When dealing with a small space, DO NOT think you need to avoid average/large sized furniture and colour and pattern. In the case of Cath Beckett of design firm Yellow London, her 2 bedroom flat in Notting Hill, London is bold and quirky and has things like a large sofa in the middle of her living room, and a wacky wallpaper (Pierre Fray’s Plein Eté) in her teeny dining room. Her space is super cozy and full of personality and I could not love it more.
Over the summer I spent many hours scouring the internet for new bedding. Most of the time my searches were of linen bedding because once you try linen bedding you are hooked, believe me. (Linen has magic powers of being cool in summer and warm in winter, in case you didn’t know). Nothing was ever quite the right colour. My bedroom walls are Farrow & Ball’s Mouse’s Back – an odd grey brown that can can look a little more green or yellow depending on the lighting, and seems tough to match with. I never ended up finding anything until one day Jo and I received an email from an angel sent from heaven. Her name is Ieva Šidlauskė and her shop, April Notes, is something you’re going to want to bookmark. She offered to send me duvet cover and bedding sets and kindly helped me choose colours. The photo above is what I ended up going with – a linen duvet cover set in moss green and linen bedding set in beige.
Each set was sent in a white linen bag. Love that and will reuse them.
I was also stoked that Ieva sent some linen fabric samples. Somehow she has managed to select the most perfect shades of earthy tones to work with. That almond on top left and sunset rose bottom right are sooooo yummy. I love that all of the colours work beautifully together and if you’re into mix and match colours of bedding you could do that so easily with each shade she carries.
I could not be happier with the colours, the quality and the absolute beauty this bedding brings to my bedroom. I was incredibly excited to get these on the bed and once I started the photo shoot I could barely contain my excitement. I know I sound a little nuts but I was so desperate for some new cozy bedding to get me through these next several months and these could not have come at a better time. April Notes to the rescue! (Side note: Mimin my elderly cat spent the first 2 days after the bedding was setup sleeping on the pillows. My husband slept in the first 3 days. We’re all in absolute heaven with these new additions to our bedroom)
There’s something about linen wrinkles that I just adore. And that’s the beauty of linen – you can iron or smooth out the wrinkles or go with the crumpled look. And a bed made with linen bedding often looks better unmade. I actually did the first part of this shoot with everything in its place and then I threw back the covers and displaced the pillows a bit for that unmade, natural look. Which is frankly how my bed looks always 🙂
Thank you so much Ieva!!! XOXO
Some points of note about April Notes…
Design Philosophy: Our ethos is rooted in harmony: Harmony with oneself, nature, and with others. We strongly believe that by introducing harmony into our daily surroundings we can shape our lives towards a more sustainable and bright future. We achieve this goal by prioritizing function and style over fleeting trends to create versatile products that will stand the test of time. Our approach to sourcing earth-friendly materials minimizes the environmental impact, while the on-demand model eliminates textile waste. From the smallest button to the plant-based packaging, April Notes pushes the envelope on sustainability so you can manifest a more mindful home.
Shipping: Most of our items are handmade, thus all orders are prepared and nicely packed within 3-5 business days after the order has been placed. Shipping time can vary from 2 to 5 business days depending on the destination. Orders are shipped from Europe — Lithuania. We offer free shipping* for orders over $100 value. A shipping fee of $12 will be added at checkout for orders below $100. *There might be an exception for shipping to remote areas. Currently we ship to the following countries: USA, Canada, United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, all countries of the European Union, Mexico, Norway, Switzerland, Gibraltar. We are hoping to expand to other regions and countries in the future.
“Led by its Founder and Principal Designer, Lisa Berman, Studio Gutow creates spaces with a unique take on modern design grounded in history. Lisa’s goal is to bring authenticity to each project. Not only in the selection of furniture, lighting and art but in the use of a natural palette of materials and textures.”
Think light, bright spaces, a home renewed. Collected, personal and beautiful. Santiago Drive by Studio Gutow.
Photography by Chad Mellon
“We like to listen first to the environment, both spatially and culturally we try to grasp the existing soul and history. We like to weave traces of this past into a new place or building, architecture that tells a story, as it were.”
Not your typical renovation of a traditional Dutch seaside home.Open plan, clean-lined and minimal with an emphasis on a warm homely feel and harmony in natural materials. Zeeverblijf by AIDarchitecten.
Photography by Thomas De Bruyne
In a highly privileged location on a pedestrian street in Girona’s romantic old town, we find this exceptional property for sale. It is a magnificent historic manor house with a built size of 1,140 m² and an idyllic walled garden of 409 m² with a beautiful portico. Having such a large garden is very rare at the heart of the city. The property is brimming with original period features, such as beautiful coloured mosaic floor tiles, large balcony windows and impressive high ceilings, as the interiors have been almost untouched for nearly a century. The house currently has 8 bedrooms and 5 offices, therefore there is space for at least 13 bedrooms, making it ideal for conversion into a luxury boutique hotel or into separate spacious apartments with a communal garden. There is also an attic of 135 m² with the potential to raise the roof height and convert it into a penthouse apartment with an amazing terrace of over 100 m² with lovely views across the old town rooftops.
The potential of this home knows no bounds. It’s such a shame the current owners have done nothing to enhance its beauty. For sale for €2,500,000 via Lucas Fox.