show and tell: ode to my bed

I think I've mentioned before that I love my bedroom and particularly my bed, and not for any lewd reasons that you might all be thinking (well maybe a couple). I just love everything about it, the antique white furniture that reminds me of New England, the tan (very calming) walls, the pillow top mattress that I never have to flip over, my fluffy comforter and the excess number of pillows on it.

Once Blackbird announced that this week's show and tell consisted of showing off your bed, I had to participate. So here I present to you my favorite spot in the house.




















It may not look like much, but it took me quite some time to perfect my bedroom. Our bedroom furniture was easy to choose, because I'd been coveting the wide white slats and creamy color for months. Unfortunately, Josh and I weren't married and didn't live together, so I had to wait to order it until we'd finally moved into an apartment that could fit a queen sized bed and both nightstands and dresser. By the time I could finally order it, some of the pieces were discontinued and I was only able to buy the bed and nightstands. Still, I love them and we just used an antique dresser in oak that my mother-in-law refinished for us.

At that time, my sister-in-law offered to purchase our bedding as an engagement/wedding gift, so we chose the most decadent beautiful bedding we could imagine for our first years of married life together, a wine red duvet cover and pillows with chenille on one side and velvet on the other. Beautiful, but not durable, so when the button holes started to tear within 6 months, I ran to Ikea and picked up a plain tan cover until we found something that worked. Pale tan with white furniture results in a boring room, so when we traveled to Finland after the Bar Exam and my law school graduation, we picked up a Marimekko comforter with huge splashes of black and (what I thought was) tan flowers. Our room was painted a deep tan and all our sheets matched this tan, so I assured Josh that it would work. Ummm, it didn't. The poppy color was a greenish khaki, nothing like the tan of the bedroom or sheets or accessories.

At this point, however, I was afraid that any request for new bedding might result in marital problems, so I lived with the unmatching black and khaki green poppy bedding. I cringed every time I came into the bedroom, though, and my once happy place became less so.

I kept my dislike to myself, and months passed without my secret revealed until one day I confided in my mother how much I hated the bedspread. "Oh thank God," was her answer, "it's hideous." So a deal was struck, and we shopped together for new bedding that would conform with my perfectly good sheets, the furniture and the wall color that I preferred. Since it was a holiday gift from her, little protest came from Josh. That is how I came upon my current bedding that I LURVE.














I love the cheery colors, I love the alternative to have the tan quilt up in the summer with the duvet folded at the bottom, and vice versa in the winter, I love the ties on the sides of the tan pillows (hard to see in the picture), I love the quantity of pillows to nestle in after a long day. The rest of my house is brighter colors and more eclectic decorations, but my bedroom is streamlined and simple.

And I think that is the best way to start the day. Share your bedroom, anyone?