An EPIC Gift for My Mummu | Nora Mattress Review

I am really, really excited to share today's post!  I know that this time of year you're inundated with gift guides and sponsored posts so you probably tune out a ton of them - but this one makes me SO happy!!!

I've nudged readers toward some practical gifts and that's from the heart because I had been saving up to purchase something big - and practical - for my Mummu.  My Mom, Mummu, and I had been playing Scrabble one night in the fall and our games always take so long because we talk and talk and talk.  Mummu casually mentioned that her decades old mattress had been really causing her some sleepless nights as well as aches and pains.  I'm not sure exactly how old that mattress is, but it's way older than me and that's old enough, so after that conversation I decided that I would surprise her with a new mattress.  After getting a foam mattress ourselves, I was thinking about getting her a foam mattress too because I thought it would be a crazy good surprise to have it shipped to her door!  The only problem was I wasn't sure if she would find ours soft enough, so I was going to do some comparison shopping online before committing. 

In a funny coincidence, Wayfair, a longtime collaborator, reached out to me about reviewing the Nora mattress!  I promptly ordered a double mattress for Mummu but I couldn't even wait for the package-on-the-doorstep surprise idea (I never could keep a secret) and immediately phoned her to spill the beans.

Her new Nora mattress arrived and my Mummu is SO thrilled!  Granted, her old mattress was terrible to sleep on so it probably isn't a fair comparison, but she is seriously smiling ear to ear.

We both tested it out and it's really cushy.  It's firm and offers great support, but you definitely sink into it a little, which feels amazing. 

The one thing Mummu noticed right away is that it's cool to the touch, thanks to a 3" thermo-regulating layer of gel-infused cooling foam.  There's also a 2" gel-infused memory foam (which gives it that cushy feel), plus two 3.5" layers of high density support foam (which keeps it from getting too cushy).  It really does feel quite different from our mattress, especially the cooling sensation and that memory foam - even the mattress cover is unique, crafted from a material derived from jade (!) which enhances the cooling effect.

I think my Mummu will enjoy the cooling properties because, being Finnish, she never seems cold.  Sure, she'll put on a cardigan but all summer long she keeps her house cool as an icebox and I have never, ever seen her don a hat in the winter - even if the rest of us are in toques and snow pants.  I wish I had inherited that gene because I am always cold.    

The Nora mattress is a really competitive price too.  The queen is $749 and the king is $949, but I've seen great sales, so watch for those.  There are nearly 500 reviews on Wayfair and the rating is almost 5 stars and because of that amazing return policy, it's a pretty safe bet!

There are a few small drawbacks though, which are worth mentioning.

1. For some reason, even though the mattress was allowed to relax for the 12 hours it requires after unrolling it (and then another 24 hours before I snapped the final photos) the mattress cover seems too large and that creates a sort of wrinkled effect.  But really, it's going to be covered with sheets anyway but I wanted to point it out, because it gives the illusion of the mattress not having expanded enough in the photos.

2. Like our foam mattress, the edges collapse when you sit on the edge of the bed.  The same thing happens with our mattress, but I honestly don't notice it anymore.  Even though this doesn't bother her, I did caution my Mummu to be careful when she sits on the edge of the bed.  If you're buying this for someone who isn't very mobile, or prone to falls, it might not be the right choice.

3. I didn't realize until we were ready to unroll it in a dramatic unveiling that the company doesn't recommend a typical boxspring for underneath, because it can cause the mattress to sag.  Oops!  That was definitely an oversight on my part.  Hubby and I will have to hack her bed to create a base that's suitable but that's okay - and it makes total sense, so that's not even a drawback, just a head's up.

Edited (Jan 14th, 2018): Yay! More testing has determined that you can use the Nora with any foundation or base.  I love that the company was so thorough and made sure this was possible.

Those are really my only concerns and they're so minor.  Otherwise we loved the convenience of having it shipped to the house - what a fun way to surprise someone, right?! (if you don't already spill the beans) - and it was a snap to unroll.  Once it puffed up, it was ready to sleep on and I didn't notice any off-gassing like with other brands, which was really nice.  I would have felt really terrible if the mattress had smelled bizarre, even if it was only for a few days.  Unlike ours, this mattress feels more plush and you sink into it more, without giving up support, so if you like a softer mattress that hugs you, this one might be a great fit.  And if you are someone who gets sweaty at night - or you sleep beside someone who does - the incredible cooling properties of the memory foam might be perfect for you.

After getting our foam mattress, I really thought all of these roll-up-and-ship mattresses would be the same but this one feels so different.  If you've been considering one, it will definitely help to comb through some reviews and find the one with features that suit your needs.

I was provided this Nora mattress through Wayfair but all words, thoughts, and opinions are my own.  A HUGE thanks to my friends at Wayfair for letting me give my Mummu this amazing gift, especially at this time of year.  She is such an important person in my life and my connection to my Finnish roots, so I cherish the time we spend together.  Once a year , I sleep over and we have a gals weekend but I always sleep on a pullout sofa (that's also older than me), so I think that might be the next thing I'll need to replace...

New Marimekko Living Room Pillows - Plus a FinnStyle Coupon Code for You!

I favor a slow approach to decorating, taking the time to find the perfect pieces and making little changes so a room grows along with me, reflecting my changing style.  I recently made a small change to the living but it's the kind of change that suddenly makes everything "click".  I thought this would be a good time for a quick look back at the living room, to see how it has shaped up in 19 months - and what it looks like now, with the new additions!

Although we sold a lot of things right before we moved to the lakehouse, we kept most of our old furniture for the living room.  Although things were moved around a little, the cream leather sofa, teal velvet chair, minty mingo chair, black organic chair, Ikea wall unit and even our brown ottoman (although that's on the chopping block) all made the move with us. 

When we first set up our furniture, the living room looked a little bland, but it was already more our style because we had painted the walls and trim white and the fireplace a deep charcoal grey.  It looked quite different from when we first viewed the property:

When I spotted some Marimekko Kirsikka fabric on sale, I scooped it up and coerced my Mom into sewing four bold pillows to liven up the neutral sofa:

I liked how the Kirsikka pattern looked with the spherical glass shades of the big chrome lamp we had at the time.  Suddenly the room had more life - pillows made all the difference!

When I stole my Mom's 1960s blue Lotte lamps, I was surprised by how much I liked the blue.  I hadn't planned on adding blue, so the pillows - with their aqua, green, black and white palette - weren't perfect anymore, but I loved them too much to part with them.  Plus, no way was my Mom going to whip up four new ones!  

When I switched around some furniture, moving our black organic chair and replacing it with the mint mingo from the bedroom, the living room started to boast a riot of patterns and colours, but I still liked the pillows.  I especially liked how the swirls of the Kirsikka complemented the swirls of the upholstery on the mingo chair.

Because the same shade of blue from the Lotte lamps pops up in the both the living room and dining room art, I was confident that the new tweed dining chairs I found would suit our open concept living space quite nicely - providing a visual break from my love affair with aqua, without introducing yet another colour. 

With the addition of more blue, though, it was time to introduce a textile that would play nice.  That's right - I finally conceded that the old pillows weren't right:



FinnStyle (one of my favorite shops, long before the days of sponsored posts) recently reached out and offered to help spruce up a room.  I immediately started perusing their inventory of Marimekko pillows and fabric.  Have you checked out their selection?  SO many gorgeous prints and if you shop in store there's a great remnant section too.

I found the perfect fabric right away: Marimekko's Lumimarja, which comes in different colourways, including one with two shades of leafy green and one with nearly the exact same blue as my Lotte lamps and dining chairs (called "white/green" and "grey/blue," respectively).  FinnStyle generously sent me two of each and they're perfect for the living room:




They add just enough colour and interest without competing with any of the bolder elements in the space.  They tie in the blues and greens, as well as the warm teak and walnut wood tones, and complement our cream leather sofa beautifully.  Plus they boast a beautiful, organic print that I think pairs just as well with the Mingo chair as the Kirsikka fabric did.  The rooms feels lighter and airier and I'm so amazed what a difference just swapping out four throw cushions can make!

After mixing throw cushion patterns in the townhouse, I went for a bold set of four identical cushions when we moved to the lakehouse because I liked the graphic quality.  But now I'm inching back toward pattern mixing and the Lumimarja is a great way to subtly achieve that look because the prints are the same scale, but the colours vary - making mixing effortless!

If something at FinnStyle caught your eye, you're in luck!  FinnStyle is offering Dans le Lakehouse readers a 20% discount.  They asked if readers would prefer a giveaway or discount and I figured a discount because then everyone can find something - I hope I chose right!  Click on this link, enter your email address and get your 20% discount right now.  I've been an email subscriber for years and I promise they aren't spammy.  I appreciate getting emails about their flash sales because I have scored some super sweet deals!

Thanks to FinnStyle for providing the Lumimarja pillows for this living room spruce.  I was provided the product, but not paid or prompted to provide a positive review - this is the best kind of collaboration, because you already know that I'm a huge fan! 

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Iiiiiiiittttaala - Collection of Iittala Festivo

Whenever Hubby spots some Iittala, he sort of squeals the word and drags out the vowels, with an extra screechy-ness on the I's: "iiiiiiiittttaala".  It totally cracks me up.  What can I say?  I married the absolute best guy.  Last summer he and I were yard-saling with my Mummu (see? The Best) and while Mummu and I busied ourselves scrutinizing a table full of china, I heard the soft tinkling of crystal behind us.  Hubby was crouched down, intently sorting through a box of glassware.  Turns out, he had uncovered a honey pot of Iittala (say it with me: iiiiiiiittttaala).  Once upon a time, I never found a stitch of Iittala in this city, outside of Finnish stores, Finnish homes and antique shops.  Since moving back after a six year long absence, I've been finding Iittala yard saling, in the thrift stores, and even in the classifieds.  There are pieces I pass up, but every now and then I find a steal - or something I really want.

I was recently trolling the classifieds when, lo and behold, I stumbled across a colossal collection of Iittala Festivo candle holders.  My Mummu was kind enough to give me her complete set, which is really special because she had one of each size and each piece was a gift from a family member, spread out over years with no duplicate sizes gifted - no one arranged this, either.  It just happened!  Obviously, I love the set she gave me but I always envisioned growing my instant-collection a bit more.  I hadn't yet found any for a good price, so stumbling across a lot was thrilling.  By the time I got in touch with the seller more than half had sold, but I scooped up what remained: 9 in total, which included four signed pieces.

Here's my collection before (including two, 2-ring ones I stole from my Mom):

And my collection, a bit beefier now (but sans the two I stole from my Mom, who insisted I give them back once she saw my loot):

They're definitely squeezing out my little enamel bowl.  For some reason I felt compelled to distinguish new pieces from my Mummu's - although I'm letting them co-mingle - so I marked the bottoms of the newbies with a small silver star sticker so I know who's who in the zoo.

I have to admit that I felt a little woozy making this purchase - a mixture of sheer excitement and a little apprehension over spending the money.  I've been trying to be a tightwad recently because I'd like to make some big purchases - office chairs, bedroom closet doors, etc.  I've been squirreling away as much money as I can and forgoing the little luxuries whenever I can muster the willpower.  (Obviously, my money saving waxes and wanes).  But, as I reasoned with Hubby, I don't tend to buy many accessories for our home and when I do I've normally scored a great deal - usually snagging something fabulous second-hand.  Though more expensive than a normal thrift store score, these were an excellent price too.  Plus the Festivos are, in my opinion, a classic and timeless design.  They were designed by Timo Sarpaneva in 1966 (who also came up with the "i' logo), and produced since 1967 - although they're no longer available for sale (new) in the United States and Canada, making them even more special.  And other than our kitchen shelves and this credenza, I don't have too many spots to accessorize - so I want to make a statement with a collection en masse.

Hubby's reply?  Iiiiiiiittttaala.

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Joulupukki

To my friends who celebrate: Hyvää Joulua! and Boldog Karácsonyt! 
Wishing you all much merriment and joy. 

P.S. That's me on the left and Handy Hubby on the right - or so says my Mom, who bought us this pair of felted wool Joulupukki...

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Vallila Pillows + Mom's Living Room

Get ready blog friends because I'm revealing some of the drool-worthy goods we picked up (on sale!) from Finn Style.  I've made a quick detour to visit my family in my hometown, in between staying in Duluth MN and heading home to the townhouse, so I thought I'd show you what my Mom bought first.

My mom has a knack for picking perfect pieces.  Whether we're at a yard sale rummaging through heaps or at a high end boutique fondling the wares we can't buy, my Mom can skillfully pick out the prettiest and most unusual gem.  While shopping at Finn Style last week I ogled the Marimekko textiles until my eyes bulged out.  Meanwhile, my Mom found stunning Villila pillows.  A lesser known but equally inspiring design house, Villila makes gorgeous textiles.  The print covering my Mom's pillows depicts an urban street in Helsinki, Finland.

Take a peak at the pillows in their new home, the living room of my parents' 1950s home (my paternal, Finnish great-grandfather built the home).

Mom's house is a work-in-progress so wide angle photos are expressly prohibited but I couldn't help providing a little sneak peak into the rest of the living room, where she's hung one of my paintings.  Mom & I also now own the same sofa, but hers is this great cinnamon colour.  I love how she made the matching ottoman look less matchy-matchy (and more soft and cuddly) by tossing on a sheepskin. 

Mom also picked up a fabulous Marimekko dress (on sale).  It looks like the one on the left, but in a black with beige polka dots that are a bit smaller and more irregular.

Marimekko

My Dad bought this mug.  Cute, right?

Aarikka Moose Mug, Photo from Finnport

With the addition of some discounted Marimekko giftcards (pictured below), that's Mom's haul.

Finn Style

P.S. Here's a little glimpse into Mom's library from last year. 

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Finn Style

Because I speak Hungarian, sometimes I feel closer to my Hungarian heritage than my Finnish heritage.  But then I spot a Marimekko print in a shop window or see bloggers go gaga over Iittala birds and I feel a rush of pride.  I'm a devoted fan of Finnish design because I love pretty (and good quality) things, but also because it's in my blood.  Which is why we went on a day trip to Minneapolis last week, purely so I could check out Finn Style, a store I had been aching to visit after I read about it in the July 2011 issue of Lucky magazine.

The Lucky Mag article that led me to the store.

It was definitely worth the drive.

Finn Style is a must-see shop for any style connoisseur (Finn or otherwise).  This spacious shop boasts impressive collections of Marimekko fabrics, linens & clothing, Iittala glassware, Arabia porcelain and Kalevala jewellery.  Plus, you'll find fun & funky Aarikka jewellery, coveted Iittala glass birds and, of course, delicious Panda licorice (that's a staple snack in our household).  But for those shopping for something a little more unusual, this shop also sells more exclusive items, like the Vallila pillows my mom scooped up (I'll post photos soon).

Take a look at just some of the goodies sold in store and online:

Marimekko Fabrics

Marimekko Towels (& other goodies)

Iittala Products

You knew I'd drool over the Alvar Aalto pieces . . .

Kitchen Accessories, Linens & Arabia Dishware

Clothing & Accessories

Funky Aarikka jewellery

Marimekko Change Purses

The selection, and prices, were fabulous and my mom and I definitely enjoyed a little shopping indulgence, each leaving with bulging bags.  I even bought the same dress featured in the Lucky article that led me to the shop (steeply discounted because it is a summer piece).  Even my dad bought himself a mug and Hubby filled his pockets with licorice.  I'll show you all of our Finn Style goodies later but here's a sneak peak of what I bought, in the form of a hint:

Need a better hint?

From table settings to upholstered pieces, the shop is chock full of smart and stylish ideas, which made us buzz with creativity.  Check back to see what we whip up and take a peak at some of the inspiration.

Gorgeous Tablescape

Upholstered Chair - Marimekko Unikko Poppy Upholstery Fabric



Upholstered Chair - Marimekko Kanteleen Kustu Upholstery Fabric

I really, really like this chair.

See the Finn Style website for more info (if you can't make it to Minneapolis, you can also buy online).  I'll be sharing photos of what we bought this week or next.

P.S. A quick note to new blog friends: I'm only blogging about this store because I loved it so.  I haven't been perked or paid.

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