Luxurious Linens
ask an expert: decoratingcanada
(Nov.02.10)
How do home décor stores get their display beds to look so perfect?
Melinda J. emailed us at expert@sweetspot.ca and Joanna Goodman, co-owner of Au Lit Fine Linens answered:
Start from the inside out. What should matter most is the quality of your sleep. At Au Lit, we start with the duvets and pillows. Unless you have severe allergies or asthma, go with a down duvet. Most down is hypo-allergenic and adapts to your body temperature. It’s not too hot in the summer and it keeps you warm and cosy all winter. It also looks sumptuous on your bed. If you want to achieve that cosy European look, a good down duvet is essential, as are feather or down pillows.
The best quality pillows are either made of all down, or a blend of down and feather. (Down refers to the feathers that are plucked from the underbelly of a bird with no quills; feathers refer to the ones with the quills.) The more feathers in a pillow, the firmer it will be. If you like a soft pillow, go for 100 per cent down. Both will look fabulous and luxurious on your bed, as opposed to flat foam or polyester pillows with no body.
Now here’s the big secret: in order to get that exquisite, super-puffy look, we use featherbeds on all of our beds. A featherbed resembles a duvet, but it is only filled with feathers (for firmness) and it sits on top of the mattress under your mattress pad & fitted sheet. Sleeping on a featherbed is like sleeping on a cloud, and contrary to what you might think, it doesn't make the bed any hotter. It gives the bed height and loft.
It’s important that your bed not just be stylish, but also deliciously cosy. Look for sheets with a thread count of 200 or higher. Some people prefer crisp, dense sheets known as Percale (think of your favourite button-down shirt) while others prefer the finer feel of cotton sateen. One is not better than the other. As with pillows, it’s personal preference. Just make sure the cotton is Egyptian (the best in the world) and know that Italy, France, Switzerland and Portugal are renowned for their tradition of weaving.
As for decorating the bed, it is always the focal point of the bedroom so choose the linens first. It’s much easier to find a paint chip that matches your bed, rather than the other way around. Neutrals are popular in high-end bedding because they are classic and subdued; you won’t get tired of them. The neutral palette has expanded beyond white and cream to include taupe, sage, coffee, gold and deeper shades like cocoa and brown, as well as pastels such as ice blue, aqua and celadon. Choose a neutral foundation and add colour with decorative shams, throw cushions and quilts. Eventually, if you do grow tired of these bolder pieces, they can easily be replaced at a much less expense than starting from scratch, and you’ve still got a beautiful bed that coordinates with virtually any colour.
Know your taste. The perfect bed is a lifetime investment. Quality linens will certainly outlast the current trends. If you are more feminine and traditional, have a gathered skirt, a textured throw at the foot of the bed, and decorative pillows. If you have simpler tastes, have a tailored skirt or box-spring cover, tuck a coverlet into the mattress, stack pillows instead of standing them, and skip the decorative cushions. Regardless of the style of your bed, always fold your flat sheet back to show off a special detail, and hide your wrinkled sleeping pillows at the back! Having two pristine decorative shams at the front keeps your bed looking perfect at all times.
Joanna Goodman is the co-owner and creative director of Au Lit Fine Linens and LIV by Au Lit in Toronto. When she’s not off sourcing the world’s finest linens, creating new bedding collections, and merchandising them at her stores, she’s home with her two kids and working on her fourth novel.
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