#sheets Archives - Northern California Style

It’s Weekend Meanderings time with Elizabeth and Juliet, and our chance to share some good things that have come to our attention this week! I hope your week has been good. Here’s what’s been filling my head..

I’ve been working on my Easter table for our brunch and finally got my flowers. Now I have to iron the napkins and arrange the bowl of flowers that I just plopped in the center. I snapped a pic as it is now to share.

Since it’s just four of us this year with my oldest and my dad, we are having fun and making Hawaiian pancakes, a fruit salad and a few other simple things for our late morning brunch. I have been craving coconut pancakes that we had in Hawaii, so for a change we are giving that a go. Maybe we’ll take a walk after or play a game. I want things to be relaxed and fun, and I’m not stressing myself about any of it.

I used my mom’s vintage Spode dishes, this tablecloth, my Anthro pink champagne coupes (thank you Ani), and gold flatware (this beautiful set is what I’m going to upgrade to), and an assortment of vases and pitchers with rattan. I can’t remember where I got my bunny!

My dear grandma Jody always made a labor intensive Easter coconut bunny cake, from my generation to my boys. Grandma loved Easter and brunch and we always had a very special hunt at her house. She liked us all dressed up in our Easter best.. I love this photo of her with her kids, my dad, uncle and auntie at Easter in the 1950’s, and this with my sons when they were small.

I’ll be thinking of my mom and grandma so much this weekend.

Mark D. Sikes for Anthropologie

I’ve been waiting every week for the Mark D. Sikes collection for Anthropologie to arrive. I had seen a few pieces of it trickle into my local store, but I was awaiting the full collection to drop to share it on here and it’s quite lovely. If you are a fan of Mark, his ‘Beautiful’ books and the color blue, you won’t be disappointed. Mark named the collection after his darling dog Poppy.

My picks of all the pretty offerings ..

blue floral runner/floral dishes/ lamp/ dining chair/ modular chair/blue floral plates/blue ottoman.

A few things I also like that were added to the collection after I made this collage are this blanket, which would be fantastic at the end of a bed or over a couch to curl up with at night, the napkins and rings, and stemless wine glasses .

Much more than I can share in this spot, see the whole Mark D. Sikes collection here. If you are unfamiliar with Mark, his latest book, More Beautiful is a good one. I also love his Instagram account. He’s a true gentleman and has old school taste and class.

Liberty London x J.Crew Home Collaboration

I’m a huge fan of Liberty of London the exclusive and historic London department store and textile maker. Liberty has been making their own printed fabrics since the 1800’s and their florals are especially famous. My first Liberty purchase was a set of sheets and they are still the nicest ones I own, so I was excited to see this Liberty home collaboration with J. Crew. Now we can get their beautiful sheets and fabrics without traveling to London.

I am sort of disappointed they do not carry the sheets in California King, but I am going to go with a King Duvet and make it work. I just can’t decide which print to choose. There are also tablecloths and placemats, and napkins . All the collection here, which will no doubt go fast.

White Jeans for Spring

Speaking of J. Crew, I had the chance to run to the mall this week and thought I’d try all the J. Crew white jeans on and see if any work. To me this was this jean was the winner, not too tight, perfect thickness of fabric and a mid rise at 9′ inches and hits just above the ankle. They did not have my size in Petite so I just ordered a pair and will report back. Love the raw edge and the demi-boot shape of these.. They also have this in a light blue wash. Note that this jean runs small, so size up if you’re between sizes.

What’s on your California Playlist?

DO you listen to Forum on KQED? This week they had a great show about the California soundtrack. It’s a fun episode with people calling in and giving their personal stories of how a song became special to them or marked a certain time in their lives and you can listen here. On the show they also shared that the New York Time’s crowdsourced list of the songs that represent living in the Golden State here. Once I began looking Spotify had many labeled NYTimes California Playlist, but this is the original and it’s up to 200 songs!

As a native Californian, so many California songs touch me. The top ones are ‘California Dreaming’ by the Mammas and Papas, ‘San Francisco, (Be sure to wear some flowers in your hair)’ by Scott McKenzie, and ‘Lights’ by Journey and all the Beach Boy songs. I would love to hear what yours are!

What to watch- First Ladies

Next up on my watch list is this new series from Showtime, First Ladies. Starring Viola Davis as Michelle Obama, Michelle Pfeiffer as Betty Ford and Gillian Anderson as Eleanor Roosevelt, this anthology series goes deeper into their lives and struggles. You can watch the trailer below. Looking forward to knowing more about three amazing American women.

Well that’s my meandering for this week now please pop over and see what great ideas my friends Elizabeth and Juliet have for you…

PINECONES AND ACORNS

MAKE MINE A SPRITZER

Wishing you all a beautiful weekend, and a good Easter, Passover or Ramadan if you celebrate.

Thank you for being here!

Kim

If you missed the last Weekend Meanderings, on pretty pillows, some cool slides for summer, walking the golden Gate Bridge and more you can catch that post here. I also posted my monthly Signature Style blog this week on what to wear to a wedding here.

If you’d like to get an email when I post, please subscribe to the blog here for a post in your inbox a few times a month! Thank you so much, as Bloglovin seems to have stopped working and I no longer post as much on Facebook and plan to do less there.

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This post is all my favorite bedding.. I wrote this pre-pandemic, but I keep it updated as we are all always looking for good sheets and better sleep quality! We spend so many hours asleep, nicer bedding is one of the best investments in your quality of life.

Cleaning out the linen closet is something to do at least once a year and for me it’s usually around the fall, or the new year when things slow down and I notice the bedding needs some perking up. I did it in October this year when it started to turn cool and was time to put our down comforter back on the bed. I noticed our white sheets (I love white), looking a little sad and our comforter was also in bad shape. We had it at least a decade and it wasn’t so warm.

Love this idea on Pinterest with no link. I tried to do the same with my armoire. Don’t you love the pinboard on the doors too?

I also had my eye on a yummy duvet cover made by Pine Cone Hill that was on display at a local furniture shop. It was white and soft and had a nubby texture. I am all about making my bed more cozy and this felt amazing. I found it online and it’s called the Montauk Duvet Cover.

They had me at the name! After I finally decided to go for it the next thing was to get a better comforter or duvet insert itself. Pine Cone Hill had duvets in three weights- summer, fall and winter. I had no idea what would be best for Northern California and there was not much information about that in the reviews. I decided to go for the fall weight Savasana Duvet and it has been perfect. It’s light and yet this is the first winter we haven’t needed a blanket on the bed at all and it has been cold!

I cannot tell you how thrilled I am with this new Montauk cover and the comforter and I am wished I did it sooner. You are in your bed so many hours of your life, this is one place money is well spent. A good night’s sleep is everything!

If you read my post about the lovely Ojai home I stayed in, I may have mentioned the sheets. The beds were wonderful in that home and the owner had terrific sheets. When I returned home I started looking for percale sheet reviews online and based on the glowing reviews I ordered this percale set from Parachute..

I also got something similar to these Cloud Shams at Pottery Barn ( my original nearly identical and no longer available.)

They also have a matching Cloud Duvet Cover in many soft colors and it’s a bit more affordable than the Montauk.

Some of the other pretty colors of the PB Cloud..

Parachute also has a Cloud Cover Duvet set with shams…

Two years ago I splurged and bought Serena & Lily Linen sheets. We love them so much I bought another last year when they were 20% off. I find them so soft and especially warm in winter, though a lot of people love them for summer. They just get better with every wash. I lightly dry mine on medium and take out and smooth before they are fully dry and they look beautiful. These are my all time favorites.

For pillows I use two down alternative king size pillows for myself from Pottery Barn. I do wash them, but they need to be changed out after about 2 years or so.

During summer I replace the duvet with a light soft quilt over the sheets. I love it so much I leave it on the bed in winter now under the our duvet comforter in place of a blanket as it’s so soft.. It also makes it easy to make the bed- just smooth this over the sheets and it all looks perfect. This PB one is nearly identical to mine..

Going through the linen closet I realized we had sets of twin sheets for kids beds we do not have anymore and extra king sets that have seen better days. I donated several of the nice sets. Did you know blankets and towels are also welcome by most animal rescues and shelters? Some pet stores have a box to drop them in. Fabric can also be put in the recycling bin if too worn to donate.

Paring down the linen closet, wiping it clean with a natural lavender cleaning spray (I like this Mrs Meyers or the Method one) and then stacking the sheets by sizes and wrapping the sets together the Martha Stewart way with the cases over the sets makes it look and smell pretty.

It is nice to put soaps on the shelf or small lavender sachets in there. I also like pretty papers on the shelves. If your linen closet is jammed like mine was and you have no room, you might try using an armoire for your bedding or an extra chest. I did this a while back with an armoire that used to house a television. It has been a great space for the linens and I feel fancy when I open the doors and it smells dreamy.

About a year and a half ago we got a new Aireloom mattress which is from California, and we love it. They are often on sale at Bloomies as I linked above..It has helped my husband with his back issues so much and I rarely wake up sore anymore.

I can’t wait to jump into bed at night now with my comforter and sheets I feel like I’m sleeping on a cloud.

Do you have certain bed sheets or things you need to sleep well? I also have to have things totally dark and never ever run the heat at night…I also have to read before bed on my side and I usually conk out after a few paragraphs. I try to stay away from screens once I’m in bed.

Happy weekend,

Kim

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