Kip & Co designers Hayley, Kate and Alex have brought their signature bright, bold colourways and prints to the nursery, giving in to the demand they’ve experienced since launching their much loved bedding label.
The first Kip & Co TINY collection is comprised of six designs in fitted cot sheets and three baby blankets. Three of the sheet sets feature a print collaboration with super cool kidswear label Munster Kids: Munster Leopard, Munster Mash and Munster Camo.
“We wanted to be challenge what traditional ‘baby bedding’ looked like,” the girls said. “Pastels and whites have dominated this market for such a long time and we felt that if older kids were really into their bright bedding, then we couldn’t see a reason why vibrant colours and cool prints wouldn’t work in a nursery as well.”
What do you think? Would you go for a brighter, bolder more fun nursery scheme or do you prefer calm, muted neutrals and pastels?
In support of Pink Ribbon Day (27 October), Sealy Posturepedic and Cancer Council Australia asked six leading designers, artists and personalities to create a series of limited edition beds that will be auctioned off from this Friday 17 October.
With designs by Darren Palmer (above), Shaynna Blaze, Henry Roth, Reg Mombassa, Akira Isogawa and Poncho Army, all funds raised will go towards vital cancer research, prevention programs and support services to help Australian women affected by breast or gynecological cancers.
Henry Roth and Darren Palmer
Each designer came up with a bespoke design that now adorns a premium Sealy Posturepedic bed. Created in a limited edition of two, one will be auctioned off in support of Cancer Council, while the other will be given to the designer as a thanks for their participation.
The beds will go to public auction this Friday 17October via a dedicated eBay site. For more information on the campaign, visit Sealy Posturepedic’s website.
Disclosure: My new bed was gifted by Forty Winks. Positive coverage was not guaranteed.
A decent bed is something you probably only shell out for a few times in a lifetime and by decent, I mean a step up from the cheapo one you get for your first share house. Like many things in life, you’re often reluctant to splash the cash on something which isn’t all that exciting (reminds me of my recent washing machine purchase!). It’s not like a new lounge which you can choose depending on your personal style and what’s trendy and show off to your mates when they come over. When you buy a new mattress (and they’re often more costly than the bed they sit on) you don’t invite people round to check it out. That would be weird! But, considering you spend a good third of your life in bed, as well as the psychological and health benefits associated with getting a decent kip, buying yourself a good night’s sleep should be more of a considered purchase than you might think.
These days, however, there are so many options it can be a bit baffling. And with people’s reluctance to accept the help of a salesperson in the local bed shop due to a fear of being given the hard sell, I can see why most people might give up and put it in the too hard basket. So, after my recent mattress and bed choosing experience at Forty Winks in Auburn, I thought I’d share with you some of what I’ve learned about mattresses!
The latest mattress technology
POCKETED SPRING TECHNOLOGY
Pocket springs are springs that are separately contained to work independently. Each coil sits within an encased fabric pocket, all joined to create an inner spring which stops movement from transferring across the bed providing minimum partner disturbance. These pockets can be zoned to specific areas, providing optimal orthopaedic support moulding to the contour of your body. Recent spring developments include titanium enriched springs, variable response pocketed coils with secondary reflex support coils.
REFLEX ZONED SUPPORT SYSTEM
Designed in conjunction with and supported by the International Chiropractors Association, King Koil’s new Reflex Zoned Support System (exclusive to Forty Winks) is a revolution in mattress comfort and support providing advanced spring technology. Individually encased Primary Coils gently contour to your body shape to minimise pressure and maximise support, while Active Coils positioned in specific zones intuitively respond to body weight and shape to provide support where it’s needed most. Reflex Support Systems provide even body weight distribution and are particularly suitable for sleeping partners with significantly varying sizes, weights and shapes.
GEL INFUSED PRODUCTS
FlexGel and similar gel products have been on the market for some time but this is now evolving. FlexGel is a revolutionary cellular material that provides medically proven muscle and joint pressure release allowing better circulation, superior airflow and breathability to regulate a comfortable sleeping temperature and hyper-allergenic benefits to help people with allergies get a better night’s rest. Gel Infused Memory Foam is a popular choice for consumers – both cool and supportive the infused gel helps to cool the sleeper and transfer heat away from the surface while holding the contour of your body.
MEMORY FOAM
A synthetic alternative to Latex, Memory Foam is a growing segment in the Australian market. Best suited to people with pressure related discomfort, benefits of this comfort layer include contouring support, pressure relief and minimised movement. Forty Winks offers an impressive range of mattresses and ensembles from Australia’s leading suppliers. From King Koil and Sleepmaker to Sealy Posturepedic and Tempur, there are options to suit all comfort and sleep needs.
The reality of choosing a bed
Please don’t be baffled by the information above. You really do need to go and try them out for yourself. Campbell Singer, the manager at Forty Winks Auburn, took us through a variety of beds in our price range, all the while stopping it getting too confusing by limiting how many ‘favourites’ we kept as we went along. The process of elimination is important. We talked about my husband’s shoulder problems and what position we sleep in. We were really encouraged to have a good lie down on the beds. Campbell said many people simply sit on beds and decide they don’t feel right, when the truth is they will feel a whole lot different when you lie your whole body on them. If you sleep on your side, don’t try out beds on your back. It sounds obvious, but it can seem a little confronting to sprawl across a bed in a showroom in the recovery position, which is how I sleep and what I had to do. You soon get over yourself though!
The one
When we finally settled on what we thought was ‘the one,’ Campbell encouraged us to find the right kind of pillow, settle down and spend a good 10 minutes seeing how it felt to lie on. It’s been a week since our Serta iRespond Medium ensemble arrived and we are loving it!
The bed we chose, for how it felt, not its looks! It now has a rather lovely upholstered headboard attached!
Things that surprised me about Forty Winks
They sell mattresses at all price points. While they’re known for stocking the big name, established brands, they also have plenty of options for people on a budget or those, for example, looking for something for an infrequently used guest bedroom.
They sell a lot of really on-trend beds with plenty of upholstered headboards in Warwick Fabrics.
They also sell bedroom furniture such as bedsides and ottomans.
A lot of their stock is Australian made.
My biggest advice?
Accept the help offered to you in the bed showroom. Tell them how you sleep, what you want to spend and what your areas of concern are. It’s not just about selling you a bed at a certain price, but selling you the right bed in your budget as there’ll be several options.
Remember that a bed isn’t just a piece of furniture. As Forty Winks say, they’re not selling you a bed but a good night’s sleep. I’ve certainly had a few of those lately!
Whenever I decide I’m going to go all neutral and subdued in my decor (boring!) something like THIS lands in my inbox and reminds me why colour is great! The latest fun linen from Rachel Castle sees the introduction of their bestselling pegboard sheets in fluro pink and gold (have I mentioned how much I love gold?!) shimmer pillowcases. Divine!
“Everyone’s been asking us to make our sellout pegboard bed linen in pink, so we have, and it’s super cute,” says Rachel. “Fluro pink pretty confetti polka dots in quilts, flat and fitted sheets, including king single, and pillowcases. Not just for the kids, pink pegboard is a serious pattern in playful color; the perfect kickstart for spring sleeping.”
You just can’t go wrong with a bit of mix ‘n match pilllow action if you ask me!
After the success of their award-winning NEO sofa range, King Furniture have launched the NEO Bed, their first foray into the world of fixed bedding.
Exhibiting the same level of quality and style as their renowned NEO sofas, the elegant and contemporary bed provides exceptional sleeping comfort in king, queen, double or king single sizes. The sophisticated bed is supported by an alloy frame, offering the same high quality foundation and longevity as all of King Furniture’s steel frames and with the same 15-year frame warranty.
The slimline platform combined with the hardwood legs, give it a visually light presence within a room. The upholstered headrests give the ultimate finish of comfort.
The NEO Bed is available in King Furniture’s extensive choice of premium fabrics and luxurious leathers, with further customisation via a range of veneer colour finishes for the legs.
I Love Linen owner Lauren Roe has launched her own range of designs, starting with the most fun and fabulous capsule collection of pillowcases. They’re all limited edition and screenprinted by hand. Even the pom poms are hand dyed!
The advantage of designing your own range is that you can take everything you personally love and bring it to life as products! And I’m sure Lauren will find that many other people love what she loves too. Pom poms, pineapples, chevron and ombre are definitely popular!
The idea to kick off The Bedroom Society with pillowcases (a full range will follow for Spring/Summer full) came because her store, I Love Linen, already stocks many good basic sheets and quilt covers in a variety of colours. “Pillowcases are a great way to change the look of your bedroom without spending a lot of money, and I have seen many of us like to have maybe something a bit more simple for the duvet (like pure linen) and then have a bit of fun with a pillowcase,” she says.
“It’s true I designed the range with a bit of a selfish perspective in that I am addicted to polkadots, chevron, stripes, pom poms and ombre and I wanted to do something fun, so added pineapples (I went for a more sophisticated design) and watermelons (I chose a more graphic print for this one). All the pieces are great in that you can mix and match them too.”
Because the range is still being screenprinted (you know we like to bring you these things hot off the press!) you can only place pre-orders now, with items due to ship on 27 April. The prices are good too, at less than $50 a pair. I wouldn’t hang around if I were you. Look out for a giveaway in our newsletter in the not too distant future.
Another week, another gorgeous collection of Australia linen, this time from the sisters at Hunting for George in Melbourne.
At Hunting For George,they believe sleep is your chance to switch off, recharge, dream of unicorns and snore like a sailor! As passionate ambassadors for a good night’s sleep it was only fitting that Lucy Glade-Wright and Jo Harris create their own bed linen range to add to their fast growing stable of homewares products.
The unisex collection is interchangeable so you can mix and match easily throughout the range and consists of four quilts (Pinata Party, Hamptons, Islander and Mr & Mrs Smith) and three sheet sets and matching pillowcases (Smoke, Pinata Party and White Islander). I’m a big fan of gorgeous looking sheets, even though it may only be you who sees them!
Made from 100% pure cotton and with a 400 thread count, the quality tested, chemical free range was designed specifically for the dreamer. All Hunting for Georgebedding has quality approved accreditations and is free from all harmful chemicals. It looks rather lovely in this video and makes me want to go right back to bed…
There’s nothing like a peaceful, comfortable night’s sleep and a new bed or mattress can be pretty much life-changing! I asked a few experts for their top tips on getting a good night’s sleep and creating a relaxing bedroom sanctuary.
An Ergoflex mattress won’t look out of place in the most stylish bedroom
Matthew White of Ergoflex, says: “Better sleep is about a holistic approach. It’s about improving your sleep environment, and about training yourself to be a better sleeper. First, create a bedroom you never want to leave. A room with a relaxed ambience, regularly washed sheets, darkness when the lights go out and, where possible, zero noise pollution.
“You spend around one-third of your life in your bed so invest in a mattress and pillows that will help you sleep comfortably and undisturbed through the night, such as the proven material memory foam. Exercise, eat healthily, and drink plenty of fluids — and do it to a routine. Learn to wind down before you go to sleep, keep your stresses outside your bedroom door, and retire your digital devices an hour earlier.”
Tracie Ellis is creative director of Melbourne linen brand Aura Home. She says: “A great mattress and good quality natural fibre sheets and bedding are worth every dollar. Create a relaxing sanctuary that allows you to slip into a peaceful slumber with a beautiful natural fibre quilt and pillows, and of course only natural fibres for your bed linen. Your bed linen is right next to your skin so always choose pure cotton and/or linen which will breathe and enable you to have a great night’s sleep, also wonderful in keeping you cool in summer and warm in winter.
“Choose bed linen in colours that you love so that you’ll feel relaxed when enter your bedroom. Extra luxuries such as big fluffy European pillows and layers of throws on the end of your bed are great for extra warmth and comfort.”
Aura linen
Sometimes, it’s altogether more simple too: “I love an open window for fresh air, a great book and my phone on silent,” Tracie adds.
Interior stylist Naomi Findlay of Silk Home Staging & Styling says: “A visually cluttered space can impact on your ability to focus and relax. Minimising the amount of clutter will give you the best chance to relax and rest. It is well known that colours can have a physiological effect on us; colours can help us focus, increase our heart rate or even have a soothing effect. It goes without saying that it is best to avoid colours that increase your heart rate and alertness when decorating your bedroom, such as fiery red, zesty orange and yellow. Consider a muted or softer palette.”
She adds: “To help you slip into sleep or a relaxing state quicker, choose softer lighting over harsh bright lights. Consider having overhead lighting on dimmers and use side lamps beside the bed. Your bedroom should be all about you and your partner (if applicable), so spend some time thinking about the places that you feel most relaxed and calm. Is this in a holiday home, hotel or somewhere else? Once you have worked this out, spend some time recreating elements of this place to help transport you there whenever you enter the room.”
Kip & Co linen
Hayley Pannekoecke of Australian bed linen company Kip & Co, adds: “The first thing required for a great night’s sleep is a fluffy pillow and an amazing comfy mattress. Linen-wise, nothing beats beautiful soft cotton sheets and pillowcases.
“Having a hot shower before bed is great for getting you in a snoozy state of mind. It’s important to have good air flow in the bedroom and to be warm, but not too warm. Overheating is terrible for sleeping conditions. Lastly, try and eat dinner a couple of hours before bed so you’re not too full. If you follow these guidelines you’re bound to be drifting off in no time at all! Sweet dreams!”
About Ergoflex
The Ergoflex memory foam mattress is a temperature sensitive, pressure-relieving mattress that moulds itself to the contours of your body. The Ergoflex memory foam mattress gives your body optimum support and comfort meaning a restful and more comfortable sleep. Available online across Australia at www.ergoflex.com.au
WIN A MATTRESS
For your chance of winning an Ergoflex mattress in your choice of size tell us, in less than 200 words, why you crave a good night’s sleep. Complete the form below by 11pm on Sunday 16 March 2014
Whether you’re set for a hot and steamy or cool and cuddly Valentine’s Day, Tontine’s Venus&Mars doona has got your sleeping arrangements covered! It offers different fill levels in each half of the doona, to create an innovative dual warmth system.
There’s no denying the needs of women and men can seem worlds apart, especially when it comes to the bedroom. It’s common for couples (whether they’re male and female, male and male or indeed female and female!) to prefer different warmth levels from their quilt. One partner will be a warmer sleeper and the other a cooler sleeper. One might kick off the quilt in the night, while the other hugs it tight!
I’m a really busy girl, as you can probably guess if you follow my antics on this blog. But I also preach the importance of taking time out (and sometimes you have to really work at making this happen) to relax, switch off from technology and just breathe.
My bed
My absolute favourite place to do this is the bath, but I don’t trust myself with my prized interiors coffee table books in there. Steam, clumsiness, you know… So when I need a little time out I like to retreat to my bedroom with a nice cup of tea, a stack of books and homes mags and lose myself in them for an hour or so. It makes such a difference!
There’s some great quality linen out there in Australia, and for those who love the perfectly crumpled look and feel but prefer theirs with a shot of bright colour, mother-daughter team Major Minor could be just the ticket.
I spoke to Hannah Seely, one half of the new, online linen business, with her mum, Anne. They launched earlier this year after struggling to find linen bedding that was contemporary and modern at an affordable price.
Mother and daughter Anne and Hannah of Major Minor
“We knew we wanted to work together on a project that would allow us to travel, be creative and have a good laugh in the process,” says Hannah. “The ball started rolling a couple of years ago after a trip to India. We’d already decided to offer classic linen colours such as white and grey but also wanted to add some vibrant pops of colour to our range and thought there was no better place than India to locate and source beautiful bright linen!”
Melbourne’s boutique bedding company Kip & Co, has launched its latest collection, Dappled Dreams, adding towels and rugs to complement its linen for adults and kids.
The Matchstick and Spots designs
It’s a celebration of summers gone and the possibilities of summers to come – dappled light and warm nights, radio crackling, beach swims, salty skin, friendships made, gold and braid.
“We wanted to create a relaxed range that conveyed that sense of freedom you get over a long coastal summer,” said co-founder Hayley Pannekoecke.
The colourful Obus design, a collaboration
The range features Kip’s first collaboration with Obus founder, Kylie Zerbst. Kylie’s energy and independence found a kindred spirit one summer with Kip’s Kate Heppell, and together they began a long and fierce friendship.
There’s a reason that trends stick around and that’s because they just work. Chevron is one of these. People keep asking me isn’t chevron “over” yet and no, it isn’t, because everyone loves it! AURA obviously agree, because there’s plenty of that old zigzag favourite in their latest colourful collection for summer, released this week.
If you love colour, this one’s for you. I particularly like the mix of neutral natural fibres like linen and cotton with the bright patterns and accents. Choose a lot of colour or the odd pop, depending on your taste. Choose from crochet, oversized chevron, spots, dipped and plain styles.
Don’t hang around with this one, okay? Kip & Co’s bedding has a bit of a cult following and if you’d like to get your hands on some at a huge discount, now is your chance.
To make way for the new range, arriving in about 4 weeks, the Melbourne boutique bedding brand are having a big sale with 40% off EVERYTHING from the Autumn/Winter 2013 designs. They’re not even that old and they certain won’t look out of place on your bed this summer!
The new Kiribed from Melbourne’s Synapse Design is striking yet simple and, best of all, easy to assemble.
Created by head designer Rolf Meumann, he describes the assembly as “a beautiful puzzle underscored with tension; held firmer in use. This is a fresh, engaging aesthetic in bedroom furniture.”
Interior stylist Dina Broadhurst collaborated with brandsExclusive to demonstrate an easy classic makeover for your bedroom, step by step. Even better, you can buy everything she uses online!
