Photo Credit: Roger Mahler

We’re super excited to announce the latest addition to our showroom: Au Lit Fine Linens! Based in Toronto, this Canadian, family-owned & operated business is a natural fit for Once A Tree Furniture and we’re thrilled to be the only retailer in Western Canada to carry their gorgeous bedding. 

If you’re ready to dream big and create a more inspiring bedroom, keep reading. In this post, Joanna Goodman, Au Lit Fine Linens’ CEO, shares her best tips for how to style your own 5-Star bed at home. (P.S.. Read to the bottom to learn about our amazing bedroom giveaway!)

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There’s nothing quite like the feeling of slipping into a sumptuous bed at the end of a long day. We spend about a third of our lives in bed, so why not make the experience as sumptuous and soul-nourishing as possible? We believe that a quality sleep enhances the quality of your life, which is why we create beds that are beautiful on the inside and outside, using the very best components - pure cotton sheets; the finest duvet covers; light, fluffy duvets; and soft, goose down pillows. 

My name is Joanna Goodman and I’m the owner of Au Lit Fine Linens, a family-owned business that my mother founded more than 40 years ago. Her mission then was to offer premium, Canadian and European-made linens in all natural fabrics, which is still our mission today. We like to say that we change the way people sleep, and we’ve been doing just that since 1981 (coincidentally, the same year Once A Tree Furniture was founded!)

Here are my top tips for designing your own beautiful bed, plus a few of my favourite picks for fall. 

Our 3-Step Guide for Styling the Ultimate Bed 

Begin by choosing a duvet cover you love 

First and foremost, start with the duvet cover. Your bed is the focal point of your bedroom, and your duvet cover is essentially the foundation of your bed. I like to treat it as a blank canvas, which is why I always recommend choosing a serene, neutral palette for the primary components. Good quality linens will last a very long time, so you want your investment pieces (the duvet cover and sheets) to withstand all the fleeting trends and “colours of the year.” 

No matter what décor fads come and go or how your own personal style evolves, a soft, neutral foundation - think whites, creams, pastels, natural linen, hues of grey - will stand the test of time. The same applies to choosing the bed frame – look for classic styles, such as the Maxime Wing Bed, which will never go out of style. Also, know your own taste and don’t be afraid to stand by it! If you’ve always loved traditional design and décor, stick with that when styling your bed. Just because modern style may be on trend today, your bedroom is your sanctuary. Let that be your guide.

Investing in a great quality duvet cover is like investing in the perfect little black dress. You can wear it season after season for years to come, swapping out layers and accessories over time to spruce it up, without having to buy a new outfit every season.

 

Consider a coverlet to add depth and texture to your bed

Now that you’ve chosen a duvet cover, you can start to build the rest of the design around it. At this stage, one of my top tips is invest in a coverlet. A coverlet – also known as a blanket cover or matelassé – is a single-layered blanket that can be folded at the foot of the bed or laid flat on top of the duvet cover. Adding a coverlet to your bed is often the missing piece that takes a bed from average to extraordinary. A coverlet adds a multi-dimensional layer that really enhances the overall look. It also provides multiple options for making up your bed, allowing for seasonal changes that refresh the look completely. One of my favourite ways to style the bed is to pull the coverlet right up and fold the duvet at the bottom for a more modern, “hotel-inspired” look.

A coverlet also serves a very practical purpose: in the cooler months, it can be used as an extra layer of warmth on top of the duvet; in the hotter summer months, use it on its own with a flat sheet as a lightweight blanket.

 

Complete the Look with Statement-making Accent Pieces

If your duvet cover and coverlet are the “little black dress” of your bedroom, the decorative pillows and throws are the statement jewelry! Go crazy, be bold, and let your personality shine. These accents are the perfect place to incorporate colour, texture and boldness on your bed. We love swapping them in and out every season or experimenting with new trends in patterns and colours. This is the place to try a throw pillow in the Pantone Colour of the Year! And when that colour falls out of favour, you simply swap it out for something new and different without having to re-do your entire bed. Practically speaking, if you opt for a low-profile bed frame like the made-in-Canada Hemrik Bed, simply add two or three decorative “Euro” pillows (26” x 26”) across the back of your bed to add some height, as well as back support while reading or watching TV. Decorative accents are also perfect for tying in other colours of your bedroom, from the walls to the headboard to the carpeting.

Unique accent pieces allow you to completely revamp your decor every season without breaking the bank. In the spring, a breezy linen throw or a floral deco pillow is the perfect touch; when the temperature drops and it’s time to winterize your bed, just swap in a Tibetan fur cushion and deeper-hued throw blanket for a completely different look. 

This fall, it’s all about opulent textures – faux fur, cashmere, baby alpaca – and rich, bold autumnal colours like mustard, paprika, olive and chestnut. I’ve packed away my airy linen throw and pastel accent pillows with my summer clothing, and I’ve transformed my own all-white bed into a fall oasis with a deep olive throw at the foot and rich, patterned velvet pillows. It feels like a completely different bedroom, which will carry me through until spring. 

 

 

Bedding Giveaway: Enter for your chance to win a PRIZE DETAILS

On that note, we’re excited to announce our first ever Pop-Up Shop at Once A Tree Furniture, from October 4th until November 30th! Our bedding is now available exclusively for purchase at Once A Tree Furniture, and to celebrate, we’re giving away a complete set of Essential 3-Line Queen bedding valued at $1,100 CAD! To enter, simply:

1. Head to Instagram and follow the instructions (hint: it includes following both @onceatreefurniture and @aulitfinelinens)
2. Subscribe to OAT’s e-newsletter for a BONUS entry, found here!

We’ll be announcing the winner of this amazing giveaway on Monday, November 1st. Make sure to follow us on Instagram and find out if you’re the lucky winner! 

We truly believe your bedroom is your oasis, the place where you can decompress, relax and rejuvenate. From now until November 30th, we will be featuring the Au Lit Fine Linens Pop-Up Shop in our showroom showcase - the perfect partner to our collection of luxury beds and bedroom accessories. Visit us in store Monday to Saturday from 10-5:30 to check out Au Lit Fine Linens’ gorgeous bedding for yourselves, and don’t forget to subscribe to our newsletter and follow @onceatreefurniture and @aulitfinelinens on Instagram for your chance to win a complete set of Essential 3-Line Queen bedding valued at $1,100 CAD.