Blankets & Throws

There's that moment in late November when the rain lashes against the windowpane, and indoors, no one even considers getting up from the sofa. Teacup beside the book, feet tucked under a heavy woolen blanket that looks like cold snow and warm fire all at once. The TV is off, only the lamp is on. And outside, it can keep raining.

A good woolen blanket is a quiet promise for the winter half of the year. It's the only thing you truly need to add to a home to make the cold season more pleasant.

Klippan Yllefabrik from Småland

In Southern Sweden, in the province of Småland, Klippan Yllefabrik has been weaving woolen blankets since 1879. Pure new wool, sometimes with organic cotton in a blend. The blankets are so heavy and warm that the winter half of the year can be survived by itself — you won't need any additional heating in the living room. What's special is that the patterns are modern classics, not folklore, and fit into any interior from old buildings to Scandinavian minimalism.

Which blanket for when

• Woolen blankets (130 × 180 cm) — the classic sofa blanket, heavy, warm, made for winter.
• Throws & light blankets — narrow and lighter, for transitional seasons or as a chair cover.
• Baby blankets — merino quality, breathable, for strollers and cradles.

Ekelund Master Weavers from Sweden complements with lighter cotton throws — the kind you drape over the couch when it's only slightly cool, and which don't get put away even in summer because they're part of the decor.

What matters with wool: Pure new wool (merino or Gotland) keeps you warm even when slightly damp — unlike cotton or synthetics. And it regulates perspiration, which is why you won't overheat even under a heavy woolen blanket. Woolen blankets rarely need washing: once a year, gently, without fabric softener, at 30 °C on a wool cycle — or simply air them out in the garden on a frosty winter day. That's enough.

See also: Cushions, Home Textiles.