Now is the time for a cozy bed, and the all white sheet lineup just doesn't do it for me. During the cold months I like to transform our bed with rich and dark colors as well as the occasional fuzzy flannel sheet. When you're buying sheets to do this, however, it can be tricky and I've had a number of clients who have bought and returned many sheets before getting it right. So I thought I'd put down a few thoughts on how to get a good bedding mix for a winter bed and show off a bunch of inspirational pics to help visualize the solution....
1. When buying colors, don't buy all the same color; mix it up. Two or three colors at a time work well and you can always use them in many different combinations. Matchy sets are boring.
2. Don't abandon white. White sheets and pillow cases create great contrast with dark sheets and duvets, so consider them a part of your mix.
3. Copy what you love. The first colorful bedding I ever bought was a slavish copy of a picture in The Company Store catalog and it was a mix of brown, cream and white flannel sheets (above). Putting the bed together was a great firsthand experience in seeing how it worked.
4. Start simple. Here's a really simple starting combination that I've used a number of times:
• Medium color - top sheet and two pillows
• Dark color - duvet and bottom fitted sheet
• Light color - White or off white for two pillows
5. Go warm or cool. Mixing these two groupings of colors (warm: reds, oranges, yellows, etc cool: blue, grey, green, etc...) can be tricky, so keep it simple and choose combos of either warm OR cool colors.
(pics via Living Etc, Environment Furniture and The Company Store)
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what a great post. thanks for the tips!
Love the colors of the second and fourth pics. Though I tend to limit my pillows to about four--anything over four is just superflous, in my opinion.
Yes, I wouldn't have noticed the details enough to figure out which shades should go where on a bed. Now, what do you do with the sheets in the sets that you don't use? Guest Bedroom?
My curtains are white with a graphic celery green leaf outline pattern.
In the summer, I use a coordinating duvet cover and accent with pink pillows and shams.
For the winter, I have a navy duvet cover with a similar green organic pattern and use darker pillows and shams.
I like that I can easily change the whole feel of the room and it only requires storing an extra duvet cover and shams.
I'm feeling inspired!
Saw this in the newsletter yesterday - thanks for such a great post! I love how you break it down into easy to follow steps in #4.
Where is the side table (or stool?) from the top pic from???
(damn, I just noticed the photo credit ... it's likely not available in the states, then) ;-(
My bed goes with chocolate brown, burnt orange and cream in the winter. It even sounds tasty, doesn't it? And it's not too dark-- otherwise I feel no reason to get out of bed on a grey January morning....
OMG those owls on the nightstand in the first picture....!
I love how that first bed looks so "rich"!!
Pretty effect with that white on white headboard -- it would be lost with white bedding.
I love the navy blue(?) knit/crochet bedspread in the last photo. Well maybe it's more like an indigo blue. Perhaps I will be inspired one day to make my own!
I love, love the plum grey together.
On my bed now.
Heh, that top photo is essentailly what my bed looks like. Purple-fuschia reversible quilt and plum sheets, with scarlet and lavender pillows. Topped it off with a rainbow (but mostly scarlet) serape. In an otherwise neutral room it feels wonderfully rich and indulgent.
i have a rust matelassé bedspread topped with a duvet that is covered in a burgundy and gold jacquard cover. most of my sheets are ivory and high thread count.
it's toasty!
@ ridge_van_winkle
that's a nendo cappellini ribbon stool.
Love the white on white art work above the bed in the first photo. Does anyone know where to get that or something similar? I need something large.... Thanks!
I love going to Bed, Bath, and Beyond to look at their beds. They look so inviting...Does anyone know the formula for them making their display beds so good!!
I saw some REALLY cool beds at www.wakeupfrankie.com .. Check it out!!
(forgot to include the link in my other post)- http://www.wakeupfrankie.com/
mose,
I have a simple DIY idea for you to try -- inexpensive, with the same look as the "headboard/ artwork" in the photo.
Purchase a pre-gessoed, stretched canvas from an art supply store in the large size you want. Then, attach multiple plastic doilies (plural of doily?), layered on top each other for a 3-dimentional look, with craft glue or a glue gun.
Or, use plastic leaves or flowers (dismantled and attached).
Spray paint white ... and instant art!
Darn, I thought they were going to tell us how to make that headboard. I think Mikael's idea would work but it seems like it has (or needs) some kind of schellack (sp?) covering the entire piece - any ideas on what to use?
I love the headboard in the first picture. Is that a DIY?
I was wondering about the headboard also.
We have a white duvet cover in summer and a brown suedey one for winter and switch out. This year I hung matching brown drapes and lay down an oriental-looking rug and it's amazing how cozy the room suddenly looks. I'll put the drapes and the rug away in May when we switch out the duvet.
You can get the look of that headbord by streching a nice bedspred over a frame. Frames are simple to make from menards and bedspreds are around $4 at second hand stores.
This post freaking rocks. So many articles talk about the concept mumbo jumbo but don't actually tell you HOW to create the look. This broke it down with a picture to back it up. Keep this up, your website is awesome!