dimensions of both the comforter and the duvet cover. Every company has different dimensions and it can be hard to find the correct sizing. My daughter has an oversized comforter, and we looked forever for a duvet that she liked that would fit. That said, if you have a down comforter, it doesn’t hurt to have a duvet a bit smaller or larger; I prefer a similar fit, but that is just me.</p>
<p>Ema, my local laundromat will let you drop off your blanket and pick it up later for 10 dollars. They take care of everything for you.</p>
<p>I am completely done with comforters. If I can’t wash it at home, I don’t want it. And everything gets washed often in my house. Quilts are the way to go. I buy king size for my queen bed to accommodate shrinkage. In the summer, they get washed every week. In the winter, I usually flip to the reverse side and let it go two weeks. I have several in varying weights, and they don’t take up too much space in storage. Fresh bedding is a big deal to me.</p>
<p>OP-Good luck with your bedding purchase! Just don’t be like me and wait forever…10 years ago my mom made each of us hand-made quilts. They are magnificent; the Amish have nothing on her stitching. All of us promptly stored them so they didn’t fade or get worn.</p>
<p>Except…she purposely made my husband one of flannel…brown flannels…and machine stitched his so it’d be durable. Said she wanted him to use it. Been on the bed 10 years now. As if that’s not bad enough, he runs cold and tops us with the large, fuzzy sports team blankets. I particularly hate the Tampa Bay Bucaneers one. At this point in my life I don’t want to sleep with brown flannel and skull and crossbones over me!</p>
<p>For years I’ve wanted to get a fluffy down comforter and duvet like they have in decent hotels. Decent as in 3 star Hotwire…so it can’t be <em>that</em> expensive. You all have inspired me. I’m off to LL Bean when I manage to get off cc :)</p>
<p>sryrstress, You sound like me. We had a custom made comforter, with matching dust ruffle and drapery. Over the years of dogs and cats on the bed, too many dry cleanings, and normal wear and tear, the comforter had to be removed. Because I had expensive drapes in a pattern, I could not find a comforter or duvet in a color I could live we. To protect the blanket and sheets from the animals, I just through a fleece blanket over the bed in a boring cream color. That was over 5 years ago and haven’t even bothered to look for a comforter in years. At least the blanket is easy to wash weekly!!</p>
<p>i suggest tjmaxx. i check there often and find quilts, shams and any other accessories i might want. i like to have bedding for different seasons and find that tjmaxx provides some affordable bedding in great colors/patterns.</p>
<p>i don’t wash quilts or comforters all that often, but my fisher paykel top loading washer/dryer can handle any of the king size comforters/quilts that i have.</p>
<p>We have a pretty big top loader so I am optimistic that a lot of things would fit, but I guess there’s no way to know if something will fit besides trial and error. And once I DO finally move out I have a feeling I’ll be driving back to mom’s to wash the damn thing. :P</p>
<p>At the moment I have a top sheet, a thick comforter, and a sleeping bag on my bed and I’m sleeping with a heating pad. I’m FREEZING and it’s not even fall proper yet, much less winter! I’m known to sleep with that plus two or three fleece blankets in the winter. Perhaps I’ll forgo bedding altogether and just sleep in a parka. :P</p>
<p>The mattress is being delivered this week, so I have some thinking to do. Thanks for all your advice! I’ll be sure to post back when I’ve picked something.</p>
![http://cn1.kaboodle.com/hi/img/c/0/0/3e/3/AAAADMZrtOoAAAAAAD40dw.jpg?v=1238094943000[/url]](http://cn1.kaboodle.com/hi/img/c/0/0/3e/3/AAAADMZrtOoAAAAAAD40dw.jpg?v=1238094943000%5B/url%5D){kind=link}
