Elsie de Wolfe, 1936
How do you like to dress your bed? For decades, we all used bedspreads like this, quilted and to the floor.
Jacqueline Kennedy’s 1963 White House bedroom.
Even with the bedspread pulled back, the bed was still dressed with thin cotton “blanket covers.” Often blanket covers were trimmed in either pink or blue and were monogrammed.
The down duvet was a European staple, but in the U.S. until the 1970s, the quilted bedspread remained popular.
The biggest change in bedding in the last few decades has come about with America embracing the down duvet – which is often paired with the thick cotton Matelassé cover. This combination brought about the end of the thin, cotton blanket cover.
Some prefer to use the Matelassé alone, without the duvet at the foot of the bed.
Shabby Chic championed the duvet at the end of the bed – the “unmade bed” look. The messier the bed, the better.
This gorgeous bed uses a dressier “unmade bed” look, with a duvet and an emphasis on the fine linens.
About a decade ago, Michael S. Smith started mixing Suzanis and other ethnic textiles at the end of the unmade bed, instead of a matching fabric covered duvet.
This bed used a Matelassé with a Suzani.
I went after a Michael Smith look in my own bedroom with an antique suzani. But, I paired it with an old fashioned bedspread made new because of its linen fabric.
Rose Tarlow mixed an antique textile with a silk covered duvet in her L.A. bedroom. That floor!!!!
In this fancy bedroom, a printed Matelassé is paired with high thread count sheets and luxurious printed fabrics on the canopy.
This bed by Miles Redd emphasizes expensive sheeting with trim.
Despite the exquisite canopy, the bed is dressed with sheets and a plain duvet.
The “unmade bed” is a soft look with no hard edges. Before this look became popular, fine, high thread count European linens were something known only to the elite few.
The “unmade” bed highlighted fine, European sheets and shams. Just looking at this picture, you can imagine how espensive these sheets are.
Here Jane Moore takes a fresh approach using a Matelassé mixed with a fine sheet covering the duvet.
In this beautiful Houston home, Eleanor Cummings mixes sheets for a messy unmade bed look.
THE GIVEAWAY:
Looking at all those beautiful European sheets and pillowcases sure makes me want a new set for my bedroom. AND, that is exactly what the giveaway is!!!
A set of your choice of King, Californian King, Queen or Full size. Yes!!!!
The set includes a flat sheet, fitted sheet and a pair of pillowcases.
Your choice is the either the Diamante or Righetta stripe in white, ivory or sable.
Vero Linens, a new sponsor at Cote de Texas has generously donated this giveaway.
Vero Linens produces luxury linen sheets. Vero is able to sell their pure Egyptian cotton sheets at a considerable savings compared to other companies because they bypass the middleman by selling directly to the consumer over the internet. Therefore, the savings from direct internet selling is passed down to their customer. These savings are rather considerable – and because of this, the market for these linens is now open to many more consumers who seek luxury at a lessor cost.
Realize that while other linen manufacturers sell on the internet, their product is still sold at full retail. Vero, because they sell exclusively on the internet, are able to offer a savings of over 50 percent. In addition Vero Linens offers free shipping in the United States and a 1o day/100% money back guarantee.
To enter the contest, please go the Vero Linens web site HERE and determine which color (white, ivory, sable) and which pattern (Diamante or Righetta) you would like to win.
THEN, come back to the Cote de Texas blog and leave a comment with which color/pattern you would like.
This contest will close next Tuesday night at 11:59 p.m.
A huge thank you to Vero Linens for such a generous giveaway!!!