Sweet dreams

One of the great pleasures in life, I believe, is really good bed linen and fresh sheets each and every day (not orchestrated by me) would certainly be near the top of my list following a spectacular lottery win. Slipping between very beautiful sheets not only helps towards a good night’s kip, it also makes you feel like a princess (or prince of course) and that in my book is pretty important.

I love this bedding from The Linen Works as you get the great feel of linen without the need to iron – the whole look is relaxed and feels better the more it is used. I also think it looks great when you mix the colours up – here is Parisian Blue and Cassis Rose – divine!

Silk bedlinen is not to be confused with nasty nylon. Silk is not only good for regulating body temperature, it is also regarded as a youth preserver as it does not absorb moisture from the skin and so helps to prevent aging. This beautiful 100% silk bedlinen from Ginger Lily is also fabulously glamorous.

What’s not to love about a bed strewn with flowers and ferns and this delightful bedlinen from Designers Guild adds colourful femininity to a bedroom in a fresh sophisticated way.

Flannelette has had a very bad press in the past as somewhat of a passion killer but let me tell you, that is not true. Flannelette is soft and inviting and perfect for snuggling up in, especially when it is chilly. This wonderful Chamonix bedlinen is from Cologne and Cotton and is shown here is single but more importantly is available in double.

Contemporary interiors can also take a little pattern and colour, if applied in a considered way, and this teasel design from the Secret Linen Store hits the mark creating a smart and luxurious feel.

Marimekko’s wonderful unmistakable designs translate perfectly into bedlinen and I love the mixture of patterns and restrained colours here that look oh so inviting.

Finally who can resist the mixture of pure linen and fair trade organic cotton that make up this bedlinen from Luma, ensuring that you not only sleep in style, you also sleep with an easy conscience.

Nighty night and sleep well

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Smells like home

The way that your home smells is just as important as the way that it looks and familiar smells stir our emotions and conjure up memories of the past. Home fragrances are now as readily available as perfumes and aftershaves and picking your favourite will give your home it’s very own scent identity.

 This blog first appeared on the Cambridge Evening News website

St Eval Limited Edition Sea Salt Tin

 

I recently bought the sea salt version of these delightful little candles fromProvidence on Bridge Street in Cambridge. It now resides in our office loo and each time I open the door I get a delicate waft of scent of the sea. I am seriously thinking of stock piling them because the smell is so gorgeous.

Designers Guild Magnolia Candle

As you would expect from Designers Guild, these candles look as beautiful as they smell. We have one of the Magnolia scented candles which smells divine and has delicate magnolia flowers drawn over the glass candle holder in shades of hot pink, bright yellow, white and black – it really is too good to burn!

Baileys by post scented candles

You can’t beat Baileys by Mail for beautiful things for your home and their scented candles are no exception. Your only problem will be picking between them – fig, jasmine, orange blossom, thyme and my own favourite, mown grass.

Jo Malone room diffuser

 

Some of the most stylish scents around are from Jo Malone and her home fragrances are a real winner. I am particularly partial to the Lime Basil and Mandarin although trying each one to find your favourite is half the fun. The room diffuser also looks beautiful so there is no shame in having these on your mantelpiece.

Cologne and Cotton room sprays

 

The Geodesis range of candles and room sprays are designed to associate their scents with regions of the world – there are thirteen to choose from ranging from the scents of France (Mimosa) and Greece (Fig) to Clove tree (Zanibar) and Tiare (Polynesia) – they not only make your house smell lovely, they also get you thinking about your next holiday!

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