FRIDAY FAVS // SLEEPY BUM

Good linen is always a must as your bed

is very important to your health. Having good sheets and sets are

a great way not to only feel great and get a good night sleep but also 

to jazz up your space, give it some style and personality... so sleeping is fun! 

This weeks find is the awesome Australian online store called Sleep Bum! 
I have had the pleasure of trying out their beautiful linen 

for myself and have to say I am very happy I got the

opportunity to!

This is the set that I have and the reason why I picked it is because it

not only adds colour but pattern at the same time, giving me the

opportunity to add style in a very simplistic way.

Make sure to check this great resource by visiting 

their site. 

1. Athens Grid lines in Baby Pink.

2. Athens Grid lines in Lavender.

Image sourced from their website! Make sure to

take advantage of their free shipping on orders

over $99! 

THE SLEEPY CHAPTER + GETTING COMFORTABLE

Over the past couple of years as my circle of friends has expanded and we have grown older, we are all reaching that next stage of our lives where we are preparing to fly the coop. It is a little unbelievable that this year alone we will be attending six weddings, whom are all very good friends or close relatives young in age. It is pretty amazing how time brings forth all these different stages. These stages have brought up a lot of questions about what I think is best to look for when wanting to buy all your new furniture for the new pad. It has been dominating phone conversations that is for sure!

I was recently having a discussion with a close girlfriend who is preparing to move out very soon with her soon to be husband and was looking for great quality, comfortable linen. So, I thought why not do a post on the blog about what I look for and what I think are the best elements to create a really comfortable bed. Your bed is super important as you pretty much spend almost half your life sleeping which it allows your body to restore itself so having the right support and comfort is essential. To me it is not something that you skimp on... by the way, I need to take my own advice because my mattress is completely outdated and not supportive anymore! It's on the "To Do List" trust me.

Good quality linen, duvet covers, throws and pillowcases can be hard to come by, which is why I wanted to share with you a great bedding resource, Parachute. They have a great range available at affordable prices. Currently, personally and a lot of my friends are after things that have a really natural look to them, so there does not have to be too much fuss about the sheets, they always look clean, they are simple, feel good and neutral.

Here are some of my favourite tricks when making your bed look pretty amazing and just overall effortless.

+ Think about it as a composition - Layer the bed with different colour linen. For example you may have a white flat sheet and loose sheet but then two different combination of colours for the pillowcases and a different colour for the duvet cover.

+ Add character to a bed by adding at most 3 cushions. Yes, see how I did not say 10 cushions? It is very unnecessary to have excessive amounts of small cushions, 3 is enough and it allows you to have two different colour combinations.

+ Have different sized pillows, 2 x large square size and 2 x normal sleeping size.

+ Add texture to the bed by complimenting it with a casual throw to make it feel that extra comfortable and inviting. Your bed is also a great place for journaling, reading, meditating so having a great throw to lie on top of with your normal clothes is a great idea. 

All products shown in the images below can be found at Parachutes to create your ultimate sleeping haven.

Make sure to visit their website by clicking here

Images sourced from Parachutes. 

COLOUR PALETTE: BED HEADS

Having a beautiful frame for the top of the bed allows for you to really create a statement in a bedroom. I am a big believer in having a bed head for your bed, which means that I do not particularly  like the idea of buying beds that come with pre made headboards or all in ones. Don't get me wrong though, sometimes you can come across some really great all in ones but generally I think that if you have the chance to create your own bed head of get one made, why wouldn't you? It really allows you to play with pattern in a room and create your own individual look that frames the centre piece of a bed room, where you sleep.

I have been furniture sourcing lately and designing some features for bedrooms, so when I came across this DIY bed head post... I just had to share it with you. Where does the colour palette come into play? Well, with the emerald and earthy tones of course. I thought why not combine the two together, as I normally would not gravitate towards this colour for a bed head, but it works so well in creating a very fresh, calming but vibrant look.

I found all the information regarding this awesome DIY bed head via this great blog Fabric, Paper, Glue and Adore Home Blog. You can find both by clicking directly on their names <----------------

All the DIY information can be found here and the colour inspiration from my Pinterest, so make sure to click and follow me.

Are you renovating and have a DIY project you are proud of and want to share?! Make sure you do by commenting below. If you require any assistance with furniture and colour choices, make sure to contact me through my website or email me at info@jdzdesigns.com.au .... we would love to hear from you! 

FEATURE FRIDAY: RED ON RED

I am very excited to announce today that in today's post I am sharing my first official review, where I received a cool new product that I get to talk about all from my perspective. 

A couple of months ago I wrote about how sleep habits and the importance of getting the right amount for your body. Personally, if I do not sleep well, I feel absolutely horrible, especially if it is over a couple of weeks. We almost spend about 25 years of our lives sleeping, which is massive.

 So, if we require it so much, then why does it often feel like such a hassle when we have to make our beds everyday, change our sheets and make your bedroom and bed look good. Well, I guess like anything, we should all take pride in the our interiors as we do our appearance, which means taking pride and thinking about how to do things to improve your quality of sleep and bedroom, to make yourself feel better and healthier.

I am always looking for new and cool products that allow for good style but are also functional at the same time. I had never heard of EcoSleep before, but the name definitely had me intrigued and so did their red linen. Now it is a bit of an interior and style fail on my part because my room is painted red... yes, it really needs an update, but it has been my favourite colour since 2004, so having red linen at the same time means RED OVERLOAD... but bear with me. Also, I know what you are thinking... yes, I know the year I decided it was my favourite colour because it was about the time I began to really develop my own sense of self and I decided that red was the colour for me because it was very vibrant and passionate. Two things many of you know are part of my personality so you can only imagine my delight when Jane from EcoSleep shares the same love of Red and wanted to send me the bed linen she has invented called COSHEE. Now, here is my review, full of the good, bad and the ugly... which I have to say, there is not much bad at all and really no ugly...except for me putting red on red.

Image sourced from the EcoSleep Website. Looking very smart indeed and against another red wall.
Red must be a very popular colour. 

I have to say, having your sheets arrive in a little ego friendly bag is a breath of fresh air and really clever, because it means that you can reuse it for storage when you want to change your sheets. If you are like me, I really hate folding sheets and then feel it is so messy in the cupboard when you put them away. So having packaging that you can reuse is a huge bonus and a really clever idea. I have been so sleep deprived over the last week that I have been counting the hours every afternoon to when I can hit the pillow, so on Tuesday when I finally got the chance to try out my new linen, I could not wait, especially because I knew I did not have to wash it first....double bonus!! I was not sure why I did not have to wash it first, but I was told you did not need to, so I followed instruction and felt like a little bit of a rebel because it followed with a strange facial expression from my mother... "you are not going to wash new sheets? " I also loved that there was not too many components to the linen as I soon discovered the top sheet came with the cover. Very clever and efficient way of combining the two, except I was looking to see if there was a matching fitted sheet to complete the look with.

I am one that likes to sleep with just a duvet cover, except for some reason, my bed never stays warm all night, which always wakes me up, so I was very keen to give it a go without any other sheets and just the duvet with the top sheet attached just for the sake of it. The first couple of nights was bliss, the top sheet and pillow cases are so comfortable and soft, but then on Thursday night I began to feel the cold a little and did have to grab an extra blanket, but at least I did not have to worry about taking off the top sheet at the same time.

Here is the product right down from unpacking it. 

Yes I did not have time to iron it before using it either, but if you ask me it still looks pretty good!
And yes i know, there is a lot of RED!

I really like the texture of the linen, it feels lush, soft and very comfortable against the skin. I also really like that it has some texture to it, which I thought may having been irritating against the face on the pillows, but I did not have any trouble at all. However, I feel that texture on linen is not for everyone, so possibility of having the option of a complete smooth surface may be a good alternative. That way you can mix up your bed linen too if you really wanted to, have your display pillows with texture and plain for the pillows you lay your head against.

Like I said, I did not know much about EcoSleep at all and what Coshee is all about, but after my experience I wanted to know much more. The linen is produced from natural cotton and natural bamboo giving it the amazing soft texture and it is a high thread count. This means it does not require any use of harsh chemicals during production, hence the not needing to wash it before use. It is entirely developed with the concept of functionality as well as style, less is more on a bed and not having 5 sheets to wash all at once and strip when making your bed. Which for me and many others a positive as it also means you save on washing time and water because the top sheet is attached to the duvet cover and can be removed if need be.

One thing is for sure, my cushions look amazing against my new Coshee linen. 

The top sheet and the duvet cover are connected, which makes for a very smart design. It is detachable if you want
to remove it and keep it separate, but I have no idea why you would to do that. 

Now one of the things I want to point out is that I did not know much about Coshee at all before using it and or reading anything about it further. The EcoSleep website is full of great information about it's use and production however I feel that once I knew more about it, it did not sway my already made up mind that Coshee is a hot well designed and user friendly product. I would highly recommend it to anyone who is looking for smart bedding and wanting to make their bed look smart... and by the way... I am not just saying that because I have to.

Find out a lot more about Jane herself and the EcoSleep team by visiting their website and while you are at it invest in Coshee and see for yourself how great it is.

A very special to Jane for making this review possible and giving me the opportunity to share my thoughts on your product. I hope you love it as much as I loved sleeping in your Coshee product! 

TGIF!!

JDZ x

BTS: LOTS OF COLOUR & ORGANISED MESS

Such a great and inspiring day... cannot wait for the rest of the design fair to continue and with so much to report on. Then I get back to my organised mess that is my work station ... not my actual desk...just where the design magic happens and cant wait to get back stuck into my important projects. 

Here are a few images to share what has been happening this week including some progress shots on a whole new scheme for a client's bedroom ( the results are coming up amazingly well) and a very happy clients picture that was sent to me of my lovely cushions that were purchased. 

I also wanted to share a little quote that I found yesterday that was very cute and true. It is so important to be nice to everyone and be considerate towards other. Anyone who knows me well, knows that I am a VERY big advocate for this type of behavior. It is very true that it really does make all the difference. 

Feature Friday will be posted on Saturday again this week, as you all know what the feature is going to be!

Have a great night,

JDZ x

HOW DO YOU SLEEP?

Do you know that we spend 25 years of our lives sleeping?! That is a lot of years to spend in a bed so it is so important that it is comfortable during all seasons. If you are an Ikea Family Member you would have heard about the seminar that was held yesterday about mattresses and how to make sure you get a good night sleep. This is not a very glamorous topic at all but who here does not love sleeping and finds it hard to get up in the morning, especially during this cold weather...? I know I do and chances are the more comfortable and more suited to your needs it is means you will have the energy to get up in the morning. I am was also going to make this a little bit more interesting and give you some tips with my top picks from Ikea to make your bed not only comfortable but pretty good looking too.


Now, firstly you need to think about how you like to sleep, on your side? on your stomach? or on your back? It is recommended that most of us should sleep on our backs as that is the best way and support for our spines however really it is not always the most comfortable. If you are a side and stomach sleeper, it is important to look at pillows that have a bit more support and are higher for your neck and head. This way you get optimum amounts of oxygen and you do not put extra pressure on your spine which can cause back pain and curving.

Secondly, it is recommended when testing out different beds that you spend at least 10-15mins on them to get an idea of how they feel. Firmness does not always equal best quality for you and your sleep. You always want to ask questions about the springing system and what the inside of the mattress is made from. I never knew Ikea have a whole range of affordable spring system mattresses that have a 25 year warranty. They have about three different spring mattresses that also have a combination of extra padding and foam for extra comfort and support. Pretty good value for money if you ask me.

Thirdly, it is really important to always have mattress protectors and pillow protectors so that the amounts of skin and perspiration that we lose during sleep do not stain and wear the mattresses. It means that you can also keep the mattress and pillows as clean as possible by just removing the covers and throwing them into the wash. By the way, Ikea available mattresses and protectors that have absorbent qualities to compensate for all the perspiration we do during sleep... I know it is a little bit disgusting but it is true, we all sweat during sleep!

Last but certainly not least, it is recommended that mattresses get flipped every six months or so. This is to make sure the wear of your mattress is even instead of just in one section where you sleep every night.

Now for the fun bit...

1. Pick cool sheets! Colour co-ordinate it to the room and make it fit into the rest of the look. Same goes for the cover.
2. Use scatter cushions, but let's face it, you really only need 3 or 4 max in various sizes or the one size... not 50. Use throws and extra blanks in the winter time just over the top over the cover. It adds character to the bed and also adds extra warmth to your feet area.
3. Be a little creative and if you can just get the ensemble and go with either a custom bed head or a ready made one. Having a material bed head can really add that element of 'wow' to your bedroom. Just because it is where you sleep does not mean it does not need character.
4. Think about unique ways to have your bed side tables and reading lamps. Maybe a bedside is not important to you so think about having a small funky little side table where you can put your clock and then have nice pendants hanging from the ceiling rather than typical bedside table lamps.
5. Try not to have your computer and study combine with the room where you sleep. Try and always keep work separate from sleep.

Here are my top decor picks from Ikea for a bedroom:

Really loving the bright and colourful look Ikea has in their winter range.

Ikea has 20% off their mattresses till this Sunday! All these items and more information on their Mattresses can be found on their website. All images in today's post are sourced from the Ikea Australia NSW website. They also have a great section on Un-freeze your winter which I have mentioned before, so make sure to take advantage of that section too.

I am heading to a very exciting event tonight which I am looking forward to sharing with you all tomorrow,

JDZ x