Design Desires

The rationale that supports the large and lovely supply of blanket covers available year round at Gattle's on Third Street in Naples is best summed up by one of the store's bedding experts, Cindy Getzberg. "When people are raised to appreciate fine things, they generally want these things for themselves as adults and will pass on that sensibility to their children," she reasons. "We've stocked blanket covers for 105 years-since Gattle's was founded in Cincinnati. Over the years department stores and linen boutiques have discontinued blanket covers because they believe modern people have no use for them. But we sell thousands every year to people all over the world."

The purpose of a blanket cover is to protect a blanket from pets, children or adults who snack in bed, and to furnish a décor element that changes with the seasons. A blanket cover will also hide imperfections and years of wear in a blanket that you've grown to cherish.

A blanket cover differs from a duvet because you do not slip a blanket inside the cover and fasten it. A blanket cover, as its name implies, is a piece of fabric laid on top of the blanket, covering the surface and sides. In colder climates, a blanket cover should be part of the winter layering process when making a bed. First the top sheet, blanket, blanket cover and then spread or comforter. At night when the spread is turned down, you still have the attractive blanket cover for visual appeal and a little extra weight. During Northern summers, the weighty spread is dry cleaned and packed away. A crisp blanket cover serves as the summer bed coverlet. In Florida, a blanket cover is used year-round, often replacing billowing down comforters, spreads or reversible puffs. But in any climate the airy, fresh-looking blanket cover is a harbinger of spring, signaling a lighter, more informal attitude about dressing a bed. A blanket cover is to the bedroom what a sun dress is to the body.

At Gattle's, the blanket covers are folded and stacked in tall, luscious piles according to size, from twin to king, in prices ranging from $70 to $880 and into the thousands for handmade creations. Fabrics range from dotted Swiss, seersucker and Egyptian cotton to matelassé, silk and satin. The most popular blanket covers are cotton because owners want to toss them into the washing machine.

Some blanket covers are so sheer that you see the color of the underlying blanket. Other fabrics such as the matelassé or quilted satin are thicker and completely conceal what's underneath. An in-stock blanket cover at Gattle's extends 16 inches on either side of the bed and 16 inches at the bottom. You're supposed to fold the top sheet over the blanket cover at the head of the bed. For extra deep mattresses, Gattle's will custom-order blanket covers to fit any size bed.

Many people are purists about their blanket covers. Gattle's Getzberg, for instance, uses a lace-trim cotton ivory blanket cover in winter and a bright white waffle-weave one in summer. Subtle differences in hue and heft are all she needs to shift into the changing seasons. Most blanket covers at Gattle's are gentle, comforting colors-pale pink, buttercream, latte, soft silver, tender lavender and, of course, nuances of ecru and white. Blanket cover people usually can't stop at just one or two. Collecting and switching these dreamy bed embellishments becomes irresistible. Fine blanket covers of exceptional Egyptian cotton get passed down to younger generations, moved to the summer cottage on the lake, or they're just cherished and used for a long time right where they are.

There really is a Sonja Benson behind the label of flirty handbags in her eponymous boutique on Third Street South in Naples. And, unlike most women I know, Sonja invites guests to fling open the doors of the white cupboards underneath the open shelving that artfully displays her creations. Inside the cabinets are more perky bags lined up three deep-petite models of luxury in tropical hues of bright orange, marine blue, cotton candy pink and refreshing lime green.

Stripes, polka dots, fabric flowers and starchy bows animate and ornament these ultra-feminine, sexy little numbers made of cotton, silk and lightweight upholstery material. And the colorful linings are another indication of how artfully detailed these wardrobe accessories are. I know style-conscious women who buy Sonja Benson bags and then go out and hunt outfits and shoes to match instead of the other way around. And who's to call them crazy? These bags are genuine objects of design desire as well as someplace to stash your credit card, mascara and car keys.

Sonja Benson bags, which retail from $55 up to $350, come in about 25 styles. Production takes place in a small purple factory on Fifth Avenue. From that atelier, Sonja wholesales her designer bags to about 20 specialty shops throughout the nation. But she's not interested in expanding the wholesale part of her business because she recognizes that some of the appeal of a Sonja Benson bag lies in its limited-edition status.

How this artist came to Naples five years ago is a story of keeping one's options flexible. She began her career in New York City as a courtroom illustrator for NBC. When television cameras came into the building, she took a job (which lasted 10 years) as an art director for a major advertising firm where her prize accounts were AT&T and Duncan Hines.

During this period her daughter Sarah was preparing for her wedding. "I made her gown," recalls Benson, "as well as the bridesmaids' dresses and mine, too. Then, on a whim, with some leftover fabric I made little handbags for everyone. They were really cute and I had a good time designing and fabricating them. My son joked that I should open a store. I took him seriously and launched Sonja Benson bags in Rockport, Massachusetts. I kept that store for a year and then moved to Port Townsend, Washington, where I expanded the business to include wholesale." One of the stores that Benson wholesaled her bags to was Le Cherche-Midi in Naples. The owner, Jan Sowarby, had been a neighbor in New York.

Benson subsequently opened a second store in Aspen. She later sold out to Vera Bradley and became one of that company's designers. She pioneered the V.B. backpack. After a few years, Benson got the urge to establish her own line again, and it was about this time that Sowarby suggested the move to Naples.

Keeping the business personal is evident in the names that Sonja gives her creations. The Roberta bag is named for her store manager, and the Georgia purse is for one of her two daughters. The Karin clutch carries her sister's first name, and the Camilla tote is named for one of Benson's sewers.

The Sybil bag is universal. "It refers to the many personalities of all women," says Benson. The Sybil (about $150) is the store's most popular, a smallish-squarish hard-side bag with a fabric handle. Sue is the store's smallest shoulder bag and retails for $55. Benson sells about 80 a month. There's a bag named for her granddaughter Hannah and one for daughter Sarah, whose wedding started the whole enterprise.

Benson bags start with color. "The palette influences the shape and size every time," she explains. "I find my textiles in Paris, New York and Italy. In the fall, I'll be adding some Italian leather trims to the totes and backpacks. But color is the primary inspiration." All Sonja Benson bags have four to six layers of construction, making them as durable as they are lovely.

For more about these remarkably pretty purses, you'll have to scout the shop yourself. Open the cupboards, inquire about the names, chat up Sonja and Roberta and swan around the amply mirrored boutique so you can observe for yourself just how adorable you'll look attached to an original Sonja Benson bag.

In the fabric industry, easy-care textiles for outdoor living spaces are of utmost importance. Homebuilders have expanded lanai areas into huge multi-purpose outdoor rooms with separate spaces for kitchen, pool, eating and entertaining, thereby challenging homeowners to educate themselves on fabrics that adapt to our climate.

Textile mills are responding with miracle synthetics that have the look of rich silks, linens or chintz but are nearly indestructible and require practically no maintenance. The range of choices is impressive-actually overwhelming. If you're in the market for redoing an indoor room of your home or if you're tackling the outdoor areas, I think one of the best places to concentrate your shopping days and dollars is the Design Center of the Americas (DCOTA). The fabrics at DCOTA generally start at about $50 a yard, meaning you're shopping amid sensational quality.

DCOTA is located in Dania Beach, a manageable day trip from Naples. At DCOTA the textile selection is vast and it's all in one place. DCOTA has at least 50 fabric showrooms, which makes for wonderful one-stop shopping. But a DCOTA experience can also be a bit overpowering, so it's smart to shop DCOTA with your interior designer. Or take advantage of a DCOTA DOC (designer on call), a team of professionals who staff the center.