PHOTOSHOOT DAY ONE

From left: Kathleen, Taylor, and Jay reviewing the most recent shot, while chatting with Juliet and her son!

Juliet's son asking, "Who's that lady?" in a gorgeous British accent. 

Lucy is dog tired on her Wedgwood Adele Dog Bed

BUILDING THE SETS

The photoshoot is next week and everyone is hard at work building the sets and painting. One of our vignettes will be a stage of rustic wood, and another will be a moody Bordeaux & Coral ombre wall. The third project is a fun and fanciful surprise!

Manuel and Mario are helping to deliver our first wall - in style of course:

 

The pickle barrel turned out to be the winner.

Starting with the peach wall from previous sets, we knew we needed to fade it to Bordeaux without getting a muddy color. Originally overwhelmed by the amount of choices in this family, we ended up with some beautiful tones.

Unfortunately the first attempt was a bit too dark:

So designer Kathleen got to work lightening it up - luckily she's been mastering her fine painting skills at Academy of Art in San Francisco.

Taking a break.

The final wall is a perfect blend.

Partner Mitchell working on the surprise...

Special delivery from Jenny!

PHOTOSHOOT SCAVENGER HUNT

In preparation for our next photoshoot, our stylist Juliet White is sending us on a scavenger hunt for props! To find the items we need, we're scouring Etsy, Antique Stores, the Alameda Flea Market, our homes and those of our friends. Here's a peek into what's on the list for the next shoot:

1. All things Copper
2. A blonde puppy (how fun!)
3. Glitter Shoes
4. Fanciful food items a-la Hook
5. Vintage flatware with light colored handles 
6. An ornate gold frame and book with gold binding
7. Distressed wood
8. A dark colored teacup
9. A ladder to display guest towels

When arriving at the Alameda Flea Market, one must have a strategy. Ours was to walk each row A-Z top to bottom, and stop only briefly to refresh the list of items in our minds. By row E all I could see was copper and we threw in the towel officially at row Q.

Alameda Flea Market with a gorgeous view of San Francisco from across the Bay

Along the way we snapped photos of items to send to Juliet for a game of Goldilocks! Some of them weren't quite the right color, size, or style, as you can see...

Perfect colors, but we need it in a teacup!

A black teacup, but the white inside makes it a little too light for the shot in mind

The right color combination with copper and Wedgwood, but the wrong shape.

A bit too ornate, but on the right track with the handles.

This wood is from a Pickle Barrel! This might do the trick.

Darker and more distressed on the opposite side.

  Vintage Bank Antiques in Petaluma is, as you may have guessed, inside an old Bank. Love the high ceilings.

None of these books are quite right...

At hundreds of dollars a piece in some cases, not the right price point either!

This frame was a bit large!

Much better size.

A sweet sewing vignette I found along the way.

We don't need a birdcage. I'm getting distracted.

After finding many small step-stool ladders, this one was of course too tall!

Colorful Cakes!

Paris Dreaming.

This gnome thinks we're doing a great job.

Stay tuned for the final Bella Notte photoshoot in April to see how we did in our travels.

BELLA NOTTE, BABY!

Carrie Cooper of Kansas recently sent us this photo of her son with his blanket, "Bobby", a Cashmere Baby Blanket with a Satin trim. He's now 11 and still loves it! How could you resist those baby blues?

It means a lot to us to see how Bella Notte's products find their way into your lives. Thanks for sharing Carrie!

STAGING WITH BELLA NOTTE LINENS

Because of the diversity of Bella Notte Linen's colors, fabrics, prints, and styles - no two beds are the exactly same. We love how this Houston home was dressed in a light and drapey ensemble of  Linen Whisper, Colette, and a Velvet Quilted coverlet, which pairs perfectly with the rustic fixtures and vintage art. And the view of the bedroom from the archway is simply stunning.

We also love this fanciful display of Linen Whisper Bed Scarfs.





And this neutral bed with Amalie frills and the tree's whispy branches falling behind.

We hope this helps you to find your own Bella Notte style and inspiration!

BELLA'S PUPPY ROUNDUP!

Got a case of the Monday's? Let the Bella Puppy Roundup help cheer you up!

Sweet Ruby on her new Bella Notte Chesapeake Dog Bunk. She's resting, but she's got her ear on you.

Rosie has claimed her quilted territory! Her ears match the headboard perfectly.

Mollie can't wait for her own bed, but in the meantime she cuddles up on Colette.

WHY BUY AMERICAN?

The past several years have been financially challenging for the U.S.: natural disasters, unemployment, and the housing bubble burst have touched us all personally or professionally (or both).

Fortunately there are signs that America is picking up the pieces. And the resounding rhetoric about creating jobs, supporting local businesses, and buying goods made in the U.S. is hard to ignore. But when it’s more expensive and harder to come by, WHY BUY AMERICAN?

In the article, MADE IN USA Still Matters, Harold Sirkin reminds us,

“To most of the world, ‘Made in the USA’ still means something special: quality, dependability, safety, reliability—products that feature the most advanced technologies and the hippest styles. Buy these products, and you too can share in the American dream.”

We at Bella Notte know that our customers invest in us. Not just the expense and not just the linens, but our company and what we represent to them: easy-care luxury, supreme comfort, and American-made products they can trust. 

We want to take the time to outline what goes in to our products, why they may cost more than goods manufactured overseas, and how we ensure that you will notice the difference.

WE SUPPORT THE AMERICAN ECONOMY & WORKING WAGES

When you buy from Bella Notte, you support a long line of American businesses and employees. From local cutters, sewers, and dyers, to the office support staff on hand to assist accounts, to our national reps and trusty UPS and FedEx delivery people – our net is far reaching. We pay US living wages, provide health insurance and a 410k plan, and our employees stay on board for years. 

Bella Notte also supports small and medium sized retailers nationally. Our aesthetic is luxurious, relaxed, and vintage inspired, which tends to fit in more with family-owned boutiques. When they stock Bella Notte's products, our retailers can offer customers something special not found in any department store.

While it’s not always possible to buy American-made given how much manufacturing has moved overseas (to China specifically), you can feel confident knowing that your Bella Notte linens are cut and sewn right here in the San Francisco Bay Area without any sweatshop labor.

WE MAKE LONG-LASTING, HIGH QUALITY PRODUCTS

Our products are couture in nature; every garment-dyed batch of linens has custom qualities. This is the result of being manufactured locally as opposed to being produced on a factory line overseas. We like that every piece is personal and unique.

We often say that our linens are an investment. Every wash makes them softer, and that beloved ‘lived-in’ quality is what we strive for. If you follow our care instructions closely, you can keep your Bella for years to come and never fear cuddling up in the softest of linens, satins, laces, and velvets. 

WE ARE ENVIRONMENTALLY CONSCIOUS

Because we cut, sew, and dye our textiles locally (within a 20 mile radius from our home office and warehouse), we are able to reduce our carbon footprint by avoiding a long international supply chain. That means fewer bags and boxes, and less waste. We also have to meet with strict US manufacturing regulations, and even go one step further to use non-toxic dyes and low-impact fabrics. And given the quality and value of every square inch of our materials, we incorporate smaller pieces into our Quilted Coverlets or donate them to local retirement communities and animal shelters, ensuring that we have virtually no fabric waste and are always giving back.

The equivalent of 7.5 tons of textiles, the “3% Mountain” is only a percentage of the 253 tons of clothing Hong Kong residents throw away on average EACH DAY

We want to formally thank all of our customers, national retailers, and fans for valuing our brand and supporting our products and process. We know that you have thousands of options when shopping for bedding and apparel, and we are grateful that you choose to shop Bella and invest in American-made goods, and an American, family-owned company.