The Opening Note
This Valentine’s Day feels especially meaningful – a decade with my partner is worth celebrating, and I want our home to reflect the milestone in every detail. After the long gray of January, early February feels like the perfect moment to create a romantic bedroom or fireside sanctuary.
Even though I’ll be spending Valentine’s Day on the Isle of Wight, I’ll be decorating our home for the entire week. Flickering candles, layered cozy textiles, soft silks, and lingering home fragrances will set the scene for warmth and intimacy. I’ll be baking my favorite cherry and amaretto soufflé recipe in heart-shaped Le Creuset Cocottes, letting the aroma mingle with candlelight to make even a simple evening feel special.
Small home luxuries feel essential at the tail end of winter. A perfectly brewed cup of tea, a layered throw, or soft silk bedding offers calm, marking a pause in the busy flow of daily life. I’m drawn to objects that quietly elevate a space: marble accents, sculptural ceramics, woven baskets, elegant trays, and statement vases. Chosen with care, they make a home feel like a sanctuary – warm, intimate, and inviting, especially when candlelight flickers and the scent of home-baked treats lingers.
Creating a romantic ambience isn’t about grand gestures; it’s about layering light, scent, texture, and taste. Candles glow across mantels, throws invite you to curl up, silks shimmer under soft lighting, and the aroma of a soufflé fills the air. Even small touches – a handpicked vase or a scented candle – make a room feel personal, considered, and warm.
This Valentine’s, indulgence is a ritual, not an extravagance. The home will celebrate love in the everyday: the touch of silk, the soft candlelight, and the joy of baking and sharing something sweet. Romance resides in the spaces we inhabit, the textures that comfort us, and the flavors that linger in our memories. Layering care, joy, and a little indulgence creates a home – and a Valentine’s Day – that feels intimate, unforgettable, and truly ours.
The Edit: Valentine's Day
In the Spotlight: Gingerlily
Few home brands feel as quietly transformative as Gingerlily. Founded in 2004 by Deborah Fiddy, the brand started with a fascination for the comfort and health benefits of silk-filled bedding, introducing silk duvets to the UK and European market for the first time. Since then, it has grown into a specialist name in luxury silk, defined by craftsmanship, restraint, and a deep commitment to quality.
Gingerlily is about more than luxury – it’s about sleeping better. Since switching to silk, it’s impossible to imagine sleeping in anything else. Its natural breathability and temperature-regulating properties keep the night comfortable, while the smooth, soft texture feels indulgent against the skin. The difference is noticeable: hair tangles less, skin feels softer, and mornings are calmer and more refreshed rather than creased or overheated.
Silk bedding transforms a bedroom into a romantic sanctuary. The duvets and pillows feel weightless yet cozy, creating a sense of intimacy and calm. Even the simplest room feels elevated, a space designed for connection, comfort, and rest. A bedroom outfitted with Gingerlily silk isn’t just about aesthetics – it becomes a nightly ritual that makes both sleep and shared moments feel indulgent.
Designed in-house in London and crafted with expert silk manufacturers in a small province outside Shanghai, Gingerlily’s bedding, linens, and sleepwear are made to be lived with every day. Luxurious without being fussy, transformative without being ostentatious – each piece quietly improves the way nights and bedrooms feel.
This specialist approach has earned Gingerlily a loyal following in the UK and a growing presence in the US, where its focus on comfort, wellbeing, and refined ease resonates strongly.
More than a bedding brand, it has become the go-to for creating bedrooms for couples that feel restorative, romantic, and effortlessly elegant. Silk isn’t a treat anymore – it’s a transformative necessity that makes every night feel like a little indulgence.
In the Queue
Next week on The Very British Edit, I’ll be focusing on one of my favourite ways to recharge at home: creating a spa-like sanctuary dedicated to rest, ritual, and quiet indulgence. When the days feel cold and busy, this is the routine I always return to – slowing everything down and turning everyday moments into something restorative and grounding.
I’ll be sharing how I transform my spa bathroom into a hotel-worthy retreat, built around indulgent bathing rituals. Think softly glowing candles, plush towels, soothing home fragrances, and beautifully considered pieces that elevate even the simplest soak. From calming herbal infusions and nourishing bath products to gently scented simmer pots, scent and atmosphere play a central role in creating a space that instantly encourages you to unwind.
Beyond the bath itself, it’s the small, thoughtful details that make the space feel truly spa-like: curated accessories, natural textures, muted tones, and practical luxuries that feel comforting rather than overdone. These are the elements that make a bathroom feel calm, intentional, and inviting.
This edit is all about intentional self-care and the pleasure of slowing down. It’s about creating a space at home where you can switch off, recharge your batteries, and enjoy moments of quiet indulgence – no booking required.
The Very British Edit is a shoppable guide to beautiful living with a distinctly British twist. From heritage patterns to timeless decor inspirations, each edition blends personal insight, design expertise, and a love of craftsmanship. It is stylish, trustworthy, and endlessly inspiring.
