Hot Bedding Trends 2009
Luxury linen design trends for 2008/2009 encompass: a wide range of styles from chic, tailored contemporary designs to rich, opulent traditional styles; a varied range of colors from crisp whites to spa-blues to bright orange hues; a diverse set of global influences with ethnic design styles borrowed from Mexico, China, Morocco and India. The only common denominator in the luxury bedding market this year is, you. It’s all about personal style, and with so many engaging, elegant and luxurious linen collections to choose from, there will be a bedding style that suits you perfectly.Our favorites:
Ann Gish, known for her exquisite eye for detail ( and as the bedding designer (Ready-to-Bed line) for SATC’s Charlotte’s bed upholstery – a little, fun interior design trivia for “Sex and the City” fans), brings us exotic details in her poppy and ivory silk charmeuse bedding collection, the Mariana. Available at fine linen stores and Neiman Marcus. Retail prices from $200 to $810.
Mystic Valley Traders brings the excitement and energy of the Caribbean to bedding this season in their Turtle Bay Mandarin Collection. This line of fine bedding is made from natural and certified organic linen and cotton, which makes it an eco-friendly bedding collection. Retail location by zip code available at: mvtbedding.com. Retail prices from $1350 to $1850.
Grain de Foiles, by French linen maker Anne de Solene, combines simple elegance with romance. A personal favorite of thedecoratingdiva.com editor who owns several Anne De Solene linen collections. This is a wonderful, luxurious brand of bedding at a very affordable price. Available at fine linen retailers, see annedesolene.com for locations.
Anichini knows how to create heavenly havens and their India inspired Tempting Taj is a testament to that fact. Anichini linens are available at anichini.com (for locations).
A discussion of luxury bedding would be incomplete without a nod to Sferra. World famous for their luxury linens, Sferra is always a mainstay in the highly competitive world of fine linens. The Witney linen collection from Sferra captures the essence of opulence and luxury in an understated and elegant fashion. Retail prices from $95 to $870.
Colibri by Yves Delorme (another name synonymous with luxury linens) skillfully marries the clean lines of modern design with the traditional art of embroidery, creating a unique and artful modern rendering of romantic style. For retail locations see yvesdelorme.com. Retail prices from $145 to $725.
Home Decorating based on your Color Personality
Confused about selecting color for your home? Why not try choosing decorating colors based on your unique personality? I decided to have a bit of fun and searched out several websites that discuss color personality types.
The Pratt and Lambert color quiz was the most comprehensive color personality test of all those I reviewed. Taking into account not only color likes but other factors that make you uniquely you. This test was the only one that returned a color scheme that was very similar to my personal decorating style. I was impressed. According to the Pratt & Lambert site my color personality:
By the Seaside
Colors in this palette are reminiscent of a sunny seaside. These combinations are refreshing and invigorating. They provide sparkle with lightness while also imbuing a sense of soothing calm. Oceanic hues are ideal for making a bathroom, bedroom or study an oasis. These colors provide a balance for those with a hectic life. The person who decorates with these colors is looking for their home to be their escape.
Take the Pratt & Lambert Paint Quiz
Home and Garden TV has an interesting color wheel that you can spin with your mouse and find the color that sings to your soul.
When I spun the color wheel my eyes landed on my favorite color: Pink. Once I selected Pink, I was given five other shades of pink to choose from. I ended up selecting two pinks (Lavender Pink and Hot Pink) I adore. According to the HGTV site these color choices mean:
If you like lavender pink, you’re seeking to be more inventive. New possibilities flood your mind. By constantly examining possible practical applications, you create new things, new ideas. Using this purple-pink shade in room design is empowering. You and others will become more determined and self-constructive in a lavender pink office or library. Because it invites warm, exciting conversations, it’s perfect for dining or living rooms. Guests will feel welcomed.
If you like hot pink, you’re constantly thinking about exciting things to do. Through your body language and appearance, without even being aware, you’re sending out enticing messages. Designing with this magenta shade of pink creates adventurous conversations and situations. It makes you and others less skeptical and more enthusiastic. Use this color to turn dull into exciting. Think party room!
Take the HGTV Color Wheel our for a spin.
Next up was Resene Paints of New Zealand. They offered up a personality quiz based on seasonal concepts developed by Johannes Itten. According to the Resene Paint website, “focusing on your dominant colour personality when developing a room scheme can help you put together colour schemes that feel right quickly and easily”. Their test was designed to help define your dominant and possibly secondary color personality. Sounded interesting, so ff I went to take the test.
After answering 10 questions I was presented with my color personality. I’m mixed: Winter (Primary) and Summer (Secondary). So what did it mean? According to the Resene descriptions:
Not scared to use strong colour, Winters often love reds but avoid soft pinks. Achromatic colour schemes employing tonal variations of black, white and grey are commonplace, giving clean lines and sharp contrasts. Assertive purples are considered a safe choice for the main colour in a colour scheme, a sharp contrast to other seasons who will use purple sparingly as an accent. Blues run the gamut of ice blues through to blue blacks, cool and delineating and reflect onto the green palette giving a range of strong aquas. Neutrals are blacks, whites and greys for dramatic relief against the stronger feature colours. You won’t find warm creams here. Simple colour schemes are favoured – one colour as the canvas and then accents of other strong colours for contrast and drama. Like Winter personalities, the Winter palette is self-assured and intense. Subtle colours are left to the other seasons.
At first I thought, no way. Pinks are my favorite colors and the Winter description is telling me to avoid soft pinks. The test did say I was mixed, so before I wrote the test off I took a look at my Summer description.
Close to nature, blues and greens are important in the Summer palette, with blue often being the favourite colour perhaps contrasted with soft pinks and yellows. Oranges are banished from the palette – too hot to sit comfortably with the cool palette. The Summer palette is subtle. Primary colours are greyed off eliminating the clean brightness of the original hues. Neutrals are drawn from soft greys, taupes, oysters and whites for a cooling touch. Creams are too warm to suit the summer palette. Decorating is cool, elegant and understated.
Being a mixed color personality type explains the contradiction of “avoiding soft pinks” in Winter and “using soft pinks” in my Summer profile. When I looked at the color swatches I noticed that my favorite pinks where included in both the Winter and Summer palettes.
Take the Resene Paint Color Personality Test.
The BHG color test was quick to take but it returned the color Yellow as my ideal shade. I do like yellow but only in very small doses. So of all the color quizzes I’d have to say the BHG color personality quiz was not the most accurate gauge of my color preferences. But it is fun so if you’d like to take the Better Homes and Garden Color Quiz it only takes a few minutes and who knows, you might find your ideal color schemes.
Read More »Decorating Divas Best of the Web June 13, 2008
- Indulge in the fabulous bath designs of Philippe Stark for Duravit.
- Play hooky from work today and take a tour of Kohler’s Contemporary City Spa Gallery.
- Loft Sofas in Miami’s famous design district has contemporary and modern sofas that will set your heart aflutter. My favorite? The Modern Ball Chair – so comforting and so beautiful.
What Is Decorating Divas – Best of the Web? It’s about bringing attention to the very best and most fabulous design, decorating and style blogs and websites.
The criteria is simple – We look for value to the reader, engaging content, originality and creativity. Each week we will select the most outstanding posts or articles from sites we find or that are submitted to us for review. You can submit your design and style nominations to decoratingdivasbestoftheweb@thedecoratingdiva.com.
Editor Note: Style Divas Best of The Web is Decorating Divas Best of the Web. Style Divas has been spun off into a new media venture, Style Divas Network, which will debut Summer 2008. Stay tuned for details!
Read More »Vivid Glass Waterfall Faucet from Moen
The Vivid Glass Waterfall faucet from Moen’s luxury bath brand Showhouse is a work of art meant to inspire. This luxury faucet lends a spa-like feel to the bathroom with its soothing cascading water flow .
Available via select fine bathroom fixture and plumbing retailers. Price: $1030. Retailer location and details at Showhouse.com.
decor8 Amy Butler Mood Board Contest
Holly at decor8 is holding her annual mood board contest. The lucky winner will win an amazing gift package of Amy Butler fabric goodies. If you love interior design and have a passion for the beautiful textile art created by Amy Butler, then this is the decorating contest for you. The details for the decor8 Mood Board contest. Contest deadline is June 23rd.
Decorating Divas Best of the Web June 6, 2008
- Cramped, cluttered and unorganized home driving you crazy? Make some room. Unclutterer writes about a nifty storage idea for bikes – that well some might consider art. What do you think?
- Oruga flexible dish drainer (at idealist) is a bit of art mixed with functionality. We think it would be a good fit for small kitchens in modern styled homes. Even if you have a great dishwasher you may still want an Oruga just because it’s definitely going to be a conversation piece.
- The final entry for this week’s Decorating Divas Best of the Web comes from WebUrbanist. They share 17 of the most interesting houseboats – from futuristic, luxury floating abodes, to, well, a mini-RV precariously balanced on what appears to be a recycled bunk bed style dock. Personally, I found this post quite interesting. My husband and I own a small sailboat and our dream is to one day be able to live aboard a boat. It is fascinating to see the renderings of future house boats, as well as to see how other’s who love being on the water are currently living out their dream to live aboard a houseboat.
What Is Decorating Divas – Best of the Web? It’s about bringing attention to the very best and most fabulous design, decorating and style blogs and websites.
The criteria is simple – We look for value to the reader, engaging content, originality and creativity. Each week we will select the most outstanding posts or articles from sites we find or that are submitted to us for review. You can submit your design and style nominations to decoratingdivasbestoftheweb@thedecoratingdiva.com.
Editor Note: Style Divas Best of The Web is Decorating Divas Best of the Web. Style Divas has been spun off into a new media venture, Style Divas Network, which will debut Summer 2008. Stay tuned for details!
Read More »