I've long been an admirer of Ork's City Posters.  Brilliant execution of a really simple idea, but, alas, totally US centric.  Which, for us Europeans means you have to be really deeply familiar with a particular city they offer for it to have any personal meaning.

Step up, Bold and Noble, another of my favourite screenprint artists, who have just launched the absolutely lovely Type Map.  I think this one will eventually find a home on a picture shelf in the living room.  It is also available in a rather fetching duck egg blue - which would work well in the bedroom.  Hmm, decisions, decisions...

A little while I was debating over bedding.  I debated so long (procrastination is my middle name) that a whole new bedding range was launched at Zara in the meantime.

I love Zara Home - not everything, but invariably there is always some little item which sneaks home from the shop with me.  Its just as well that I don't have the nerves of steel required to brave the rest of Zara too often really.  In Amsterdam Zara Home is situated on the very top floor of the Zara store on Kalverstraat.  Which means negotiating 3 floors of insane chaos before reaching the calm and sanity of Home - which is often almost empty - ah bliss.

With only one day to go until we get the keys  - woah - and 2 days until the bed arrives new bedding was requested by the lovely husband.  Asked to shop?  Moi?  Why of course darling, whatever you want...  Hah!

Off to Zara I hopped - head down for three floors, power on through and try not to trample any small, beautifully dressed children (Zara Kids - oof - almost worth having children for) on my way.

Some time later, so much time infact that they were keeping a small stockpile of acquisitions for me behind the counter along with my previous purchases that day so that I could grab more stuff, I struggled home with a bedding set, cushion for the sofa in velvet so soft that I kept pressing my face against it and various soap dispensers, toothbrush holders, towels etc from the Sale.

Regretably, the bedding I wanted and got was new season and therefore not in the sale but there was still quite a selection of sale bedding spread out over several tables.  Nearlly all the cutlery, plates, glasses and table linens were on sale, fortunately I am already well stocked on those or it could have been carnage.

So, new bedding:

The duvet cover and pillows are reversible with purple stripes on one side and grey stripes on the other.  I prefer fitted to flat sheets and the purple fitted sheets weren't the right colour so rather than buy standard white sheets I picked up a sheet and pillow covers in the same green as the quilt above.  Incidentally, thoughts on the quilt?  I am tempted, but it seems a little superfluous if we already have a duvet on.  But its so pretty...

While I'm asking questions.  I still have to get another duvet set (one on the bed, one in the wash etc.).  I was going to get one from HEMA, a white on white polka dot that we already have in a guest set but is so ridiculously soft and lovely that I have been stealing it for our bed.  There is also a great hotel quality set with a piped grey trim.

However, Zara also do the stripe bedding in a reversible green and petrol blue, gorgeous.  Should I go for that instead or is it a bit same-y?

Thoughts?

Today it is more of a this, this, this or that.

I confess, I am painfully in love with Zara Home's current range of bedding. I can't seem to pick a favourite, or even two favourites (one on the bed, one in the wash). I can't even decide on a colour scheme, which should be the easiest part. The bed we are ordering is a classic upholstered boxspring in a grey panama cotton. It's the kind of bed you want to lounge in, propped against the headboard with a good book, while you lazily dab buttery crumbs from your breakfast toast plate with your finger.

So, do I choose:

Classic grey on grey and add pops of turquoise with lamps and rugs?

Gorgeous white, with a subtle bluey green trim to remind me of the sea?

Punchy purple against calm white?

 

Full on turquoise and stripes?

 

Currently everything in the bedroom is white (walls, floor, cupboards) and I intend to keep it that way. The windows are low level as the bedroom is in the eaves. I will need to add bedside units, reading lights and rugs.

Choices, choices.