It was nearly three years ago that we moved into our condo and I decided to splurge on some fabulous all white bedding. I decided on the Crate and Barrel Cotton Peninsula Collection (photo below right, top) because it felt clean and luxurious.
Unfortunately, while I was dreaming that I was sleeping on a white fluffy cloud, Corey couldn't believe that I would force him to sleep on something so feminine and delicate looking. While he has rarely questioned any of my decorating choices ("You want a bright red shag rug in the living room? No problem!") it is more than understandable that he would want some say regarding the bedding since we spend nearly a third of our time using it.
Last fall, after years of wear and tear (aka Barkley) it was time for a new set. This time, I kept Corey (and our black dog, Barkley) in mind and found a dark charcoal duvet cover and some grey sheets (photo right, bottom.) Corey loved them right away so I knew I had made the right choice. Considering that more guys are taking the lead (or at least wanting a say) in their home decor, the new set actually tied in nicely with the emerging trend of masculine design.
The end result was a little dark but a carefully selected decorative pillow brought the bed and lampshades (which were made for some vintage brass Craigslist bases) together and our vintage teak side tables keep the vignette from looking too heavy. Throughout the rest of our home, there is an abundance of colour but, despite the fact that I kind of miss having bright hues in the bedroom, I do recognize the need for a room that feels calm and relaxing.
I always think of bed linens as fitting into one of three categories: Neutral and Light, Bright and Fun or Dark and Dramatic. Below are some of my favourite examples of each. Watch the numbers as I have grouped them by style.
Neutral and Light
1.
Organic Orchid Duvet Cover from West Elm I just love anything nature inspired. These evoke the image of a spa and would look great in a bedroom with lots of light or medium natural wood accents or furniture.
4.
Chocolate and Coral Fish Scale Duvet Cover by Jonathan Adler Geometric patterns are still quite trendy and I like the surprise pops of bright coral which are only visible up close.
Bright and Fun
2. Diane Von Furstenberg Animal Garden Collection available at The Bay I wish I owned a dress in this pattern! Unfortunately, Corey would veto these in a second.
5.
Dot Trellis Bed Linens from CB2 These are so funky! Again, the geometric pattern is hot right now and these would add a touch of fun to a more serious space.
Dark and Dramatic
3.
Marimekko Pippurikera Navy Bed Linens from Crate and Barrel Navy is my favourite neutral and I tend to like Marimekko patterns so this is a hit for me. I also like the unexpected large scale of the pattern.
6.
Garament-Dyed Ticking Stripe Duvet Cover in Charcoal by Restoration Hardware This is probably the closest to what we have now. It's very romantic and the texture of the stripes would keep it from feeling plain.
