Birthday greetings are in order for New York-based bedding and homewares company Area, which turns 25 this month. The company launched in October 1990, when Swedish designer Anki Spets carted her Swiss cotton duvet covers to a now-defunct trade show in Manhattan, thereby introducing the New World to Scandinavian-style bedding.
Anki didn’t set out to start a bedding company–indeed, Area today offers furniture, kitchen accessories, and clothing–but bedding became the focus because, says Anki, “At the time, there was a huge void in easy-going, good-quality bedding. And someone needed to dismantle the traditional bedroom: Out with curtains and carpets and in with Scandinavian flair.”
Over the next 25 years, Anki listened to customers and grew Area into what it is today–with admirable philosophies on materials (“longtime favorites do not change”), sales (“think about what’s right for you without any pressure to buy”), even Italian-inspired perfection (“all seams can be beautiful”). “I have no interest in telling people how their homes should look,” says Anki. “I am very interested, though, in making great products that are easy to live with and that people will not regret spending money on.”
To celebrate this momentous anniversary, Area is giving away a $1,500 gift card to one Remodelista reader. To enter, sign up for emails from Area and Remodelista by entering your email address in the box at the bottom of this post by Monday, November 9. The winner will be chosen at random and notified by email by November 11. See Official Rules for details.
Above: Longtime Area fans will be happy to learn the brand’s popular Brick quilts and shams are back, this time in a new woven cotton/linen blend in color pepper, shown here. Prices range from $90 for a Euro sham to $385 for a king-sized quilt. And just in time for colder weather, Area is offering flannel for the first time in a quarter-century: its Everett collection of sheets, duvets, and pillowcases is made of heavyweight, coal-colored cotton. Prices range from $80 for a pair of standard pillowcases to $275 for a king duvet cover.
Above: According to Area, its new Perla collection of washed cotton sateen is the softest fabric the company has ever made. Perla sheets, duvet covers, and pillowcases are available in lightest gray porcelain and a dusty blush color called powder, both shown here. A third option, dark gray slate, is the perfect foil to the lighter hues. Perla bedding is shown here on the Bruno Bed, made of solid American white oak, oil-finished walnut, or FSC-certified ash (shown here); prices range from $3,800 for a full to $4,100 for a king size.
Above: Area’s William blankets are made of 100 percent cotton, washed for a velvet-smooth finish, and available in five colors: green, orange, slate gray, steel blue, and a new burgundy for fall. According to Area, the burgundy blanket complements the rich gray and softer tones of the Perla collection especially well.
Above: Area’s Nile collection of duvets, sheets, and pillowcases may be its most luxurious: 100 percent linen in rich, yarn-dyed colors with a subtle sheen finish. The duvet covers are reversible, for a double life before needing a wash. The collection ranges in price from $145 for a pair of standard pillowcases to $550 for a king duvet cover, in beige or gray/brown, shown here.
Above: The Heather line of duvet covers, pillowcases, sheets, and shams is made of soft cotton percale with classic heathered yarns. Shown here (from top to bottom) in gray, natural, coal, and cement, Heather features subtle pleating and flange details for a polished look. Prices range from $45 for a standard sham to $275 for a king duvet cover.
For more from Area, visit Stores in New York, Los Angeles, and Austin, and read founder Anki Spets’ bedding care manifesto in Linen Logic: 20 Tips for Taking Care of Your Bedding.
Don’t forget to enter for a chance to win $1,500 to spend at Area; enter your email address in the form below by Monday, November 9:
Loading…
Have a Question or Comment About This Post?
Join the conversation