Tag: Bedroom styling

SLEEPING IN LINEN WITH LINEN BARN

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Not to brag….but I’m currently having the best sleep of my life! Ok, Ok, I’m bragging a little! I have trialled and tested plenty of bedding over the years, and I can hands down say that what’s currently on my bed is some of the most beautiful and comfortable bedding I’ve ever had on there! And the best part is it’s from an Australian small business! Linen Barn is a Queensland based family business offering absolutely stunning and affordable linen wares. With a true love of linen, it’s no wonder why founder Edita has sourced the most beautiful linen pieces including not only bedding, but table and kitchen ware items to provide to her customers.

Apart from its good looks, linen has many other benefits which make it a strong contender for when it comes to selecting bedding. Being that it has been used in homes for generations should give a strong indication to why it’s such a great material option to introduce in to the home. Reasons to love fall in love with and consider linen:

  • Linen has a distinct, luxurious soft texture that gets softer and more supple with each wash and gets better with age.
  • It is a breathable fabric which is both highly air permeable and heat conducting meaning that it keeps you warm in the winter and cool in summer.
  • Linen is twice as durable as cotton bedding and can last for decades. This means you are getting your moneys worth making linen bedding a great investment!

What can make linen bedding even better? Combining it with the very popular gingham trend! Linen Barn stock a fabulous range of gingham sheets and quilt covers sets available in an array of beautiful colours. When it comes to styling linen bedding, you can leave it creased for a more casual look. Or, iron it out nice and flat like I have with the light blue sheet and quilt cover to create a more formal look. I love this soft blue paired with the neutrals of our master bedroom which creates an inviting, country look to the space. With spring in the air, I’ve left this look quite simple. Letting the quilt cover be the star. However you could easily layer this look with a coverlet, throw blanket and extra scatter cushions in a blue or natural tone to compliment the beautiful gingham design.

Linen Barn have kindly given me a discount code to pass on to my audience. Simply enter code ‘ZOE10’ at checkout for 10% off. *Expires September 30th 2022.

Bed Making 101 – Part Two

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If you were a reader of last week’s blog, you would know that we covered bed making and my tips and tricks for creating an eye catching and cosy bed by using the right bedding pieces. If you missed it, you can read here. This week, thanks to Manchester Collection, we move on to my favorite part of the bed; the layers. The pretty pieces that our other halves hate removing at the end of each day. But the ones that take a bed from bland to beautiful every time!!

To answer the age old question can you really ever have too many cushions, the answer from a professional decorator is no. No you can not! (Your partner may disagree…tell them you heard otherwise from a professional😉). Whether it’s 1, 3 or 5 cushions on your bed, in my opinion it really is a personal choice to how many you prefer on your bed. And how many you like to put on and take off your bed each day. If you are looking for on-trend, quality cushions which and super affordable, check out the great range from Manchester Collection.

Don’t think you should only use throw blanket during the cooler months. Layer your bed with thinner fabric or smaller throws during spring and summer so that your bed is still looking great without adding too much warmth. If you are wanting a throw that is big enough to spill over the edges of your bed, but don’t have the budget to purchase a larger sized one, a great tip that I like to use is using a sheet as a throw. (Linen sheets especially work well for this). Simply fold in half and drape across the end of your bed, or throw in a more messy/relaxed manner over it.

Beautiful cushion options from Manchester Collection

My tips for choosing the layering pieces for your bed are:

  • Consider a valance. Something considered daggy for awhile there, but these days there are some really beautiful valance designs which really add to a layered look of a bed and instantlygive it a more luxe look.
  • European cushions are great for adding in layers and create more of a luxe look. Using two behind pillow works great, or for more of a casual look, try one only.
  • Use varying sized cushions together. A 50x50cm, 45x35cm and a rectangle cushion ( or similar sizing) is a popular trio to try on your bed.
  • Also consider using other shapes than square. A round cushion to break up the squareness of a bed always looks great. Also consider lumbar or bulstar cushion for something a bit different.
  • My favourite cushion combo is a larger solid coloured cushion paired with a smaller patterned or textured cushion and a rectangle or round cushion.
  • Using a throw blanket either folded or thrown over the end of the bed adds some interest to the end while being a functional piece for extra cosiness too.
  • Tie your throws and cushions together by repeated tones and textures to create a cohesive look. Take inspiration from your quilt cover or artwork and decor items within the room.
  • During the cooler months, consider using multiple throws. One folded and draped over your bed paired with another casually thrown over the end not only gives you more warmth, but looks great as well. Manchester Collection have some great throws suitable for a variety of interior styles which you can find here.

Oslo slate quilt cover. Available in queen/King/Super king.

Ivy white quilt cover set. Available in queen/King/Super king.

Cushions from Manchester Collection.

Bed Making 101

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One of my most asked questions as an interior decorator is how do I style a bed? It’s something that I think many people overthink and so avoid trying. Really, there is no right or wrong when it comes bed making. My motto when decorating your home in general, if you love it, it’s right! It is your home after all! Dress and layer up your bed as much as you like, or pair it back and keep it simple if you don’t have the time or energy put in the time to fully style it each day. For those who really are lost when it comes to what to use to dress your bed, thanks to Manchester Collection today I’ll be sharing my bed making 101 tips and tricks to consider to help it be more of a fun task rather than a chore.

Using the right products. Before we even start on the “pretties”, it’s important to spend a moment, and some dollars, on pieces like your mattress, quilt, pillows etc. We spend a third of our life in our beds so quality pieces are worth the investment! Quality bedding instantly adds softness and height to a bed, so if you can, buy the best you can afford. My go to for an always fluffy looking bed is a high loft quilt insert. Another tip for an extra cosy look, is to double your quilts (or layer a coverlet over your quilt). Especially cosy during the cooler months!

Upsizing to create an instant Luxe look. Often when using the correct sized bedding on a bed, the sides are still exposed. Upsizing to the next size up bedding (king bedding on a queen sized bed etc) covers the sides and gives the bed a lush, hotel style look. For people with king sized beds, it can often be hard to find on-trend and quality super king bedding to upsize to to achieve this look. But check out Manchester Collection who have some great super king options available.

Just some of the many quilt cover sets available from Manchester Collection

Choosing the right quilt cover. The quilt set is the star of the show on a bed. And because it takes up the majority of the area, we want to select it first and then choose the other/smaller bedding pieces to accompany and compliment it. If choosing a quilt cover is an overwhelming task, consider the following:

  • Start with a solid coloured quilt cover which is easier to style up and can usually be paired with numerous colour schemes and patterns.
  • If you aren’t ready to commit to pattern just yet, consider a textured of quilted cover to add depth and interest.
  • Go with a colour you love. Not just what is on trend or what you are seeing in catalogue and magazines.
  • Take inspiration from other tones, textures and patterns in your room and repeat them in your quilt cover for cohesive look.
  • If you like to change up your bedroom look often but don’t want to purchase lots of quilt covers, stick with a neutral set (white, black, grey, beige etc) so you can simply change up your cushions and/or throws to create a whole new bedding look.

Sheet selecting. When it comes to sheets, many of us usually choose white which is a smart and safe idea because as we all know, white goes with everything! But also because it provides a place where your eye can rest once you start layering on color, prints, and patterns, helping to break up other bedding elements used. A white or a solid coloured sheet works well if you are using a patterned quilt cover. Pattern on pattern can be a lot on a bed, especially for a space like a bedroom which calls from calm. But don’t let that discourage you from using pattern all together! Pair a patterned quilt cover with plain sheets that compliments the pattern, folding the top sheet back over the top of the quilt to break up the pattern. Or switch and add a bold patterned sheet to a plain quilt cover to jazz it up and add some interest in a more subtle way. Check out the range of Manchester Collection sheet sets here.

Stay tuned next week for part two of my bed making blog where I discuss how to select your layering pieces to accompany your quilt cover and finish your bed.

Manchester Collection bedding featured:

Oslo slate quilt cover. Available in queen/King/Super king.

Ivy white quilt cover set. Available in queen/King/Super king.