For those of us without air conditioning this summer, here are 6 easy hacks to keep cool indoors, courtesy of Jeremy Floto and Josh Farley, designers of The Glen Wilde bungalow community in the Catskills.
When it comes to opening and closing windows, timing is key. Close the windows (and the shades) in the morning to keep the cool air in during the heat of the day.
The reverse is true at night: “As dusk approaches, open your windows to let in the cool night air,” Floto and Farley say. Be sure the windows are screened to keep the bugs out.
For a cool night’s sleep, bring your bed back to basics. “For bed linens, we use 100 percent cotton,” Floto and Farley say.
On particularly sweltering nights, invoke what’s sometimes known as the “Egyptian method:” Lightly dampen a top sheet with cool water and lie underneath it.
Make use of screened porches to catch a breeze, bug-free, at all hours of the day—or position a bed on the porch for an ideal summer night’s sleep.