High/low: Restful retreat

Can you tell the high from the low?

Think you've figured it out?

Low: $2,072

1 Cotton Mesh Oval pendant light, 20", Union Lighting and Furnishings, $530. 2 Gianna Venetian mirror, Union Lighting and Furnishings, $20. 3 Powder-coated steel adjustable plug-in Ranarp sconce, IKEA, $90. 4 Linen Linblomma shams & duvet cover in Natural, per 3-piece set, IKEA, $18. 5 Glass Stripes bottle with plastic lid (not shown), Zara Home, $18. 6 Glass Stripes tumbler, Zara Home, $4. 7 Porcelain-topped brass-plated steel Oneda side table, Elte Market, $140. 8 Style at Home Collection cotton Embroidered flat & fitted sheets in White, per 4-piece set, Sears, $140. 9 Style at Home Collection polyester Periwinkle Paisley coverlet, Sears, $140. 10 North Afghan hand-spun wool kilim Chubi RUG, 4' x 6', Herat Carpets, $545. High & Low: Valspar Dogwood Petal Ci203 Wall Paint And Cashmere Pink Ci-119 Accent Stripe Wall Paint, Lowe’s; Portrait Linen Liz Toss Cushion, Trianon; White Nile Votive Holder, Crocheted Lana Cardigan (On Hook), Anthropologie; Gold-Dipped Porcelain Dish (Used As Coaster), Cambie Design.

High: $5,034

1 George Nelson Bubble medium plastic-polymer-coated steel Saucer pendant light, 25", Design Within Reach, $329 US. 2 Inner Oval mirror with silver border, Union Lighting and Furnishings, $1,360. 3 Powder-coated steel accordion plug-in Morgan sconce in Ivory, Crate and Barrel, $199. 4 Lavato Italian linen/Egyptian cotton shams in Natural, $74 each, and duvet cover in Natural, Au Lit Fine Linens, $404. 5 Distinctly Home glass Como carafe with cork lid, Hudson’s Bay, $25. 6 Mikasa glass Swirl tumbler in White, Hudson’s Bay, $25. 7 Handcrafted marble-topped painted cast-aluminum Elke side table, Crate and Barrel, $699. 8 Ralph Lauren cotton sateen fitted & flat sheets in Deco White, $145 each, Hudson’s Bay, $290. 9 Cotton Grid Dot coverlet in White, West Elm, $205. 10 West Afghan hand-spun wool kilim Soumak rug with raised pile weave details, 5' x 7', Herat Carpets, $1,350.  

DIY headboard

Bored by the typical headboard? Here’s an easy DIY headboard alternative: Paint a stripe the width of the bed and the height of the wall using a contrasting hue. Then hang a large ornate Venetian mirror about two feet above the bed. Together, the two elements create the look of a grand headboard. Valspar cashmere pink ci-119 accent stripe wall paint, Lowe’s; Gianna Venetian mirror, Union Lighting and Furnishings, $530.

Modern lighting

American architect and furniture designer George Nelson (1908–1986) was forever pushing the envelope. Working in the heyday of mid-century modern design alongside the likes of Eero Saarinen and Charles and Ray Eames, George honed in on his contemporaries’ fixation with seating. “Every truly original idea,” he wrote, “seems to find its most important expression in a chair.” it’s this keen sense of observation that led George to make waves in the realm of lighting in 1947. Inspired by a photo of cargo ships covered in netting encased in self-webbing plastic (a translucent white spray developed for military use), George and one of his in-house designers tracked down the “spiderwebby” spray and used it on a spherical frame they fashioned from steel wire. thus the prototype for the first bubble pendant was born, and the rest is history. Many of the original designs in the line, including the saucer, are still in production. George Nelson bubble medium plastic-polymer-coated steel saucer pendant light, Design Within Reach, $329 US.

Bedding

Five oatmeal-coloured shams boasting homespun charm impress with decorative flanges. 1 Frayed Rough edges lend rustic countryside appeal. Cotton blend Daloni in neutral with envelope closure, Anthropologie, $98 US per pair. 2 Wide The voluminous flappy flange has a casual, laze-in-bed vibe. Lavato Italian linen/Egyptian cotton in natural with envelope closure, Au Lit Fine Linens, $74 each. 3 Classic A simple design and super-soft feel promise to make this washed-linen sham a long-standing favourite in your home. Alamode Home washed-linen Morgan in natural with envelope closure, Elte Market, $40 each. 4 Contrasting A warm charcoal accent colour smartly frames this one, giving it a slightly serious, sophisticated air. Linen blend Leah with button closure, Urban Barn, $200 per 3-piece duvet set. 5 Knotty The tie details give this option’s single flange an upscale look. Linen Linblomma with envelope closure, IKEA, $90 per 3-piece duvet set.

Old-world charm toss cushions

Our High and Low bedrooms get their old-world charm from the toss cushion, which is adorned with the image of a veiled lady borrowed from a vintage French oil painting. Here are a few other toss cushion options featuring historic Mesdames (and even a Monsieur!). 1 National portrait gallery polyester Queen Elizabeth i arrow with feather insert, 18" x 18", We Love Cushions, $72. 2 Chad Wys polyester Nocturne 109 with polyester insert, 16" x 16", Society6, $27 US. 3 Polyester Lucrezia Sommaria with polyester insert, 16" x 16", Zazzle, $42. 4 Portrait linen Andrea with down/feather insert, 24" x 24", Trianon, $325.