Nicola's Home Blog

Do you change your bedding with the seasons? While I’m always looking for an excuse to add something new to my beds, the difference between a Maine summer and a Maine winter makes changing linens and blankets not just fun but practical, even thrifty. Few homes here have central air and many of my favorite old homes have balky radiators, so a good night’s sleep is very much dependent on the way you dress your bed.

When it’s sweltering or snowing your choices seem obvious—crisp cottons and breezy linens, or velvety flannels and puffy down comforters. But what about the in-between days? Right now the historic brick sidewalks of Portland’s Old Port reflect as much heat as any pizza oven, but by the weekend, the nights will be cool again. And I’m in love with a new shipment of reversible summer weight quilts newly arrived in my store. These stunning textiles will take your summer bed into fall, or lighten a winter bed as spring approaches.

Each quilt is newly pieced and hand-quilted from vintage fabrics from India. The result is playful and inspired, rustic yet sophisticated. They are reversible, giving you two quilts in one. And no two quilts are alike. The gorgeous colors and patterns are so completely on trend—a piece like this can completely update a room. And, that room doesn’t need to be a bedroom. I’ve been experimenting with these quilts at home and in the boutique, and I think they are particularly successful thrown over an antique sofa or used as a throw. In fact, we’re making one up into pillow fronts for a customer right now!

Be adventurous—these quilts are. On a bed, over a sofa, as pillows or even upholstering a favorite chair cushion, these quilts are one of my very favorite pieces for September.