Of all the rooms in my little one-bedroom apartment in Los Angeles, my bedroom gets the least love. Perhaps it’s because I’m the only one who sees it, but since moving in in late 2020 the space has been kept relatively bare and plain. That said, last year, I finally grew tired of the old floral bedspread from Urban Outfitters, not to mention the decades-old hodgepodge of secondhand furniture that was falling apart on me. My room needed a facelift befitting of an established-ish 36-year-old, so I decided to consult with a professional. But seeing that everything was essentially still virtual, Parachute’s Home Stylist program (which includes a video or phone consultation with an expert stylist) seemed like a great way to go.
Now, to be clear, by the time I scheduled my appointment with lead stylist Mindy, I had already done some work on my end. I had added some color and life into my bedroom by way of two bright pink vintage dressers and a hand-me-down accent velvet cushioned accent chair I inherited from my favorite aunt. My little distressed yellow night stand and towering hat rack contributed to the elevated flea market vibe, but my bed was the last piece of the puzzle that desperately needed to be resolved. I just couldn’t find the items for the exact look I was going for.
The vision I’d been trying to materialize was more of a “French girl” approach to bedding: a laissez faire look where duvets, quilts, and pillows are casually layered and thrown together in a strategically unkempt way that looks effortlessly chic. Beds are made haphazardly and left a bit undone and palettes are left neutral with color popped in via said throw pillows.
My struggle has always been in finding the right duvet cover and shams in the perfect shade of beige. I can’t do stark white as they stain easily and I have a pampered pooch who sleeps with me (please hold your judgement) and insists on mid-day naps in our bed. Crisp, all-blanc bedding just isn’t practical. Another major factor to consider was my bed frame, a cast iron, vintage white and gold style that I’ve had since I was a kid and love with all my heart. The frame has a very specific, antique-y look that doesn’t really mesh with some of the more modern bedding trends taking over Instagram at the moment.
In my virtual meeting with Mindy, I gave her a tour of my bedroom, talked through my personal style (vintage eclectic), and my overall vision for my room and bed. I discussed my desire to work with my beloved bed frame and the “French girl” look I wanted to achieve. She took notes and we spitballed some ideas and key elements that might come into play (light, bone-colored linens, white quilts for layering, colorful, printed vintage-inspired throw pillows, etc.). After our 30-minute call Mindy let me know she’d send through three “looks” for me to review and select from. If none of the options were to my liking, we’d discuss and go back to the drawing board.
About 24 hours later, I received three curated lookbooks that were various mixes of the colors, textures, and essentials I imagined. Imagery accompanied each look to allow me to better visualize it IRL, as well the exact products incorporated.
I loved all three options, but one in particular spoke to me. I opted for option 2: the Bone Linen duvet cover and shams with the White Box Quilt and Desert lumbar pillow. However, instead of the lumbar pillow, I decided to use a few mismatched throws I already had on hand.
I responded to Mindy and let her know my selections, and about a week or so later my selects arrived. I should note that I’m typically skeptical of purchasing bedding online before seeing it in person. My experience has typically been that something is always different from what I see onsite: colors are often a tad off, the material is stiffer than expected, etc. However, I was pleasantly surprised to find Parachute’s bedding were quite accurate to what I saw onsite.
Even better, once I properly fitted by bed with my new treasures, the result was, well, perfect. The oatmeal-colored linen and bright white quilt fell nicely around my frame and didn’t distract from its gold and white molds and detailing. My floral patterned pillows added the perfect dash of color and interest. Perfectly imperfect in every way. Even my dog Molly approved, jumping onto the freshly made bed and falling immediately to sleep, a sure sign of approval. Mindy nailed it.
All in all, my experience with Parachute’s home stylist service was a positive one. While I’ll always prefer in-person shopping when it comes to home decor, I’m much more comfortable with allowing a professional opinion into the mix to help bring my vision to life (and my faith in Zoom and virtual consultations have also been strengthened). Sometimes, two heads really are better than one.
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