The Nightstand

The Story Behind Valerie

September 9, 2025

The Artist's Studio

September 1, 2025

January Reads with Sarah Gwonyoma

January 22, 2025

January is all about new beginnings and resolutions. It’s also about going a bit slower and hunkering down and what could feel more ‘hibernation mode’ than a good book and a fresh nightie. In celebration of this we chatted to our book crush, Sarah Gwonyoma to share a selection of her favourite reads – and yes, it doesn’t hurt that she is a fellow nightie devotee and looks just perfect in some of our designs! Writer and Book Critic, Sarah Gwonyoma is the Founder of the popular online platform What Sarah Read Next. With an acute eye for the hottest reads, Sarah writes brilliant book reviews and has interviewed an array of notable authors on literary circuit; Douglas Stuart, Abi Morgan, Annie MacManus and Musa Okwonga, Ayobami Adebayo, Paul Murray and many more. Her joy of reading is contagious, and we adored hearing her thoughts below. Dive into to Sarah's literary world, discovering her perfect nighttime routine as well as her monthly online book club - What We Read Next. WHAT IS ON YOUR NIGHTSTAND? Lumity Morning and Night capsules, Neom Perfect Night’s Sleep Mist (Lavender, Chamomile and Patchouli), Magnesium Glycinate tablets and Wideye Lavender Oil. Oh and books of course.  THE LAST BOOK YOU READ WAS... 'The Wedding People' by Alison Espach - laugh out loud funny. Oh my goodness, EVERYONE has to read it BEDTIME READING: PAPER BOOK OR KINDLE? Paper book every time. Kindle only if I can’t get hold of a book I’m desperate to read or when I’m travelling.  WHAT IS YOUR FAVOURITE BOOK OF ALL TIME? 'A Little Life' by Hanya Yanagihara. I think about this book (Jude) every day. No book has ever affected me like this one. WHAT IS YOUR ULTIMATE BEDTIME ROUTINE? If I’m not travelling or out at a work event, I’m usually tucked up in bed by 8:30pm. My routine usually involves cleansing my face and whacking on my Aesop Fabulous Face Oil, slipping on my PJs and getting into bed by 8:30pm. I spritz my pillow with Neom Perfect Night’s Sleep mist, take both my Lumity Night and Magnesium tablets, and then lie in bed with my book, until I fall asleep.  THE ONE BOOK EVERYONE SHOULD READ IS... ‘Possibility’ by Sareeta Domingo - A romantic novel about a woman called Anika who wakes up in hospital on her thirtieth birthday with a second chance at life, vowing not to waste another second. It’s a book about manifesting the life of your dreams and lots of sexy love. WHEN IT COMES TO BED, NOTHING FEEL BETTER THAN... Wearing your favourite luxe pjs, lathered in lavender oil, propped up in bed with a unputdownable book.  IS THERE A BOOK THAT YOU ALWAYS GO BACK TO AT THIS TIME OF YEAR? 'With Love Grief and Fury' by Salena Godden TELL US MORE ABOUT YOUR BOOK CLUB, HOW IT CAME ABOUT AND HOW PEOPLE CAN GET INVOLVED? My friend Charlie and I set up our monthly online book club - WHAT WE READ NEXT - last year. Every month we sit down and chat to a different author about their book, which I have specially picked from the hundreds I’ve been lucky to read and love. The online events will all run virtually, so you can watch it from the comfort of your home or on your phone. As a book club member, you will also have the chance to ask the author questions during the live event AND chat about the book in our very own blog space. The monthly subscription covers your ticket for the online event and 3 free newsletters from me. Charlie and I REALLY want to build a community of book lovers from all over the world because for us books ARE JOY. To find out more about the What We Read Next Book visit: Website // Instagram

Pillow Talk with... Caroline Kent

December 16, 2024

Welcome back to The Nightstand, our quarterly newsletter landing in your inbox in time for each season change, so here we are with Winter, in all its glory. This season's Pillow Talk is with the beautiful and charming Caroline Kent. With a background as a curator of contemporary art, illustrator Caroline Kent founded stationery brand Scribble & Daub in 2012, to create stylish cards and paper goods for gifting, hosting and correspondence. For those who still delight in handcrafted, tangible pieces as a remedy to the digital world. WHAT IS ON YOUR NIGHTSTAND?  A Moleskine diary to jot down a line or two about the day, a pebble my son Caspar drew love hearts on for me, a painting of roses on an odd bit of cardboard which hides the plug socket that was put in the wrong place, and The Nine Tailors by Dorothy L Sayers, recommended to me as a great Christmas read by my friend Jo Rodgers. WHAT IS YOUR ULTIMATE BEDTIME ROUTINE?  A candlelit bath with Susanne Kaufmann’s Oil for the Senses, followed by  Votary’s Night Oil. Then a few pages of a great book, turning out the light when I find it drops from my hand… This is not a scenario that occurs with any regularity! YOUR ONE PEARL OF WISDOM FOR A GOOD NIGHT'S SLEEP?  Fresh air - I sleep best with the window open. AND ONE FALLACY? Sleepy tea, it just makes you need a wee in the middle of the night! DESCRIBE YOUR PERFECT CHRISTMAS MORNING... I love the feeling of a rustling, present-filled stocking at my feet, and childishly insist that my husband still make one for me - he one hand-painted me a little box of marzipan fruits (I love marzipan). Waking up to that is the best. Our alarm clock on Christmas morning is the excited shrieks of our three boys as they open their own stockings, and who then pile into our bed to show us their loot. WHOSE BEDROOM WOULD YOU MOST LIKE TO SNOOP AROUND?  Alexa Chung WHAT INSPIRES YOU MOST FOR YOUR WORK? The garden and meadow we’ve made around our cottage. I won’t ever get tired of drawing flowers. But I do get terribly distracted by the endless jobs that I could be doing outside the studio window…  MOST ROMANTIC PIECE OF MUSIC TO RELAX TO?  My husband Tim playing the piano. WHAT IS ON YOUR BREAKFAST-IN-BED TRAY?  A pastry magically teleported from Lannan bakery in Edinburgh, half a pink grapefruit, a glass of Champagne, and coffee in my favourite Ginny Sims mug. And a copy of the FT on the side. BEDTIME READING: PAPER BOOK OR KINDLE?  Paper book, always and forever. WHAT IS ON YOUR CHRISTMAS LIST THIS YEAR?  A holm oak tree, Art is Magic by Jeremy Deller, a pair of beautifully coloured socks, a charm necklace from Grainne Morton, and a bolt of Common Room’s mochaware fabric for my January decorating plans… ONE SMELL THAT EVOKES AUTUMN IS...  Frost (or even better, snow). YOUR FAVOURITE IF ONLY IF NIGHTIE? Carey - cannot believe how soft and light it is, just want to spend all day in bed… WHEN IT COMES TO BED, NOTHING FEELS BETTER THAN...  Fresh clean sheets. And a cuddle. Discover Scribble & Daub: Website // Instagram

Pillow Talk with.... Florence Sweryda

October 12, 2024

Welcome back to The Nightstand, our quarterly newsletter landing in your inbox in time for each season change, so here we are with Autumn, in all its glory.  This season's Pillow Talk is with the beautiful and charming Florence Sweryda. Florence is an artist and maker from East Sussex. She explores making in all its forms from hand painting the walls, making the crockery for the table, and now in the last couple of years, returning to her childhood love of painting and constructing in miniature. A connecting thread of fine decorative detail and the natural world runs throughout Florence’s body of work. What is your ultimate bedtime routine? Supper at 7, smallish cup of tea (strong, milk no sugar) a very hot bath and in bed by 9:30.  What is on your nightstand? A glass of water, a half painted barley twist lamp and a battered paperback copy of When Marnie was There - a default relaxing book since I was age 10. Normally there’s some English paper pieced patchwork but as we’ve just moved into a project house there’s a small pile of Edwardian floorboard nails instead. Your one pearl of wisdom for a good night's sleep? A long walk, like today's windy walk onto the South Downs. Or being read three quarters of a page of a sci-fi book by my partner; nothing makes me fall asleep faster.  Whose bedroom would you most like to snoop around? Paddington's attic room. What inspires you most for your work? Old small things, the kind you'd find in a drawer in a big house. Which piece of art do you adore the most? Anything by Edward Ardizzone or David Gentleman. What is on your breakfast-in-bed tray? Buttered toast with the tiniest spread of marmite, a large cup of tea, possibly some yogurt with Polish honey. Bedtime reading: Paper Book or Kindle? Paper always. One smell that evokes Autumn is...  Crispy bonfire air in the evening. I like to have a good sniff when I let the dog out of the back door before she goes to bed. Your favourite If Only If Nightie? A tie between Chloe Long or Pandora. When it comes to bed, nothing feels better than...  Liberty lawn sheets. Discover Florence's work: Website // Instagram

Pillow Talk with... Violet Dent

July 21, 2024

Welcome back to The Nightstand, our quarterly newsletter landing in your inbox in time for each season change, so here we are with Summer, in all its glory.  This season's Pillow Talk is with the beautiful and charming Violet Dent. Violet is a Fashion and Homeware Designer, Creative Consultant and Stylist who has worked with Cabbages & Roses for the past 18 years. She started her career as a make-up artist whilst working in the Cabbages & Roses shop part time. Christina Strutt, founder of the brand, quickly realised they had a similar eye and took Violet under her wing, teaching her everything from fabric printing to designing an entire fashion collection. She worked for the brand for 10 years until 2017, when she then worked as a freelance designer and stylist before having her daughter Dolly in 2020. She re-joined Cabbages & Roses in 2022, overseeing all creative projects and designs which led to our wonderful If Only If x Cabbages & Roses collaboration. What is your ultimate bedtime routine?  A bath, face mask, clean sheets, an If Only If nightie (obviously) and in bed by 10pm. This is extremely unrealistic and very rarely happens but when it does there is genuinely nothing better. What is on your nightstand? I love the Deep Sleep Pillow Spray from This Works, The Sleepy Cream from Lush which smells like heaven, Kalms, a pile of books I'll never read, water and my phone. Your one pearl of wisdom for a good night's sleep? When I was pregnant and finding it hard to fall asleep I started listening to Harry Potter on Audible. It's been almost four years since then and my husband and I still fall asleep to it every single night. It's read by Stephen Fry and there is something so calming and familiar about his voice. I'm not sure if it's a good or bad habit but if you're feeling anxious and want to take your mind off the real world I would highly recommend it. And one fallacy?  I've just received a grounding sheet to sleep on. They are meant to be amazing for sleep, mood, stress, inflammation and a million other things so I'm excited to try it and see if it's true or a fallacy. Whose bedroom would you most like to snoop around?  Probably Kim Kardashian's. Most romantic piece of music to relax to? Anything by Ludovico Einaudi. What is on your breakfast-in-bed tray? I'm not a huge breakfast person but I love coffee, my first of the day is a black Americano. Bedtime reading: Paper Book or Kindle? A paper book. Your favourite If Only If nightie? I adore all your nighties but the ones from the If Only If x Cabbages & Roses collaboration are my current favourites. One smell that evokes Spring is...  Elderflower and suncream.  When it comes to bed, nothing feels better than...  Clean sheets, a fresh nightie and a silk pillowcase. Discover Violet Dent

Pillow Talk with... Chalotte Wood

December 21, 2023

Welcome back to The Nightstand, our quarterly newsletter landing in your inbox for each season change. So here we are with Winter, in all its Christmas-filled magical splendour. We very much hope you’re reading this curled up on the sofa in your nightie, cup of tea (or champagne) in hand, soaking up that glorious no man's land of ‘betwixmas’. And whilst all the presents may be unwrapped, we have one last festive treat for you as for this season’s Pillow Talk we sit down with Charlotte Wood, the genius creative mind behind Polar Post and our collaboration partner - one of the highlights of our year. Dreamt up by Charlotte almost a decade ago, Polar Post is now known in family homes far and wide as the true ‘magic operator’ of Christmas. Children send off their letters to Father Christmas and with the expert help of Charlotte and her merry team of elves, all letters are personally responded to as if from the big man himself, with no detail spared. As anyone who has received a Polar Post letter knows, this goes far beyond a piece of paper slipped into an envelope. Charlotte’s letters are true works of art, embossed, stamped and lovingly curated with her signature creative touch. They truly are made with an heirloom feel in mind, to be read back and treasured as a Christmas memory for years to come. So we hope you are settled in and ready to cling onto those last few days of Christmas magic. We’re so grateful that you’re here. Emily x What is on your nightstand at this time of year? Alas me and my nightstand don’t spend a lot of time together at this time of year as I become a creature of the night in the run up to Christmas. However, I am trying to be strict with myself this year and to decompress slightly before I get into bed. To that end I have bought myself one of The Fabled Thread's samplers. I have always had grand ideas about sewing both of my children a sampler to celebrate their births and now that my daughter is nine I feel I'd better get motoring... even if I only put a couple of stitches in before I go to sleep I feel like I've done something for myself and better for it. What is your Christmas Eve bedtime routine? A few years ago for one reason or another I just wasn’t feeling the magic on Christmas Eve. I was about to reach for the Bailey’s when I decided instead to bundle everyone up, light lanterns and go for a walk in the dark before bed. The children ran from house to house shouting Merry Christmas into people’s letterboxes and jingling their bells, the owls were out in force hooting and we are sure we caught a glimpse of the Christmas fairy. Needless to say I found the magic and it’s now become a tradition before bedtime on Christmas Eve. Brand new Christmas Eve nightie or old loved one? There is something very special about new nightwear at Christmas isn't there? Your favourite Christmas movie? It's got to be It's A Wonderful Life. Favourite winter night cap? King's Ginger, it's pure Christmas. Particularly wonderful if you can pay a visit to Berry Bros themselves, it's like stepping into a Dickensian Christmas!. Your favourite childhood Christmas book? Alison Uttley's Christmas Stories. My mum gave me this book when I started secondary school and lots of my friends were asking questions about Father Christmas. I think it was my mum's way of showing me that there is magic in everything if you look for it. Which If Only If nightie are you hoping for under the Christmas tree? Oo it’s a tough one but I think it would have to be the Jessie as it combines two of my greatest loves smocking and gingham… What is it that makes a nightie really lovely? A good nightie really has to work hard doesn't it? I like a nightie that gives me all the comfort, soft, light whilst also makes me feel like I'm dressing for the occasion. A good nightie should be romantic with a sense of drama. Not much to ask really is it? One smell that evokes Christmas is... The tree. I know they shed their needles all over the place but I am a Norway Spruce girl through and through and it's purely for the smell. When it comes to bed, nothing feels better than... An actual mattress. I’ve spent more nights on a camp bed next to a child than I care to admit. Your one pearl of wisdom for a good nights sleep? White noise…without it I'm always listening out for a little voice shouting Mummy! The true magic of Christmas is... That it makes children of us all.

Pillow Talk with... Arabella Preston

October 12, 2023

Welcome back to The Nightstand, our quarterly newsletter landing in your inbox in time for each season change. So here we are with Autumn, in all its golden-hued glory, and this season’s Pillow Talk is with VOTARY and VERDEN co-founder, Arabella Preston. Former make-up artist, Arabella forged her career working with top photographers, magazines and high-profile private clients. Inspired by her belief that healthy skin is the best foundation, she went on to co-found these two incredibly successful brands. It was a complete joy to sit down with Arabella and pick her brain on all things 'nighttime routine’ and as a self-confessed skincare addict, I couldn’t wait to hear a step by step of her evening rituals. What is on your nightstand at this time of year? A transporting book. I’m currently immersed in Tell Me What I Am by Una Mannion. A hand cream. I can’t sleep with dry hands so have the VERDEN D’Orangerie Hand Cream by my bed always. A good luck charm. The magic wand my nephew made me when he was three. It’s one of my most treasured possessions. A skin transforming product. Currently VOTARY’S new Night Star Serum. My skin gets dry in the Autumn and is drinking this up. The best earplugs in the world. The wax earplugs by Blox are unsurpassed. What is your bedtime routine? It starts early in the evening with a hot bath, soaking with a bath oil and face mask. I then do my full skincare routine, thoroughly removing make-up and applying Night Star Serum. I am simply too tired just before bed to do a good enough job so my skin is always better when I do it earlier in the evening. Then just before bed I will reapply the serum and add a little Intense Night Oil on top. Then 10 minutes reading until my eyes start to droop.  Your one pearl of wisdom for a good night's sleep? I always sleep better when I have washed the day off, so a hot bath or shower are key. And one fallacy? I don’t need to digitally detox 2 hours before going to bed. In fact the opposite is true, if I am up to date with messages and have engaged with what the following day will hold, I usually sleep better.  Whose bedroom would you most like to snoop around? Estée Lauder’s - preferably in the 1940’s or 50’s if you can swing it for me. What books past or present have you enjoyed on your nightstand? I loved Anya Hindmarch’s business memoir, If In Doubt Wash Your Hair. It’s fun and honest. I also adored Sorrow and Bliss by Meg Mason. Your favourite childhood book? At bedtime it was always Demon Daisy’s Dreadful Week by Phillida Gill. It tells the story of a girl who is having a terrible time being good and her very, very tired, Mummy. My Mum read it to me and I loved reading it to my daughter at the same age. It ends with the cathartic line “But Daisy was a good girl at heart; she always said she was sorry, and her mother wouldn’t have changed her for the world.” The illustrations are also beautiful and I seem to remember some very If Only If-esque nighties! Which If Only If nightie is on your wishlist? Well I have to say the Arabella don’t I? But seriously, I love a square neck and long sleeve so…. One smell that evokes Autumn is... For me it’s the smell of our freshly pressed Apple Juice. We pick the apples in September then bottle the juice. It sees us through the winter and when it gets really cold we mull it with spices.  When it comes to bed, nothing feels better than... Clean, ironed sheets, cotton nightwear and cuddles! 

Pillow Talk with... Amber Guinness

July 18, 2023

Amber Guinness is a cook and food writer living in Florence. She was born in London and brought up in Tuscany. She learned to cook at her mother’s side in the kitchen at Arniano, a farmhouse restored by her parents. Her first cookbook 'A House Party In Tuscany' was published by Thames & Hudson in 2022. She co-founded the Arniano Painting School in 2014, a residential painting retreat at her family home in Tuscany where she cooks delicious meals for all.  We relished the opportunity to sit down with Amber for this season's Pillow Talk, picking her brains on everything from what’s on her bed side table, to her favourite childhood book, and of course, her favourite IOI nightie. What is on your nightstand? It's mainly taken up with pile of books I will never have time to read, though I did just finish a brilliant novel by Alice Winn called ‘In Memoriam’ which I feel very bereft to have finished. A reading lamp (essential) which I am particularly fond of from Lazuli Design and a jug of water.  What is your ultimate bedtime routine? Once I’ve wriggled into one of my many If Only If nighties (my collection is worthy of any superfan) I make myself a cup of fennel tea and hop into bed with a book and read until I get distracted by my husband wanting to chat about the day. I go to sleep very easily so I’m off very soon after the last sip of tea. Your one pearl of wisdom for a good night's sleep? Reading in bed leads to a much more restful night than doom scrolling on the phone, sadly I often end up doing the latter. A couple of gin martinis never hurt either. And one fallacy? As a new mother, the most unachievable bit of advice I think you can be given is ‘When your baby sleeps, you sleep’. Best hotel bed you've ever stayed in? The Villa Feltrinelli on Lake Garda. Whose bedroom would you most like to snoop around? I’ve snooped around Dalí’s bedroom in Port Lligat in Northern Spain and very much aspire to his alarm clock…a small mirror fixed on the opposite wall to his bed, perfectly angled so he was woken by a stream of sunlight in his eyes at the sun rose.  Most romantic piece of music to relax to? Maria Callas singing 'Casta Diva' from Norma What is on your breakfast-in-bed tray? Two boiled eggs, toast, butter, salt, pepper and a strong coffee. Heaven. Bedtime reading: paper book or kindle? Definitely paper book! Though the Kindle is of course brilliant when travelling. I would always buy a physical copy as well if I’ve read a book I particularly loved on the Kindle though. I forget I’ve read it unless I see it on the shelf, and I can’t bookmark passages I want to remember. Favourie childhood book? When Hitler Stole Pink Rabbit by Judith Kerr and The Chronicles of Narnia. Your favourite If Only If Nightie? So many to choose from! Overall, my Jessie with blue trim, but I also love the Rose in winter as its heavier and fitted which is cosy as well as chic. Anna is wonderful for summer. You keep bringing out lovely new things though so I’m sure I’ll change my mind again… One smell that evokes summer is... Morning dew being burnt off by the sun after it rises. It’s a smell and feel that herald a scorcher of a day. When it comes to bed, nothing feels better than... Clean, ironed sheets and a clean, ironed nightie.

Pillow Talk with... Rebecca Udall

March 16, 2023

Specialising in contemporary fine European linens and considered homeware, Rebecca founded her eponymous brand in 2018. From there it has gone from strength to strength, becoming a go-to destination for impeccably designed homeware. We relished the opportunity to sit down with Rebecca as our first interviewee for The Nightstand, picking her brains on everything from what’s on her bed side table, to her favourite childhood book, and of course, her favourite IOI nightie. What is your ultimate bedtime routine? A bath with essential oils and watching the video content on House & Garden (I particularly enjoy these as they are not too long, I can’t stay in the bath for too long!). Afterwards, a full and thorough skin cleanse, exfoliate and moisturise. I try to do this routine on Sunday evenings but am not always able to - it’s a treat. A beautiful plush towel, incredible bed linen and lovely nightie go hand in hand with this! What is on your nightstand? A book that embarrassingly is still unread after a couple of years, an interiors magazine, a lamp, hand cream, lip balm and a trinket dish. Your one pearl of wisdom for a good night's sleep? A beautiful set of bed linen, laundered weekly. Also, no caffeine after lunch! And one fallacy? Also, coffee after lunch. If I’ve had a few glasses of wine - no problem. Favourite Childhood Book? Guess How Much I Love You by Sam McBratney  Best hotel bed you've ever stayed in? Honestly, I am yet to stay somewhere with a better bed than my own! Whose bedroom would you most like to snoop around? Probably one of my favourite interior designers purely from a design curiosity perspective. So an Albion Nord, Salvesen Graham or Veere Grenney bedroom. Most romantic piece of music to relax to? Ludovico Einaudi, I Giorni. Your favourite If Only If nightie? My pink Pandora is my go-to. I have Emily in ivory saved for my wedding morning, though, which I am super excited to wear. Discover rebeccaudall.com