I’ve made a lot of design decisions across many apartments and homes over the years, but this is, without exaggeration, the best one yet.
Last summer, on our trip to Portugal, we stayed at a hotel with what I can only describe as the best sleep setup I’ve ever experienced. After the very first night, I realized I had slept better than I ever had in my married life.
The reason? Two separate queen beds pushed together to make one. giant. bed. We lovingly call ours, the mega bed!
Given that sleep has been a battle for me since I was a kid, this is a very big deal. I am, without exaggeration, the lightest sleeper on planet earth. Meanwhile, Anel sleeps like a man possessed. The thrashing, tossing and turning is a full-contact sport on his side of the bed. It’s actually bananas.
After yet another incredible night of sleep on the trip, we looked at each other and said, wouldn’t it be amazing if we could sleep like this every night at home?
I wrote more about this in a Substack article about why having a split bed was the most romantic thing I’ve done for my marriage in a long time.
The next challenge was figuring out how to bring my wackadoodle idea to life and somehow make it look polished and beautiful. I immediately called my friend and one of the most talented designers I know, Whitney McNell. She enthusiastically told me she was on the case and proceeded to design the most gorgeous bed. It’s roughly the size of a swimming pool, yet somehow doesn’t look too insane in our bedroom.
I love the sculptural shape of the headboard and the subtle curve of the footboard. Whitney also designed a set of colorful pillows to add personality, since we both agreed that crisp white percale bedding was the chicest choice for a bed of this magnitude.
One of my favorite finishing touches is the custom lampshades. Whitney’s mom, Blair, creates the most beautiful shades, so we selected a fabric together and she made the cutest lampshades that tie the whole room together perfectly.
And the best part of all? We sleep better than ever. I’m no longer jolted awake every time Anel rolls over, and we both get to keep our own mattress while still sharing one enormous bed. It may be unconventional, but it has been a complete game changer for our sleep, our sanity, and our marriage.
- Bed Frame Design: Whitney McNell
- Bed Frame Labor: Furniture Muralles
- Bed Frame Fabric: Schumacher
- All Bedding: Boll & Branch Percale Line
- Throw Pillow Design: Whitney McNell
- Lumbar Throw Pillow Fabric: Schumacher
- Wallpaper: Serena & Lily
- Nightstands: Perigold
- Lampshade Design: Blair Lampshade Studio
- Lampshade Fabric: Spoonflower
- Wall Art: Minted (Left & Right)
- Rug: Custom-Sized Annie Selke
Photos by Julia Dags.
