Best linens and colours to make a stunning bed

Last week I went to check out Au Lit Fine Linens, a Toronto company that specializes in Canadian-made bedding from top European linens. They are a family business, co-owned by mom Peggy Byron and daughter Joanna Goodman. In an age of mass-produced, price driven and often quality-compromised products, it's such a pleasure to go into a store that believes in quality above everything else. But the recession has hit everyone, and they've worked really hard to find a new supplier in Portugal that is going to make their new exclusive line of affordable prints. Look for that in the spring.

Anyway, back to grey. What got me thinking about this whole grey business was when Joanna showed me the stunning Lavato collection. (Lavato is Italian for washed, and its refers to their washed linen bedding. Linen has always been the ultimate in luxury bedding, with the one problem that it needed to be washed hundreds of times before it got that cozy, casual, frumpy (in a very good way) feel. Lavato has changed all that with their pre-washed linens. So delicious!) They have built the whole collection around that warm grey/brown I was talking about the other day.

Notice how that grey looks equally rich and beautiful paired with plum?

Notice it also on the back wall of this classic black and white bed?

This season's bedding is all about texture. As a matter of fact, I would say texture as a whole is huge in design. Gone are the very bold damask patterns we saw a few years ago, replaced by solids, but with lots and lots of interesting textures. People seem to be nesting, craving rather earthy tones and textures. Creams paired with river rock, rough hewn woods, whitewashed and antiqued floors, felt, nubbly wool...it's all about the feeling of old and natural. A welcome and familiar design approach for us Canadians I think!