Renowned interior stylist Colin King says his friends often joke that he dreams in “fifty shades of brown”. The artistic director has a particular penchant for natural tones, describing his own home “a medley of neutral hues.” Needless to say, his second linen bedding collection with CULTIVER came as somewhat of a surprise, featuring a more saturated palette of ‘turmeric’, ‘cinnabar’, and ‘artichoke’.
Now, full disclosure: I used to work for CULTIVER. What that means, though, is I have had the pleasure of spending somewhere in the tens of thousands of hours beneath their linen bedding, and can personally attest to its heirloom quality and effortless beauty.
But even with a range of timeless shades available, I always found myself gravitating towards white. It felt crisp and classic, and if you were going to invest in one of the best bedding sets, white felt like a safe choice.
Color can also be a tricky topic in the bedroom; it has a certain sway over your emotions that you may not even realize. And if there is one room you want to prioritize peace and calm, this is it. So, how then, does Colin King approach color in the bedroom?
“In erring on the side of beige, I like to think that I am holding space for color and possibility,” he tells me. “And there is color to be found everywhere, whether in the bruised skin of ripened fruit or the verdigris of patinated metal. Styling is about identifying and romancing those subtle variations, introducing layers through glazes or textiles or blooms.” Or perhaps, linen bedding.
Shop the Stylist's Collection, Edition II
Price: $650
The Repose Linen Bedcover is a continuation of Colin's first collection with CULTIVER; beautifully capturing one of the biggest bedding trends at the moment. The Cinnabar color is the stylist's personal favorite. "The color has a rich history, often associated with luxury and opulence in art and architecture," he tells me. "And I love the connection to nature drawing inspiration from natural minerals."
Price: $200
The unfussy, stretched shape of the 'Recline' lumbar pillow makes it the ideal styling accessory for a bedcover in the same hue (it is available in all of the new shades — turmeric, artichoke, flax, and cinnabar). I've picked the striking cinnabar again, a shade Colin describes as "both rich and vibrant" and "emotionally engaging". You only need one pillow for even a king-sized bed, but it looks just as good styled along a sofa.
Price: $650
The turmeric shade is perhaps the most visually striking from the collection but feels perfectly fitting for a fall bedroom idea. While the bedcovers are certainly an investment piece, the beauty of this style is that it's the only thing you need to consider — the rest is effortlessly concealed beneath the expanse of fabric. I particularly like the seams that run down each side making it feel simple, yet still structured.
Price: $200
For something that doesn't feel so strictly fall-coded and could easily see you throughout the seasons, the artichoke colorway is a fresh sage green that will lift and re-energize a space. Crafted in Portugal from the same 100% European flax linen as the rest of the collection, it features a textured taffeta weave, and the price includes a feather pillow insert (as do the other pillows in the collection).
Price: $700
For those who don't need convincing to move away from simple white bedding, the 'Collide' bedcover taps into the 70s trend we're watching re-emerge, but in a way that still feels delicate. In Colin's first collection, it was done in a royal blue/flax colorway (which I was lucky enough to see in person) and I can attest to its beauty. The distinct asymmetrical twill weave is so intricate and technical; an heirloom piece, for sure. It also comes in the 'Recline' lumbar pillow.
Price: $200
On the other hand, there is simply something to be said for, well...simple. And while it's a step away from white, the flax colorway — which is available in the bedcover and pillow — is one that will work in any space, and at any time of the year. Made with a heavyweight 320gsm linen (for reference, linen bed sheets are generally around 165gsm), it's durable and substantial, and perfect to sink into.
So, it looks like I'll be switching out my all-white bedding scheme this fall. With shades inspired by nature, it hardly even feels like you're 'picking a color' either, but rather reaching a bit further into the neutral palette.
And as Colin tells me, "There's always the opportunity to introduce more color, especially in a neutral space. Sometimes it just takes a breath to make up your mind."
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