efore positing the forthcoming argument, I should point out that I have never been to Sweden. Moving on: Sweden is adept at creating fantastic beds and attendant accessories for the same reason that it produces so much stellar music (see Love is All, Peter Bjorn and John, Lykke Li, the Knife, etc.): it is cold and dark for a major portion of the year. Now Torontonians can reap the benefits of the long Swedish winter*. Hästens has opened up shop in Toronto.

Created in 1852, Hästens has established an international reputation as a marquee name in lavish bed manufacturing. A century into its existence, the former saddler became the provider of beds to the Swedish Royal Court and remains so today. Using all natural materials - from horsehair and pine to down and flax - each Hästens bed is entirely handmade from start to finish. The painstaking process ensures quality and comprehensive attention to detail.

Commitment to a bed typically lasts much longer than the commitment to the person - or parade of people - that will share it with you. Thus, Hästens offers a 25-year warranty on each of its beds. Handcrafted, time tested, and long-lasting, this level of quality may not come cheap, but the aforementioned (afore-harped on?) excellence of Hästens products more than excuses the bill.

Hästens offers a number of models, conveniently categorized into Classic, Adjustable, and Continental and all available with the company's trademark aesthetic - that blue and white checkered pattern will give you Pavlovian narcolepsy.

Its first foray into Canada, Hästens's recently minted Distillery location has Toronto-area insomniacs - especially moneyed insomniacs - reaching for their credit cards with one hand and disposing of their Ambien with the other.

*I know that Swedish and Canadian winters are similar; I needed the hyperbole for blurb's sake.

Distillery District, 55 Mills Street Building 8
Toronto, ON
1-866-624-7816