Morning Coffee Musings
We are so nearly at the end of November, which means December is just around the corner and with that – Christmas. Christmas is the perfect excuse to spend as much quality time with loved ones as possible. I’m craving the feeling of being surrounded by my family; all of us cocooned by the fire, full of love and a feeling of completeness.
The past two years have been exceptionally hard, and I know that there may be some hesitation and anxiety around being in large social groups, as well as a wave of sadness around the festivities this year. But there are lots of different ways that can help you reignite your love for Christmas, from wreath making, to carol services, and even decorating your home. Christmas is a great excuse to get the guest rooms ready for visiting relatives, or just for you!
At The French Bedroom Company, we have fallen completely in love with calming, light shades of blue this season. They pair beautifully with natural colour palettes and materials, which is a trend we’re seeing in interiors this winter. Nature has really inspired our current and future collections launching in February, natural woods and fabrics, and when styling we’re focusing on the sensory uplift felt when immersed in the colours of nature; inspired by ferns, heathers, trees, and the beauty of autumn currently all around us.
If you are worried about socialising indoors, it is still lovely to socialise outside during the festive period. So many of us invested in fabulous garden furniture in 2021, lighting, and heating for the occasion – I absolutely adore getting all cosy under blankets. This way you can still socialise and host larger groups, with the comfort of feeling a little safer doing so.
End of term exams are coming up for our children, so we are really looking forward to getting these out of the way and enjoying spending some quality time with them over the holidays.
The nights are dark, so it’s a perfect opportunity to curl up and get cosy whilst reading this edition of Romantic Reveries. This month we are talking guest bedroom inspiration, hosting tips and catching up with our friend Amanda who we’re looking forward to finally hosting in person in December.
Enjoy.
SUNDAY DISCOVERIES
It’s coming to that time where we start to think about Christmas, the gifts we might give our loved ones (or ourselves!) and how we might get our homes ready. For this month’s Sunday discoveries, we’re bringing you guest bedroom style inspiration, gift ideas, and tips for being the perfect host.
Something Blue - Guest Bedroom Inspiration
Bedspreads
There is something so blissful about fresh new bedding, and this Christmas we are all for upgrading our guest rooms. We have been drawn to all things blue this season, and a beautiful example of this is our Bumblebee Cornflower Blue Velvet Bedspread. This luxurious velvet bedding is finished with hand-embroidered bees that are sewn throughout. Not only is it stylish, it adds a cool and calming sense to the bedroom whilst being cosy and snug in the winter. To finish the look, we also have a matching embroidered linen cushion.
Lamps
Side lighting and lamps really help to create a feel of cosiness, calm and warmth in your guest room. Before your guests arrive, we recommend turning on lamps in the room, and drawing the curtains if necessary for a beautifully welcoming ambience. Staying on the theme of blue, our blue tapered blue glass side lamp is the perfect addition to your guest room (or even your own!). It encapsulates elegance and chic with fading shades of blue, finished with a striking ivory cotton shade.
Beds
A bed is arguably the main feature point of any boudoir, so why not make it as magnificent as possible. The Debutante Pale Blue Velvet Bed is as dreamy as it sounds, and the details have not been skipped on this luxury piece of furniture. Upholstered in the softest pale blue velvet, the ivory cotton piping accentuates the gorgeous curves of the deep headboard and footboard, and bring a contemporary touch to the bed’s classic shape. It is the perfect piece of statement furniture to add to your spare room this season. Elegant in every way.
Make
We love all the yummy treats that come hand in hand with Christmas, from Christmas cake and mince pies to brandy snaps and mulled wine. A Snowball is easy to make, delicious to drink, and goes down a treat with guests. We really like this BBC good food recipe, with advocaat and lemonade. We think it’s the ultimate retro cocktail!
Gift
Whether it be friends and family, colleagues, or just ourselves. We absolutely love finding unique and unusual gifts that feel personalised and special. Don’t miss out on our ‘gift of the week’ over on socials, a new gift launched weekly, with a special price tag for one week only, for those in the know.
SUNDAY BRUNCH: Amanda
This week we are delighted to be catching up with Amanda, who runs the stunning home Instagram account – @Holly_Lodge_Home. We are big fans of her styling, and the thought and intricate detail that goes into her interior design. The overall effect is simple yet beautifully stylish, with an emphasis on natural, neutral tones. We can’t wait to catch up and find out more!
1. Describe your perfect Sunday?
My perfect Sunday is a nice coffee in bed looking through a few magazines and a FaceTime call with my family in Australia, then lunchtime entertaining or dining out with family or friends and maybe a country walk or a snooze in the afternoon. In the evening catching up with a bit of Strictly and a glass of wine as I don’t work Monday’s 😉
2. What’s your go-to guilty pleasure?
My go-to guilty pleasure is a bar of chocolate whilst watching Escape to The Chateau or a mooch around the Brocantes if we are in our French home.
3. What’s your favourite family memory?
My favourite family memory is a camping holiday in Wales and my dad made us a rope swing across a stream which we all had great fun playing on as well as falling off and getting wet.
4. What are your favourite pyjamas like?
My favourite Pyjamas have to be my silk ones, they feel amazing on my skin and keep me cool too.
5. Which book have you read the most?
The book I have read the most is The Notebook by Nicholas Sparks, I love reading all of his books and I adore a romance.
BLOG POST OMNIBUS
We’ve been busy on our blog this last month. As the nights get darker and the weather turns colder, we have put together some tips to creating a stunning cosy French winter wonderland in your boudoir. We can’t get to November and not mention Black Friday, but at TFBC we don’t believe in discount codes. We believe in investing in quality, and there is no substitute for that. Read about our ‘buy it once’ mantra on our bog.
Words by the FBC girls
