Bedding in Blue

A woman in Virginia wrote asking me what pieces I’d suggest from the Eileen Fischer bedding line or how I’d put together a new set from a variety of lines.

The most important thing when it comes to making a bed is comfort. I’ve tested sheets of every thread count and I can tell you the softest sheets are jersey t-sheets. They aren’t as durable as others, but for the price, buy extra. The Company Store advertises them in every size but I’ve always bought my from Bed Bath and Beyond. Design tip: buy white.

In making the perfect bed, next I add a luxurious blanket. This is where cashmere, fleece or alpaca come in. Fleece is the least expensive of the bunch and, again, I’d go neutral. Aside from the options archived below, here are some other ideas:

This one’s from Scandia Down (http://www.scandiadown.com/) (If you’re working with a blue palette, get the beige.)

A wildly inexpensive option would be, believe it or not, from Target. They have a “super-soft fleece” for under $25. It’s not heavy, which might be just what you want.

The top layer is obviously most visible and therefore of the biggest design concern. For looks, I head straight to Restoration Hardware. Their silver sage is stunning and once it’s paired with chocolate what you have is rich and spectacular. Also, not cheap.

I’ve checked out some alternatives. Although I love Martha Stewart’s furniture line, her bedding looks cheap and undistinguished. Domestications, the popular catalog, has the same problem. Anthroplogie, one of my favorite stores on the planet, has unique choices, but nothing they sell is well priced and it tends to be quite feminine. Feminine is better in the bedroom than most any other room in the house, but if a man lives in the room, it’s still more appropriate to be a little more gender neutral.

This is one last idea from Pottery Barn, which isn’t my favorite store, but they do well with color.

A few rules for creating your new bed:
1. Keep the colors neutral. Bedrooms should be a place of refuge.
2. Comfort is more important than appearance.
3. Be careful with online purchases since texture is key here. You’d be best off going to a store where you can feel the product, or to buy from trusted sources.