Life has changed. Gone are the formal beds beloved of our parents where sheets were neatly tucked in, quilts folded back like a picture frame, and pillows arranged in a geometrical symmetry. Hotels still follow these guidelines. But the in the home we have the luxury of creating our own sense of ease and comfort.
The secret lies in layering, in texture and colour. A bed should look casual, luxurious, rumpled with an almost aristocratic decadence. A woollen throw can be thrown across the end of a bed which has already been layered with a jumble of coverlets and cushions. Contrasts in texture and colour play an important role. Dark blue can be mixed with haze, turmeric, yellow and white. Velvet adds warmth and richness. A floral print, pleated to look abstract, adds simplicity.
“I was much inspired in making this collection by Italian paintings from the great period of Florence, Pisa and Venice” says Mandeep Nagi, Design Director of Shades of India. ‘I loved the fabrics and textures you see laid across the bed in many of these paintings. I was also inspired by classic jewel colours—deep reds, emerald green, a dark blue, chartreuse, orange and pinks.
An antique touch has been added by the hand crochet work that lines many of the bedcovers. Bees have been embroidered in cotton and metallic thread and placed randomly on cushions and coverlets. Prints drawing on stylised flowers or medallions offset solid colours.
The collection has been designed to give freedom to a customer to make choices of colours and textures. The different elements are part of the same family and can be exchanged one for another as in an improvised musical score.
In “Summer Awakening” soft pinks and greys have been combined with naturals to create a sensuous feel of comfort, indulgence and repose. A cushion with embroidery that seems embossed provides a highlight. A quilted pink throw has been laid over emerald green in “From the Forest”. But haze, turmeric, white are possible combinations.
“Indian Summer” draws on themes of orange, reds and pinks. The warm colours sit well with white walls and a wooden floor.