It Does Not Have to Match

A tip that’s genuinely changed how I buy things for the cottage: let go of the idea that everything has to be a perfect, matching set.

For me it works far better to combine odd pieces — as long as each one is good quality on its own. It ends up more interesting to look at, too. The kids love it, if anything, even more than a matched set would.

This is one of the kids’ sleeping nooks up in the loft. A wool blanket from Klippans Yllefabrik, a mismatched pillowcase in proper percale quality, and a duvet cover she picked out herself because she loves the flowers on it.

Unmatched turns out to be the better choice on every count that actually matters: cheaper, better quality per piece, and more inspiring to live with than a boxed set ever was. It’s the same thinking behind the guide I’m working on about cognitive load — fewer decisions about whether things “go together,” more attention on whether each piece is actually good.