Here’s the thing. Last year, I fell into a pretty bad habit when it came to my morning routine. You see, as gorgeous as the old Brownstone apartment that I lived in for the majority of last year was, it had some downsides, too. One of the major ones was the heat: the steam heat in the building was locked on and so the apartment was always uncomfortably hot. The apartment was located at the top of the brownstone, with the bedroom reached via a spiral staircase that was open to the living space below. I know, I know, it all sounds very “New York sitcom apartment-esq” – and it was charming to look at, just not to live in as the bedroom was like a furnace all year. This meant that I found my sleep pattern to be totally off: I would toss and turn all night, usually only falling asleep in the early hours of the morning. As a result, I would wake much later than I liked, feeling groggy, hot and, well, far from refreshed when I did. That’s why moving into our new apartment last Fall felt like a total 180 on quality of life as the bedroom was much cooler and comfortable to sleep in. However, as my heartmate and I are both ‘hot’ sleepers we still needed to dress the bed with bedding that would help us improve our sleep schedule and cycle in our new apartment. So I was delighted when Parachute Home kindly invited me to try their linen bedding, as linen bedding is known for keeping you cool at night. After the jump I’m sharing a closer look at the linen bedding and taking about how my morning rituals have improved for the start of 2017.
Improving my bedroom space and bedding has made a huge difference to my sleep schedule and quality of life. Now, I am sleeping properly again I have been able to find a rhythm and routine to my mornings, which makes me feel like I’m starting each day on a positive foot. Instead of waking at a different time everyday, often feeling tired and exhausted when I did, I now wake at the same time every.single.day (said in my best Oprah voice from that advert; you know the one!). Sleeping more soundly and smoothly has made it so much easier to not only wake up at the same hour every morning (even on weekends) but, most importantly, to wake up feeling refreshed and ready for the day. It took a bit of discipline in the first few weeks, especially on cold, grey mornings, but I stuck to it and I’m really proud and happy with the positive affect this change has had on my life.
I dressed the bed with the fog colored Venice linen bedding set, along with white linen euro shams and a grey Alpaca throw. The soft grey color of the linen bedding provides the perfect contrast against the black headboard. I just love how serene and calm this bedroom feels, it really is one of my favorite spaces to date!
People often say that getting into clean bedding is one of their favorite things. Well I agree, you also can’t beat that feeling of waking up in linen bedding as it somehow feels even softer in the mornings. The fabric Parachute Home use for their Venice linen bedding is milled in the Guimarães region in northern Portugal, where textile production has thrived since the 18th century. I can’t express to you quite how soft it is but please trust me when I say that it’s absolutely divine to sleep under. Plus, it comes in four color ways – white, blush, fog, and coal, so there’s bound to be one that works well with your current bedroom decor.
I’m now waking at the same time each morning, making myself a coffee and watching or reading the news for half an hour before getting up (or reading emails; there’s plenty of time for that throughout the day!). I’ve found this leaves me feeling informed and refreshed for the day ahead. On weekends my heartmate and I treat ourselves to pastries and an episode of Open House NYC or Sex and The City, too! After all, it’s all about balance, right?!
Plus, on super cold winter nights I layer over Parachute Home’s Essential Quilt as it provides that much needed extra layer of warmth. It has a gorgeously soft linen front and Percale reverse; a combination of textures that give the quilt a lovely, lived-in feel. After last year, I never thought I’d be looking for additional warmth in the bedroom but that’s the thing about life, it always surprises you! Here’s to 2017 being a year of positive new rituals and surprises. Who’s with me?! I’d love to know how you dress your bed, too?
// Photography by Will Taylor | Posted in partnership with Parachute Home; all views my own
46 Comments
Your bedroom is so stylish…teach me your ways!
@Jason – Haha! Thanks so much, man!
I love linen bedding. Converted to it a few years ago and not looked back. I didn’t know about this brand so I’ll check them out. I also enjoyed reading about your mornings, thank you for sharing it.
@Leah-Anne – Isn’t it just the best?! I love how it gets softer over time, too.
Hi Will. I’ve been meaning to try waking up at the same time daily and your post has inspired me to give it a try! Enjoy your weekend, Susan
@Susan – I can’t speak highly enough of how positive it has been for me, Susan. Totally transformative! Have a great weekend as well. Thanks!
I love the room decor. I’m trying to change mine… so all great ideas are welcome 🙂
You should have asked for the linen…. I live (when in Portugal) 30km out of Guimarães 🙂
@Lara – Thank you for the kind words about the decor! 🙂 How fun to read that you are so close to the region where Parachute Home source the linen for their bedding. Have a lovely weekend and happy decorating in your bedroom, too!
So happy for your success, but I really miss the Bright Bazaar from a few years ago. You were one of my favorite blogs. Now everything is sponsored and it’s all “look at me”. I get it and I am really happy for you, but a bit sad too.
@John – Hey there. Thank you for your honest feedback (and thank you for being a long standing reader!). I try my hardest to create content, both sponsored and non-sponsored, that is engaging, personal and interesting. I’m sure sometimes I miss the mark as I’m not perfect, but please know that I do care. Additionally, as I’ve been blogging for eight years naturally things evolve and the blog has grown which has meant I’ve been fortunate to grow the business and carry sponsored posts. I always strive to ensure that these posts are relevant and feature products or services that I genuinely use. Without doing these I wouldn’t be able to afford to make the content or run the blog. Sorry you feel that the content is all about asking people to look at me. Personally, I don’t feel that it is the case and the feedback I’ve had from readers is that they like seeing me in the content as it makes it more personal. Again, I appreciate your feedback and hope you will take my response in good faith. Cheers, Will
I,too, am a hot sleeper. For years I would wake up frequently drenched with sweat. I bought my first linen bedding last fall. I chose white for everything…I have a ” thing ” about white bedding and towels. In warm weather I use just the linen top and bottom sheets and pillowcases. In winter I switch out the top sheet for a linen duvet cover filled with a silk duvet…..the filling is spun silk. I can’t even begin to describe how much this has changed my sleep patterns. For me, linen bedding has been a lifesaver. Glad you and the hubs discovered it at a much younger age than I did.
@Libbynan – Right?! It’s totally transformative! I’m so pleased you have found the “light” with linen, too! 🙂
I really appreciate your response, Will. I totally understand what you’re saying. I love seeing talented people succeed. Your success is well deserved. It just seems that 80% is sponsored anymore and I also don’t get how a shirtless picture of you in bed is relevant, but clearly that’s just me. Continue to do your thing as it seems to be working. Just my thoughts. Wishing you all the best.
@John – Of course, and as I said, your feedback is much welcomed, even if I disagree with your point of view. In the last month I’ve only posted one sponsored post, which I think is more than reasonable when you consider how much sponsored content fills the pages of a magazine, a TV show and so on. Also, even if content is sponsored and is relevant and made with care and a genuine spirit, as I believe my content is, then I see no issue with it. It takes an enormous amount of time, work and money to run a blog that only posts original content. Many blogs – and it’s important to note, many blogs that post sponsored content – still post content on a regular basis that they have pulled from Pinterest and Google, and to which they have no image rights to post. For the last three years or so I’ve only ever posted images that I’ve taken myself and have the rights to publish, or that I have express permission from the owner to publish. As such, the content I post takes a lot more time and money to create, so it’s essential for me to ensure I have an income stream to support that. And, finally, to your point about me being in bed, I have two points: Firstly, I sleep without a t-shirt in bed and see nothing wrong with that, and, secondly, to further my earlier point in my original reply about readers asking for a personal touch to my posts – feedback has shown that images with a human element perform and are more engaging than those that don’t have a human element.
What a good response Will!
Totally agree on the effort, time, work and expense involved in maintaining a blog of its own content that generates its own material ??
@Hampton SC – Thank you for your comment of support, it means a lot!
Your bedroom is GOALS! I love how you always call your hubby heart mate. Its super cute! Also, yes to Sex and the City. I just rematched the first movie last week haha.
-Didier
http://www.didieryhc.com
@Didier – Thank you so much! I haven’t watched the first movie in a while, I need to correct that stat! Have the best weekend!
I’ve been so curious about Parachute’s linens! I just invested in a new duvet cover, but I desperately need new sheets. Thanks for this review. (And I say YOU GO when it comes to the sponsored posts and the shirtless photos—you’re clearly putting in the work for both things!)
@Anna – Thank you for your words of support, it means a lot as I really respect your opinion. *high five* And as for the linen sheets, I genuinely can’t speak highly enough of them. From the online experience of ordering them, to how beautifully they arrived through to how soft they feel as you sleep in them and wash them – I have been super impressed. Have a great weekend!
I love to sleep under a handmade quilt. I just finished one with wool batting for those after dinner couch naps! I also have a bunch of linen clothing that I am about to upcycle into a new bed quilt. I think it will drape very nicely.
@Joan – Your handmade quilts sound so lovely! I agree that linen drapes beautifully, too. Happy making! 🙂
I’ve been stalking Parachute Home for a long time now, since I’m such a big fan of linen bedding and their’s looks wonderful. I also get SO hot when I sleep, which is why I wish more brands would make comforters instead of duvets – I find duvets to be oppressively heavy. And no one seems to make comforters! But I’m glad to hear that a duvet with a linen cover would be cooler! I’m thinking maybe the fog duvet cover mixed with blush shams?
@Jackie – Yes! I love the idea of that fog and blush pink color combination! We also have the lightest of the light duvet covers and that helps with keeping cooler, too.
Hi!
First, love your style! Thank you for sharing!
Second, what is the paint color on your walls?! My love & I are reno-ing our first home & we are tackling the master bed & bath. Your space has inspired me so much! ?
@Morgan – Thank you so much! The wall color is Gray Frost by PPG; you can get all the details and links in this blog post: http://www.brightbazaarblog.com/2016/12/gray-bedroom-decor-inspiration.html Hope that helps and happy decorating!
Love! Reading/writing this it as I take a break from unpacking in my new apartment! Yay. Here’s to the fun surprises ahead x
@Jo – Awww yay! Hope you are settling into the new place well. Can’t wait to see it! xx
I started trying to fix my sleeping pattern this week too! Ofcoure I had to get new bedding too haha
@Tristan – Love that you started to fix your sleeping pattern too! Hope it’s going well 🙂
Which colour in this room?
Will! If this were my bedroom, I’d never leave.
Well, If I had to make food or go to the bathroom (Who needs to work!?)
I hope I can come see it for myself sometime in the near future (assuming you don’t change it anytime soon!)
@Kevin – I’m so pleased you like it so much, thank you!
Amazing! The result is great! It seems to be a really stylish and peaceful place (just like a bedroom has to be!) 🙂 I personally likes gray. You can keep it quiet and conservative, but you can also add contrast and color like yellow and blue! 🙂 (I love gray and yellow!)
I appreciate and admire your work and engagement at this beautiful project! It inspire me and #makesmesmile 😉
Sweet dreams!
@Daniel – Thank you for your sweet words! I’m so pleased you like the space and I, too, love gray and yellow as a color palette. Have a great week!
Hello!! I am in love with your blog and Instagram. Your lifestyle and aesthetic are what I strive to achieve once I am out in the world. As I am starting a “reconstruction” of my room, I stumbled upon your recent post. The color that you chose is exactly what I envisioned. My favorite colors are blue and grey, and that is the perfect combination. Would you mind sharing the color/brand that you chose?
@Parker – Thanks for the compliment! Sure thing, you can get all the details on the paint color and sources of items seen in this room via my Bedroom Reveal blog post, right here: http://www.brightbazaarblog.com/2016/12/gray-bedroom-decor-inspiration.html Hope that helps!
Hi, Will
Although I don’t know a bedroom decor, I understand your morning rituals after I read this profile. In my opinion, a new bedding makes you happy morning. ☕ Gray colors of yours feel like a cozy, calm and warm bedrom.
But, I will paint pink colors if I have a sweetheart…. Haha! ?
Will, Good vibes only! ?
@Stella – Great bedding really does make the world of difference, doesn’t it! Have a lovely week!
I am going to get these sheets as a Valentine’s Day present to my boyfriend. Thank you for the introduction to them!
@Scout – Of course, my pleasure! They would make a great Valentines gift; love your idea! 🙂
Big fan of your blog and all of your tips! I’d like to give you my own… I always buy from this store in Brazil, they have handmade products made by craftsmen in small cities all over the country, all put together in one store. They also have a brick and mortar store in a beach city called Trancoso, this is their website: http://www.divinostrancoso.com.br. Hope you all like it just as much as I do! =)
@Larissa – Thank you for your kind words and the recommendation! 🙂
Your space is lovely. I am wondering if you might tell me where you purchased the hides on the floor near your bed, I am looking for something similar. Thank you ever so much. Elise
@Elise – Kind of you to say, thank you! The hides are so lovely to step onto in the mornings. I bought these from CB2. You can find the product link in my previous post about the bedroom makeover, here: http://www.brightbazaarblog.com/2016/12/gray-bedroom-decor-inspiration.html Hope that helps! 🙂
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