My first encounter with feather beds goes back many decades, when I joined my fellow students and university professors on a 6-month foreign exchange program in Europe. It was the dead of winter, and I recall how we all were mystified at the bedding we found in the many places in which we over-nighted. It didn’t take long for us to notice that these unusual “feather” beds kept us deliciously warm in that bitter European winter. The standard sheet and blanket bedding, as was prevalent in the US at that time, would certainly never have done the job!

That was when my love affair with the feather duvet and pillow began.

It took a few decades for America to embrace the concept of this centuries-old bedding, and now the duvet comforter has become among the most popular choices for Americans to enjoy a comfortable night’s sleep, in all weather conditions.

For years I depended on big box stores to pull together all the elements in an attempt to emulate that exclusive European bedding experience of my youth --but somehow I never came close. The comforters were mostly too heavy on the body, and the pillows did not allow your head to sink in for that heavenly feeling of resting on air.

Serendipitously, I recently discovered Down Etc., a company spearheaded by the passion of founder and CEO Rebecca Litwin, who followed her dream to provide all the components to make the perfect (and I DO mean perfect) bedding experience. While her company specializes in providing bedding for luxury hotels, the average consumer can bring Rebecca’s dream into their bedrooms with the click of a mouse.

As she quotes in her book, Roll Into A Perfectly Made Bed:  I wrote this book for the workers around the world who make beds every day for a living, as well as for the homemakers who make beds every day for their families. I firmly believe a great night’s sleep is the best medicine for the tired body, soul, and mind.

We couldn’t agree more.

As travel journalists, we’ve slept in “heavenly beds” in upscale hotels and on luxury cruise ships for years. That being said, we never thought the average consumer could create such a bedding experience--until now. Just a click on the Down Etc. web site opened up a whole new world of how we average consumers can put together the elements to create a heavenly bed to our personal specifications.

For us, the process of creating our new bed was a lesson in what I was doing wrong over the years. First of all, I’ve never even thought of adding a feather bed over my mattress. It was surely the secret to a dreamy sleep experience, as we immediately discovered as we slept in this glorious “fluff” (as my husband lovingly calls his mattress bedding).

Add a super light, but very warm and cozy goose down comforter to the mix—as well as goose feather pillows-- and you’ve recreated a scenario that is about as near to a luxury hotel experience as you can get.

And right there in your own bedroom!

On a final note, I splurged on an Aromatherapy pillowcase, as I have heard about the benefits of sleeping on silk for both the skin and the psyche. What was I missing all these years? My experience with this company’s silk pillowcases has spoiled me. In addition to the wonderful soft feeling on one’s skin, the pillow has a pouch that contains a lavender potpourri that helps calm you from the day’s stresses and sends you into Morpheus’ (one of the Greek Gods of sleep and dreams) arms.

When the day comes when we can travel again, I will definitely take this amazing pillowcase along on my journeys (it comes in a satin travel bag) to ensure a restful night’s sleep, no matter where in the world I lay my head.

Now, after a week of sleeping on his heavenly “fluff,” my husband told me today that he has never slept so well since he was a kid. Coming from him, always a restless sleeper, this is the most sincere testimony to this outstanding source of exceptional luxury bedding.

On a side note, the company offers a wide range of other products, from comfortable and efficient copper face masks to plushy robes and sheet sets, in addition to many more items to help you have a good night’s rest….something all of us need in these restless times, for sure.

Disclaimer: Please note that the opinions expressed in this review are strictly my own and will not receive any future compensation based on sales arising from my recommendations. My goal is to share my favorite products with my followers, in an effort to improve the shopping experience for us all.