Luxury Duvets
December 8, 2014
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Bespoke bed sheets and duvets are considered exquisite from their high thread counts to their exquisite one-off finishes, they are like sleeping under a cloud says FUNKE OSAE-BROWNAbioye Banire slides into her pyjamas as she prepares to go to bed but first she needs a glass of warm milk for that sound sleep she desires after a very hectic day. She walks down the stair case in her three bedroom duplex to the kitchen. She gulps the milk and returns to bed.
As soon as she lies in bed, she gets wrapped in the warmth of the Norvegr bespoke duvet. She has always been a collector of some kind of the handmade Norwegian eider-duck blankets specially those made to suit a sleeping beauty who loves luxury like her.
Duvets have become an intricate part of bed accessories in most homes. Modern duvets are like sleeping bags usually filled with expensive down or feathers of various quality, or silk, wool, cotton, or artificial fibres such as polyester batting.
Banire says her love for the Norvegr bespoke duvet is based on the fact that it is made of handpicked duck feathers. “I lived in Norway for some years. I was particularly fascinated by the way the duvet was made. I was opportune to visit the Norwegian island of Svalbard.
“There, the down gatherers at duvet makers Norvegr know when it is time to take up their sacks and begin collecting the feathers. The company makes some of the finest duvets in the world, with its most exceptional the eiderdown designs made with down, never feathers, from the Norwegian eider duck.”
According to her, through a painstaking process, the down is handpicked from abandoned nests, with each down gatherer gathering approximately 15-20g of down and one experienced person taking a week to clean a single kilo. There is an annual production of less than 100kg, making it highly prized and some of the most expensive duvets in the world.
Luxurious duvets like these are very highly priced and sought after says Titi Onabanjo, an interior decorator. “Duvets are particularly good for cold weather,” explains Onabanjo. “But in Nigeria people have come to love it especially those who can afford the luxury of an air conditioned room. Duvets often help reduce the complexity of making a bed. This is because it is comes as a single covering instead of the combination of bed sheets, blankets, and quilts or other bed covers. The duvet itself fits into a specially made cover, usually of cotton or a cotton blend.”
In addition to using duvets in bedrooms, the Norvegr brand is popular as a bespoke service specially commissioned for yachts, sleeping bags for dogs and special duvets for children.
Another popular brand of bespoke duvet is the all eiderdown duvets which are handmade. Their prices vary depending on the quantity of down stuffed in them. Each duvet comes with a 10-year guarantee and can be restored thereafter at one third of the current retail price.
In addition, John Lewis’s latest range of duvets which are filled with the light-as-air down of the Altai snow goose is truly luxurious. According to Onabanjo, some of Lewis’ bespoke pieces are made from snow goose feathers. “If you are familiar with Russia’s Altai Mountains,” she explains, “when it is winter, it is usually bitterly cold. That means, the snow goose has to develop lush winter plumage. Therefore, looking at the weight, these duvets offer greater warmth than others.”
In addition she explains that an Altai duvet with a 10.5 tog rating weighs almost a quarter less than a Siberian goose-down duvet with the same rating. According to her, an all-seasons’ duvet with a 13.5 combination tog is usually expensive.
“However, the difference is like you are sleeping on the cloud because of the kind of comfort it offers. Prices range from N32,000 for a single to N48,600 for the super king.
However, if you are not a big fan of duvets made of snow goose feather you can find a better choice in finest duvets made of Egyptian cotton, woven in Italy, and embroidered in England.
“Bespoke bed sheets and duvets are considered exquisite from their high thread counts to their exquisite, one-off finishes,” says Edith Etim. “They are simply a good investment in sound sleep and your general well-being. It is not so much about how much money you have to show off. It is about you and the guests you invite to your home. These are elegant linens designed that are subtle works of art. They are beautiful statement pieces.”
Etim also says most imported duvets are for the discerning individual who loves class. According to her, it is usually difficult to find luxurious linens for clients. “Often customers complain about locally made duvets that are usually too heavy. Some others complain that available designs are either too plain or too traditional. Hence foreign designers are more contemporary designs.”
Etim explains that the Champalimaud range of bed linens and duvets are inspired by the designers travels. Some of the motifs include the scenery she observed along the way. “Some of Champalimaud pieces can be personalised through a client’s choice of colour and embroidery, as well as by unique dimensions.”
Some of Champalimaud’s designs involves intricate, geometric detailing that are customised using hues of pale grey, taupe, rich burgundy and bright orange amongst others. For those seeking a bolder graphic, the Amalgame and Polymath designs afford a wider, statement swathe of colour. Champalimaud’s Parure and Chyulu designs also include linear, almost architectural patterns.
“Champalimaud is a popular luxury brand. The brand owner has designed bespoke sheets for patrons around the globe, as well as for fine hotels, including The Dorchester, London, and the recently refurbished Hotel Bel Air in Los Angeles. To this end, luxury duvets are sure to be the most beautiful style statement you won’t mind showing off.
