Amy Lockwood
Amy is Ideal Home’s Sleep Editor and the Ideal Home Certified Expert on Sleep. She's spent the last four years researching and writing about what makes for the best night’s sleep during the day and testing out sleep products to find the best-in-class by night. So far she’s clocked up over 10,000 hours of pillow, duvet, and mattress testing experience.
Our go-to for all things sleep-related, she’s slept on and under bestselling products from Simba, Emma, Hypnos, Tempur, Silentnight, Panda, and many many more. As a hot sleeper, Amy is always on the lookout for the most breathable bedding, but she also leads a wider team of testers to ensure our product testing encompasses both hot sleepers, cold sleepers, front sleepers, back sleepers, side sleepers, and everything in-between.
In her mission to unlock the secrets to a good night's sleep, Amy regularly attends product launches, speaks to industry insiders, spends time climbing on and off mattresses in showrooms across the country, and travels to visit factories and testing facilities – most recently the IKEA testing facility in Älmhult Sweden where the brand’s mattresses are put through vigorous testing processes.
Amy also lends her expertise to our furniture guides, sharing her design knowledge with our readers to help them choose the right sofa for their interior or the best garden furniture for their outside space.
Before she joined Ideal Home, Amy worked on branding and marketing at various interior and homeware brands, before joining the editorial teams at Livingetc, Homes & Gardens, Real Homes and Gardeningetc.
IDEAL HOME TRUTHS
Where’s your happy place?I stare at a screen a lot of the day at work, so somewhere immersed in nature and away from technology is my happy place; generally by water, woodland, or up a hill. I also love trying to bring the soothing effects of nature into my home with lots of plants, natural materials, textures, and nature-inspired colour schemes.
What’s your home addiction?I definitely have a cushion addiction, to the extent I had to specifically look for a sofa that was deep enough to allow me to pile them up high! On the plus side they’re a super easy and affordable way to switch up your decor and refresh a bed or seating, and, obviously, really comfortable! On the downside I now have two blanket boxes filled with ‘spares’… That and houseplants, they seem to multiply fairly regularly too…
What’s your next home project?Inspired by my favourite outdoor landscapes I’m planning on painting my desk green to make me feel like I’m outdoors even when I’m not.
Latest articles by Amy Lockwood
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Biophilic bedrooms are the new trend proven to help you switch off and relax – these 7 ideas show how easy it is to add to your sleep space
The decorating trend interior experts say is proven to lower your stress levels
By Amy Lockwood
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How often should you replace your pillows? Bedding experts reveal all, and the answer might surprise you
Your pillows might need changing more often than you think
By Amy Lockwood
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How many pillows should you sleep with? Sleep experts weigh in
The pathway to getting the best sleep you could possibly have
By Amy Lockwood
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Are you using your electric blanket wrong? Experts explain this common mistake, and how to fix it
Should an electric blanket go under or over a mattress protector? Bedding experts explain this easy mistake and tell us which option is the right one
By Amy Lockwood
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Is Emma's Original Hybrid Pillow the most adaptable pillow on the market? I put it to the test to find out
My Emma Original Hybrid Pillow review puts the brand's 2-in-1 adjustable pillow to the test to see how it feels to sleep on
By Amy Lockwood
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How to wash a mattress protector – yes, you really should be washing it every 2 months
Help your mattress protector protect your mattress
By Amy Lockwood
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Is a mattress protector *really* necessary? Bedding experts explain if investing in a protector is worth it, or not
Our bedding experts explain what a mattress protector is, and if you really need to add one to your bed. Spoiler alert: yes, you do
By Amy Lockwood
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How to choose a pillow – three sleep experts reveal the secret formula to finding the right pillow for you
I asked an osteopath, a sleep scientist, and two pillow manufacturers how to choose a pillow. This is their expert advice
By Amy Lockwood
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We've tested the best pillows for side sleepers, neck pain and much more
We've tried and tested the best pillows from all the leading brand names to curate our top recommendations for side sleepers, back sleepers, front sleepers, neck pain, and much much more
By Amy Lockwood
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I just tried Dunelm's bestselling mattress topper – it feels like snuggling into a giant teddy bear and it's now under £15
Our Dunelm Teddy Mattress Topper review puts the brand's super-soft fleecy bedding to the test
By Amy Lockwood
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I just discovered a heated duvet is a thing – I'm so impressed it's convinced me to rethink using an electric blanket
The newly launched Dreamland heated duvet is a game-changer for staying warm in bed on cold winter nights
By Amy Lockwood
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Is navy a good colour for a bedroom? Decor experts explain how to use this soothing shade to create a tranquil and relaxing space
Deep and moody or timeless and classic, these navy bedroom ideas will never go out of style
By Amy Lockwood
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The best air purifiers for improving indoor air quality – tried and tested
The best air purifiers for improving indoor air quality and filtering dust, pollen and odours, as tested by the Ideal Home team
By Amy Lockwood
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How we test mattresses at Ideal Home
Our in-house mattress review process puts bestselling and newly launched mattresses through their paces to find our tried-and-tested favourites – here's how...
By Amy Lockwood
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The one thing you need to know before buying an IKEA mattress – as someone who learned the hard way
Are IKEA mattresses standard UK size? I asked an IKEA sleep expert to clear up the question once and for all
By Amy Lockwood
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The best mattresses – tested by our experts for a great night’s sleep
Top recommendations for all budgets and sleepers, from Simba, Emma, Tempur, Hypnos, and more
By Amy Lockwood
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Aeyla Adjustable FOAMO Pillow review – ideal for side sleepers who prefer a firmer feel
My Aeyla FOAMO Pillow review puts this adjustable memory foam and microfibre pillow to the test
By Amy Lockwood
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Best heated clothes airers – tried and tested for drying clothes indoors, fast
The best heated clothes airers will speed up indoor drying times during cold or wet weather – here are our top recommendations from Lakeland, Dry:Soon, Minky, Argos, John Lewis, and more
By Amy Lockwood
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Little Greene's new wallpaper collection has raised the bar for decorating a kid's room — an interior stylist reveals the trick to styling it
Little Greene has collaborated with the National Trust on it's new 'Storybook Papers' wallpaper collection
By Amy Lockwood
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The 7 best mattress toppers I've tested – offering comfort, cushioning, and breathability
After testing each one on my own bed, I think these are the best mattress toppers to invest in
By Amy Lockwood
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How to test a mattress in store – a sleep expert's top tips
How to test a mattress in-store – advice from a sleep expert
By Amy Lockwood
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Is a luxury memory foam pillow worth it? I tested Panda's £84.99 Hybrid Bamboo Pillow for a month and I'm now convinced it is
Our Panda Hybrid Bamboo Pillow review discovers that this luxurious memory foam pillow is well worth its premium price tag
By Amy Lockwood
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10 best sofa beds – comfortable, stylish, and versatile
The best sofa beds for hosting overnight guests in style – I've found the most comfortable sofa beds from Habitat, John Lewis, Dunelm, Heal's, Sofa.com, and more
By Amy Lockwood
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Aldi is selling a heated mattress pad for just £14.99 – it's our top buy for staying warm on a budget this January
Aldi's middle aisle has just made winter bedtimes a far cosier affair
By Amy Lockwood