Textiles 101

Indian towels from Canvas Home - www.canvashomestore.com - part of the Ochre group!


Restoration Hardware Turkish Towels. Really. From Turkey. I get mine on Wednesday. I'll let you know what I think.


Striped alpaca throws from Canvas Home - www.canvashomestore.com


Restoration Hardware Belgian Linen Sheets - I send EVERY client to buy them. Amazingly old world and sensual.

I was a Textiles and Clothing major in college. I have loved fabrics since I was eight years old. I loved the scraps from the sewing my mother did. I made doll clothes out of it.

Lee and I have kept our New York apartment by the skin of our teeth. (But, then, it does seem the stars align when the two of us are simpatico.) We have kept it by renting it to people who want to visit New York and not stay in a hotel. We had a gregarious woman from Australia who stayed a month, a couple from France, a couple from London, soon a couple from Rome and upcoming, a couple from Santa Monica. And we are here for a couple of weeks - to RELAX! and find inspiration (for me) to RESEARCH and WRITE (Lee). While we are here, I have to tweak this little B&B we seem to be running. (well, there is a Bed, but no Breakfast unless they run to EAT for the croissants.)

What I have noticed since I returned is this:

The place is in perfectly fine shape except for the need for more....TEXTILES! I have purchased two sets of Restoration Hardware Belgian Linen sheets, a second down comforter, a cotton blanket, 4 new Turkish towels and a bath mat. Tomorrow I am going to purchase an Indian hand towel and an alpaca throw for the daybed. I am a nutty textiles maniac.

There is little more important to me than a perfectly made bed. We had this darling French couple here in the apartment a couple of weeks ago. After they had been there for a few days, Andre, the husband emailed me:

Alecia,

Evelyne would like to buy sheets and pillowslip same as the one
you have, they are really confortable. Do you know where we could find
similar and if there is any reference.

Best regards

Andre

Well, you could hardly have told me anything more complimentary! That my child was brilliant! Okay, fine. But, I am very excited if you like the way I make a bed!

So, I am driven, compulsive, obsessed with getting the textiles right in this apartment - both for me and for our guests. This makes me realize that TEXTILES make a home COMFORTABLE. The throw that is on the chair to wrap up in when it is slightly chilly, the linen sheets, the down pillow and carefully chosen down comforter on top of you, the rich towels and bath mat, the linen hand towel. It is luxury. It is such a little thing - (and, oh, so rather expensive) but worth it.